Bertha Klingberg

Bertha Klingberg (October 21, 1898 – November 7, 2005) was a florist and an honorary citizen of the city of Schwerin.

Early life Bertha Klingberg was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1898 and grew up with her grandparents in Bützow. She often visited Schwerin and discovered her love of flowers and nature at a young age. At ten-years-old, she climbed the fence of the Schwerin palace gardens to admire the flowers but was caught by Grand Duke Friedrich-Franz III. After speaking to her, however, the Grand Duke allowed her to visit the gardens whenever she wanted. At fourteen, she started an apprenticeship as a florist in Rostock.

Career After her husband died in WWI, she and her son moved to Schwerin. After the war, she continued to work as a florist at the Schwerin butcher's market where she sold produce from her garden. She often wore traditional Rehna dress which, over the decades, contributed to her status as a city original. For her efforts, she became the first and only recipient of the Honorary Ring of the State Capital Schwerin in 1993.

In 2002, the city council of Scherwin awarded Klingberg honorary citizenship.

Death and legacy On November 7th, 2005, Klingberg died in a nursing home in Schwerin at the age of 107. She was buried at a family plot in the Old Cemetery in Schwerin.