If you love exploring European destinations that offer more than just pretty postcard views like I do, I believe the coastal town of Varberg in Sweden, needs to be on your travel radar. But not for the historical fortress and beautiful beaches that you can find there. Varberg is where you’re going to find a fascinating and fiercely debated piece of public art: the statue of The Woman With the Handbag.
You might not be familiar with the statue but I think you might have seen the original picture before. I believe you need to be aware of it to truly appreciate the sculpture, so I will share a brief story about it before I share the art piece and how I got there.
Everything starts around April 1985 when a neo-Nazi rally happened in the Swedish city of Växjö. There, a photojournalist called Hans Runesson captured a split-second interaction that would reverberate for decades. I’m not sure how he spotted this magical and brief moment but he did. His camera caught a woman swinging her purse directly at the head of one of the marching neo-Nazis. Her name was Danuta Danielsson.
From Viral Photo to Swedish Folklore
The image is so striking that it quickly became a sensation in Sweden, and it even won a “Picture of the Century” award in the country. And I genuinely understand why it happened. The image captures what Henri Cartier-Bresson called a decisive moment in the shape of an act of raw defiance.
Over the years, because Danuta Danielsson chose to remain anonymous to avoid retaliation from right-wing groups in Sweden, a massive urban legend formed around the image.
Many people thought she was an elderly concentration camp survivor. While other people had different theories, the reality was entirely different.
By Hans Runesson – https://www.dn.se/kultur-noje/tanten-med-vaskan-blir-staty-i-brons/, Fair use, Link
Danuta Danielsson was a 38-year-old Polish immigrant who refused to stay silent in the face of hatred.
The man that Danuta Danielsson is about to hit with her purse was later identified as Seppo Seluska. He was a militant member of the Nordic Realm Party at the time and was convicted of the torture and murder of a gay Jew months later.
Tragically, Danuta Danielsson died in 1988 while battling mental health problems. It was only decades later that the artist Susanna Arwin decided to honor her spontaneous bravery with a life-sized bronze statue repeating her famous moment of defiance.
The Battle for the Statue
As I previously stated, this statue has generated a great deal of controversy. You may be wondering how an act of anti-fascist resistance could have led to such a dramatic outcome.
When plans were made to erect the statue in the city where everything happened, Växjö, local officials balked since they feared that the statue would glorify street violence. Aside from that, Danuta Danielsson’s family opposed the statue because she disliked the image and the notoriety it brought.
But the Swedish public felt differently about the statue. And a wave of creative protest followed where people started leaving purses and handbags on existing statues demanding that the statue of The Woman With the Handbag be displayed. Seeing the public passion for the statue, hotel entrepreneur Lasse Diding stepped in and purchased the sculpture.
Where to Find The Woman With the Handbag in Varberg Today
Initially, Lasse Diding offered to donate the statue to the Varberg municipality with the goal of having it displayed next to the historic Varberg Fortress, but the city’s cultural board voted against it.
Nowadays, the statue of The Woman With the Handbag can be found in the from yard of Lasse Diding’s private residence, called Villa Wäring, in the center of Varberg. You can walk up to the area and appreciate this incredible piece of cultural history without any problem.
Even though there is a lot of controversy around it, I believe that the statue stands as a brilliant reminder of civil courage, the power of photography, and the complex conversations that happen when art meets real life.
When I was cycling from Copenhagen to Oslo, one of the cities I intended to stop in for the night was Varberg. And, as I always do on trips like this, I spent some time planning my route. During this planning stage, I learned about the statue, and I had to visit it.
That stop at the statue of The Woman With the Handbag by Susanna Arwin was one of the highlights of my third day cycling. And I was so happy to see that, besides the statue, there is a tree where people leave handbags on its branches.
If you are planning a trip around southern Sweden and the Halland County, don’t forget to add the statue of The Woman With the Handbag to your itinerary. Just follow the map below.
The Woman With the Handbag: How a Flipped Purse Sparked Sweden’s Ultimate Art Debate
Kungsgatan 36, 432 44
Varberg, Sweden
