Nordstjernan Issue 20, 2012

NORDSTJERNAN Swedish News – from Sweden & America

Published by Swedish News . Volume 140 No. 20, November 30, 2012. Price per copy $2.00

This Week, Page 4

‘Bastards of Strindberg’

SWEA San Francisco firar 30 år. Sid 4

Sweden, Page 2

It used to be that there was no “real” Christmas in Sweden, unless Arne Weise was the TV host on Christmas Eve. Well, he left the job in 2002 and since then there’s been a new name every year—this year’s host is a talented Swedish American. Also, Swedish actor Mikael Persbrandt cut out of Peter Jackson’s first film about the “Hobbit.”

News in Brief, Page 3

Photo: SVT

Reports indicate while salaries in Sweden are increasing more than the EU average a growing number of Swedes live in risk of poverty.

Bibi Andersson in a filmatization for TV of Strindberg’s Fröken Julie. Directed by Keve Hjelm, 1969. Review of recent SATC productions: Page 13

‘SuperSwede’ Page 3

On fathers and sons, celebrating life and the spirit of imagination.

Page 19

Meandering The ‘Göta Kanal’

by Bo Zaunders guest@nordstjernan.com

When Hans Christian Andersen left Copenhagen for a visit to Sweden in 1837, his mind was set on two things: traveling on the Göta Canal and meeting with Fredrika Bremer, a Swedish writer for whom he had great admiration.

That the then obscure writer of fairy tales should be interested in Göta Canal is not surprising. It was the ultimate engineering feat of the day - a system of canals and locks connecting rivers and lakes all the way from Gothenburg in the west to Stockholm in the east, covering 372 miles, and uniting the North Sea with the Baltic. To make it a continuous waterway, sixty miles of rock and soil had had to be cleared away. It featured fifty-eight locks and thirty-five bridges.

Meant to be an important trade route, the Göta Canal was quickly made obsolete by the railroads. In consequence, it has remained largely unchanged, making travel on it something of a 19th-century experience or, as most will say, similar in ambience to travel with

Andre Myhrer skis towards his first WC gold.

Sports, Page 19

Jaerbyn retires, Andre Myhrer took home first WC gold, Halmstad back in Allsvenskan, Zlatan excels on the national team.

Dashboard, Page 10, 11 The ‘Swedish Orient Express on water’ Göta Canal’s Juno at the locks at Berg just outside of Linköping, between Lake Vättern and the Baltic

the Orient Express. Many of the hand-operated locks are still in use and the pace has not quickened. As in Andersen’s day, traversing the Continues on page 7 country in one of the three passenger boats

Christmas Bazaar in NY

What’s red, merry and full of “tomtar”? The Christmas Bazaar at the Swedish Church in New York of course! Read why volunteers come back year after year to keep the tradition going.

Each and every year we ask the same thing: “Already?”

Yes, folks, it was already time for the annual Christmas Bazaar at the Swedish Church in New York City. This year we wanted to honor the volunteers, who really make the entire enterprise soar ... and walking into the church building on 48th Street was like walking into an Advent Calendar: Everything was red and Continues on page 12 merry with all you could ever wish for

Sill or strömming? It’s now been scientifically proven—there are differences! Another observation of Strindberg, this one of the culinary kind (Kanye West must have missed this on the menu while visiting the restaurant in Stockholm recently) and what happens in Sweden in December?

Page 6

Hedge your bets with Nordic this Christmas, with köttbullsmörgås (meatball sandwich) Norwegian Lefse and, above, Danish aebleskiver—where else but at the Nordic Museum.

NEWS IN BRIEF. page 2

Swedish News Ett färgblint Sverige med att politikern också sade: upp”, sade Westerberg på sin pressträff. ”Du är inte svensk. Det här är inte ditt Resonemanget hänger ihop, men Sydsvenska Dagbladet land.

Det är mitt land.” hur verksamma skulle Westerbergs 16 november, 2012 Attityden att vilja peka ut vem som politiska ordinationer bli?

Intressant att toppolitiker gör stan är svensk och vad som är svenskt be650 miljoner kronor till ett lärarlyft med metallrör i handen. Men viktigare teende handlar inte om ett isolerat parti. i mänskliga rättigheter. Forum för än att diskutera detta är att fokusera på Hundratusentals svenskar bär på levande historia ska informera om vardagsrasismen. liknande argument. islamofobi. Och så vidare.

Soran Ismail är en sällsynt rolig Om så varenda SD-politiker tvingas Det är, med förlov sagt, svårt att komiker. Igår visade ståupparen att avgå i morgon skulle rasismen ändå tänka sig några omvälvande effekter. han dessutom är en klok person. finnas kvar, är komikern Ismails Men det är möjligt att Westerberg angravallvarliga – och välgrundade – lägger ett realistiskt perspektiv.

I Expressen skrev Ismail om den slutsats. Ändå. Låt oss för ett ögonblick händelse 2010 då han en sommarnatt Närbesläktade synpunkter hördes för skissera ett i grunden annorlunda på Kungsgatan i Stockholm hamnade en vecka sedan när regeringens utre- Sverige. i en dispyt med tre Sverigedemokrater dare Bengt Westerberg, den tidigare Inom kort kommer en ny bok från på fyllan. I onsdags tvingades den Folkpartiledaren, presenterade sina den liberale debattören Adam Cwejekonomiskpolitiske talespersonen Erik förslag för ett effektivare arbete mot man, Välviljans rasism. Han menar Almqvist lämna sina partiuppdrag. Igår främlingsfientlighet. att kvotering och andra välvilliga valde den rättspolitiske talespersonen Det stora problemet, förklarade projekt för att lyfta fram grupper bara Kent Ekeroth att ta timeout.

