The Nordic Culture Spot

Ragnarok "and axe age, a sword age"

2010-09-23T02:04:00.000-07:00

Ragnarok, the doom of the Gods, "the final destiny of the gods" if we listen to the probable translation of the term, a series of future events in where the gods were destined to be defeated and killed. The event is mainly narrated in two fundamental texts of the Norse mythology, the Poetic Edda compiled somewhere during the 13th century and the Prose Edda, compiled by Icelandic scholar Snorri Sturluson around the same time and both containing several references to Ragnarok

Brothers will fight

and kill each other,

sisters' children

will defile kinship.

It is harsh in the world,

whoredom rife

—an axe age, a sword age (and the sun rises)

—shields are riven—

a wind age, a wolf age—

before the world goes headlong.

No man will have

mercy on another. . .

Brœðr muno beriaz

ok at bǫnom verða[z]

muno systrungar

sifiom spilla.

Hart er í heimi,

hórdómr mikill

—skeggǫld, skálmǫld

—skildir ro klofnir—

vindǫld, vargǫld—

áðr verǫld steypiz.

Mun engi maðr

ǫðrom þyrma

Odin riding to battle, on his mighty horse Sleipnir

(Tjängvide Stone, Sweden)

The evil Wolf Fenrir bounded, prior to the beginning of the Ragnarok, according to the Icelandic manuscript AM 738, Árni Magnússon Institute, Iceland

The Deeds.

After a terrible winter lasting three years, a period marked by terrible battles and wars through the whole world, a final battle would be fought between the gods and the giants on the Vigrid Plain. On the side of Odin and the gods were the "glorious dead" who has fallen in battle across the ages and that were taken to dwell the Valhalla, while with the fire God Loki and the giants fought the souls from "Hel", those who had dead on an unworthy way, as well as the fearsome wolf Fenrir and the sea serpent Jormungand.

Although Odin was aware of the events and final fate of the gods after the Ragnarok, there was nothing that he, as chief of the Aesir and Vanir, could do to prevent the catastrophe. His only consolation being the foreknowledge that Ragnarok was not the end of the Universe.

When the battle was about to begin, the god Heimdall blowed deeply his horn, as the sign that the final battle was about to start. Odin, wearing a gold helmet, carried his magical spear Gungnir, while Thor brought with him his mighty hammer Mjöllnir.

The Vanir God Freyr,ilustration by Johannes Gehrts

Heimdall guarding the Valhalla, on an Icelandic manuscript from the XVII century

Then, acording to the narration, the gods and the army of death warriors began to engage with the invaders. The battle was a fierce one. The terrible Fenrir, whose eyes and nostrils splited fire, swallowed the sun and the moon, the stars of the sky disappeared and the earth and mountains shaked on a violent way. Soon after, Odin was swallowed alive by the terrible wolf Fenrir, the terrible beast that at the same time was killed by Odin´s son Vidar. Meanwhile, Thor was fighting desperately against the terrible serpent Jormungand, to whom he managed to defeat, but at the cost of his own life.

After Odin had been killed by Fenrir, Thor overcame by Jormungand and most of the other gods had died in the mutual destructive battle with the giants, a new world was destined to "rise again,,fair and green.."

Before the battle two humans, Lif and Lifthrasir, had taken shelter in the sacred tree Yggdrasil and they emerged,,repopulating the Earth. Some other gods also survived, among them Vidar and Vali, sons of Odin, Thor´s sons Modi and Magni and Balder, who was finally able to escape from death in the underworld, where he has been kept captive.

According to the narrations, just after the terrible battle that brought with it the end of the world as it was until then, the Earth reappered from water and the surviving gods discussed about the terrible events that had just happened. The most of the events, according to the Eddas, are narrated by a magical being named "Völva", that after having narrated the events of the Ragnarok "sank down" for never to appear again.

Odin and the wise Völva, illustration by Lorenz Frölich

The Icelandic scholar Snorri Sturluson, author of the Prose Edda

Ilustration by Christian Krohg for an edition of "Heimskringla"

Thor is trying to hunt the terrible serpent Jormungand in the SAM66 manuscript. The Árni Magnússon Institute, Iceland.

Ragnarok held a great appeal for the Vikings, whose rides on Western Europe are still material for legend, specially for its fierce and extreme violence. As a matter of fact, it is not difficult to stablish a clear link between the nature of the Ragnarok and the very reallity of the age where the Vikings lived. "No one is free from fear" remarked Alcuin in the VIII century, in the years after the raid of Lindisfarne, "never before in Britain" lamented him "has such terror appeared as this we have now suffered at the hands of the pagans of the North" But for the Vikings, it was like that "axe age, sword age" described in the Ragnarok, and it is not impossible to believe that many, if not all of them, fought with even more strength and determination, knowing that Odin had an eye on them, looking after the bravest warrior, for later to be brought to Valhalla, in where they will be delighted by the Valkyries, while awaiting for the final battle to be fight.

Thor and the Serpent by Emile Doepler

All pictures courtesy of Wikicommons

Skagen

2010-08-29T00:58:00.000-07:00

Skagen, more than just a picturesque destination, was also the center of a particulat artistic movement that found on its characteristic light and landscapes the source of their inspiration and founded what later became to be known as the group of Skagen Painters (Skagensmalerne). Because of its Geographic location right in the Northernmost point of the Jutland Peninsula, Skagen was along the years a very remote and sparsely populated place, visited and inhabited almost exclusively by fishermen. Nevertheless the waters that surrounds Skagen have been always everything but calm, as this is the place where the Baltic and the North Sea meets, giving the place its very untamed athmosphere that captivate many people´s heart.

Nowadays, the place has become a quite picturesque one, and a favorite destination for visitors either from Denmark as well as from abroad. The combination of a wild landscape and cozy little colorful houses creates the magical postcards that first caught the atention of the founders of the Skagen artistic fellowship. Desertification, which was once a trouble, has been the origin of an unsurpassable Dune ecosystem that shelters several bird species. By far, the most atractive part when it comes towild environment is Grenen, the Northernmost point both of Skagen and Denmark, where the Skagerrak and Kattegat straits meet, creating a very turbulent sea zone that has seen not a little number of shipwrecks. Thus, Grenen has been the site where many lighthouses have been built since centuries ago, and evennowadays,,a lighthouse from the 1850´s still stands being a main touristic atraction and a memorial of the Skagen´s sea heritage.

The Råbjerg Mile

A huge dune with an area of ca. 1 km² and more than 4 million m³ of sand, The Råbjerg Mile is the largest moving dune in Northern Europe, that use to be moved by the wind several meters per year. Although this dune has less than 300 years of existance, the presence of several giant dunes like this was a problem for the local population in ancient times, producing desertification of the few inhabitable areas available. The desertification of the area which achieved its peak during the XVIII and XIX centuries indeed led to the abandonment of several houses and cabins, and also, the abandonment of the old church that was finally covered by the sand. This church "Den tilsandende Kirke" or "The Buried Church" still remain on its old location, only its tower protruding from the sand. In 1857 the Danish government began several actions in order to prevent the unstoppable movement of the dunes, like planting grass and conifer fields. It took almost a century to finally get into control the dunes. Nevertheless, it was decided to let the Råbjerg Mile to remain because of its scientific importance and because is an important ecosytem that shelters several bird species.

The rests of the old Church still remains,,under the unstoppable sand of the Dunes.

The original population of Skagen, fishermen and their tough life portraited in Michael Ancher ´s"Vil han klare pynten" that was bought by the very king of Denmark.

The Skagen Painters.

But maybe the reason because Skagen is best renowned, is due of the group of artists that settled there from the late 1870´s until the beginning of the XX century and that were later known as the "Skagen Painters", that included some other artist besides from painters, like the Danish composer Carl Nielsen and the writer Henrik Pontopiddan. But it was definetively the name of Michael Ancher the one who remained definetively linked to the place.

Michael Ancher was an Art student in Copenhaguen that was looking for a source of inspiration diferent to that available in the Danish capital. Highly influenced by the Realist movement that was the trend during those days, Ancher went to Skagen to paint the local fishermen and their way of life. Almost inmediately, he became friend of the Brøndom family, who owned an managed a local Cafe and a sort of Guest House. Falling in love with the place, Ancher returned the following year, along with his friends Karl Madsen and Viggo Johansen who were also painters. They began to develop an style that was a certain mixture of impressionism and realism, that in the landscape of Skagen had a never ending source of subjects worth to be portraited.

Anna Ancher "Solskin i den blå stue"

Michael Ancher "To fiskere ved"

The following years, several other painters began to arrive to the place, trying to paint the characteristic light of the place. The Brøndom´s guest house became the meeting point for the artists, and the seeds for the born of the new movement were planted. Ancher definetively settled in Skagen and became engaged with Anna, the daughter of the owners of the Brøndom house, for finally getting married in 1880. The success for the artists finally arrived when just a few time after the Danish King Christian IX bought one of Ancher´s paintings. Soon, some other renowned artist from whole Scandinavia began to arrive to Skagen, including names like Oscar Björck, Carl Locher, Holger Drachmann and most notably the norwegian Christian Krohg and the danish painter Peder Severin Krøyer, who became some of the most remarkable representants of the Skagen style. Even Anna Ancher bcame a remarkable painter, highly influenced by all those artists who joined in her Guest House, mainly assimilating Christian Krohg´s style in the way of painting people and their everyday life. Indeed, Christian Krohg, who was already a famous painter, brought with him the latest international artistic trends, highly influencing the other members of the fellowship, but being also influenced as well by the environment of the picturesque place, achieving the peak and the most mature point of his artistic career.

Michael Ancher "En Skagensfisker siddende i en jolle"

One of Krøyer´s archetypical paintings, that perfectly caughts the light an environment that prevails in Skagen "Sommeraften på Skagen Sønderstrand"

Peder Severin Krøyer

The artist that became the “de facto” leader of the group and maybe the most representative member of the Skagen school, because of his colorful and vibrant paintings that perfectly happened to caught the light ant the athmosphere of the place, was this man of Norwegian- Danish origin, educated in the most prestigious art institutes of the time. Krøyer first arrived to the then remote village in 1882, after having met the Anchers in Vienna, bringing with him, like did Krohg, several influences from the Paris´ mainstream, as he was close related with the impressionist scene in the French capitol.

The artist began as well to develop closer ties between each other and with the rest of the community of Skagen (A painting by Krøyer “Hip, Hip, Hurra!!” perfectly depict the tight union between them) As mentioned before, Michael ancher married Anna Brøndum while Viggo Johansen married one of Anna´s cousins and Karl Madsen did the same with a local schoolteacher named Helen Christensen. The new house of the Anchers became the center of the artist community and was many years later the first see of the Skagen´s Museum, dedicated to the works of the group. Krøyer did the same and married Marie Triepcke and spent almost all of his time living in the small village until his death.

Christian Krogh "Til Vaers"

Depicting the rude life of a sailor man.

Marie Krøyer, painted by his husband Peder.

P S Krøyer "Selvportrait from 1897"

The magical times came to its end.

The arrive of the railway in 1890 brought with it the beginning of the end for the artistic community. With the new railway Skagen began to become a popular touristic atraction and the visitors began to crowd the previously peaceful village. It is stated that the artist found no more reason to stay as the Skagen they had originally known was slowly fading. Even so,,many of them kept the houses that had previously purchased, only to use them for short periods.

Krøyer´s health began to deteriorate and his relation with Marie ended in divorce in 1905. Krøyer died 4 years later, in Skagen, alone and after having suffered several mental disorders. Michael Ancher died in 1927 and Anna in 1935. In 1964, their daughter Helga, the little cheerful girl in the Hip, hip Hurra! painting, kept the house of her parents, until her death in 1964, when she left it to a foundation whose goal was to create a museum, the Skagen´s museum, dedicated to keep alive the memory of the happy and wonderful deeds that happened once in that remote and picturesque fishermen´s village, covered by dunes, in the last decades of the XIX century, in the Northernmost tip of Denmark.

The house of the Anchers, now the see of the Skagen Museum

The famous painting, that caught like no other the magical moments of the artistic community. P.S. Krøyer "Hip, hip, hurra!" Only memories in canvas were left, from those extraordinary times.

All pics by Wikicommons

A loooong break.....

2010-08-22T23:11:00.000-07:00

After a huge summer break,,the Nordic Culture Spot is about to resume its activities. I must admit that summer isn´t my best time by far, and although i have been regular with the photoblog, it is also true that it don´t require the amount of inspiration and energy necessary for running this blog. Anyway, as the Autumn is just around the corner and the fresh winds of which is my favorite season are starting to be felt again,,i think it is just now the right time as well to take the Nordic spot out of its hibernation. I am preparing by the way, something about one of the must picturesque places in Denmark, that has been source of inspiration for artist since ages (and yes,a favorite destination for those summer tourists looking for a good tannning) that go there looking after its characteristic light and landscapes. I am talking about Skagen. Meanwhile, i am posting this delightful painting by P.S. Krøyer, maybe the painting that has better depicted that athmosphere unique from Skagen.

Wish you all the best!!

P.S. Krøyer "Sommeraften på Skagen Sønderstrand" (Summer Evening on the Skagen Southern Beach)

1893

Stamford Bridge, the end of an Era.

2010-07-10T22:59:00.000-07:00

On a certain way, the battle that took place on Stamford Bridge England on September 25 1066, could be considered as the historical deed that symbolize the end of the Viking Age. This was indeed the last important event in which Scandinavic armies were impplied in Western Europe, prior to the formation and later consolidation of the modern Nordic Nations and the last attempt by a Norse chieftain to spread his sphere of influence on the continent, in this case, in the British Islands.

The event that triggered the chain of struggles was the death of the English king Edward The Confessor in January 1066. Inmediately after his death, and with the vaccum of power, a group of contenders in Europe embraced the ambition of claiming for the empty throne, among them, Harald Sigurdarson "Hardradi" king of Norway. Bishop Adam of Bremen called him the Thunder of the North, it is true that Hardradi was always so determined to achive the power that was the reason of his nickname, that could be roughly translated as "Severe Ruler".

Edward the Confessor

Harald the "Hard Ruler"

Harald Hardradi was step brother of Olaf Haraldsson, the king of Norway that was killed in Stiklestad on 1030, and that later became Saint of the young Nation. Hardradi had been present at the battle, when he was just 15 years and managed to scape to Sweden. Soon, Hardradi became an adventurer and traveled to Russia and later even to the Bizantine Empire, where he enroled to the personal guard of the emperor. After having achieved fame and experience fighting as member of the Bizantine armies, Harald got back to Norway and after many years, and battles, he recovered the throne. Once achieving it, he put his eye in the West, Norway wasn´t enough for his ambitions.

Harald Hardradi. Illustration from "Heimskringla"

England.

After the death of Edward the Confessor, Harold Godwinson, personal advisor of the king, was proclaimed as the new king of England the following day. Hardradi received the news with joy, as he found the perfect opportunity for his ambitions. Hardradi quickly found some allies within England, such as Tostig Godwinson, brother of the recently named king, who had unsettled affairs with his elder brother. Hardradi, with all his experience achieved as a member of the Bizantine armies, began to make plans in the most complete secret, so quicly that the army for the invation was ready in the summer. In September, King Godwinson, surprised, received the terrible noticed that a huge Nordic army had arrived to Humber. Soon, Tostig and his mercenary troops joined this army, forming a body of over 9000 soldiers that began to devastate everything in front of them. On September 22nd, Hardradi stablished his camp in Stamford Bridge, thinking that Godwinson still didn´t know about his presence in England.

King Harold Godwinson

The desperated counterattack.

Unnoticed by Hardradi, the King Harold Godwinson had begun a desperated march toward the North, joining as much troops as possible for facing the Norwegian army. It is said that Godwinson was so hurried that he and his troops made the whole distance to Stamford Bridge in just four days, marching day and night over 185 miles. They new the surpirse factor was their only chance to defeat Hardradi.

The Norwegians still ignored the presence of the English army when they surprised them sleeping the morning of September 25. According to the legend, it was the sun light reflected on the englih armors what woke up the surprised and terrified Norwegian soldiers. Completely astonished, Hardradi tried to make a truce or achieve an agreement of any kind. He even promised not to fight if he received all of the Northern territories. King Godwinson ignored it all and fell over the unaware Norwegians with fierce, annhilating them. Norwegians were reinforced by the troops that were guarding the fleet, which came running, but it was so late. Hardradi was killed by an arrow and all of the invation army ran away to the ships trying to save their lives. The result of the battle was terrible. Of 300 ships of the Norwegian fleet, only 24 came back to Norway. The bones of the annihilated invaders remained on the meadows for generations.

The Battle of Stamford Bridge by Peter Nicolai Arbo

William of Normandy, a 5th generation Viking.

The English army was joyful, until they received the notice King Godwinson was afraid of. Duke William of Normandy had arrived to Pevensey, in the southern coast of England, with the intention of conquer the country. A new desperated march to the south began for the exhausted troops.

