A 13-square-meter kitchen located at Drottninggatan 15 in Stockholm served as the original mechanical workshop for Lars Magnus Ericsson in 1876. By analyzing existing telegraph and telephone hardware, he established the foundations for what would eventually become the global telecommunications corporation Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson, fundamentally altering the landscape of Swedish industrial manufacturing.
Early Development and Technical Training
Born in 1846 in Värmskog, Ericsson spent his youth in the village of Vegerbol. Following the death of his father when he was 12, he sought employment as a miner before relocating to Stockholm in 1867. His technical proficiency developed during six years at Öllers & Co., a firm specializing in telegraph equipment. This expertise earned him two state scholarships, facilitating instrument-making studies abroad between 1872 and 1875, including a tenure at Siemens & Halske.
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Returning to Sweden in 1876, Ericsson partnered with former colleague Carl Johan Andersson to launch his workshop. The firm initially focused on producing telephone units based on designs from Bell and Siemens. The enterprise underwent significant growth following a partnership with Henrik Tore Cedergren in 1883. Despite his success, Ericsson maintained a cautious approach to commerce and held a skeptical view of patent protections, often citing that his own early designs were heavily influenced by existing international technology.
Retirement and Legacy
At age 54, Ericsson retired from the firm he established. He liquidated his remaining company shares by 1905, choosing to step away from the industry entirely. He was characterized as a demanding employer who avoided public attention. In 1926, he died in Botkyrka parish and was interred at Botkyrka kyrkogård. Per his explicit instructions, no headstone marks his burial site at Hågelby gård.
Family Life
Ericsson married Hilda Simonsson in 1878. The couple had four children: Johan, Gustaf, Anna, and Lars Magnus Jr. The family experienced significant loss, as Johan died of pulmonary oedema at age two, and Lars Magnus Jr. died at a young age from tuberculosis. Gustaf lived until 1965, and Anna lived until 1967.
Fast facts
- Born: 1846, Värmskog, Sweden
- Died: 1926, Botkyrka parish, Sweden
- Primary Occupations: Entrepreneur, inventor, industrialist
- Founding Year of Ericsson: 1876
- Retirement Year: 1900
- Spouse: Hilda Simonsson
- Final Resting Place: Botkyrka kyrkogård
Questions readers ask
Why is there no headstone for Lars Magnus Ericsson?
He left an explicit request that his grave at Hågelby gård remain unmarked.
Did Ericsson hold patents for all his telephone designs?
He was generally opposed to strict patent legislation, noting that his early devices were largely modeled after those produced by Siemens.
