Ingrid Bergman in her hometown, Stockholm

After exploring different Garbo-related places in Stockholm last weekend, I thought it would be a good idea to do the same today with our enchanting lady Ingrid Bergman! Ingrid was born on this day in 1915 and also passed away the same day in 1982. I’m currently living in Stockholm for a year, as I will soon begin my Master in Cinema Studies here. Believe me, living in Ingrid Bergman’s hometown surely feels special. And being here for her birthday and death anniversary, even more!

I only saw two Ingrid Bergman-related places today, but my journey actually started a few days ago when, during my Greta Garbo’s explorations, I went to Dramaten ( The Royal Dramatic Theatre) which holds a very special place in Bergman’s history. When she discovered her vocation, becoming an actress, Ingrid had one idea in mind: to be accepted at the Royal Dramatic Theatre School (this, or jumping in the water as she explains in her autobiography). Ingrid’s passion for acting was REAL. After a successful audition, she received a scholarship (just like Greta Garbo had received some years before) and started her formation at that prestigious school. Walking around this magnificent building surely felt wonderful. I loved to think that I was probably setting foot where Ingrid had many years before! Her career at Dramaten wasn’t very long but it surely helped her becoming that international acting star!

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Ingrid and other theatre students at Dramaten. Can you spot her? 🙂

Then, last Monday, when I went to the cinema department of Stockholm University to register for my classes, I witnessed the wonderful decoration, which included these three paintings of Ingrid Bergman by Andy Warhol! What a great idea! I wonder if they could be original serigraphies. I’d have to ask eventually. This was in a place where I couldn’t access without a key, but somehow I managed to sneak out when someone opened the door. What I wouldn’t do for Ingrid! 😉

Today, I paid a visit to Ingrid by visiting her grave at Norra Begravningsplatsen (Northern Cemetery) in Solna, Stockholm. Ingrid Bergman passed away in London but a part of her ashes was scattered in the sea, around the island of Dannholmen in Sweden where she used to spend her summer vacations. The rest was buried at the cemetery with her parents. Northern Cemetery is maybe not as impressive as The Woodland Cemetary (where Greta Garbo is resting) in terms of landscape architecture but it surely is a pretty and peaceful place. I must admit I had a bit of trouble to find her tomb but I eventually found a wifi spot and was able to search on Internet where it was initially. The first name I spotted was Justus Bergman, her beloved father. I hadn’t brought flowers with me, unfortunately, but I managed to do a little bouquet with wild flowers that I had found on the cemetery ground. I cleaned a bit her grave and removed flowers that were long dead and put these instead. I sat a bit and thought about this wonderful woman.

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Also, when I was on my way to the grave, I saw this little fellow! If you believe in reincarnation, this could be a sign! It was so adorable!

I left the cemetery and went back to central Stockholm at Strandvägen 3 in Östermalm where Ingrid was born and where her father owned a photography shop. Ingrid sadly never had the chance to know her mother very well since she passed away when she was only  3. Her father, who was an artist and photographer, passed away when she was 13. She then moved with her uncle and aunt in the Stockholm area. If she didn’t have the chance to know her father very long either, it’s thank to him if she discovered a taste for acting. Not only he brought her to the theatre, but she played in his amateur film from age 8. She loved pretending she was someone else and this was a way to defy her shyness.

Ingrid and her parents

Ingrid and her father

Little Ingrid

The photography shop obviously doesn’t exist anymore (it’s now a jewelry shop). It was hard to take a photo since the building is being renovated as you can see:

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But what’s more special about Ingrid’s childhood house, is that it’s just next to Dramaten!

I feel good now that I’ve paid my visit and respects to my woman idol. Tonight, I think I’m gonna watch one of her films in order to continue my celebration.

Happy heavenly birthday and RIP dear Ingrid!

Sources:

“Ingrid Bergman, The Film Guide to Stockholm.” Stockholm, the Capital of Scandinavia. n.d. https://www.visitstockholm.com/the-film-guide-to-stockholm/ingrid-bergman/. Accessed Aug. 29, 2019.

“Ingrid Bergman.” Wikipedia. 29 August, 2019. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingrid_Bergman. Accessed Aug. 29, 2019.