William was born in 1027, descendant of the Viking Rollo who had received the territory of Normandy in 911. William had fought many times against the French, developing a powerful army that had no match in Europe. The dinasties of Normandy and England had a certain degree of familiar relation. In 1064, Harold Godwinson had visited Normandy, probably by accident after his ship was deflected by a storm. It is said that Godwinson was forced to swear loyalty to William. Anyway, when William knew that it was Godwinson the one who had inhereted the English throne, became so angry that he refused to talk and covered his face for days. Inmediately gave orders for the construction of an inmense fleet and all the necessary for an invation. Godwinson had to pay for his betrayal. Everything was ready in September 1066, around the same time when Hardradi was arriving to England. It is ironic to know that the same powerful wind that had pulled the Norwegian fleet to England, was the same that avoided William to cross the English channel and that kept his fleet stuck until September 27th, when Hardradi was already death in Stamford Bridge.

Hastings.

Godwinson´s army met the Normans on 14 October. The battle was fierce and everything was pointing to a new English victory, 2 huge victories in a couple of weeks. However, the tiredness within the English troops began to take its toll, and the powerful Norman cavalry crushed Godwinson´s army as well as his chances to win. The very king was killed by an arrow and the englsh resistance fell to pieces. By the Christmas day of the same year, William was crowned as the new king of England in the very Westminster Abbey, thus, achieving, as a 5th generation viking, what his antescesors had been fighting for generations. The effects of the Norwegian disaster and the Norman victory had huge consequences. The lost in Stamford Bridge was so serious that no other Nordic king made any attempt of conquer for generations. There were some other attempts later, but none of them with success. The viking tradition, that of fight, raid and conquer in Western Europe had died with Hardradi, and was finally buried when his son brought his body to Norway on 1067. The sphere of influence in Northern Europe has been relocated from Scandinavia to the countries in both sides of the English channel. It was time for the consolidation of the young Nordic States, where Christanianism and the European model of government began to set its roots, and the development of England as a superpower. The times of those pagan warriors of the North, looking for fame and fortune onboard of his light ships, had became to an end.

William the Conqueror, a fragment from the Bayeux Tapestry

All pics by wikicommons

L´Anse Aux Meadows, Vikings in America?

2010-06-22T21:45:00.000-07:00

A map showing where L'anse aux Meadows was located.

Ever since the very instant of the discovery of the New World, many theories, some of them quite absurd, began to be forged by the surprised Europeans that couldn´t believe that a whole continent had remained undiscovered for those many centuries. Among the many legends of people or cultures that had previously (that is, before colombus and Cabot) visited the American continent, featured that of the Norsemen, whose Sagas mentioned a faraway land, West from Greenland and that in the Nordic literary sources was known as "Vinland". Despite some suspicious maps and conspiracy theories, there weren´t any prove of Pre Columbian expeditions to America by people from the Old Continent.

L ' Anse aux Meadows

The Ingstads and Vinland.

In 1960, Norwegian researchers and explorers Helge and Anne Ingstad, leading a multi-national investigation, discovered the remains of a Village in the northernmost cape of Newfoundland, in Canada. The name of the place is "L´Anse aux Meadows". Later excavations and research proved that were the remains of a settlement dated back to approximately 1000 years ago and of clear Norse Origin, probably the colony stablished by the Norse Leif Eriksson around the year 1000 and that the Sagas name as Vinland.

The Saga of the Greenlanders and The Saga of Eric the Red, describe the event in which some Greenlanders attempted to stablish a colony in a land west of Greenland. It is not clear what do the name "Vinland" really means, but some argue it could be interpreted as "Wine Land" or "Land of Meadows" being the first one highly disputed. The Saga of the Greenlanders mentions a man named Bjarni Herjolfsson that discovered Vinland by accident when on sail from Norway to Greenland. Some years later, Leif Eriksson, son of Eric the Red, founder of the Greenland Norse settlements, recalled Bjarni tales about a Land far to the West and decided to organize an expedition for searching the mentioned land.

"The Discover of America by Leif Eriksson" by Christian Krohg

After a few days of sailing to the West, Leif expedition discovered a long coastshore line and decided to follow it. The first part of the land discovered was a flat pebbled territory that the explorers baptized as "Helluland", followed by a territory covered by deep forests that received the name of "Markland". After sailing some other days, the expedition finally arrived to an island and stablished a settlement, probabily that of the L' Anse aux Meadows. Leif returned to Greenland and many other expeditions were sent later. But when even the colonies in Greenland disappeared during the period known as the little Ice Age, nothing more was mentioned about Vinland, excepet from some comments and maps made during the Middle Ages, in where Vinland and Greenland were considered as an extension of Russia.

Abraham Ortelius´ Septentrionalium Regionum

The Skálholt Map

Identification of Vinland as America.

In the XVI century, some Icelandic and Norse scholars began to believe that the recently discovered continent, America, could be what the Sagas described as Vinland. Around 1580, a map known as the "Skálholt Map" and drawn in Iceland, shows a territory more or less at the same latitude of Ireland and far West just on the other side of the Atlantic Sea. The Map shows the territories visited by Eriksson more or less at the same place where modern Baffin Island and Labrador are located.

Ever since, the idea of finding the place where the Norse settlement in America was located grew in the mind of many researchers. But it was only until the discovering of L' Anse aux Meadows that the presence of Europeans, in this case, Norsemen, could be proved conclusively.

But although it is nowadays widely accepted that the settlement in Newfoundland was of Norse origin, the southernmost limit of the Nordic explorations in America is subject of intense debate. Some scholars still want to see a reference to Grapes in the name Vinland, so, they suggest Norse explorers should have reached southern lattitudes. Theories embraces all kind of ideas from the highly plausible to the funny ones, in the most Dan Brown´s style, including one that states that Norsemen could have visited Central America and thus, be the foreign visitors some native cultures mention and considered to be the God "Quetzalcoatl.

The "Vinland" map.

But by far, the most argued and polemic object related to Vinland is the so called "Vinland Map", which claims to be a map from the XV century in where the territory of Vinland is depicted west from Greenland. The map was presented to the world in 1965 and was inmediately questioned by experts, who discovered several of contradictions and anachronism within it. Even the British Museum refused to bought it when first offered to the institution, because its experts considered it a complete hoax because of its evident mistakes when compared with contemporary maps. Even the ink was proved to be made in the XX century. Even so, many people still state, and try to prove, that the map is authentic. With map or not, the visit of Norse explorers to America 500 years prior to Columbus expedition has been proved and it is out of question, but such stuff like the Vinland Map definetively gives some color and folklore to the subject.

The polemic "Vinland Map". Experts claim that Greenland was not known to be an island but until the XX century.

All pics by wikicommons

Ultima Thule

2010-06-11T03:09:00.000-07:00

For us, people who were born in the XX century, geographic milestones represents not a huge special interest. The human kind imagination is no longer interested in the vasts white extensions of the poles, neither the deserts or the high peaks. However, there was a remote time when the men was no aware of the existance of many places that today are known even for an elementary school children.

Thule, the farthest north land, plenty of terrible dangers, monsters and unexplainable natural phenomenons, as it was depicted in the imagination of the ancient civilizations. Even when many seriously doubt about the veracity of his deeds, and even if he really ever managed to cross the Artic Circle, it may be considered as the first explorer of the North latitudes in the history of Western civilization to a greek man named Pytheas, who left Massilia, (actual Marseille) somewhere around the year 325 BC and sailed beyond the Hercules Columns.

"The Northern Land" by Victor Vasnetsov. 1899

According to his narrations, he put sail to the North after having left behind Gibraltar and arrived to England and Scottland. Later he sailed furthermore up to the North and after many days he finally arrived to a mysterious place that he named "Ultima Thule".

On his notes, Pytheas wrote that the inhabitants of Ultima Thule were skillfull beekeepers and several other wonders, for instance that in Summer the nights were just 2 or 3 hours long and that from Scottland it took only 5 or 6 days to arrive to Thule. Many contemporary and later authors rejected his statements, or took them with scepticism, among them Polybius and Strabon.

But what it was "Ultima Thule", the most remote land?? In 825, the Irish monk Dicuil wrote that several Irish monks had discovered a huge island in the farthest west of the Atlantic Sea. It is known that such place is the current Iceland, and Dicuil named it Thule, stating that it was the land Pytheas had arrived many centuries earlier. Another scholar from the 6th century, Procopius, mention Thule as being an Island in the North, inhabited by some 25 tribes. Modern researchers says Procopius was really describing Scandinavia.

Dr. Fridtjof Nansen

Ever since, it has been discussed what was for real the place Pytheas visited. Along the Middle Ages, many European researches gave their own location for Thule, the Orkney Island, the Feroes, Iceland and even some island in the Baltic Sea.

But during the XX century, the famous and reknown Norwegian explorer Dr. Fridtjof Nansen had serious reasons for doubt that Pythea´s Thule was indeed Iceland. After having made a serious and careful research, Nansen stated and proved that Pytheas arrived to Norway, moreover, to the zone where the modern city of Trondheim is located. People became disappointed to know that Ultima Thule was nothing but a place just in the middle of Norway and many refused to accept Nansen´s straight and forceful theories. But even had him arrived to Iceland, or "just" to Norway, Pytheas journey was a milestone in history, since it represents the first expedition to the North by a person able to came back alive and write about it. And of course, he left a subject that would be source of polemics, legends, charads, art, argues and imagination for the centuries to come.

All pics by wikicommons

The Age of Settlement

2010-06-01T00:24:00.000-07:00

"Ingólfur founds Reykjavik" by Johan Peter Raadsig

Unsettled until the IX century, the settlement of Iceland by Norse migrants arriving from Scandinavia began with very little and shy attempts by intrepid adventurers which spent some months in the rough and solitary territory for later to get back to their countries. A source of controversy among scholars is the claim found in Ari Thorgilsson´s "Islendingabók" about the presence of some monks of probable Gaelic origin already dwelling in Iceland at the time when the first settlers began to arrive, and known and described by the word "Papar". Nevertheless, archaeologists have not been able to find any evidence that could prove the existance of such individuals. Even so, the Islendingabók as well as the "Landnámabók" (both documents beig of a medieval origin) are the only sources available when it comes to try to understand and know about the first years of the settlement. Landnámabók even lists the name of the first 435 settlers, something that not that much countries can presume about.

Olaus Petri´s "Carta Marina" depicting "Thule" whose waters were surrounded by terrible monsters.

Except from the dark mention of the Monks, it can be assumed that Iceland was a completely unsettled land until the arrive of the Norse inmigrants. The period between the arrive of the first ettlers until the foundation of some institutions like the Thingvellir that would led to the origin of the future Iceland is thus named and known as the "Age of Settlement" in the history of Iceland.

If we assume Landnámabók as a reliable source, then the first man ever who visited Iceland was a viking named "Naddoddr" who spent just a short time in there but that gave a name to the territory: "Snæland" . Just a little time afterwards, the Swede Garðar Svavarsson was the first man to stay over a winter in Iceland and the first in circumnavigating the country. Later during the IX century, Flóki Vilgerðarson sailed to Iceland in order to settle himself in the virgin territory. He left from Norway arrived to the Faroe Islands, where, according to the legend, three ravens helped him in find his way to Iceland. Flóki landed in Iceland and noticed it was a very rough and cold territory that would be quite difficult to settle in. It is claimed that he was the one who gave the country its name “Island” as most of the surface was covered by ice. It is true that Flóki returned to Norway very disappointed, but it is considered to be the first man that deliberately attempted to dwell for good in the Island.

When watching the icy landscape that covers a big surface of Iceland is quite easy to understand why Flóki chose the name for the Future country, "The Land of Ice"

Ingólfur Arnarson

Landnámabók claims Ingólfur to be the first permanent settler of Nordic origin in Iceland. According to this source, he left Norway after being involved in some troubles with rival families. He knew about the land described by Svavarsson and Flóki and sailed with the intention to built a settlement. The legend claims that when he saw land, he threw some logs into the sea and promised to settle where they were brought ashore. After 3 years, the logs were found in a small bay that later would be the city of Reykjavik (roughly translated as “Bay of Smoke” perhaps because of the presence of hot springs) This deed marked the beginning of the Age of the Settlement.

Just after Ingólfur´s succesfull settlement, many other Norsemen followed him, so all the useful land had been taken in just a period of 60 years. Many theories have been exposed for explaining such an explosive migration but the most widely accepted is that which claims that the difficult conditions during the reign of King Harald Fair-Haired, a period of civil strife and scarcity, prompted many farmers and their families to left the territory of the modern Norway looking for a new life in the new country. Soon some inhabitants of the Faroe Islands joined the trend. The Landnámabók mention the name and location of 1500 farms and the owners. According to scholars, the estimated population of Iceland during the Age of Settlement could be of ca. 20000 people. As mentioned earlier, for academic and historical purpouse, the Age of Settlement is considerd to have come to an end by the year 930, when the first Althing was founded, and almost all of the territory had been occupied by the inmigrants. Just a century after the first attempts by some bold adventurers, the founds for the raising of a new nation had been stablished, however, Iceland got to wait until the XX century for finally claim its full sovereignity and independence after centuries of Norwegian and later, Danish dominion.

"The Althing" by W.G. Collingwood

All pics by wikicommons

Maelstrom

2010-05-12T22:02:00.000-07:00

Left: An old map, pointing the place where the terrible Maelstrom was located. Olaus Magnus "Carta Marina"

"This," said I at length, to the old man --"this can be nothing else than the great whirlpool of the Maelstrom."

Edgar Allan Poe: A Descent Into the Maelstrom

Mentioned in many literature sources, specially those involving sea environments, Maelstrom is a whirlpool formed in many several places around the world, and whose characteristic nature has been origin of the most diverse legends and explanations. Indeed, although a powerful natural phenomenon, its real nature has been exagerated by the folklore, many times being described as a gigantic whirlpool that takes the poor ships that have had the bad luck of being caught by its evil currents righ into the bottom of the sea. The true is that a Maelstrom is, and has been, able to sink a little ship and put in huge troubles the bigger ones when its currents and activity are at its top.

A draw showing the legendary and folkloric vision of the Maelstrom "The Maelstrom" by Harry Clark

The most well known Maelstroms are located in the Norwegian coastshore and one of them, the "Moskstraumen" became famous thanks to the pen of Edgar A. Poe and his famous "A Descent into the Maelstrom" from1841. Some years later Jules Verne mention this Maelstrom on his novel 20,000 Leagues under the Sea, when the Nautilus submarine is destroyed in the terrible crushing currents of the Moskstraumen. Well, even Melville mention it briefly in one episode of the Moby Dick. Now, a little introduction on these Norwegian whirlpools.

Moskstraumen

This system of whirlpools and currents lies between Moskenes and the island of Mosken, hence its name, south west from the Lofoten arhipelago. Though its strenght has been exagerated in literature, it is still a very powerful and dangerous water surface, one of the most powerful phenomenons of its nature in the world and it is formed by the encounter of waters flowing from the North Atlantic and the North Sea. Because it is also covered most of the time by a deep fog, and due of its somewhat mystical landscape of stormy sky, islands far into the horizon covered by fog, and the not that friendly weather, the Moskstraumen is one of the most wonderful landscapes that a person can ever see. Thus it is easy to imagine the feeling of an ancient sailor that happened to sail cross this remote place and its fierce waters, the soil for the fertile imagination was set. Even in these modern times when it seems like every single place on earth has been visited and explored, the sight of the Moskstraumen still raises the most basics instincts and feelings within the human mind, for those who stare in person to such an extraordinary sight.

The Moskstraumen, with the Islands of Mosken and Værøy in the background

Saltstraumen

The most powerful Maelstrom in the world, the Saltstraumen is created when the water from the sea try to get into the Skjerstad Fjord (of 500m deep) across a narrow strait of 3 km long and only 150m wide and 30 meter deep. Since a difference in height of about 1 meter also exists between the sea and the fjord, the result is a massive river-like current plenty of whirlpools that can transport up to 372 millions m3 of water in a 6 hours time frame and reaching up to 40 km/h of speed. If it is not highly peculiar enough, it could be also mentioned that the stream can flow both ways, changing its direction more or less every 6-8 hours. The several whirlpools formed can be huge, many of them can be as much as 15 meters in diameter. It is known that current reach its top during new and full moon periods, and if this occur during a sea storm, the result can be a gigantic and overwhelming stream whose roar can be heard from several kilometers away.

But not everything is fury. Between the periods when the stream is about to change its direction, the Saltstraumen can be as calm and peaceful as a placid river and can be also sailed by larger ships, who use it as a strait in order to avoid the even more dangerous open sea waters. Local news papers even has an special daily section where the today condition expected for Saltstraumen is informed. Also, the Saltstraumen has been a source of wealth and resources for the human settlements that have inhabited along its waters since thousand years ago. Traces of human activity dates back to 10000 years ago. The pure and highly oxigenated waters of the Maelstrom are the ecosystem for a huge amount of fish and other marine species. Animals like moose, otters, foxes and thousands of birds dwell in the area and of course, the waters of the Saltstraumen are one of the best places for fishing in the whole world. A place worth of superlatives, these Maelstroms are.

