 Changing his plans and course of study at Uppsala, Giertz quit studying medicine and took up theology instead.Though very unhappy about this, his father accepted Giertz's choice but declared that if he were to switch majors again he was not to expect further financial help.During a semester abroad to study Etruscan archaeology in Italy with Axel Boëthius, an audience with Swedish Queen Consort Victoria left a deep impression upon him.