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Anna Eleonora EkelofSwedish scammer
Country:
 Sweden |
Content:
- Biography of Anna Eleonora Ekelf
- Impersonating a Woman
- Aristocratic Behavior
- The Rumors
- Different Explanations
- Unresolved Identity
Biography of Anna Eleonora Ekelf
IntroductionAnna Eleonora Ekelf was a Swedish fraudster who impersonated a man. In Sweden during that time, there were numerous similar stories of women pretending to be men. The first official records of Anna Ekelf's arrest date back to June 1765 when she was apprehended while attempting to cross the Swedish-Norwegian border in Värmland while dressed as a man.
Impersonating a Woman
During the investigation, Ekelf admitted to previously pretending to be someone else. Witnesses came forward, having previously encountered Anna in the border regions where she posed as a girl running away from her father's house to be with her lover. Later, Anna changed her appearance, wearing a white wig and a well-chosen outfit to transform herself into "Count Carl Ekeblad." She claimed to be a crown prince who had escaped Sweden and was awaiting royal pardon. With her new identity, Anna managed to gather a following of Swedes and Norwegians and found shelter in a Norwegian estate.
Aristocratic Behavior
Anna's behavior as Count Carl Ekeblad was reminiscent of the worst aristocratic traditions of that time. Witnesses reported that the count drank heavily, cursed, engaged in debauchery, smoked incessantly, and frequently got into fights. Later, Anna tried to justify her behavior, claiming that her unpleasant demeanor actually helped her avoid exposure.
The Rumors
Soon, rumors about the Swedish crown prince reached Oslo. It was rumored that "Count Carl Ekeblad" was, in fact, the disguised crown prince who had fallen out with the council and parliament and was planning to overthrow the government. The story had some plausibility, as rumors of planned rebellions were circulating even before. Anna's physical resemblance to the crown prince, both in age and build, worked in her favor. Eventually, the rumors reached the customs office in Magnebro, and Anna was arrested.
Different Explanations
Ekelf confessed to impersonating the count but vehemently denied the story about the crown prince. According to Anna, she could only make such a statement when intoxicated. She then presented a new version of her story, claiming to be the daughter of a sailor from Gothenburg. She said she had run away from home to be with her lover, Norwegian sergeant Magnus Sandberg. Anna and Magnus allegedly planned to marry, but her parents disapproved. It was the circumstances that forced Anna to impersonate a man, as her own clothes were badly damaged during her wanderings. Despite her efforts, Anna failed to convince the authorities that everything she had done was just harmless mischief. She was suspected of attempting an illegal abortion abroad.
Unresolved Identity
The authorities never managed to establish Anna Ekelf's true identity. She convinced one of the prison guards of the authenticity of her story, leading to her release. What happened to "Count Carl Ekeblad" afterward remains unknown. Anna Eleonora Ekelf was not the only Swedish woman pretending to be a man during that time. Sweden had many similar stories, such as that of Kerstin Pedersdotter, who also wandered the country disguised as a man.
