Maria Henschen

Maria Beata Catharina Henschen, also von Bergen (26 March 1840 – 30 May 1927) was a Swedish school director. She founded Uppsala högre elementarläroverk för flickor ('Uppsala Higher Elementary College for Girls') in 1865.

Biography Maria Henschen was born in Uppsala in 1840 and was the daughter of jurist Lars Vilhelm Henschen and Augusta . Henschen had five siblings, Johan Henschen (1837), publicist (1842–1925), Josef Henschen (1843), Esaias Henschen (1845), and doctor Salomon Eberhard Henschen (1847–1930).

She was educated at Cecilia Fryxell's school at Rostad, and then also taught there between 1861 and 1865, also taking several study trips abroad. She studied French, German and English, and for a time also worked as a governess.

In 1865 she founded a girls' school in Uppsala, called ('the Henschen Girls' School') after her. The school became a pioneering institution in Sweden. Her brother Salomon taught natural sciences early on and established a small museum. was also the head of a company producing malt for medical purposes. In Salomon's letters, von Bergen is said to have beaten Henschen and spent all her money, leaving her penniless. Together with her brother in law , she was involved in spiritism and occultism, also helping found ('the Association for Psychic Research').

Henschen was an assistant to women's rights pioneer Sophie Adlersparre.