Ture Malmgren
A Swedish newspaper baron and political eccentric who built a faux-medieval castle and shaped the public life of Uddevalla.
1851–1922 (age 71)·Swedish journalist and politician·Birthday: June 7
Biography
Ture Malmgren was a force of nature in the port city of Uddevalla, a man who wielded influence less through official title than through sheer personality and the power of the press. For decades, he owned and operated Bohusläningen, a local newspaper that became his personal megaphone and a community pillar. His political career was a sideshow to his main act: living with theatrical flair. He poured his fortune into constructing Tureborg, a whimsical castle complete with towers and a drawbridge, which stood as a monument to his romantic and contrarian spirit. Malmgren's life was a performance, blending civic duty with personal mythology, ensuring he remained a vivid local legend long after his death.
#1 When Ture Was Born
The biggest hits of 1851
Ture's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1851Born
1856Started school
1864Became a teenager
President: Abraham Lincoln
1867Could drive
President: Andrew Johnson
1869Could vote
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1872Turned 21
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1881Turned 30
President: Chester A. Arthur
1891Turned 40
President: Benjamin Harrison
1901Turned 50
Queen Victoria dies, ending the Victorian era
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1911Turned 60
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 in New York
President: William Howard Taft
1921Turned 70
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1922Died at 71
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
Key Achievements
- Owned and published the influential regional newspaper Bohusläningen for a significant portion of his life.
- Served as a municipal politician, actively shaping the development of his hometown, Uddevalla.
- Commissioned and built the distinctive Tureborg Castle, an enduring architectural landmark.
- Maintained a long and colorful presence in local political and social scenes.
Did You Know?
His castle, Tureborg, was built in a faux-medieval style and became a local curiosity.
He was known for an extravagant and eccentric lifestyle that fascinated his contemporaries.
The name 'Tureborg' combines his first name, Ture, with the Swedish word for castle, 'borg'.
“A free press is the town's conscience, and I am its loud voice.”
