Margaretha Donner

Margaretha Donner was a Swedish entrepreneur who successfully ran the Donner merchant house.

She was born in the merchant family of Matthias Lythberg and Johanna Wihadi in Visby. She received a proper education and became active in commerce as her father’s business assistant. At age of 18 he married Jürgen Hinrich Donner, the German merchant from Hanseatic Lübeck with whom he had four children. A young couple settled in Visby on Gotland in 1746. There they founded the merchant house of import and export activities with Germany and England. The building known as “The Donnor House” can still be seen today.

During his husband’s life, Margaretha worked as the company’s accountant becoming the sole owner and director after his death in 1751. She created the merchant fleet of 20 ships and factory on Gotland improving the business considerably.

Although she helped her two sons to start their own business, they were not allowed to interfere in her affairs until she got ill. She died of tuberculosis in 1774.

The Donner business empire expanded under her sons, both of whom included their wives in their work. The business eventually went bankrupt in 1845.