The Saltstraumen during a calm period. Photography by Magnus Porsbjer - wikicommons

All pics courtesy of Wikicommons

Althing, the first Parliament

2010-04-27T21:00:00.000-07:00

The Althing by W.G. Collingwood

Considered to be the oldest parliament in the world, the Icelandic Althing (" the general assembly) began its functions more or less around the year 930 AD and with this setting the corner stone for the foundation of the Icelandic Nation. The yearly reunion of the assembly, where the most powerful and prominent members of the society (the Goðar) met to discuss on justice and solve problems of social interest, was at the same time the main event in the life of the first settlers of the Iceland, which attended the assembly during the weeks that it took place, either for curiosity, to solve some dispute or to put themselves up to day about the gossips and news concerning the country.

The Althing was by all means, the center of the cultural life in Iceland and was first located in the vast plain known as “Thingvellir” ( The Parliament´s fields) some 40 kilometers west from Reykjavik. Peasants, chieftains, traders and even storytellers gathered together around the “Lögberg” (The Rock of the Law) where the president of the assembly, responsible for reciting the laws, had his seat (It is important to remark, that due of the fact that Iceland didn´t have a writting system, laws had to be memorized by those attending the assembly).

The Lögberg, center of the Althing activities.

Even after Iceland became first under control of the Kingdom of Norway and later under that of Denmark, the Althing remained until 1800 when it was disbanded, although it suffered several modifications across the centuries, becoming more some sort of a High Court and losing its democratic background. With the raise of the democratic streams in Europe in the XIX century, the Althing was restored in 1845 and moved to Reykjavik, later residing in the “Althingishus”, a building built in 1881 and that is until present days the see of the Pairlament. Although with many restrictions, the members were elected by suffrage. By the early XX century, the Althing recovered fully parliamentary functions, though still depending from the Danish monarchy. With the invasion of Denmark by Germany in 1940, the Althing assumed the head of state and all facts concerning defence and foreign affairs. On June 17th 1944, the Althing, at a session held in the historical Thingvellir, established the creation of the independent Republic of Iceland.

Thingvellir

The history of the Icelandic pairlament is highly connected with a place of enormous importance for the Icelandic identity “Thingvellir”. Originally property of a man condemned because of a murder, the land was declared public after this and thus chosen to be the See of the Althing, due of its accessibility and vast natural resources, taking in consideration the Icelandic standards of course.

Thingvellir became a national park in 1928 and is perhaps one of the most populars destinations in Iceland, surprising both with its historical relevance and a very characteristic landscape with no match in other place, featuring rifts, waterflows, vast plains and waterfalls, all of them giving shape to a place worth of a Saga. Thingvellir is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and of course, the magnificent place where the first parliament of the World was born.

All pics on this post courtesy of Wikicommons.org

Holger Danske

2010-04-15T22:31:00.000-07:00

Kronborg Castle, in Denmark, which according to the popular belief was the place where Hamlet lived, was originally built in times of Erik of Pomerania, back to the XV century and it may be true that, as a matter of fact, the Castle has a certain athmosphere proper for the imagination to take off right into a world of legends. It is highly probable that Shakespeare never had visited this place, but nevertheless he used it as the scene for his master piece about the tragic life of this classic character.

But maybe the most well known tenant in such a magnificent building, is the statue of "Holger Danske", sculpted by H.P. Pedersen-Dan and located in the basement of the Castle, with his characteristic crossed arms and somewhat restless attitude, like thinking or waiting for something about to happen.

The Kronborg Castle, Denmark.

Although from a legendary origin, several contemporary sources, mainly from France, did mention the existance of a similar name already in the XI century, featuring the classic "Chanson de Roland". Many of these documents mention that, originally, Holger Danske or "Ogier de Danemarche" as was known in French, was during many years enemy of the emperor Charlemagne (Charles the Great) for later becoming allies. Something similar is mentioned in the Nordic Saga about emperor Charles, "Karlamagnús Saga" made and intended to be a kind of document in where to mention and praise the feats and deeds of Nordic knights in the court of the Emperor. Of course, this document was responsible for the quick development of a fascination for this warrior, in times when a warrior was a feature of huge respect and admiration.

Though always depicted as a Dane, it was not until 1515, when a scholar named K. Pedersen made the first modifications to the story in order to give it a more epic size, something that clearly resembless what happened with other characters like King Arthur. According to Pedersen´s pen, Holger was the son of a king "Godfred" (probably inspired in the historic Godfred contemporary to Charles the Great) and spent many years as a hostage, taking part in several deeds, including some battles against the Saracens.

But the paralelism with king Arthur doesn´t come to an end in here. According to the beauty legend, Holger Danske, as depicted in the statue in Kronborg, is sleeping an eternal dream that will only be interrupted if Denmark is in danger (the figure of the National Hero, ready to raise in arms towards the menace of the enemy so regular in every single national epic) It is not a coincidence that an important group of the Danish resistance during WWII was named after the legendary hero. After the atrocities experienced duing the XX century wars, maybe even a natural born warrior like Holger Danske, would prefer to remain sleeping his eternal dream, while watching his nation leaving together in peace with its neighbour countries, in a Europe where the frontiers slowly but in a steady way are vanishing, and leave the ages of war behind, only to dwell in the books.

Image from "Ogier le Danois"

(Holger Danske statue photography property of Malene Thyssen. All other pics by Wikicommons)

Christian Krohg

2010-04-07T20:56:00.000-07:00

Member of the Realism movement that came to scene in Europe by the 1850´s and whose purpose was to oppose to the Romanticism, and rather trying to depict an objective reality, Christian Krohg (Norway, 1852 - 1925) was one of the most remarkable members of this artistic movement. Painter, writer and journalist, Krohg felt a personal compromise in describing and depicting the real life and events of the members of whom in those times were considered "inferior classes"of the society. He received a proper education academic formation in Art in Germany, where he received the influence of another important member of the Norwegian artistic family, Hans Gude. His interest for describing the "objective reality" led him to write a well known novel: "Albertine" in 1886, a story about the daily life of a prostitute, that in those times was considered an scandal. The Realism later evolved into Naturalism, a gender that characterized the Norwegian artistic style during the period, or course, under the leadership of Krohg, who later got in touch with the members of the Danish school of "Skagen" receiving great influence from the Ancher couple, Anna and Michael and becoming a main member of that Artistic movement whose main purpose was to describe and find inspiration in the characteristic and wonderful light that can be enjoyed in that part of Northern Jutland. It could be considered that the Skagen period represented the summit and the most mature stage in Krohg´s career. As a matter of fact, the Skagen Museum of Art is mainly focused on this extraordinary Norwegian painter and his work.

Later on his life, Christian Krohg became more and more interested in journalism, founding a journal related on Impressionism and Bohemian artisitc life "Impressionisten" and colaborating with the newspaper "Verdens Gang" until 1910. Christian Krohg was professor and director of the Norwegian Academy of Arts, where he workd until his death in 1925.

Trett "Tired" 1885

"Til Vaers"

Sovende Mor med Barn "Sleeping Mother with Child" 1883

Leif Eriksson Discover America

Babord Litt

All pics by wikicommons

Huldufólk

2010-03-31T23:22:00.000-07:00

Definetively, nature is the one who rules in the territory, and in the mind of the inhabitants of a country in the middle of the Atlantic sea. When getting deeper into the wild nature, the feeling is of invading an overwhelming territory in where the presence of human civilization will be always forbidden. a lanf of Landvættir, elves and all sort of legendary beings, including the Huldufólk, the "Hidden People".

Although there is not a common conception on their real nature or shape, it is broadly accepted that these creatures live in the underworld and keep a close relation with natural elements. More of the source describe them as being pretty similar to humans, according to the descriptions the ones who has been able to seem them offer. Syncretism comes obvious when we take a look on the possible explanations on the origin of such beings, including a vast mixture of Scandinavian, Celtic and Catholic thoughts and folklore. which later and gradually merged into a mythology corpus with a self characteristic identity.

According with those explanations, with a quite visible Catholic influence, the Huldufólk would be sons of Adan and Eve, hid from God´s look and that as a punishment, were condemned to remain invisible "What man hides from God, God will hide from man" says an ancient quotation. Some other has gone beyond and claim that Hidden people are sons of the legendary first woman, Lillith. In that order, Lillith and their outcasted sons would be a remanescence of that ancient attitude of reject what Christian moral considered to be blameworthy. Several Icelandic holidays are linked with the Huldufólk, including Christmas and Midsummer Night. It is well known that the first missionaries used to mix local traditions with those of the new Christian religion in order to achieve a faster and softer embrace of the new faith among the locals. It is still a more or less regular custom to leave food for the Huldufólk on Christmas eve, which reveals its paralelism with Scandinavian folklore, and that of the Tomte and some other elf-like creatures.

The Huldufólk use to have outstanding and suprahuman capabilities, and use to be described as behaving on extreme postures, either completely good, or absolutely evil. No mid terms are considered for describing their behaviour, resembling that ancient human dream of a nature free of the limits moral and nature impose over their weak bodies and minds. That is why despite it all, Hidden People still keeps some traits quite close to those of the humankind. They drink and have vices, born an die, and even have to work in order to get their sustain. Like Terry Gunnell wisely described them: "They are near mirror-images of those humans who told stories about them--except they were beautiful, powerful, alluring, and free from care, while the Icelanders were often starving and struggling for existence. The huldufólk seem in many ways to represent the Icelander's dreams of a more perfect and happy existence". Then again, a regular subject along diverse cultures and civilizations around the world and along history. As a matter of fact, Huldufólk and some other folkloric characters has suffered an adaptation according to the yearnings of the people of a certain period of history. During the XX century, several building projects, like that of the building of the Keflavik Airport, were altered or did obey to the ruling and "interests" of the Huldúfolk and the Landvættir, in order to not to disturb them or destroy their settlements. Moreover, Icelandic folkloric creatures are achieving a remarkable importance as object of touristic profit.

What is true is that the Hidden People and other supernatural beings, still represents a naive attempt to understand and pay homage to a land and its misterious powers, even in these times of high technology and science, it is probable that people still needs for an explanation that goes beyond the limits of the scenses and believe, for their peace of mind sake, that an agreement with the natural elements and the misteries of the world, can be achieved, in a territory where the hand of the man has no rule, and to pay homage and reverance to the land, that can be the source of both life and death.

All pics by wikicommons

The Höfdi House

2010-03-23T22:52:00.000-07:00

In a country where the powerful nature use to overwhelm every useless attempt for the human to leave at least a humble trace of their precense, to find a remarkable architecture milestone becomes more a task of finding a place which represents a memorial of an important deed rather than an outstanding brimming of human capabilities. The true is that yet humble, some of this monuments owns an inherent beauty which becomes underlined by the extraordinary landscape, a join that points in a very poetic way the real size of the human kind beside the gigantic natural world´s powers.

One of this extraordinary contrast may be clearly exemplified by what is commonly known as "Höfdi House". "A beautiful house, but there are thousands like it in Europe" a clueless tourist would say, and maybe with a good fundament. And it is just how said before, the importance of such a picturesque place lies on the historical legacy of which the house has been witness.

Originally, the house was built intended to be the residence of the French consul in Iceland, Mr. Brillouin. In those times, Iceland was within the french sphere of influence since it was an important fishing zone for the French fleet. In order to offer all the comfort a French official deserved, a wooden house was imported from Norway, which was not only nice but also designed for support the critical meteorological conditions that preveal in Iceland. Indeed, the house still keeps a lot of traces that clearly signs its "french" heritage.

It is not surprising to know that certainly, the house was one of the most luxury and largest in the surroundings in those years and quickly became a very appreciated by the locals, which considered it a pretty part of the scene. The building was used as well to keep the first radio communication between Iceland an a foreign country in June 1905, in this case with the U.K. It was ironic, but despite all the efforts to bring all the confort available, Monsieur Brilloun never felt fit in the windy country and left to France a few months before the start of the WWI. Just a little after, Einar Benediktsson, a poet and entreprenour, bought the house, which later became the see of the British foreign office´s officials during the mid XX century. It was during its "British" time when Höfdi house began to be visited by famous guest when on visit to Iceland, including Winston Churchill, actress Marlene Dietrich, Willy Brandt and many other heads of State and leaders from the western world.

But despite this further fame, the house was about to be demolished once. It all began when its last British guest, the U.K.´s ambassador in Iceland left the house because he claimed it was haunted by the spirit of a lady. He managed to convince the British authorities to sell the house, which was bought by the Reykjavik´s authorities, who thought it would be a good idea to demolish such an ancient building. However, a group of architects working for the municipallity decided to restore it by their own, having made such a good job that the government decided to preserve it. Once restored, it was used, as mentioned before, for keep official receptions. And it was with this role that Höfdi House became world famous during the autumn of 1986, when a top summit between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorvachov was held among the walls of the wooden house. Whether if this meeting was crucial or not for the further end of the cold war is not clear, but the little house became world famous, for the envy and jealous of many bigger and flamboyant buildings, and by all means, an important part of the city of Reykjavik and Iceland, and of course, since a more trivial point of view, a well known touristic attraction for the years to come.

(image by www.icelandkankobunka.jp)

All other pics by Wikicommons

Asger Jorn

2010-03-15T20:09:00.000-07:00

It is impossible to talk about Asger Jorn without at the same time, talking about the "CoBrA" group ( Copenhaguen - Brussels- Amsterdam) founded by Jorn and some other members such as Christian Dotremont and Karel Appel, and whose name was coined from the intials of the member´s home cities. Although CoBrA was active just for 3 years, managed to leave an important legacy in the XX century art and thought.

Born Asger Oluf Jørgensen, and son of a fundamentalist christian, Asger developed a strong rebel character against any form of authoritarism. This attitude had to influence his art ideas through his life and as a young he joined the Danish Communist Party. Later after that he traveled to Paris in order to get in touch with the mainstream art ideas of the time, like Kandinsky, Le Corbusier and Fernand Leger. After spending some time in the French city, he later got back to Copenhaguen and joined to the Art Academy. The World War II was a time of crisis for Jorn and exerted and even stronger attitude of rebelliousness within him. He was an active member of many clandestine groups that however, prefered to express their disagreement by pacific means, mainly art. During this time, Asger Jorn began to write some texts and essays about theory of art, and it is claimed to be the first one to translate Kafka into Danish language.

CoBrA

Little after the war, Jorn traveled again to France. During the autumn of 1948, he, along with Karel Appel and other members, founded the group CoBrA, whose main goal was to achieve a complete freedom of color and style, with a method based on spontaneity and free experimentation. Members of the group claimed that they did look after inspiration from the children´s drawings and primitive art forms, free of any external influence and only obeying to the inner instincts and likes. The group managed to get a broad impact and even held some exhibitions, including one in the Stedelijk Museum in amsterdam in 1949 and in Liege in 1951.

The painting are quite abstract with a remarkable brilliant color and violent brushwork, with a very personal statement or moreover, lack of any statement or message at all.

The time after CoBrA.

After the dissoulution of the group, Asger Jorn returned to Denmark in 1951. Later after, he was involved in the writing of texts and essays of many sorts and became member of the group Situationist International, whose principles were an attack on the consequences the capitalism brought over the life to the people and the proposition of alternative models. He traveled as weel around the world collecting texts and testimonies from artistic manifestations from all the world. In 1970 he traveled for the first and the last time to USA, to attend an exhibition on his job in Lefebre Gallery, but got dissapointed of a country that "made visitors sign a statement maintaining that they were not communists". In 1964, he was awarded by Guggenheim institute, but Jorn refused the prize and sent a famous telegram to the president of the Guggenheim, calling him to be a "bastard" and demanding a public statement in where the Guggenheim cleared that he was never agree in receiving the award.

Asger Jorn died on May 1st 1973, and in a last gesture of rebelliousness, asked for being buried in the island of Gotland, in Sweden.

"A look into the past" www.galeriebirch.com

"Didaska I" 1945 Anna and Kresten Krestensens samling www.nordjyllandskunstmuseum.dk

"Le droit dAigle" 1950 Anna and Kresten Samling www.nordjyllandskunstmuseum.dk

"Smating" 1940 Anna and Kresten Krestensens Samling www.nordjyllandskunstmuseum.dk

"Le rammsmatteur invincible" 1964 www.galeriebirch.com

"Out of order"

2010-03-13T17:26:00.000-08:00

The staff (me) of The Nordic Culture Spot has caught a terrible flu, so trying to type some coherent lines has become a major task. Hope to be fully operational again next week, meanwhile, wish you enjoy this work art by Asger Jorn, whose art and life will be discussed in the coming post.

”Letsindige billeder, nr. 6. Nürnbergkram” - 1955

(http://www.nordjyllandskunstmuseum.dk/)

Kalmar Union

2010-03-06T22:10:00.000-08:00

It is not already sure for scholars how to consider or name it. If it was a real union, or a personal treaty, or a dictatorship of Denmark over the rest of the Nordic nations. But what is true is that the so called "Kalmar Union" implied a series of unions, agreements and of course, intrigues and plots of every single sort in the most Shakespearean style, that kept united the kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden under a single monarch (almost ever a danish one) in a more or less steady way for over 126 years, until its final dissolution in 1523.

It is true that every single kingdom held a certain degree of sovereignity, but when it comes to foreign policy, the dominant role was played by all means by Denmark and its interests in Europe (specially the frequent wars for the control over Schleswig and Holstein and some other territories in modern Germany), a fact that was source of conflict with the Swedish nobility, who found this wars as an obstacle for they to keep their trade activities with the continent.

How do the Union was originated?

