Miss Gerda Ulrika Dahlberg was born 5 February 1890 in Västerhaninge, Stockholm, Sweden.

She was the daughter Karl Magnus Dahlberg, a police official, and Margareta Ulrika Persdotter (b. 1850) and was the sister of: Karl Otto (b. 1873), Maria Karolina (b. 1878), Erik Gustaf (b. 1883), Knut Albert (b. 1886), Signe Margaretta (b. 1892) and Katrina Lovisa (b. 1893). The family resided at Norrlöt, Tungelsta, Södertörn, Stockholm .

Gerda was travelling from her home to join one of her sisters, Signe Dahlberg at 1830 (?1838) Calumet Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. She boarded the Titanic at Southampton as a third-class passenger (ticket number 7552 which cost £10, 10s, 4d). She shared a cabin with Olga Lundin.

Whilst on board she became acquainted with fellow-Swede Carl Olof Jansson. During the sinking Carl later recognised Gerda as they both struggled in the water. Jansson was eventually picked up but Gerda died in the sinking and her body was not recovered.

According to newspaper articles, her sister Signe "had been haunting the White Star offices for the last three days, received word yesterday which crushed her last hope for the safety of her sister."

The Mansion House Fund paid 875:52 Kr (£48) to her parents, and a claim for damages of 911 Kr (£50) was also later paid on 30 June 1914.

Gerda's parents remained living in Stockholm. Her mother died in 1928 and her father in 1931. Her sister Signe continued to live in Chicago and was married in the 1920s to Martin Johnson (b. 1890), a fellow-Swede. The couple raised a family and later moved to Michigan. Signe is believed to have died in the 1980 at a nursing home in Lawton, MI.