Anita Vanger

''This article is about Harald Vanger's daughter. You may be looking for Harriet Vanger, who went by the same name until her discovery by Mikael Blomkvist.''

Anita Vanger is the unmarried, childless sister of Cecilia Vanger and daughter of Harald Vanger. She was also Harriet Vanger's confidante.

Anita moved away from her family, working as a travel agent. In The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, she lives in London.

It was Anita who was responsible for ensuring that Henrik Vanger received Harriet's pressed flowers every year on his birthday.

Involvement in Harriet's Dissapearance
Harriet confided in Anita when they were teenagers, telling her of the abuse she suffered under her father and brother and her subsequent murder of the former.

Anita assisted Harriet in leaving Hedeby Island during 1966. Harriet, being similar in appearance to Anita (save for her hair colour, which she changed), adopted her name until she married. In consequences, Anita could never get married because Harriet married with Anita's name. In England and Sweden Anita claimed that she was separated from her husband and the family wouldn't think much of it since a Vanger doesn't get a divorce.

Anita could be seen in the photographs taken on the day of Harriet's dissapearance from Hedeby, opening the window in Harriet's room. Previously, it was suspected Cecilia Vanger of that due to a strong resemblance between the sisters and that they both worn identical clothes.

Depiction in the Films
In both film adaptations of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Anita is depicted as dead.

In the Swedish film, Anita is stated to have died from cancer several years prior to Mikael Blomkvist's investigation into Harriet's dissapearance.

In the American film, she died in a car crash. Mikael discovers that Harriet lived in her house until she died, when Harriet began living with her generalities.

Anita Vanger