Whom may we consider as the real architect of the Union, should be by all means the Queen Margaret (1353 - 1412) daughter of danish King Valdemar IV. And it is in here when the alliances begin to play a main role. Margaret was married with King Haakon VI of Norway and Sweden (and that some scholars consider to be the last king of an autonomous Norway, until the arrive of king Haakon VII, in 1905) When their son, Olav, was born, was recognized as well as heir to the kingdoms of Denmark and Norway. Unfortunately Olav died in 1387. This had made Margaret ambitions to come to an end, but the clever woman manouvered so she was recognized as regent of both Norway and Denmark. As a matter of fact, not attempting to assume the title of Queen was an asset which gave her time enough for plan how to play her cards.

Eric of Pomerania with Margaret I

The Castle of Kalmar

When her position as a regent was secured, Margaret adopted her sister´s grandson Erik (born Bogislav and later known as "Eric of Pomerania") and in a show of cleverness, convinced the norwegian council to accept and recognize Erik as the heir to the throne of Norway ¡despite he was not even the first in the line of succession! Nevertheless, Erik became king of Norway in 1389, though, it was still Margaret the real power behind.

Meanwhile, in Sweden, with not a little amount of problems, the kingdom was led by king Albrecht of Mecklenburg, which represented the powerfull influence the Hanseatic league exerted over Sweden, something that the Swedish nobility found really annoying. In order to put an end to this "German" influence, the nobility chose to make an alliance with Margaret, promissing her that after having defeated king Albrecht, she would be named as regent of Sweden.

In 1389, the Danish and Swedish army defeated the king Albrecht of Mecklenburg. As regent, Margaret promised the nobility that they had to keep all of their privileges. In 1396, Erik got the thrones of Denmark and Sweden. A year later, on June 17th 1397, in the castle of Kalmar, Sweden, it was signed the "Treaty of Kalmar" that stipulated a union for eternity between the tree kingdoms.

Eric of Pomerania

End of Margaret´s life, and the first cracks within the Union.

After some years whereby the goals of the Union were achieved, soon the problems began to appear. In 1412, "regent" Margaret die and Erik got to exert the power for real, for the first time in his life. Soon afterwards, Swedes began to show a serious angry due of the dominant role Denmark played within the Union. In 1430, this cracks became evident when a rebellion started in Sweden (Engelbrecht rebellion) that got the expulsion of the Danish troops from Sweden. A few years after this, in 1438, Erik was deposed (and ended his life as a pirate in the Baltic Sea, being the Island of Gotland his headquarter) being succeded by a youong Christopher of Bavaria. However it was a time of turmoil for the Union, and every single group tried to impose their interest over the rest. Although Christian I was named king, the damage was done, and the conflict between Sweden and Denmark were the rule for the coming decades.

1523, Gustav Vasa and the end of the Kalmar Union.

After several rebellions from part of the Swedes (including that which led to the Stockholm bloodbath" in 1520) On June 6th, 1523, Gustav Vasa is hailed king of Sweden and the independence of Sweden is declarated after having defeated the last Danish troops that still remained in Sweden.

Though Sweden got its independence and the Union came to an end, Denmark unilaterally declared Norway as a province within their kingdom. Norwegian possessions like Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands came under control of the Danish crown, and Norway remained as a danish possession until 1814, when the treaty of Kiel forced Denmark to cede the Norwegian territory to Sweden, although the Ultramar territories remained under Danish control, until the very XX century. It is curious to mention, that during the XIX century, when Sweden and Norway were joined under a personal union, together with the fact that danish king Frederik VII had no heir, gave the powerful idea between some intellectuals to reborn the ancient Union, that one day held all of the Nordic nations under one single control and sovereignity.

The entry of King Gustav Vasa to Stockholm by Carl Larsson 1908

All pics by wikicommons. The Kalmar Union map property of http://www.tacitus.nu/ (strongly recommended)

Döda Fallet

2010-03-01T13:18:00.000-08:00

"Döda Fallet" as named in Swedish, is an extinct rapid river in Ragunda, that is, in the eastern side of the Jämtland municipality.

The Indalsälven river is born in the Norway mountains and flows through 430 km until Klingerfjärden, in northern Sundsvall. This Indalsälven previously flowed through a long lake named Ragundasjön, and very then inmediately over a waterfall known then as "Storforsen" (The great water rapids).

The wisdom hand of the Industrial Revolution man.

As logging started to emerge as a potential way of bussiness in the late 18th century in Jämtland and all over the forested Northern Sweden, the rivers were used as a matter of "highway" for the timber to be transported, but being the waterfalls and rapids a considerable obstacle for "progress", and Storforsen was no the exception to this "wise" apreciation.

So in 1773, Magnuss Huss, (aka Vildhussen " the wild Huss") a Sundsvall´s local trader, decided to solve this problem by building a channel to avoid or bypass the waterfall, but the work didn´t start until 1776 due to several delays due to sabotage and other reasons.

The night of June 6 suddenly came up an unusual great flood, with an obvious increase in water pressure, wich the channel could not stand with. The channel broke down and the river followed a new unnatural course, draining the Ragundasjön in only four hours of that tragic night, and producing a nearly 15 meters high flood wave, wich made such a great damage for the environment and stablishing the channel as a new part of the river´s course, however, no one is reported to have been killed by such this disaster. The grat amount of sediments and soil dragged and deposited in the Indalsälven delta, led it to become the greatest delta in whole Sweden.

The old Storfors becomes the "Döda Fallet", the Indalsälven was transformed into a navigable river surrounded by fertil soils, and the rock barrier formed in the bottom of the old lake a new waterfall was formed, "Hammerfallen" turned nowadays into a Hydro-electric power plant. VildHussen died a year later drowned in the same river, and is remembered by a statue in the small town of Hammarstrand. (Builded on the former lake bed of Ragundasjön)

Döda Fallet conforms nowadays a natural reserve where you can hike and admire the great and marvelous rocks sculpted by the water. standing beside the waterfalls, there is an open theather able to keep more than 400 visitors.

There are also several churches beside the river, and among them, Lidens kyrka builded in the 16th century, stands on the most beautiful place. It holds within many mediaval sculptures, including a virgin from the 13rd century.

Vildhussen statue in Hammarstrand (pic by wikicommons)

Pics by wikicommons and Hammarbykyrkan.nu

Tuomiokirkko

2010-02-23T22:24:00.000-08:00

The Cathedral of Helsinki, by far its more distinct and well known icon, raising as a white lady who welcomes the adventurer who get to Finland after having sailed through the brave Baltic waters, with "her" green dome and clear as snow walls. The church was built in the years between 1830 and 1852, by Carl Ludvig Engel in those days dominating fashion of Neoclassical style, in the same place where the smaller Church of Ulrika eleonora stood. The church was the milestone in the recently designed new Senate square designed by Engel as well, figuring some remarkable buildings that gives the place a very personal identity.

The building is the Cathedral of the Evangelical Lutheran church of the Diocese of Helsinki. As Finland was still part of the great Russian empire, the church was built as a tribute for the Tsar of Russia and great Duke of Finland, Nicholas I and it was called St. Nicholas church until 1917, year when Finland became an independent nation.

Anually more than 350,000 people visit the church, mainly of them tourists looking for a personal postcard of their visit to this famous and loved monument by those people familiar with the Nordic world. Despite of it, the church is still used for worship services and even for weddings.

Picture: A. Oliver

Oseberg

2010-02-16T20:33:00.000-08:00

Prof. Gustaffson and colleagues during the excavations of the Oseberg Viking ship, 1904

In 1904 - 05, Haakon Shetelig and professor Gabriel Gustafsson made an extraordinary discovering which surpased their own expectatives. When excavating a burial mound at the Oseberg farm, near to Tønsberg, Norway, they found the rests of an extraordinary well preservated ship which now has been dated from around the year 834. It has been just a year before, during the summer of 1903, when Knut Rom visited Prof. Gustaffson to inform him about the probability of the presence of a burial mound and perhaps a ship in his farm.

The excavation was followed with enormous interest, and a fence got to be built for keeping curious people away. Along with many other interesting contents, all of them being the origin of the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo, designed by Arnstein Arneberg, which also displays the extraordinary rests of the Tune and the Gokstad ships. As two feminine skeletons were found in the grave, as well as lot of luxury objects and stuff, it has been stated that all the complex was a kind of a royal tomb intended for a high range member of society, perhaps even a queen. (It has been suggested that may be the rest of semi legendary Queen Åsa, from the Ynglinge clan).

The first woman was in her 60´s when died, aparently Cancer cancer being the cause of her death, while the second was aged around 30 years when buried. It is not still clear if it is the case of a Queen being buried with his maid or even his daughter, or vice versa, as both skeletons were found wearing luxury apparel. There were also remains of horses, dogs ans many other domestic animals.

Besides the magnific ship, many other interesting artifacts were found, remarkable a little wood wagon preciously decorated ( the only complete example of a Viking wagon preservated in our days) as well as a bed and many other daily life objects, such as buckets and even luxury handcrafted sleighs. The decoration of the ship and the other objects, carved with the charasteristic “gripping style” gave origin to what is known as the “Oseberg style”.

The ship structure consists mainly of oak, being its measures about 22m long and 5 meters broad, and altough operational, it is thought to have been used only for short voyages near to coast.

All pics by Wikicommons

Ragnar Lodbrok

2010-02-10T21:27:00.000-08:00

"It gladdens me to know that Baldr’s father makes ready the benches for a banquet. Soon we shall be drinking ale from the curved horns. The champion who comes into Odin’s dwelling does not lament his death. I shall not enter his hall with words of fear upon my lips. The Æsir will welcome me. Death comes without lamenting… Eager am I to depart. The Dísir summon me home, those whom Odin sends for me from the halls of the Lord of Hosts. Gladly shall I drink ale in the high-seat with the Æsir. The days of my life are ended. I laugh as I die."

Ragnar Lodbrok´s Death Song: "Krákumál"

One of the most famous heroes among the Vikings, a nightmare both for France and England, who claimed to be descendent of the very warrior god Odin. The real man´s deeds will lie behind the legend forever. A historic Ragnar Lodbrok is held to have been a member of the Danish court, durimg the time of king Horik I (IX century) and commander of the army which captured Paris in 845.

As a matter of fact, it is supposed that Ragnar raided France several times, using the rivers for drive his fleets righ to the heart of the Frankish empire. Sources mention as his most notable raid, exactly that upon Paris in 845, which was not burned down only because Ragnar accepted a bribery of more than 7 000 pounds of silver, paid by the King Charles the Bald. With an army of over 5000 warriors, Ragnar landed probably at the Seine river estuary, slashing with fierce every city he managed to find on his way, including Rouen, until when he finally arrived to Paris, according to tradition, on March 28th.

After that, it seems like Ragnar spent the rest of his life with a "succesful" pirate activity. It is known by contemporary sources, that one of his favorite tactics was to attack on feast days, as he knew that most of the people and the soldiers would be in church praying. He told people he always sought greater adventures for fear that his sons would eclipse him in fame and honor.

Later, after the French adventure, he turned his attention to England, when he found the death after being defeated and captured by King Aelle of Northumbria, who ordered to execute the Norse man by throwing him into a pit filled with poisonus snakes. It is in here where the legend of the Krákumál( probabily composed in Iceland during the XII century) claims that Ragnar uttered his death song, in which the warrior, rather than being scared, showed proud as his departure to Valhalla was close, and was sure that a bloody revenge would be held by his sons. Indeed, a Viking saga states that his sons ( who was later considered famous Viking warriors as well) Ivar the Boneless and Ubbe, as soon as they knew the details of their father´s death, swore to avenge his killing. They crossed the North Sea in 866 with a huge fleet (named by contemporary sources as the "Great Heathen Army) for meet king Aelle in battle. They succesfully defeted and captured him, just for being sentenced to death by a terrible method met as the "blood eagle". It seems like Ragnar´s prophecy was acomplished despite it all, and his sons could later join him, there in the Valhalla, the hall for the bravest warriors.

a) Ragnar´s dead by Hugo Hamilton. b) Guests from Overseas by Nicholas Roerich c) Map of the main Viking voyages and raids. All pics by wikicommons

The legendary origin of the flag of Denmark

2010-02-02T15:25:00.000-08:00

Denmarks flag falling from the sky during the Battle of Lyndanisse June 15 1219 by Christian August Lorentzen

Also known as the "Dannebrog", the flag of Denmark is considered to be the oldest flag still in use in the world. Several theories have tried to bring some light on the uncertain origin of the flag, but it is the legendary origin of the flag which perhaps deserves a better look, due of the inherent beautiness of such a romantic legend, and because, it may be assumed that no rigourous historic attempt to explain its origin will be ever clearly accepted.

According, thus, to what the legend have to say on it, the origin of the flag go back to June 15th 1219, during the Battle of Lyndanisse (current Estonia), held by Dane king Valdemar and that was nothing but a sort of Baltic "crusade" under the pretext of spread Christianism through the region, and of course, to reclaim it as a Danish kingdom´s possession.

The battle was a complete disaster and the Danish forces were about to be defeated by the Estonians. And then, suddenly, from the sky, a red flag with a white cross felt right from the heaven above, as it was sent by god him self to bring encourage to the aleady demoralized troops. Catching the flag with his own hands, the king himself waved it and began a counterattack that led to a miraclous Danish victory.

Until here, the legend is clear, and for what legends are worth, no historical record is necessary to support it, and as a matter of fact, no such a record exist indeed. The victorious and god made flag became ever since the national flag of Denmark, and in some way or another, served as a model for the flags of the future Nordic states.

Many historians have published their own theories on trying to give some historical explanation to the origin of the Dannebrog, here a brief list:

- Caspar Paludan Müller, in 1873, said the flag was sent by the Pope to the Danish king, for him to have a Christian symbol during his campaigns in the Baltic, however, until now, not a single document has been found which mention the sending of a banner by the pope.

- Adolf Ditlev Jørgensen, in 1875, claimed that the original model for the Dannebrog was nothing but the flag of the Knights Hospitaller, which was a well known symbol in Denmark by the 12th century. Jørgensen explained that was a bishop (Theoderich), not the King, the one who carried a similar flag, as he pretended to start a similar order in Estonia. He claims that the origin of the legend of the falling flag comes from a confusion in the battle, since the tent of the bishop, where the flag was waving over, was fierced attacked by the enemies, (and the bishop murdered) as they thought it was the very king´s tent.

- Another interesting theory, by Helga Bruhn, in 1949, claims that the legend of the falling flag is nothing but a variation of a regular mentioned tale about flags watched in the sky by Christian armies during critical battles, sights that latter led to miraclous victories. She mentioned similar stories in Spain, and a very paralell tale that took place in 1157, during the own Swedish version of a crusade, in the territory of the modern Finland. Not to mention the Flag of St. George, that appeared in the sky of Jerusalem to the crusaders.

However, the legend of the original flag found not an end in here. According to XVI century danish scholar, Christiern Pedersen, the flag was the very same that king Eric of Pomeriana tokk himself in 1440 after being deposed. And tradition has a lot more to add. In 1500, King Hans lost it in a battle in Holstein, only beng recovered 59 years later by King Frederik II. Two contemporary sources sustain this event, and both claim that it was by all means the original flag. After being recovered, the supposed "original" flag was placed in the chatedral of Schleswig, where it hung until 1660, when, according to a source, simply crumbled to dust, after 400 years of life, between clashes and swords.

Rosa, Finland’s first black citizen

2010-01-27T15:09:00.000-08:00

Helsingin Sanomat published an interesting and quite moving about who is considered to have been the first African to be granted Finnish citizenship, Rosa Emilia Clay. A life plenty of dramatic situations and touch of suffering, about a girl who was snatched from his born land to be introduced in a new environment.

“Immediately when the Turku archipelago came into sight, I started to like the environment for some unknown reason, and when the mainland came into view, I immediately fell in love with this new home country of mine in the far north, although I knew that being an African, I might suffer from much derision and scorn.” is was she said.

Reykjavik Museum of Photography

2010-01-25T22:07:00.000-08:00

Reykjavík Museum of Photography Reykjavík Museum of Photography is the only independent museum of photography in Iceland. Founded as a private enterprise in 1981, the museum has been run by the City of Reykjavík since 1987. The purpose of the museum is to collect, catalogue and preserve photographic material, i.e. photographs, glass plates, negatives and slides, and articles and documents relating to photography.

The museum has opened two new exhibitions featuring the work of Jakob Jakobsson and Jóna Thorvaldsdóttir. Jakobsson´s work focus in portraits, landscapes and pictures of construction workers, to which his current exhibition is dedicated and includes pictures fromthe period from 1955 to 1970, while Thorvaldsdóttir specializes in less common photographic techniques.
Both exhibitions run through May 9 and to visit the web link to the photography museum may be a good advice, not even for these, but for discovering lots of like interesting creations.

Above left and right Jakob Jakobsson: "Cement Finisher" and “Progress Inspection of Aluminium Plant.” Straumsvík 1968.

Below: Jóna Thorvaldsdóttir: “By the Pond.” Iceland 2009. Palladium print.

Munch, creativity from the hell of anguish and distress.

