Maria Kristina Kiellström (15 June 1744 – 20 January 1798), known as Maja Stina, was a Swedish silk worker and alleged prostitute, and most famously the fictional demimonde prostitute or Rococo "nymph" Ulla Winblad in the songs called Fredman's Epistles by Sweden's troubadour, Carl Michael Bellman, who made her a major character in his work.
Kiellström was born into a poor family in what was then the poor area of Ladugårdslandet in Stockholm. Her mother died when she was five years old. Her father, Johan Kiellström, was originally in the artillery, but he was forced to resign from the military because of epilepsy, and supported himself as a street sweeper. Her father remarried a woman by the name Catharina Elisabeth Winblad, and Maja Stina occasionally used her stepmother's name Winblad ("vineleaf").[1]
From the age of fourteen, Kiellström supported herself. Her first work was that of a domestic, but in 1763, she is listed as a silk worker.[1] During the 1760s, she became acquainted with the songwriter and performer Carl Michael Bellman, and they are known to have dined and danced with each other. In 1765, she gave birth to a daughter who died after eight days. The father of the child was Colonel Wilhelm Schmidt from the Swedish nobility in Russian service, who promised to marry her but abandoned her and left for Russia.[1]
Detail from etching "The steps on Skeppsbro" depicting a scene in Stockholm's harbour by Elias Martin, 1800. The central figure is popularly supposed to be Carl Michael Bellman's semi-mythical Ulla Winblad, based on Kiellström.
During these years, she was alleged to have been a prostitute. Historians, however, have found nothing to confirm this allegation. According to August Gynther, there is no record of her ever having worked at a tavern either. She was on one occasion suspected by her landlord for immoral lifestyle but was by others described as an orderly and dutiful worker. It is confirmed that she regularly took communion in church, something she would likely not have been allowed to do had she been a prostitute. Neither was she ever placed in the Långholmens spinnhus for prostitution. According to historical records, she was only arrested once, and the reason was not prostitution. In 1767, she was arrested for wearing silk, which was normally banned for commoners and laborers under the Sumptuary laws of the time. She was discharged after having proved that she was a silk worker and thereby entitled by law to wear silk despite being a commoner.[1]
In 1772, she married Eric Nordström, a childhood friend of Bellman, who was helped by Bellman to a position at the customs in Norrköping. A figure named Nordström appears in Bellman's Fredman's epistles.[2] Bellman himself had a sinecure job in the customs service. The marriage was unhappy as Nordström treated her badly. She became a widow in 1781, when she moved back to Stockholm, and in 1786, in her middle forties, she married Erik Lindståhl, a man eleven years her junior. She was at this time described as a very well preserved beauty.[1]
As Ulla WinbladEdit
The start of Fredman's Epistle no 71, Ulla, my Ulla, say may I thee offer reddest strawberries in milk and wine..., a song to Ulla Winblad, the mythical demimonde muse based on Kiellström
Kiellström inspired Carl Michael Bellman to create his character, the prostitute "Bar-Nymph", demimonde, and courtesan Ulla Winblad ("Ulla Vine-leaf") who appears in many of the songs in Fredman's epistles. The popular Epistle no. 71 begins:[3][4]
It is said that both Kiellström and her husband felt persecuted by Bellman's portrayal of her, and she was exposed to much humiliation because of his songs involving her alter ego. Indeed, another woman who simply had the Christian name "Ulla" found her Stockholm newspaper advertisement ineffective in the 1790s, as her unhappy suitor replied "How can you expect me to marry you when you have such a name?"[1]
^Ulvblom, Pernilla. "1700-talets Stockholm genom Fredmans epistlar" (PDF) (in Swedish). Institutionen för kultur- och medievetenskaper. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
Bellman.net om Ulla Winblad och Maija-Stina Kiellström
Britten Austin, Paul. The Life and Songs of Carl Michael Bellman: Genius of the Swedish Rococo. Allhem, Malmö American-Scandinavian Foundation, New York, 1967. ISBN978-3-932759-00-0
Artikel i Dagens Nyheter, 070726.
