Wenner-Gren Pavilion

In 1934, Axel Wenner-Gren, the famous industrial magnate and founder of Electrolux, bought Häringe Palace from Torsten Kreuger, who was in a bind. It is said that Axel told his wife Marguerite about the purchase by remarking, “Häringe is yours, baby!” The Wenner-Grens had many homes around the world but – together with the enormous yacht, Southern Cross, and the magnificent home, Shangri-La, in the Bahamas – Häringe remained one of their favourites. In order for Marguerite to travel between all their houses with nothing more then a handbag she ordered five sets of all her clothes and shoes. They loved to throw spectacular and gigantic parties here. During their time at Häringe, Marguerite grew flowers in the greenhouse and Axel made sure that the farm was managed flawlessly. The estate’s good-quality milk was sent to the Stockholm Children’s Hospital, and Marguerite’s flowers were sold exclusively at the department store NK and occasionally auctioned off for charity. It was also here that Axel took care of his extensive correspondence, using only blue stationery with decorative elephants (if the animals had their trunks facing upwards, the letter contained good news, but if the trunks were facing down, you could expect something negative).

 

Häringe became filled with expensive art, but many of the paintings were actually high-quality counterfeits. A silver spire and a set of silver bowls and platters that the Prince of Wales received when he married the divorcee Mrs Wallis Simpson could also be found here. Axel and Marguerite kept the noble couple as close friends for a long time, but many of the Wenner-Grens’ relationships with prominent people around the world ended when Axel was blacklisted because of accused associations with the Nazis. Few were willing to risk having their own reputation tainted by Axel’s alleged sympathies.

 

Axel Wenner-Gren recovered from the damaging experience and as World War II ended, he got involved in new spectacular projects. Presumably, Axel felt some sort of personal redemption through all of the medals and honorary doctorate degrees he was later given: six grand crosses and an Honorary Fellowship from Israel. After Axel’s death it was discovered that the trustee Birger Strid had emptied the Wenner-Gren empire of all its worth, and Marguerite died in Mexico, alone and stuck in a wheelchair. The Wenner Gren’s didn’t have any children but Marguerite buried all her beloved animals – 38 dogs and 2 domesticated roe deer – here in the gardens of Häringe.

In 1934, Axel Wenner-Gren, the famous industrial magnate and founder of Electrolux, bought Häringe Palace from Torsten Kreuger, who was in a bind. It is said that Axel told his wife Marguerite about the purchase by remarking, “Häringe is yours, baby!” The Wenner-Grens had many homes around the world but – together with the enormous yacht, Southern Cross, and the magnificent home, Shangri-La, in the Bahamas – Häringe remained one of their favourites. In order for Marguerite to travel between all their houses with nothing more then a handbag she ordered five sets of all her clothes and shoes. They loved to throw spectacular and gigantic parties here. During their time at Häringe, Marguerite grew flowers in the greenhouse and Axel made sure that the farm was managed flawlessly. The estate’s good-quality milk was sent to the Stockholm Children’s Hospital, and Marguerite’s flowers were sold exclusively at the department store NK and occasionally auctioned off for charity. It was also here that Axel took care of his extensive correspondence, using only blue stationery with decorative elephants (if the animals had their trunks facing upwards, the letter contained good news, but if the trunks were facing down, you could expect something negative).

 

Häringe became filled with expensive art, but many of the paintings were actually high-quality counterfeits. A silver spire and a set of silver bowls and platters that the Prince of Wales received when he married the divorcee Mrs Wallis Simpson could also be found here. Axel and Marguerite kept the noble couple as close friends for a long time, but many of the Wenner-Grens’ relationships with prominent people around the world ended when Axel was blacklisted because of accused associations with the Nazis. Few were willing to risk having their own reputation tainted by Axel’s alleged sympathies.

 

Axel Wenner-Gren recovered from the damaging experience and as World War II ended, he got involved in new spectacular projects. Presumably, Axel felt some sort of personal redemption through all of the medals and honorary doctorate degrees he was later given: six grand crosses and an Honorary Fellowship from Israel. After Axel’s death it was discovered that the trustee Birger Strid had emptied the Wenner-Gren empire of all its worth, and Marguerite died in Mexico, alone and stuck in a wheelchair. The Wenner Gren’s didn’t have any children but Marguerite buried all her beloved animals – 38 dogs and 2 domesticated roe deer – here in the gardens of Häringe.