2010-01-19T21:29:00.000-08:00

With Munch, evidence leave no doubt about the fact that some artist are fatally linked to an specific approach to what life is. Munch is the painter of the Modern man´s anguish, the painter of the loneliness the man suffers in the city, the painter of the love as a tragic path which leads with steady rythm to suffering and , the artist who portraits illness and death, as shadows along human´s life.

The work by Munch is inexorably linked with his self experience. Is not the intention of this post however, to embrace the personal and tragic aspects in Munch´s life, but rather to have an approach to his work, which despite it all, was the language created by the artist to stablish a proper way of communication between his inner being, with the outer world. Beyond his renowned "Scream" which may be either a total eclipse for the rest of his creation, or, moreover, the perfect ambassador for approaching people with this Norwegian genius and his creative anguish. Edvard Munch was born in Løten, Norway on December 12 1863. Edvard’s mother died of tuberculosis in 1868, as did Munch's favorite sister Johanne Sophie in 1877, "The angels of fear, sorrow, and death stood by my side since the day I was born " he said later on his life

Munch arrived to Paris when he was 21 years old and the city represents a huge source of stimulation for the young painter, surrounded by the influence of the giants of the impressionism, names like Renoir, Degas, Monet, whose influence pointed the way to be followed at that time. However, by 1889, Munch convince himself that his subject must be the human being itself, with all his feelings, ecperiences and sufferings, setting the base for the development of his art.

The Sick Girl is considered to be his first masterpiece. A dark an overwhelming painting in where Munch make a memorial of his loved sister Sophie, who died when the artist was just 13, result of an intense struggle by the artist for achieving the impression and mood of the tragic moment.

In all of his work, Munch seems to have followed that statement made by his friend and poet during the Bohemina years in Cristiania (Oslo), Hans Jaeger, who claimed that an artist had the compromise to create inspired on his own life. Munch confessed later that it was just a process of self-understanding "My task is to study the soul, which is similar to study myself. . . . in my art, i have tried to explain my life and its meaning"

The relationship between female and male sex is a topic which obsessed the artist. The topic of the "Femme fatale" whose promise of love lead the man to the self destruction is depicted over and over again. But rather than a mysoginist approach, his concept should be understood as the result of an irrational fear to the power of atraction the women exerts on men. Though his vision of love and sexuality is devastating, he doesn´t blame on women, but rather on some kind of evil mechanism inherent to the things theirselves, which leads to the unhappines and ruin of those who dare to love someone else, the end of a relationship is for Munch always a traumatic experience, plenty of remorseful, frustration and self-blaming.

By the early XX century, Munch vision on world slowly begin to get rid of the melancolic mood and the claustrofobic environments of his earlier creations. Men and the traditional traits of masculinity take a main role on his paintings and, at the same time, begin to show interest for the activity and life of the common people, much in the way of he Dutch Van Gogh, a tribute for the ordinary and humble life.

Landscape and portrait were some other fields of interest in Munch´s art, of course, always through the filter of his own vision. Of special interest is the series of selfportraits, that clearly show both the physical and psicological evolution of the artist, and they are as well a moving testimony of the effect loneliness and age generated on the painter, most of the times showing a being destroyed by illness and anguish, trapped in an inner world and with no chance to get in touch with the universe in other way but by means of his painting. "Self portrait between the clock and bed" his last self portrait, depicts his conscience about the death getting closer.

The clock, which represents a symbol of the fugitive nature of time and human presence on Earth, and a threatening open door, which barely allow to see a dark space, like trying to represent what the death was for Munch, just and simply, the end.

Munch died in his house at Ekely near Oslo on January 23, 1944, about a month after his 80th birthday, the same way he has lived, absolutely alone.

"From my rotting body, flowers shall grow and I am in them and that is eternity" he said.

Paintings are cortesy of Wikigallery.org and their names are as follows in order: 1. The Scream 2. The Sick Girl 3. The Mortuary Room 4. The Murderer 5. Ashes 6. Melancolia 7. Hands 8. Madonna 9. The Dance of Life 10. Girls on the bridge 11. Forest 12. Workers returning back home 13. Old Aker Church 14. Train´s smoke 15. Self Portrait with Skeleton Arm 16. Self Portrait with Brushes 17. Self portrait between clock and bed.

Sigurd

2010-01-08T23:55:00.000-08:00

The characters and stories which give shape to the Nordic myth come from the German tradition from Central Europe, but it is however in the Scandinavic literature where they are better preserved. Richard Wagner found inspiration on the Nordic myths for creating many of his operas, specially in the adventures of two of the greatest Germanic heroes, Sigmund and Sigurd (or Siegfried) father and son. Sigurd´s story is narrated in several poems from the Poetic Edda and in Snorri Sturluson´s Prose Edda. The prose from XIII century "Völsunga Saga" is the most accessible for the modern reader.

Sigurd was the son of the great hero Sigmund, who was raised and educated by a blacksmith named Regin, an expert magician. Regin made Sigurd to be unsatisfied with his fate in life and prompted him to improve it by looking after a treasure, whose guardian was a Dragon named Fafnir. The true was that Fafnir and Regin were brothers and enemies, as they both claimed to be the genuine owners of the treasure. Regin forged a sword for Sigurd, in order to kill the evil beast, by melting the remaining fragments of Sigmund´s sword. This sword happened to be perfect and lethal.

Once in the Dragon´s lair, Regin adviced Sigurd to dig a hole in where he could hide and then stab the dragon down in his belly. By doing so, Sigurd could kill successfully the dragon. Once with the beast dead, Regin revealed his real ambitions and demanded for the half of the treasure. After argue on it, finally Sigurd accepted Regin´s demands. But also, Regin made a curious demand, that the heart of the Dragon were fried for him to eat it.

While cooking the odd feast, Sigurd accidentally swallowed a little amount of the heart´s blood, which inmediately gave him the extraordinary skill to understand the language of the birds around him. Some of those birds revealed him that Regin intended to betray him in order to take possession of the treasure. For avoiding such that evil intentions, Sigurd killed Regin and claimed the whole treasure for him. But Sigurd didn´t know that the treasure hid a curse which would lead to disaster for anyone who possess it.

Then, Sigurd, while riding his horse Grani, met Brynhild, to whom he felt in love and exchanged rings each other as a prove of compromise and loyalty.

After that, Sigurd, always keen for new adventures, went to the court of king Gjuki, who had three sons Gunnar, Hogni and Guttorm and one beautiful daughter, Gudrun. By means of a magic potion, Gudrun´s mother, got Sigurd to forget about Brynhild and the young hero married finally with Gudrun.

Some time later, Gunnar, proposed himself to woo Brynhild for himself and marry her. But Brynhild was caught in a palace surrounded by flames, and she had promised to marry only with that man able to surpass the firewall. As Gunnar failed on this almost impossible task, asked Sigurd for help, Once that they both exchanged his shape each other, Sigurd achieved to arrive to Brynhild presence, and proposed her to marry him. Finally, the real Gunnar and Brynhild got married and the "happy" family went to live together in Gjuki´s court.

The disgrace came when Sigurd recovered the memory. Meanwhile, Brynhild and Gudrun argued for trying to show who of them had the best husband. It was when, jealousy, Gudrun revealed that it has been Sigurd the one who had really went through the ring of fire. A raging Brynhild plotted for revenge. In order to do so, he said Gunnar the she had always knew that it has been Sigurd the one who got to went through the wall of fire, and that they lay together that first night. The three brothers then plotted to kill Sigurd, and it was one of them, Guttorm, who one night tresspassed into Sigurd´s room, and buried his sword deep into Sigurd´s body, who nevertheless, found energy enough to kill Guttorm in the act. Brynhild, witness of such that tragedy, was laughing on Gudrun and her brothers. Once with her revenge accomplished, Brynhild commited suicide and her last wish was to be burned together with Sigurd, with a sword lying between them. The surviving brothers, had now the treasure for them, eager to protect it, no matter how much blood they had to shed, or how many infamous acts they had to commit for do so.

The images of the Hylestad portal, kept in the Kulturhistorisk Museum , in Oslo Norway, depict scenes from the leyend of Sigurd, in order: a)Sigurd and Regin, forging and trying the sword, b) Sigurd in fierce battle against the dragon, kill him by burying his sword into the beast´s belly, c) Sigurd sucks his burned finger, who had gotten in touch with Fafnir´s blood while roasting his heart, and suddenly understand what the birds had to say about Regin´s plans. d) Sigurd kills Regin and claim the tresure all for himself and e) Gunnar, defeated by Atli, casted into a serpent´s pit with bound hands, playing an arp with feet, showing that he will defy the death to the last. Pics by http://www.timelessmyths.com/, http://www.warehamforge.ca/, http://www.badenhausen.net/ and wikicommons.

The new Icelandic - Swedish dictionary

2010-01-05T17:02:00.000-08:00

The Swedish government assigned the making of a Icelandic - Swedish dictionary to the University of Gothenburg and granted for this over 500 000 Swedish Kronor (SEK) reported the online page of Icelandic newspaper Morgunbladid . According to the same source, the Swedish government assigned the writing of this dictionary to the University in 2006. The Swedish Nordic Minister, Christina Husmark Pehrsson said she was "happy to support the ongoing work on the dictionary, as it was an important tool to increase language understanding between the Scandinavian countries".

Both Swedish and Icelandic languages belong to one of the three branches of the Germanic languages and sometimes refered as the group of "Nordic languages" that came distinguishable from other germanic languages at around the year 200 AD and which finally gave origin to the modern languages spoken in Scandinavia nowadays, many of them still mutually intelegible in some degree. Of the modern Scandinavian languages, written Icelandic is the closest to the ancient Old Germanic or "Old Norse" language, that was first bought to Iceland and the Faroe Islands by Scandinavian settlers around the IX century.

In cooperation with the Icelandic dictionary of the University of Iceland, the dictionary is expected to be ready for the next year.

Kirsten Flagstad

2010-01-01T20:38:00.000-08:00

On the afternoon of February 2 1935, made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera who would be later considered as "the voice of the century". Geraldine Farrar, host of the radio show which broadcast the show said "a new star has just born". Flagstad was little known in America at the time and her perfomance opened the way for her to become the pre-eminent soprano of the Century. Most of the critics claim her to be still the greatest of modern time due of her unmatched voice along with her outstanding dramatic abilities.

Born in Hamar, Norway on July 12, 1895, Kirsten belonged to a family of musical vocation, receiving the best available musical education in Oslo as well as in Sweden, with Gillis Bratt. It was on the Oslo Opera Comique where she quickly began to show her potential, and her remarkable ability to learn roles on a very few days. After a decade of operetta and other minor roles, Flagstad decided to make a leap into more demanding roles, something that the critics had already suggested, claiming that her voice would better suit to Wagner and such. It was in 1932 when she first took the role of Isolde in Wagner´s Tristan and Isolde. The rest is history. By 1934, she was singing at the very same Bayreuth Festival, the Grial of the Wagnerism.After the Met, it came Covent Garden and all the most important scenes, the world had felt on her feet.

However, Falgstad´s life was not exempt of some scandal. The singer got involved in some controversies with tenor Lauritz Melchior and with Met´s general manager Edward Johnson. But what really rested her popularity, specially in USA, was her decision to remain in occupied Norway, although she took the decision of only to perform in non occupied countries such as Sweden and Switzerland. But by 1948, Flagstad had recovered her position and performed for 4 consecutive seasons at Covent Garden, among some other tours where she repeated her well known Wagnerian roles, and Strauss´ "Vier letzte Lieder" whose final rehearsal was recorded and is considered legendary ever since then among the critic and fans.

In 1952, she decided to retire from the music scene, although she continued with some sporadic performances and recordings, and with her role as the manager of the Norwegian National Opera.

Kirsten Flagstad died in Oslo on December 7th, 1962 at age 67. As a matter of tribute, her portrait appears on the Norwegian 100 kroner bill, and a museum in Hamar was created to keep her legacy. Harold Schonberg wrote in the New York Times: "That voice! How can one describe it? It was enormous, but did not sound enormous because it was never pushed or out of placement. It had a rather cool silvery quality, and was handled instrumentally, almost as though a huge violin was emitting legato phrases."

The echo of her voice remained for the years to come.

Click her for Video and recording from Kirsten Flagstad

Pics by wikicommons and www.mnc.net

Merry Christmas

2009-12-17T01:43:00.000-08:00

The year is about to come to an end, and i would like to wish you all of you who spend some of your highly valuable time in visiting this blog a very Merry Christmas, may all of your dreams come true and that the coming year be one of joy, both for you and for all the people you love.

The Nordic Culture Spot will take a pause for season until the next year, thank you very much for walk with me through this year and through this blogging adventure, and it would be great to enjoy your company the coming new year. See you in January!! ;)

My best wishes for you, and a big warm hug.

Yours

Alberto Oliver.

Dagen H (The Day H)

2009-12-07T19:59:00.000-08:00

The day was September 3rd 1967, that date the traffic in Sweden switched from left handed driving to right side. Of course the "H" stands for Högertrafik, which is indeed the Swedish word for right traffic.

The change was widely unpopular, and had repeatedly been voted against in many referendums, for example, that of 1955, in where up to 83 % of Swedes voted for keeping it on the left. However it was the Riksdag who approved the change and also stablished an special government comission on this issue ( Statens Högertraffikkommission HTK)

The supposed major arguments for this change were that all Sweden´s neighbour countries drove on the right and the fact that a huge number of Swedes drove left handed vehicles, this leding to many accidents mainly in two line highways.

The comission displayed a four year education program and a massive campaign displaying the "Dagen H" logo, in many objects from milk cartons, and also women´s underwear.

When Dagen H arrived, the Sunday September 3rd, all none essential traffic was banned from roads from 01:00 to 06:00. All vehicles had to come to a complete stop at 4:50 and then carefully change to the right hand side, before stopping again for being allowed to go again at 05:00.

Among other consequences, this led the Trams to be withdrawn in Stockholm and replaced by new buses with doors on the right hand side, many older people gave up driving rather than learn to do it with the new rule.

The monday following there were 125 reported traffic accidents, a decrease when compared with other mondays average of nearly 130-198. No fatal accidents were reported due of the switch. Experts suggested that changing to driving on the right were an asset in reducing accidents, since people already drove left hand vehicles, and therefore would have a better view of the road ahead. Some others attributed the decrease to the fact that speed limits were lowered by 10 km/h for some time after the switch.

But, as a matter of fact, the accident rate rose back to its original level within two years

(image by http://www.transparent.com/)

The "Motbok"

2009-12-01T20:31:00.001-08:00

Following with the wave of temperance who wished to put in control all those "deviant" moral habits proper of the less privileged social classes that had its epicentre in USA with the Volstead law approved in 1919(that of the famous ban on alcohol consumption, trading and transportation) It seems like Sweden wished not to be left behind and a referendum was convoked in 1922. Prohibition was narrowly defeated but an alternative was introduced instead.

The "Bratt" system, named after a doctor, Ivan Bratt, who was its main supporter, consisted in a total rationing and control of alcohol consumption by the Government and was made obligatory in 1919. Its main feature was the introduction of a ration book for controlling consumption, the "Motbok".

In order to purchase alcohol it was necessary to obtain this booklet from the local alcohol authority. Permits to buy alcohol were absolutely not granted to people who were not over 21 years old of age, persons who had been found guilty of drunkness or convicted of crimes involving drunkness or the illegal sell, purchasing or manufacturing of alcohol and the worst of it, "married women". Each time someone made a purchase, a stamp was added on it. Wine was exempt from rationing as it consumption was low but all purchases were carefully noted down in the ill fated motbok. Detailed files on all consumers were kept at the local "Systembolaget" and these files were open to the police. The maximum ration was 4 liters per month, later reduced to 3 liters during World War II and to 1.82 liters in 1948. Applicants for a motbok were required to fill an special form, writing their name, age, sex, and a huge number of very personal information including the parish in which they were registered and the size of the family and their personal information. This tight control made possible for authorities to investigate any irregularity in the drinking habits of every individual. Persons convicted of drunkness offences would have their motbok confiscated either temporarily or permanently.

In 1955 the "October Revolution" ocurred in Sweden when the Motbok and the Bratt system were abolished. The reasons for the rationing to be abolished were the result of the work and findings of an special government comittee, clearly showing that the system was a complete failure, including the fact that the greatest number of drunkenness offences were committed by those people denied to have a motbok.
The new policies for control of alcohol consumption among society would be now focused into a taxation of drinks in relation to alcohol content and an education on "healthy" drinking habits, a policy that have last until these days.

Detail of a SystemBolaget store in Södetälje

All images by wikicommons

The Wennerström affair

2009-11-27T11:29:00.000-08:00

It was the 60´s, the whole world was immersed in the Cold War and the fear to a clash between World´s superpowers overran the atmosphere. Sweden was a nonaligned country wedged between NATO and the Soviet bloc, whose Armed Forces were aimed to avoid a Red army aggression. In the middle of this worrying situation, a housemaid, working for the Swedish Intelligence Bureau "SÄPO" ( Säkerhetspolisen, literally "the Security Police", abbreviated Säpo) mades a terrible discovering, when she found photographs of secret documents in the attic of the house´s owner, his name? Stig Wennerström.

