Born: 24 August 1829, Sweden
Died: 10 September 1901
Country most active: Sweden
Also known as: NA
The following bio was written by Emma Rosen, author of On This Day She Made History: 366 Days With Women Who Shaped the World and This Day In Human Ingenuity & Discovery: 366 Days of Scientific Milestones with Women in the Spotlight, and has been republished with permission.
Emanuella Ottiliana Carlbeck was a pioneering Swedish educator known for her work with students with intellectual disabilities. She founded the first institution for such students in Gothenburg in 1866, providing education and supportive home and asylum for patients.
Emanuella Carlbeck was driven by personal experience to address the needs of children born with intellectual disabilities. Her own nephew, who had such a disability, sparked her mission. In 19th-century Sweden, these children remained largely hidden from society due to the absence of support. They were often considered incapable of receiving an education and remained out of public view. Like her contemporary Sophia Wilkens, Emanuella Carlbeck was an upper- and middle-class woman involved in social reform efforts.
In 1866, at age 37, she established the first institution for children with intellectual disabilities in Gothenburg. The institution provided a school, a home for daily activities, and an asylum. Although Sophia Wilkens had established a similar institution seven years prior, Carlbeck’s model became the blueprint for subsequent establishments across the nation. Initially starting with a small number of patients, the institution quickly grew in response to the novelty of such facilities. Government support began in 1871, further facilitating its expansion.