Janken Wiel-Hansen

Johanne Sofie "Janken" Wiel-Hansen (11 July 1868 - 3 April 1938) was a Norwegian-Swedish athlete, feminist and a pioneer in fencing and swordsmanship. She was the founder of the Stockholms Kvinnliga Fäktklubb (Stockholm Women's Fencing Club) and known as the ‘D’Artagnan of Stockholm and Sweden.’

Early life Johanne Sofie Wiel-Hansen was born on 11 July 1868 to Julie and Wilhelm Hansen, in the Norwegian town of Fredrikshald (now known as Halden), on the border with Sweden. An industrial border town, it had many international trading contacts. Her father belonged to one of the town's wealthy patrician families, who were involved in shipping and trading in timber products. He had trained as a forester in Aschaffenburg, Bavaria where he met and married Juliane Catharina Josepha (Julie) Steigerwald. The couple moved to Fredrikshald. Johanne Sofie had two younger siblings, Anni and Wilhelm. During her childhood, the family moved several times between Norway and Sweden, eventually settling in Stockholm where her father died early in 1886, when she was in her early twenties.

Career Less than a year after her father's death, Janken Wiel-Hansen had found employment at P.A. Norstedt & Sons, Sweden's oldest publishing house. She was one of the first women to work for the company, and worked there for 25 years as a clerk and cash sales manager, and was later remembered as "vital, very humorous". In the summers of 1904 and 1905 she studied fencing in England and France. In 1906 she took part in the international fencing competitions in Tourcoing winning first prize, and became an international champion, which made an impression on the press at home. The club was one of Stockholm's first sports clubs for women.

In addition to fencing, social activities were an important part of the Stockholms Kvinnliga Fäktklubb. Parlour rooms were set up alongside the fencing rooms. Tea parties, soirees and theatre performances were part of the club's programme. Both working people and housewives met here to relax, although many members came from the upper classes of society. Crown Princess Margareta, who was interested in sport, was an honorary member. They travelled together on several occasions, including to Bavaria and Norway. From an early age, she attracted attention figure skating on the ice around the city in winter. Sport helped Janken Wiel-Hansen to find her style. She was a regular cyclist and dressed in sports skirts and blouses. In the early years of the 20th century, her ‘manly short-cropped head’ caused comment. She preferred a practical grey walking suit, which she had made in the same style year after year. For parties, she wore a black suit or a man's jacket with a long skirt. She maintained her style and dress until her death. She is buried at Norra begravningsplatsen in Solna.