Stig Erik Constans Wennerström (August 22, 1906 - March 22, 2006) was a colonel in the Swedish Air Force. SÄPO was already behind his steps as early as 1943, suspected that he had worked for the Nazis, but nothing could be proved.

Later during the 50´s, he began to work for the Soviets, receiving the code name "Eagle". "Eagle" got to be able to leak Swedish air defence plans as well as the entire project for a new Fighter Jet, information that could have been crucial for a military invasion. Wennerström combined his spy side with his work as military attache in both Washington and Moscow. In order to gain proves against him, SÄPO recruited his housemaid. It was in June when the maid found the films and a few weeks later, Wennerström was arrested and finally sentenced to life in prison.

The country was in shock. What had made Colonel Wennerström to betray his country? Probably it was not money, as it is claimed that he did not received large amounts. In his biography Wennerström even said that he was promoting the world peace.

In 1972 the Swedish government changed the sentence to 20 years, being finally paroled in 1974 after serving a total of 10 years.
"Ïf I could live my life over again, I am stupid enough to let it be exactly the way it has been so far" he said in an interview 2 years before his death in 2006.
　
Stig Bergling, the spy who knew so much.

But Wennerström wasn´t the only "Stig" with espionage trends. Stig Bergling, a former member at the very SÄPO, spied for the Soviets, to whom he sold to the KGB and GRU (Russian Intelligence Bureaus) secret documents concerning Swedish military facilities. The operation took place in Lebanon in 1973 during a UN mission, and later he continued his espionage, sending important information about SÄPO activities in Sweden. Bergling, however, was arrested in Israel in 1979, later being convicted to life in prison for treason.

Bergling proved not to be an easy prey, when he managed to escape from prison on October 6 1987, to Helsinki, where he contacted the Soviet embassy in order to get help and assylum. Along with his wife, he lived in Moscow and Hungary under the alias Ivar and Elisabeth Straus. Finally in august 1994, the couple returned to Sweden, where Bergling spent 3 years in prison before being released in 1997, later joining the Swedish Left Party and struggling against the Parkinson´s disease.

All images by wikicommons

The little mermaid.

2009-11-20T13:21:00.000-08:00

The small figure of the Little Mermaid (Den Lille Havfrue) located over a rock and looking yearningly the ships, is perhaps the most renowned icon from Denmark. The sculpture, commissioned in 1909 by Carl Jacobsen, director of the Carlsberg brewery, was inspired in the Little Mermaid ballet, inspired as well in the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. The sculptor, Edvard Eriksen wanted to take the primaballerina Ellen Price as model, but only the head was modelled after her when she refused to continue modeling, when she realized where the statue would be placed once finnished. Finally, it was Eriksen´s wife, Eline, who was used for modelling the body.

The definitive scuplture made in bronze was unveiled on August 23rd 1913 in the Copenhaguen harbour, on a place named Langelinie. The Little Mermaid statue is only 1.25 metres high and weighs around 175 kg.
Since then, the statue has been vandalized many times, in 1964 the statue was defaced and stolen, and the head was never recovered so a new one got to be made. Other polemic acts against the statue includes paint and an episode in when the mermaid was covered by a burka as a political statement.

That is why in 2007, authorities decided that the statue may be moved deep into the sea, as a measure to avoid more vandalism and of course, to prevent tourist to climb on it. In its current location , the little sculpture enjoys a more placid existence. but not for much time as another polemic arises, since the City council are planning on move temporally the statue to China, for the duration of the Expo 2010.

All pics by wikicommons. The Little Mermaid is considered a copyrighted work of art by Edvard Eriksen (died 1959) according to Danish law. Thus the copyright for this work of art expires on 1 January 2030.
Images of the statue may be considered derivative works. Successors of the sculptor are known to file claims against any derived work used commercially. Under Danish law, freedom of panorama does not extend to works of art that are located in public places if such a work constitutes the central element of the resulting picture.

Helsingin Sanomat

2009-11-19T14:30:00.000-08:00

The popular Finnish newspaper "Helsingin Sanomat" marked up 120 years in existence. Teemu Luukka and Esa Mäkinen have written and interesting article about the role of the Newspaper as the target of the criticism from all the corners and groups within the Finnish society. A funny but smart comment the editor in chief made on this respect : "The positive thing is that the criticism we receive comes evenly and indiscriminately from all directions" A dream come true for a journalist or a writer of all kind indeed!!!

The image of the day

2009-11-14T12:54:00.000-08:00

On April 20th 1535 a strange phenomenon was observed on Stockholm´s sky. It was an odd light effect conformed by six sparkling sun halos that covered all the horizon. Althought this is a 17th century copy of the original, still is considered the more ancient, if not the first representation of the city. The painting hangs from the wall of the Stockholm cathedral where it could be apreciated at its best shape, after a thorough cleaning process in 1998.

"Vädersoltavlan" (Parhelion) Stockholm Storkyrka.

Gefjon

2009-11-10T13:00:00.000-08:00

The Gefion fountain located in Copenhaguen, Denmark, features a figure of the goddess Gefjon driving a group of oxen hauling a plough. The fountain was designed by Anders Bundgaard and sculpted between 1897-99. It was a gift to the city on behalf of the Carlsberg brewery, which was celebrating its 50th anniversary.
This fountain is inspired in an ancient myth that appears in some medieval texts, about the creation of Zealand, the island where Copenhaguen is now located.

In one of them, the Prose Edda "Gylfaginning" by Bragi Boddason, it is stated that King Gylfi, ruler of the nowadays Sweden, promised to give to "a certain vagrant woman, as reward for his entertainment, one plough-land in his kingdom, as much as four oxen could plow up in a day and night." This woman was "of the race of the Æsir" and her name was Gefjun.

In chapter 5 of the Ynglinga saga (collected in Snorri Sturluson´s Heimskringla) it is related that god Odin had sent Gefjon from Odense, in Denmark "north over the sound to seek for land." As mentioned before, King Gylfi promised her as much land as she could plow in a day and a night. Gefjon traveled to the land of the giants "Jotunheimen" and bore 4 sons with a giant. Later Gefjon transformed these sons into four enormous oxen, which plowed as much land such as for gave form to the Island of Zealand, which was thrown into the sea between Sweden and the island of Fyn.

From where the land was taken, a lake was formed, called Lögrinn. Though Snorri and many other contemporary texts identifies lake Mälaren as the Lögrinn, nowadays, lake Vänern in Sweden, whose shape resembles surprisingly that of Zealand, is mentioned and accepted as the place where the goddess Gefjon plowed the earth that remote legendary night.
　

Left: A map showing the island of Zealand, just between Sweden and Denmark. When comparing it with lake Vänern (below) some people find them similar, therefore, asuming it was the place where Gefjon plowed the land.
(All images from wikicommons)

The conquest of the South Pole.

2009-11-03T11:55:00.000-08:00

The remarkable skills of the Norwegian Roald Amundsen and the good weather -something extremely odd- helped on making the conquer of the South Pole to seem quite easy, which of course, wasn´t like that at all.

Amundsen was a resolute and ambicious man. In 1909 he was planning to travel to the North Pole when he knew that the American Robert Peary had already achieved it. With no hesitation, decided to point his strenght and resources to the South Pole. He made his plans quickly and secretely. When he was ready and leaving to the Antartic continent itself, he sent a plain message to the british Scott, who was planning to get to the South pole as well: ¨I am leaving to the South, regards, Amundsen".

October 19th 1911 he leave to the South pole from his base in Whale harbour, in the Antartic continent seashore. Unlike the british men of the Scott´s expedition, Amundsen and his men were expert mushers, equiped with strenght dogs from Greenland and lots of rations. Due of his intensive preparation, the final part of the journey was quite easy, according to the polar standards. Once the man had achieved the top of the Antartic high plateau, they slaughtered all of the dogs, but not the 18 strongest and healthiest, and buried them in the snow, in order to eat them when coming back. Despite its cruelty, this proved to be important once in the journey back, and Amundsen was known due of their extremely energetic decisions. The explorers were so health that during the last part of the journey they were able to walk over 32 km per day.

In November 14th 1911, Amundsen raised the Norwegian flag in the very same South Pole, and "baptized" the surrounding surface as " King Haakon VII plain" As sarcastic as he was, Amundsen left some notes to Scott, explaining him how he managed to beat him, and what was another show of his some times cruel character, he did ask to Scott for him to wrote a letter to the King!!
Then again, the journey back was like a holliday trip, Amundsen wrote on his diary that they were so health and had so much food and rations that they "could waste it if they wanted".

In January 15th of the next year, the Scott´s expedition finally arrived to the South Pole. Neither the snow, nor the hungry, the cold or the injuries were as hearthbreaking as to realize that the norwegians had already been there. The 18th January, Scott found the norwegian campament, and the notes and letters Amundsen had left there for him.

Latter that day, Scott wrote: "We have already left back our ambitious project, and now we got to face 1287 km of journey, but what is worse, to say good bye for good, to our dreams...." As we know, they never came back alive to civilization.

The dream of discovering the unknown "Terra australis", ambitioned since ancient times, came to an end that antartic summer of 1911-1912 with the Amundsen´s succes and the death of Robert F. Scott.

All pics by Wikicommons and www.photolibnoaa.gov

Images from Iceland

2009-10-29T12:26:00.000-07:00

Iceland, for those who haven´t had the fortune to visit it, is the land of one of the most spectacular landscapes that some one may found on the whole earth. For better understanding what I am talking about, it would be a good idea to follow this link. Is the page of mister Thorsten Henn, a German photographer living in Reykjavik and that recently has published a book: Ísland í naermynd (“Iceland Close-Up”) For his book, Henn decided to investigate Iceland’s elements, which resulted in four different chapters called “Land,” “Water,” “Air,” and “People.”

The Landvættir and the Iceland Coat of Arms

2009-10-27T14:11:00.001-07:00

What more attracts the atention when someone look at the Icelandic coat of arms ( “Skjaldarmerki Íslands” adopted in 1944 when Iceland declared its independence), are the four characters that hold the shield with the National colors. They represent the protectors of Iceland or Landvættir, who are spirits of the nature, mentioned in old mythology, and whose presence helped in protect and promote the welfare of the land in where they live.

The Landvættir were so respected that the “Book of Settlement” and old saga which talks about the deeds of the first settlers of Iceland, says that the law forbade the ships to have a dragon or another intimidating image on its prow in order to avoid to scare or provoke the spirits.

But where do the tradition of the four guardians of Iceland come from? Well, according to Heimskringla, a famous book of sagas whose creation is attributed to Icelandic scholar Snorri Sturluson, King Harald Gormsson of Denmark intended to invade Iceland. Among his plans for a better chance to accomplish his purpose, he asked one of his wizards to visit Iceland and look for possible vulnerability point.

The overwhelming nature of Iceland, protected by the spirits of nature, the "Landvættir"

After having changing his shape for that of a whale, the wizard swam around the northern coast, but saw that all the coastline was full of landvættir. It was in Vopnafjörður when he first met one of the mentioned guardians, a great dragon commanding an army of snakes and lizards driving right toward him. Wisely, the wizard went back and this time swam westward to Eyjafjörður. This time he was met and threatened by a giant bird “so big that its wings touched the hillsides
on either side” leading a group of many other birds.

Thinking that it would be impossible to go ashore, the wizard decided to better swim west and south, until he reached Breiðafjörður, were a raging bull followed by thousand of spirits were waiting for him. Finally, the wizard tried in the last possible cardinal point, the south, at Vikarsskeið, but a giant was waiting already for him before he could get ashore, followed by many other giants. The wizard realized then, than the invation couldn´t took place.

The four landvættir are now regarded as the protectors of the four quarters of Iceland: the dragon (Dreki) in the northeast, the bird (Gammur) in the northwest, the bull (Griðungur) in the southwest, and the giant (Bergrisi) in the southeast, they all still staying watchful and alert, for the next one who dares to invade their land.

All pics by wikicommons

The Image of the Day. Bridal journey in Hardanger

2009-10-23T12:19:00.000-07:00

Another Norwegian classic. "Brudeferden i Hardanger" by Adolf Tidemand and Hans Gude is considered a milestone in the Norwegian Romanticism. Tidemand was an important Norwegian romantic nationalist painter. Today Adolph Tidemand is counted as the first to the Norwegian historic painters and is best known for this depiction of Norwegian farm and street life. On a later post i will discuss more on his life and work.

"Bridal journey in Hardanger" (Brudeferden i Hardanger) Adolf Tidemand and Hans Gude, 1848. Nasjonalgalleriet, Oslo

Yggdrasil

2009-10-16T12:20:00.001-07:00

The idea of a cosmic tree is a common subject in the mythology of Europe. Either as dwelling of gods, or as the backbone where all the universe is supported. Trees were also considered source of every kind of magical cures for sickness, both of body and mind. This conception may not be unrealistic as it is known that in ancient times the forest acted as a matter of natural drug provider. Traces of that magical conception of the tree may be found for example in Germanic mythology, for example, with the magical apples of goddes IDUN, which were the only way for the gods to avoid growing old. (Yes, in that mythology, born in violent, uncertain precarious times, not even the gods were able to avoid death). Trees were so preciated that is told that St. Boniface was killed by an outraged man after the missionary cut down some trees considered holly.

Left: Detail of the squirrel "Ratatosk"

Yggdrasil (altough its etymology is still controversial, the must supported meaning is either"Odin´s Horse" or "dreadful mount") was a cosmic tree in Germanic mythology. It is mentioned in many sources, including the "Poetic Edda" compiled in the 13th century and in the "Prose Edda" written by Snorri Sturluson. According to those sources, Yggdrasil is the largest and most important tree of the universe, since its branches supported the 9 worlds and are so long that spread up all over the heaven. The gigantic tree was supported at the same time, by 3 enormous roots. One of them descended to the land of the giants, "JOTUNHEIM", the second ended in NIFLHEIM and the 3rd one ended near ASGARD, fortress of the gods, close to a well, whose water were used, mixed with earth, to avoid Yggdrasil´s bark from rotting. It is also mentioned that an eagle perched on the top of the tree, same bird that was daily harassed by an odd squirrel, "Ratatosk", with unpleasent comments and insults.

The Yggdrasil

The god ODIN himself decided once to hang himself from the tree for 9 nights in a row in order to gain wisdom. Odin´s love and thirst for wisdom was so big that he was prepared to sacrifice himself if needed. Maybe in that way ancient people stated that it was necessary to die for reaching a complete learning, an upper level of development. then again, that is a regular subject in some other religions. The fact is that after having visited the world of the deads voluntary and with his subsequent resurrection, Odin gained more wisdom than nobody else ever. It seems that the missionaries took a benefit from this paralelism between this event in Odin´s life and that of the crucificion of Christ in order to make it easy to convince the sometimes stuborn pagans of the legitimacy of the new religion. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that this event of Odin´s hanging on the universe tree in Germanic tradition has deep roots back to pre- Christian times. Despite it all, Odin was the god of the spear, of the hanged and the fallen in battle. In a time of blood and iron, the existance of a god who praised the brave men, who were ready to dead in battle, a god able to hang himself in order to achieve full wisdom, with no hesitation, is easy to understand.

All pics by wikicommons

The Image of the Day

2009-10-15T13:23:00.000-07:00

I decided to post every now and then a picture, either from a painting, a landscape, a representative building, and sculpture, whatever! Sometimes a picture says more than thousand words and though it is important to know about and artist life, I am sure that a better homage would be to show his work for the people to enjoy it. In this case, the painting is "Damen med slöjan"(The Lady with the Veil ) painted in 1768 by Alexander Roslin, a Swedish painter from the XVIII century whose main works consist on portraits of the aristocracy. The lady depicted in the painting is Marie-Suzanne Giroust, Roslin's wife herself.

"The Lady with the Veil" Alexander Roslin, 1768. Nationalmuseum, Stockholm

Harald Sohlberg

2009-10-09T12:15:00.000-07:00

"Vinternatt i Rondane" (above) Winter night in Rondane, probably the most representative work ever made by Harald Sohlberg. (29 September 1869 - 19 June 1935) It clearly depicts the Sohlberg´s ambition for expressing not only and image but the inner emotions that raises within the soul when looking at the overwhelming Norwegian landscape. The colors and textures that he used in his paintings were always intended for describing not a perfect copy of the scene but rather a personal experience of how we understand a moment of the time. When looking "Winternight in Rondane" the cold blue tones of the Moon shining over the snow allow us to feel the athmosphere, maybe even to hear the howling wind of the winter blizzard and the loneliness of a person that suddenly had been left alone in the whole universe with no more companion but his or her self conscience.

"The fishermans cottage", a lonely cab in the middle of a peaceful forest.

Sohlberg was always concerned about the local athmosphere that surrounded him, and the better way, technique or approach for better depict the reaction of the mind and the feelings towards it. It is probably the most remarkable characteristic in Sohlberg´s art, an intense load of emotions in such an intense way that the landscape indeed quit playing a main role, such a furious flow of emotional energy that could be unbearable for the fragil sensibility. Certainly he belonged to a trend of Nordic Artist whose main source of inspiration was the remarkable and distinctive light of the North, which give shape to the most extraordinary scenes and cannot be found any where else.