Matz, Edvard. Carl Michael Bellman – Nymfer och friskt kalas. Historiska Media, Lund, 2004. ISBN91-89442-97-0
maria, kristina, kiellström, june, 1744, january, 1798, known, maja, stina, swedish, silk, worker, alleged, prostitute, most, famously, fictional, demimonde, prostitute, rococo, nymph, ulla, winblad, songs, called, fredman, epistles, sweden, troubadour, carl, . Maria Kristina Kiellstrom 15 June 1744 20 January 1798 known as Maja Stina was a Swedish silk worker and alleged prostitute and most famously the fictional demimonde prostitute or Rococo nymph Ulla Winblad in the songs called Fredman s Epistles by Sweden s troubadour Carl Michael Bellman who made her a major character in his work Maria Kristina KiellstromBorn15 June 1744StockholmDied20 January 1798StockholmOccupation s Silk worker alleged prostituteSpouse s Eric Nordstrom Erik LindstahlNotesInspiration of Michael Bellman s famous literary character Ulla Winblad Contents 1 Biography 2 As Ulla Winblad 3 See also 4 References 5 Sources 6 Further readingBiography EditKiellstrom was born into a poor family in what was then the poor area of Ladugardslandet in Stockholm Her mother died when she was five years old Her father Johan Kiellstrom was originally in the artillery but he was forced to resign from the military because of epilepsy and supported himself as a street sweeper Her father remarried a woman by the name Catharina Elisabeth Winblad and Maja Stina occasionally used her stepmother s name Winblad vineleaf 1 From the age of fourteen Kiellstrom supported herself Her first work was that of a domestic but in 1763 she is listed as a silk worker 1 During the 1760s she became acquainted with the songwriter and performer Carl Michael Bellman and they are known to have dined and danced with each other In 1765 she gave birth to a daughter who died after eight days The father of the child was Colonel Wilhelm Schmidt from the Swedish nobility in Russian service who promised to marry her but abandoned her and left for Russia 1 nbsp Detail from etching The steps on Skeppsbro depicting a scene in Stockholm s harbour by Elias Martin 1800 The central figure is popularly supposed to be Carl Michael Bellman s semi mythical Ulla Winblad based on Kiellstrom During these years she was alleged to have been a prostitute Historians however have found nothing to confirm this allegation According to August Gynther there is no record of her ever having worked at a tavern either She was on one occasion suspected by her landlord for immoral lifestyle but was by others described as an orderly and dutiful worker It is confirmed that she regularly took communion in church something she would likely not have been allowed to do had she been a prostitute Neither was she ever placed in the Langholmens spinnhus for prostitution According to historical records she was only arrested once and the reason was not prostitution In 1767 she was arrested for wearing silk which was normally banned for commoners and laborers under the Sumptuary laws of the time She was discharged after having proved that she was a silk worker and thereby entitled by law to wear silk despite being a commoner 1 In 1772 she married Eric Nordstrom a childhood friend of Bellman who was helped by Bellman to a position at the customs in Norrkoping A figure named Nordstrom appears in Bellman s Fredman s epistles 2 Bellman himself had a sinecure job in the customs service The marriage was unhappy as Nordstrom treated her badly She became a widow in 1781 when she moved back to Stockholm and in 1786 in her middle forties she married Erik Lindstahl a man eleven years her junior She was at this time described as a very well preserved beauty 1 As Ulla Winblad Edit nbsp The start of Fredman s Epistle no 71 Ulla my Ulla say may I thee offer reddest strawberries in milk and wine a song to Ulla Winblad the mythical demimonde muse based on KiellstromKiellstrom inspired Carl Michael Bellman to create his character the prostitute Bar Nymph demimonde and courtesan Ulla Winblad Ulla Vine leaf who appears in many of the songs in Fredman s epistles The popular Epistle no 71 begins 3 4 Ulla min Ulla Saj far jag dig bjuda rodaste smultron i mjolk och vin Ulla my Ulla say may I thee offer reddest strawberries in milk and wine It is said that both Kiellstrom and her husband felt persecuted by Bellman s portrayal of her and she was exposed to much humiliation because of his songs involving her alter ego Indeed another woman who simply had the Christian name Ulla found her Stockholm newspaper advertisement ineffective in the 1790s as her unhappy suitor replied How can you expect me to marry you when you have such a name 1 See also EditUlla von Hopken Lovisa von PlatReferences Edit a b c d e f Britten Austin 1967 pp 84 89 Ulvblom Pernilla 1700 talets Stockholm genom Fredmans epistlar PDF in Swedish Institutionen for kultur och medievetenskaper Retrieved 1 March 2016 Bellman 1790 Epistle 71 Swedish Wikisource Fredmans epistel n o 71Sources EditBellman net om Ulla Winblad och Maija Stina Kiellstrom Britten Austin Paul The Life and Songs of Carl Michael Bellman Genius of the Swedish Rococo Allhem Malmo American Scandinavian Foundation New York 1967 ISBN 978 3 932759 00 0 Artikel i Dagens Nyheter 070726 Matz Edvard Carl Michael Bellman Nymfer och friskt kalas Historiska Media Lund 2004 ISBN 91 89442 97 0Further reading EditMaria Kristina Kiellstrom at Svenskt kvinnobiografiskt lexikon Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Maria Kristina Kiellstrom amp oldid 1170462411, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
