Karl visits Gotland - 9 June 1900 - 5 August 1901
When 12-13 years old, Karl spends a year in Magnuse in Gothem Parish on eastern Gotland. Karl stays with his aunt Johanna Helena Bingström who is store manager ("Handelsförestaåndare"). Karl's 72 years old grandmother Stina Karin Bingström born Jonasdotter also stays with his aunt.
Source: Folkräkning Svergies Befolkning 1900, Riksarkivet and Gothem kyrkoarkiv, Församlingsböcker, SE/ViLA/23005/A II a/1 (1897-1915) bild 158/page 149.
Karl & Wiktoria before they get married
The first letter we have from Karl to Wiktoria is when Karl is 19 and Wiktoria is 20 years old in 1907. The last letter from Karl is written a few mohts before he passes away.
The first photo we have of them together is from a sailing trip in the Baltic Sea in 1913, a few months before they get engaged.
Karl & Wiktoria get married and starts a family
The transcript from the Stockholm City Hall shows that they get married in 1916. A few months later their daughter Inga is born.
Karl seems to be an ambitious young man who works as Master Electrician around southern Sweden.
In 1918, Karl and Wiktoria rent a house in the country, not far from the town where Karl works at the moment. Their daughter Inga is two years old and Wiktoria just got pregnant with their second daughter.Karl comes home one evening from work. He has the Spanish Flu and is very sick. He goes to bed. By morning Karl is dead. He was 30 years old.
Wiktoria as a single mother
Wiktoria will give birth to their second daughter Maj eight months after Karl's death. Wiktoria will rent out the only room of the apartment in Stockholm. Wiktoria and her two daughters will live in the kitchen. To support herself and her daughters she will make men's bow ties. Wiktoria will never complaint about her faith and she will never remarry.