Modne Jorder

That is why most of the times Sohlberg made his color choice the most dramatic and intense as possible, he paid tribute to the landscape by dignifying it, by transforming the most common, even anodine of the scenes into a burst of color and passion, by creating from a single instant of the human life, a long lasting monument for the coming generations to know, about the otherwise anonymous existance of a forgotten second in some solitary place of this world.

Oslo view from Akershus

Sohlberg said once in the autumn of his life: "it is probably true that for simple and naive reasons my works have aroused sympathy. But I maintain that they have by no means been properly understood for the pictorial and spiritual values on which I have been working consistently throughout the years."
Ivind Storm Bjerke said respect to this quotation : "The quotation contains three words which are keys to an understanding of Sohlberg: "Pictorial," "spiritual," and "consistently." The pictorial is means for expressing the spiritual, and one was obliged to stick to the spiritual values one held true."

Storgaten Røros

All pics by wikicommons

Winter is about to come.

2009-10-07T14:16:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe but while in some parts of Europe people is still moaning about the summer coming to an end, in Iceland Atumn seems to have withdrawn and given its place to winter:

http://www.icelandreview.com/icelandreview/daily_news/?cat_id=16567&ew_0_a_id=349260

It is not unusual in the Northern lands to witness some unseasonable snow. Altough the proper winter is still lying on his lair, the blows of his freezing breathe can be experienced as his time to wake up is getting closer.

But with the arrive of the snow, also the oportunity to enjoy of wonderful images like the one left of an Icelandic horse, showing he needs no scarf for feeling confortable even in the middle of a blizzard.

(pic from wikicommons)

Vi elsker dette Landet.

2009-10-05T14:12:00.000-07:00

The U.N. Human Development Reports listed Norway at the top of its ranking. His Nordic fellows also occupy a place among the 15 best. Everybody knows that the battle for human quality of life must be permanent, and that perfection doesn´t exist anywhere on Earth. But Norwegians can be proud of the effort made. A long road it has been for them to the top. "Vi elsker dette landet - We love this Land" they say proudly in their anthem, and they have reasons to do so.

This link provide the complete list and more information on the topic:

http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/

Vapriikki

2009-10-02T12:12:00.000-07:00

The city of Tampere, Finland. In every picture of the city´s skyline, a remarkable element attracts the atention of viewer´s eye. A characteristic building with the shape of an old fashion factory, chimneys and red brick walls included. Just in the middle, the rapids acting like a water knife which divides not only the building but the community. Is the very heart of the city of Tampere, the river its main vessel and the factory, or what used to be a factory, is Vapriikki, which in the past pumped indeed, as a real heart, impulse and activity through the tissues not only of Tampere, but the whole region. Nowadays, it pumps art and culture, providing facilities for collections, preservation, photo archives, a reference library, an auditorium, education of school children as well as space for research and offices.

The beauty Tampere´s skyline, with the characteristic Vapriikki by the river. (Tampere.fi)

"Vapriikki" comes from Swedish word "Fabrik". Though now a modern and functional exhibition building, its original purpose was that of a blast furnace, back in the 1840´s. In 1856 a machine shop was founded by the rapids as well as a linen mill, which later merged each other to form "Tampere Linen and Iron Industry Limited Company (Tampella)".

The place may be a delight for the photographer interested in industrial landscapes (in this case, formerly industrial). For a strange reason, this places always exert a kind of magnetic atraction. The overwhelming shape of the chimneys at the sunset time, or the roofs covered by the snow of the cruel winter, resembling a giant sleeping outdoors his invernal nap. The peace of the place, only interrupted by the murmuring waterfall, makes the perfect athmosphere for somebody who looks for, and apreciete, a reflexion moment.

A schema of Vapriikki (shema and map by tampere.fi)

All industrial usage ceased in the 1990´s, but the building was already an inseparable part of the city, with its misterious shapes of industrial legacy, covered by snow or in the middle of the summer, a well preserved monument of the old times when Finland began to awake to the industrial revolution. The new focus in the design of the museum when it was redesigned was to respect is heritage, and although a tough challenge, the result was completely satisfactory. An odd combination, art, industry? Not at all. Despite it all, it was the effort of the people who spent day after day, maybe the most of his life, perhaps even generation after generation, working not only in this, but in all the factories and industries of the world, who made a corner stone for the progress and welfare of many contemporary societies. Tampere is aware of it, and show its respect for all that legacy., what a better homage could be? Perhaps at night when walking there, it could be possible to listen behind the waterfall´s sound, the sounds of the machines, of the hammers and the voices of the people, to recognize the smell of the sweep, of the effort, of many individual lifes who built hit by hit, day after day, a better reallity. Maybe we are nothing but the dream of those people from the past, who in their daily journey, spent some seconds in dreaming on light, health, airplanes, and why not, factories that produces culture and art.
　

All other pics by turisti.fi and wikicommons

Sustainability blog

2009-09-29T15:00:00.000-07:00

The Nordic countries and their people have been always characterized for it special love and care for the environment. People have an special afinity close to the spiritual and every environmental politic from part of the governments are always strongly supported. There are lot of things still to do, but in order to have a comprehensive aproach on what is done about the environment, in this case, in Sweden, there is an excellent blog, managed by a group of young people and by the Swedish journalist Sara Jeswani, whose main task is to inform about the many trenches in where the struggle for a better environment are held. They also have started Sweden’s first climate magazine, Effekt.

http://www.sweden.se/templates/cs/BlogStartPage.aspx?id=23640

The Ljungby Horn and Pipe

2009-09-29T12:50:00.000-07:00

Close to the city of Kristianstad is located the little town of Fjälkinge. Far from the regular touristic routes, Fjälkinge is however home of one of the most peculiar places in the country, the Trolle - Ljungby castle, which contains a very picturesque treasure, shown on a regular basis for the joy of the curious people who travels till there just to apreciate it, and that is the "Ljungby Horn and Pipe". What makes this objects so special is that they figure in a local legend, which tells that the objects were stolen to the Trolls. But to know more about this funny legend, let´s read what Herman Hofberg wrote on his book "Swedish Fairy Tales":

Fjälkinge in the map

" . . .On the estates of Ljungby there lies a large stone called Maglestone, under which the Trolls, in olden times, were wont to assemble and, with dancing and games, celebrate their Christmas. One Christmas night Lady Cissela Ulf stand, sitting in her mansion, listening to the merry-making of the Trolls under the stone, and curious to have a bet- ter knowledge of these mysterious mountain people, assembled hermenservants and promised the best horse in her stables to him who would ride to Maglestone, at Vesper hour, and bring her a full account of the doings there. One of her swains, a daring young fellow, accepted the offer, and a little later set out on his way. Arriving at the stone, he discovered it lifted from the ground, supported on pillars of gold, and under it the Trolls in the midst of their revelry. Upon discovering the horseman a young Troll wo- man, leaving the others, approached him bearing a drinking horn and pipe. These, upon reaching his side, she placed in the young man's hand, with directions to first drink from the horn to the health of the Moun- tain King, then blow three times on the pipe, at the same time whispering some words of caution in his ears, whereupon he threw the contents of the horn over his shoulder and set off at the utmost speed, over fields and meadows, toward home. The Trolls followed him closely with great clamor, but he flew before them across the drawbridge, which was at once pulled up, and proceeded to place the horn and pipe in the hands of his mistress.

Outside, across the moat, the Trolls now stood, promising Lady Cissela great happiness and riches if she would return to them their horn and pipe, and declaring that, otherwise, great misfortune and destruc- tion would overtake her and her family, and that it should go especially hard with the young man who had dared to deprive them of the precious articles. True to the predictions, the young man died on the third day thereafter and the horse which he rode fell dead a day later. During the war of 1645 Field Marshal Gustaf Horn, whose headquarters were at Fjelkinge, having heard this story, and wishing to see the horn and pipe, requested that they be brought to him. The possess- or. Axel Gyllerstierna, who then owned Ljungby, forwarded them, accompanied with earnest prayers that they be returned to him as soon as possible. Horn's curiosity was soon satisfied, and he felt no .desire to retain them longer in his possession, for while he did he was disturbed every night by unseemly noises about his quarters, which ceased, when, under the escort of a company of cavalry, he sent them back to Ljungby.

Ten years later there took place a still more won- derful circumstance. Henrik Nilsson, the priest at Ljungby, borrowed the strange articles for the purpose of showing them to his brothers-in-law who were then visiting him. During the night the priest's mother-in- law, Lady Anna Conradi, who was one of the family, was awakened by the light of a candle in her room. The bed curtains were drawn back and upon her bed a basket was dropped wherein sat five small children, who in chorus set up a cry : "O you, who are noted for your kindness, please return to us our horn!" To her question why they desired it and what value it had to them, they answered : " For our people's sake." When she would no longer listen to their pleading they departed, saying they would come again three nights later.

On Thursday night, and the third following their first visit, there was again alight in her room. When Lady Anna drew back the bed curtain she discovered her chamber occupied by a great number of little men, and among them the Troll King himself, approaching her under a canopy of silver cloth upheld on silver poles borne by four servants. His skin was a dark brown and his hair, of which only a tuft was left on his forehead and one by each ear, black and woolly. Softly he neared the bed, holding forth a horn richly adorned with gold chains and massive gold buttons, which he proffered the lady in exchange for the genu- ine horn. But she was not to be persuaded, and con- signed them to God, if they belonged to him, and to the devil, if they were his offspring, whereupon the Trolls quietly and sorrowfully departed. Soon thereafter it was reported that a peasant's child had been carried off by the Trolls. By means of ringing the church bells it was, however, returned to its mother.

The boy related that the Trolls were not pretty, but had large noses and mouths ; that the man under Maglestone was called Klausa and his wife Otta. That they sucked the moisture from the food of man- kind and so sustained themselves; that they obeyed one king; that they were often at variance with each other, also, that they spoke the language of the country. Lord Chancellor Covet, who published, " A Narrative of Ljungby Horn and Pipe," dated February 11, 1692, says that he knew this boy, who was then twenty-seven years old, also his mother, but admits that both were disposed to superstition and that their understandings were as feeble as their bodies. . ."

The Trolle - Ljungby estate

All pics by wikicommons

Gothenburg International Book Fair

2009-09-26T15:35:00.000-07:00

The main event of its nature in Scandinavia, is held every year in the Swedish city of Gothenburg (Göteborg) and joins hundreds of publishers, authors, publishers and everyone involved in the literary world. It is the greatest oportunity for all book lovers to delight themselves by browsing through the thousands of books on display. The web page is worth a look around.

Gothenburg Book Fair (Tourist Info)
Massans gate 20
Korsvagen
Gothenburg
SE-412 94, Sweden
Tel +46 (0)31 708 8400.Email info@goteborg-bookfair.com
Website http://www.bok-bibliotek.se/

Raoul Wallenberg

2009-09-22T14:19:00.000-07:00

During the XX century, due perhaps to its neutral and non allignance politic, Sweden was the place of birth of many extraordinary ideologist who shared a common goal, the effort for the peace and human dignity. It is not rare therefore to discover that Dag Hammarskjöld, one of the first and most renowned Secretary-General of the U.N. was of Swedish origin. Unfortunately, many of them share also the fact that ended their lives in such a tragic way. Famous Swede Prime Minister Olof Palme was murdered in the street in 1986, Hammarskjöld ended his days in a plane crash in 1961, and has been both the only U.N. Secretary-General to die on duty and the only awarded with the Nobel Prize posthumously. But by far, who probably suffered the most tragic fate was diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, who disappeared after being arrested by the Soviets in 1945, while trying to help thousands of Jews to escape from Nazi deportation.

Raoul Wallenberg was born in Lidingö, Sweden in 1912, sheltered by a wealth family, and whose grandfather was a notable diplomat. It seems like diplomat blood went through Wallenberg family veins, since his niece, Nane Maria Lagergren married Kofi Annan, former U.N. Secretary-General.
Although Wallenberg studied architecture in USA, it was difficult to him to find a job once when back in Sweden, even when he was fluent in 3 languages besides Swedish. He managed to work in many different jobs before he got in touch with Hungary in 1936, through his employment at a Trade company owned by a Hungarian Jew named Kálmán Lauer. Soon Raoul became Lauer´s representative and learned the hungarian language.
While in 1944, with the end of the war close, the Nazi defeat was inminent and deportation of jews began, with hungary not being the exception. Iver Olsen, representative of the American War Refugee Board chose Wallenberg as the riht person for organizing a rescue plan for the Jews.

Left: The pass, issued by Wallenberg for the Jewish to avoid deportation. Below: Victims of the pro-Nazi hungarian party "The Arrow cross" lying dead after a massacre on a street in Budapest.(pics by wikicommons)

Wallenberg, with the money provided by the Board, began a series of activities including the rent of several buildings for the refugees to hide, disguised as Swedish interest places protected by diplomatic immunity and the issue of passports which identified the holders as Swedish citizens. Wallenberg went beyond and even was able to persuade the Nazi leaders Adolf Eichmann and General Gerhard Schmidthuber for not to organize a final effort to annihilate the remaining Jews, by threatening them with a prosecution for war crimes after the war were over.

On January 1945, after the Soviet got to Budapest, Wallenberg was arrested in suspicion of being a spy. (A theory state that it was Vilmos Böhm, an Hunagrian diplomat who colaborated with the Soviets, as the one who provided Wallenberg´s name to soviets suggesting him to be a spy).

The red army troops, a few days after their arrive to Budapest (wikicommons)

It was the last time Wallenberg was seen alive. From here everything is a succesion of speculations and contradictory informs. According to Soviet authorities, Wallenberg was transferred to infamous Lubyanka prison where he suppose to died in 1947 from a sudden heart attack and later cremated whithout an autopsy practiced. Several witnessess have stated through the years to have seen Wallenberg alive after that, some of them telling of a "Swede citizen who claimed to be a diplomat arrested by great mistake" The last reported sightings by witness said of Wallenberg to be in prison by 1987. Some others, like Alexander Yakovlev, a notable collaborator of Gorvachov, announced that Wallenberg in fact was executed in 1947. Maybe it would be better to think that Wallenberg found not much suffering and really died soon in 1947. The vision of a man like him in prison is quite devastating just to imagine on. The row of tragedies didn´t stop on here. In 1979, Raoul´s mother and stepfather comitted suicide, their suicide attributed to their anguish about the fate of Raoul.

The Lubyanka building in Moscow (wikicommons)

Several honours has given to Raoul Wallenberg in a posthumous way. Prices, streets, badges, squares, monuments and memorial days. Maybe there wouldn´t be a better reward for him than the gratitude of the thousands of human lives he helped to save. Maybe to be the responsible of such an action is worth of any credit beyond medals and speeches. A better reward would be to the history never to repeat again. Or as Tom Lantos, one of those saved by Wallenberg said: " In this age devoid of heroes, Wallenberg is the archetype of a hero – one who risked his life day in and day out, to save the lives of tens of thousands of people he did not know whose religion he did not share."

Raoul Wallenberg´s memorial, in Linköping, Sweden (wikicommons)

1809

2009-09-21T12:15:00.000-07:00

The year of 1809 were one of remarkable relevance in the history of both Sweden and Finland in the configuration of their contemporary nature. It marked the end of a relation that lasted for centuries and stablished the path for Finland to became the country as it is known nowadays. Although the born of the modern Finnish independent republic wasn´t a reallity until 1917, 1809 was the begin of its path for the serious and concient search, and later consolidation for a self identity.

The National Museum of Finland (Suomen Kansallismuseo) shows the commemorative year "1809" in its main tower. (photo:Alberto Oliver)

For Sweden, the events that took place during that year, gave origin to a serious self-reflexion about its role among the Nations of the world. Far in the past had been left the times of Sweden as a superpower, and the traumatic lost of what had been part of its old Baltic kingdom led to a series of adjustments on its focus concerning politics, society and international affairs, that can be traced even to modern times.

The Treaty of Fredrikshamn, concluded among Sweden and Russia on September 17th 1809, which stablished that Sweden should cede the territory of modern Finland, was the colophon of a struggle that have lasted for centuries between two nations fighting for the dominion of their own geographic zone of influence. Despite it all, the final confrontation that led to this rearrengement should be understand since a more wider European scene, in the middle of the Napoleonic wars that took place all over the continent, with every faction playing their own cards and chess pieces of the international board. This year, 2009 is the aniversary of such an important event for the Nordic history, and this is little brief about the backgrounds, the battles, the characters involved, and the decisions they made, which together drove to the consequences and events that would be of importance not only in 1809, but in the decades to come. 1809, when the "last" war of the northern superpowers were fought.

Alexander I (left) Zar of Russia, and his Swede foe, King Gustav IV Adolf, who seems to have been convinced that his fate was to stop Napolen´s plans at all cost. (wikicommons)

The International events.

During the middle and late first decade of the XIX, turbulent times were lived all over Europe. French armies kept their unstoppable march over the continent, and after the defeat of Prussia and Austria, it couldn´t seems to be able that somebody could put an end to their expantion. Only England remained as the only power to be defeated by Napoleonic armies. After the failed attempts to attack England by sea, Napolen decided to stablish the famous "Continental blockade" whereby Napoleon tried to weak the Britsh empire by economical isolation.

