Josefina Deland

Who was Josefina Deland?

Josefina Deland was a Swedish feminist, writer and a teacher in French. She founded Svenska lärarinnors pensionsförening.

Deland was the daughter of ballet dancer Louis Deland and the actress Maria Deland. Her father was partially French speaking, and she was active as a French teacher and published a book about the French language in 1839. Deland raised a public debate about the fact that the state did not provide any pension for retired female teachers and governesses, who consequently often ended up at the poor house after retirement, and in 1855, the stately Svenska lärarinnors pensionsförening was created thanks to her efforts. Deland was a feminist and her initial demand that the society was to be organised by women was ridiculed by the media: the debate was long remembered with her words: "No Gentlemen! No Gentlemen!"

In 1859, Deland left Sweden for France.