Only a few countries, among them Sweden, kept a trade link with the Brittish. Napoleon, who just recently had signed a peace treaty with Russians, offered the task to convince Sweden (by means of war) for joining the blockade to Zar Alexander I. The Zar thought it was a great oportunity to expand his empire and give to his great Swedish foe, a definitive defeat by incorporating Finland to the Russian crown, the same Finland that have been the stage of many confrontations in the past.

Meanwhile, no one in Sweden, at least not among the higher spheres of power, paid attention of the inminent clash. In those days, Sweden was governed by King Gustav IV Adolf, who have denied to hear to Napoleon´s demands on stablishing a blockade in the Baltic. Some historians apoint that this attitude was more based on the confuse political-religious mixture of ideas the King had, rather than for a national proud matter. King Gustav seems to have seriously thought that Napoleon was an encarnation of evil, and that it was his destination to save the European nations of the claws of the French dictator. Several reports about the march of the Russian army heading to Finland were sent to Stockholm, including that of the Swedish ambassador in Russia, all being ignored. In February 21 1808, the Zar´s army crossed the Finnish border and everything was set for the war.

The Swedish high command, took by surprise, decided not to confront the Russian army and rather to retreat up to the north, in wait for reinforcements coming from Sweden by land. Meanwhile, the Russians should have enough distraction trying to capture the fortress of Sveaborg (Suomenlinna), a thing that in the practice never happened.

By March 2nd, Helsinki had been took and 20 days later were Turku, the former capital of Finland. However, as long as the Russians were getting deeper and deeper to Finnish territory, it was clear that the battle would be more difficult that they had originally thought. The territory was terrible for the march of a big army, covered by neverending dark forests, swamps and vast zones with no trace of human ocupation, so there were no villages or towns to be taken. Besides, the supply lines were stretched and the Russian troops suffered defeat after defeat in every single skirmish they had with the Swedish army.

Above and right: The dense neverending forests of Finland were a terrible obstacle for the march of the Russian army.

Lower view: An air view of Stockholm as it was in the XIX century(wikicommons)

Nevertheless, an important event that had to change all the path of the war was about to took place. On March 19, the Russians began the siege over Sveaborg/Suomenlinna. The commander of the fortress, Karl Olof Cronstedt, despite the orders gave by the Swedish high command to resist to the end, began to arrange the plans for a negotiated surrender of the fortress. On May 6th, Cronfeldt finally decided to surrender and left the fortress to the control of the Russian troops. The most powerful fortress, and key for a possible victory by the Swedes, had been taken by the invading armies with a minimun effort.

Suomenlinna Fortress (Sveaborg) the key to Finland, was easily caught by Russia when its commander took the decition to surrender

The real confrontation began during the summer of 1808, with colonel Johan August Sandels constantly producing seriuos damages to the Russians in the East, that were obligated to ask for reinforcements. The main Swedish army finally get in real engagement against the Russians in the Finnish city of Nykarleby, while the reinforcements from Sweden finally arrived to Vasa, in the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia. The Swedish offensive, led by Carl Johan Adlercreutz and the legendary general Georg Carl von Döbeln
were contundent and defeated the Russians in the battle of Lappo. Although the situation began to take a dramatic tone for the Russians, the feinforcements continued arriving steadily. After a new general, Nikolai Michailovitsch Kamenskij was named as the new commander of the Russian armies, and with the arrive of more than 21,000 troops, the scale began to move into the Russian side though. The Russian army counter attacked and defeated the Swedes in Karstula and Lappfjärd. In September 2nd, and later in September 14th, in the battle of Oravais, Adlercreutz and the main army were finally beaten and the Swedes got to retreat.

Left: Johan August Sandels constant seriuos damages to the Russians in the East, obligated them to ask for reinforcements. Left below: Nikolai Michailovitsch Kamenskij was named as the new commander of the Russian armies, and with the arrive of more than 21,000 troops, the scale began to move into the Russian side though. (pics: wikicommons) Right below: General Georg Carl von Döbeln(© Göran Frilund 2000-03)

The War moves to Swedish soil.

By March 1809, the theatre of operation had moved from Finland to the very Sweden territory. The Russian troops marched over the frozen Gulf of Bothnia and fought some skirmish against the coastal city of Umeå. Meanwhile, in Stockhom the king Gustav had been dethroned. The existance of the country itself was endangered by the threat of an invation of a mayor army of both Danish and French troops, led by Jean Baptiste Bernadotte (whose fate was later to become king of Sweden.) The new king, Karl XIII, ordered a new try to counter attack the Russians, in order to achieve a more profitable peace agreement with the Zar. However, the Swedes were beaten again in both Sävar and Ratan, and the conditions for a peace negotiation were ready.

The retreat of the Swedish army © Göran Frilund 2000-03

The Treaty of Fredrikshamn and consequences of the war.

The final peace agreement between russia and Sweden was signed on September 17th, 1809, in the city of Fredrikshamn. The treaty concluded definitively the hostilities and according to the treaty, Sweden ceded Finland and the Åland islands, territory that afterwards would constitute what would be known as the Grand Duchy of Finland. It was during the period of the Duchy, which enjoyed a certain level of independence after the Russian empire, when the Finnish identity formed and afirmed itself definitively, giving later to the birth of the modern Finland. When it comes to Sweden, the lost of Finland marked a start of a series of transformations. With the death of King Karl XIII, the Vasa dinasty that had ruled Sweden since 1523, had came to an end. As mentioned earlier, Fieldmarshall Jean Baptiste Bernadotte was chosen as the new king of Sweden, inaugurating a new Royal linage that had lasted until our days.

Right: Arrest of King Gustav IV in Stockholm.

Left below: King Karl XIV John of Sweden, born Jean Baptiste Bernadotte (wikicommons)

Rather than trying to recover Finland, Bernadotte put his eyes to the west, in Norway, which was ceded from Denmark after the Treaty of Kiel, following the defeat of Napoleon. Union with Norway lasted until 1905, year when the union was disolved and Norway declared itself as an independent Nation. The frontiers of modern Sweden were almost delimited after the Finnish war, and the country has not been involved in any other big conflict, not even the 2 World Wars of the XX century, it may be possible to considered that the Finnish war was the ground for the development of new pacifist path that deeply took roots within the consience of the Nordic country. As when it come to Finland, as mentioned before, it became an independent Republic in 1917, however, it was its tragic role now, to share frontier with the Eastern super power, and as well as may other countries along the XX century, to act as a matter of buffer territory, in the terrible chess game played between the world poles that ruled the world during the past century. A terrible role that took its toll, specially during the World War II.

Left: The norwegian pairlament declares the end of the Union with Sweden. Above: Finnish soldiers fighting during the Russian invasion during the World War II, an event known in Finland as the "winter war" (wikicommons)

Akershus Fortress

2009-09-13T11:33:00.000-07:00

The Akershus fortress, stand vigilant over Oslo since 700 years ago, and protects the city from any attempt of invation or raid. In fact, Akershus has been never taken by any foreign army, not even in the World War II, when it was an unassailable place for the Nazi troops, who were only able to capture it after the surrender of Norway after the Norwegian government were evacuated.

The fortress stands over an spectacular placement, in the top of a hill just in the deepest corner of the Oslo fjord. It was the king Haakon V who ordered the construction of the complex in 1299 and ever since the building has been reformed and rebuilt several times, acording to the times and needs.

One of the most heroic moments of the fortress ccame in 1716, when successfully resisted the violent siege impossed by Swedish King Karl XII. In fact, to conquer the Fortress was a most among them who desired to later take control over the whole country. With the years, the fortress has been used for many other functions, among them that of a prison.

There was even a time in where the prisoners kept in the fortress could be rented for work, either by a public or private purpose. It was also the stage for the execution of Vidkun Quisling, a Norwegian politician who colaborated with the Nazi regime.

Nowadays, Akershus is open to public, though it still mantain some military uses. It is a popular place for inhabitants to take a walk and admire the beautiful landscape. The place is also home of the Norwegian Resistance Museum, which ilustrates the life and actions of the society and the resistance during the days of the Nazi invation. The main castle is a museum itself, containig many interesting and valuable objects from the many centuries the fortress was used royal place. The Royal Mausoleum is the burial place of many Kings including Haakon V, who as we seen, originally ordered the building of the fortress, and Olav V, father of the current Norwegian king Harald V.

Of course, Akershus is also by far one, if not the most, renowned and loved atractions in Oslo, and a main piece of the landscape of the beautiful Oslo bay.

All pics by Alberto Oliver. Last picture by Tomasz Sienicki, Wikicommons.

Östermalms Saluhall

2009-09-11T12:06:00.000-07:00

There are few places to really know about the nature of a city, like their markets places. Commonly out of the guide routes, in a market place you can get in a closer touch with the native inhabitants and learn more about their customs, likes and yes, the culinary secrets behind the taste of the same very people. These places are, as the same time, an extraordinary source of extraordinary and picturesque images worth of being preserved, so having a camera while visiting them would be a good idea. Stockholm is not the exception to the rule.

During the 1960´s, a threat menaced the life of the beautiful building Östermalm´s Saluhall, or market place, located in the Östermälm district in Stockholm. Along with the progressive and so called "futuristic" spirit that surrounded the atmosphere not only in Sweden both around the World, some politicians had the idea that it might be better to tear down the Saluhall just for "making more space for cars to road and parking" Fortunately the outrageous idea found no echo anywhere.

Today the magnific Saluhall isn´t still officially listed as a building of historic interest, altough in practice, it clearly enjoys perhaps a higher level of protection than many other buildings in the city. Small, intimate restaurants, wine bars and cafés are at the heart of Östermalms Saluhall.
It all started in the spring of 1888. Three bussiness men stablished a company, with the idea of building a food place with stalls for being rented for the best and most renowned food retailers in Stockholm. The outstanding sum of 1 million Kronor was earmarked for the construction of the large hall.

It was Isak Gustaf Clason and Kasper Salin, both young still renowned and succesful architects the one engaged to design and draw the plans for that would become the Stockholm´s first "gourmet" food hall. They were inspired by the in those days modern and sophisticated structures of brick and iron builded in Germany, France and Italy. (In those days, a world icon of iron cast was also under construction, the Eiffel Tower) The works began in june of 1888, with a work force of over 500 men.

By autumn of the very same year, the building had been completed, and the inaguration took place on November 30, in the presence of the King Oscar the second. Only six months passed from the day the building started until its finnishing. The stalls’ exquisite carvings in dark painted wood were the same as they are today, together with the traders’ signboards and all kinds of personal decoration.
Östermalms Saluhall was eventually bought by the City of Stockholm for 1,225,000 kronor, and is today a popular place to spend a nice time, a subject of a great picture, with all those colors and textures every corner where you point your sight.
Quoting Janke Brandberg: "Clason and Salin’s masterpiece remains for coming generations of lovers of good food to see and admire. Good taste has won a well-earned victory and an abode to really be proud of. "

All pics by Alberto Oliver

The Runes

2009-09-03T12:36:00.000-07:00

Although Runes includes a huge group of ancient Germanic related alphabets of uncertain origin widely used as early as in the 1st and 2nd of the Christian era , the focus of this text will be pointed mainly to the Scandinavian variants joined in a group widely known as futhark or fuþark, derivated from the 6 first letters of this alphabet (more or less in the same way "alfa-beta" give their name to our modern latin group of letters).

To the left: An scary mask decorates this Runestone from Århus, Denmark. The inscriptions tell that "Gunulv, Aslak and Rolf raised this stone in memory of Ful, their comrade. He died when the Kings fought together"

Runes use to be seen nowadays as fashionable object with inherent magical properties among the circles of neopaganism and esoterism, an approaching maybe started by Johannes Bureus, a renaissance scholar which combined his studies of runes with his personal interest on superstition and magic, and later resumed by several groups, including the infamous Nazi paraphernalia. Of course, from a serious point of view, this might be consider nothing but a funny hoax. Certainly, among its many uses, runes were related with some magical rites and usages, but it wasn´t by far their main purpose. Runes were an easy writing method mainly adapted for conmemorative, juridical or more prosaic and practical usages. The Runic writing sistem consists mainly in straight lines which are of course easier to carve in such materials like wood, bone and stone.

The earliest manifestations of Runic writing (Elder Futhark) consisted in more than 24 characters. To try to stablish an acurate origin for the Elder Futhark has been a source of debate for scholars. However, a more or less accepted theory is that which attributes its roots in Old Italic alphabets, as they seems to share many similar characters with each other. How do the Germanic tribes got in contact with the Roman world is easily explained by scholars since the fact that many Germanic people oftenly served as mercenaries in the Roman army, for later get back home with lots of cultural influence.

The ancient "Elder Futhark" of 24 characters f,u,þ,a,r,k,g,w,h,n,i,j,p,ï,z,s,t,b,e,m,l,ŋ,d,o

But at the begining of the Viking age, the alphabet had been reduced to less than 16 (Young Futhark) this late being as well divided by researchers into long-branch Danish alphabet and the short-twig Swedish and Norwegian one. The Young Futhark gave origin to several other variants still used in later dates as the XIX century (a Latinised variant know as the Dalecarlian futhark)

The latest "Younger Futhark" widely used during the Viking era. In the upper line is the "long-branch Danish alphabet" while in the second row, the "short-twig Swedish and Norwegian"

The most outstanding examples of Runic writing are by far the "Runestones". These include from vertical raised stones or simple rocks, to more complex groups of boulders and rocks of many types, disposed on an special ceremonial patern, with some or all of the stones carved with runic text of the most diferent meaning.

It seems that most of the text carved on the Runestones had a memorial purpose, although there are also some that may own a juridical intention, according with some modern experts. What is clear is that the tradition of raising stones with inscriptions on it were already widely spread in the 4th century both in Norway and Sweden, country in where most of the still existing stones are located. Sometimes, the Runic epitaphs have verse endings, like that from Gripsholm, in Södermanland, Sweden, which relates the details of a failed expedition to a place named "Serkland, inhabited by brown people". Some other times, Runic stones seems to be a kind of statement that the surrounding area in where it was raised belonged to a certain people, perhaps playing the role of a modern testament.

Other Runestones are clearly heathen, oftenly ofering a prayer to Thor or some other old pagan god. Even during Christian times many runestones were raised, the most famous that constructed by Danish King Harald Bluetooth just after being baptized, in memory of his father Gorm the old, an obstinate pagan, an that is nowadays known in a more or less mocking way as the "Denmark´s baptism certificate".

Two views of the Jelling Stone, in Denmark, raised by Dane King Harald Bluetooth, in memory of his pagan father.

Gripsholm, in Södermanland, Sweden, which relates the details of a failed expedition to a place named "Serkland, inhabited by brown people"

Of course, though the more commemorated people in Runestone were men, there are also some examples of stones constructed in the memory of a woman, some of them being highly remarkable due of its beauty and elegance, like the Runestone of Dynna, in Hadeland, Norway, raised by a man named Gunnvor in memory of his daughter Astrid.

This elegant Runestone of almost 3 meters high, comes from Hadeland, Norway. All it is covered by Christian symbols, the runic inscription, after a girl named Astrid, is scarved along the stone´s edge.

Runic inscriptions, as well as Runestones are fairly common in some specific regions of Scandinavia, but even absent at all in some other places. There are no a certain explanation for this. Some experts suggest that this fact is due to certain political or social conditions of the time. Just in Sweden have been counted more than 2500 runic inscriptions from before the 1300´s. There are even less in Denmark, about 350, even when it is considered the place of origin of the trend of the raising of Runestones and Runic inscriptions in Scandinavia. In Norway, there are just a few. Nevertheless, Viking settlers left many inscriptions in the places they colonized, such as Western Russia, Orkney and Shetland Islands, Ireland, Isle of Man and in certain regions of Scotland, however, it seems like there are a surprising lack of any kind of Runic inscriptions either in Iceland and Normandy, both places once occupied by the Vikings. Isle of Man is an extraordinary case, because despite its little territory, more than 30 Runestones has been found.

The Rök Runestone, in Östergötland is one of the most remarkable stones in Sweden. It has the longest inscription known. Written by "Varin" in memory of his son "Vaemod", was built at the start of the Viking era.

The trend of raising Runestones came to an end by the 12th century. Many Runestones were scarved already in Christian times, many of them showing the oldest depictions of Christian iconography in Northern Europe. The Runestones has been at the same time, and unvaluable source of information for historians, which narrate facts and events that otherwise would had been lost forever. An example is the misterious group of Stones in Björketorp, maybe from the VII century acording to its primitive language, in Blekinge Sweden. Raised in a wooded area, 2 of the stones have no inscriptions at all, while the 3rd one, of more than 4 meters tall, tells about "runes of power" and invokes a curse to "whoever dares to destroy this monument", or the Runestone of Rada, in Västergötland, Sweden which states: "Thorkel raised this stone in memory of his son Gunna, who found the death when the kings fought together" however, we will never know, who these kings were.

Björketorp Runestone, in Blekinge Sweden, written in a very ancient form of the elder Futhark: "
Haidz runo runu, falh'k hedra ginnarunaz. Argiu hermalausz, ... weladauþe, saz þat brytz" "
I, master of the runes, conceal here runes of power. Incessantly plagued by maleficence, doomed to insidious death is he who breaks this monument" is its threatening message. It still lies on its original location where was raised.

All pics by Wikicommons