Westerberg, är inte extrema grupper i fokuserar på härkomst och etnicitet, Det är kanske logiskt att fokus nu Sverige – även om de finns och är obe- och därmed institutionaliserar rasisligger på SD:s inre liv. Att ett riksdag- hagliga. Det som verkligen bekymrar men. spartis rättspolitiska talesperson dragit är något annat: Cwejman lanserar istället en indiomkring på stan med ett metallrör i De många människornas vardags- vidualistisk vision. Han vill se ”den handen inger inte så stort förtroende. rasism. postetniska meritokratin” förverkligad.

Milt uttryckt.

Vi och dom-tänkandet. Denna stän- Glöm grupper och kollektiv. Stat och Men på längre sikt är det mer in- diga kategorisering där ”dom” i klump medborgare borde alltid se och utgå tressant att begrunda Soran Ismails tillskrivs egenskaper, ofta negativa. ifrån individen och dess meriter. Se huvudbudskap.

Både praktiken och laboratorieex- människan, kort sagt.

Att riksdagsledamoten Almqvist periment visar att ”när auktoriteter använt uttryck som ”blattelover” för- kräver eller legitimerar en omänsklig Visst är det en vacker vision. bleknar, skriver Ismail, i jämförelse politik så ställer den stora majoriteten Gästledare

Sarah Dawn Finer will bring Swedes Christmas on TV this year.

Swedish Christmas host 2012

It used to be that there was no “real” Christmas in Sweden, unless Arne Weise was the TV host on Christmas Eve. Well, Weise broke this 30-year tradition in 2002, when he left his job. Ever since, there’s been a slew of Christmas TV hosts, and SVT (Swedish Television) has created a bit of excitement by choosing a new host every year. And this year it will be Sarah Dawn Finer, the Swedish-American singer we’ve earlier covered in Nordstjernan. Finer was asked when she was in London en route from Singapore to Sweden. “It felt almost surreal. I got scared, a bit shocked, and enormously honored,” she said. Her ambition, she explains, is to make everyone welcome even those who have nobody to celebrate Christmas with. She also promises to sing. Ever since Weise left, there have been voices calling for a female Christmas host, and this year many speculated it might be TV-personality Ebba von Sydow. But it was Finer who snatched the job. Photo: Carl-Johan Söder/SVT Earlier Christmas hosts on Swedish TV: 1959-1971 Bengt Feldreich 1972-2002 Arne Weise 2003 Lotta Bromé 2004 Ernst Kirchsteiger 2005 Blossom Tainton 2006 Ingvar Oldsberg 2007 Anne Lundberg 2008 Lasse Kronér 2009 Lisbeth Åkerman 2010 André Pops 2011 Kalle Moraeus These days, you can watch Swedish TV all over the world, through http://www.svt.se/svtworld/

The stories, the traditions, the people behind the news — NORDSTJERNAN A tradition since 1872, covering three worlds: Sweden, America, and Swedish America order your own copy, $41.00 for a year (22 issues) at www. nordstjernan.com—choose 'subscribe' or call 1.800.827.9333 x10

Persbrandt cut out

Don’t expect to see Mikael Persbrandt in the first of Peter Jackson’s new films “Hobbit: An unexpected journey,” which will soon premiere.

The Swedish actor has been cut out ... thus Persbrandt’s long awaited international debut will have to wait a bit.

This all due to Jackson’s late decision Mikael Persbrandt to make the story into a trilogy, rather than a two part movie. Persbrandt’s part as Beorn will make his entrance in the second part (“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug”) and he will also be in the third part (“The Hobbit: There and Back Again”). This has been confirmed by Persbrandt’s agent Peter Jansson. For diehard Tolkien fans, Beorn’s delayed entrance will hardly come as a surprise.

Tolkien enthusiast David Borgström, a buyer at Stockholm’s Science Fiction Bookstore, points out the rather weak base material; the novel “Bilbo” and the collected writings in “The Silmarillion” must be watered down to be able to last as a film. “Peter Jackson could have cut it differently, but now that he’ll do three films he’ll most certainly do the action scenes longer and richer than they appear in the book. And therefore it’s not logical that Beorn appears right away,” he says.

NORDSTJERNAN, November 30, 2012

Founded in New York City in September 1872 Editor & Publisher: Ulf E. Mårtensson (ulf.martensson@nordstjernan.com) – www.nordstjernan.com Managing Editor: Everett Martin Senior Editor: Eva Stenskär Metro Editor: Hanna Aqvilin Sports Editor: Chipp Reid Copy Editor: Amanda Robison Contributors: Valorie Arrowsmith - Terry Lee Blunk - Julie Lindahl - Claes Magnusson - Ulf Nilson Kristina Hall - Margit Wevang - Jeanne Eriksson Widman - Olle Wijkström Publications Director: Mette Barslund Mårtensson (mette@nordstjernan.com; 800.827.9333 x12) Nordstjernan (ISSN 1059-7670) is published by Swedish News, Inc., 391 Broadway-3rd floor, New York, NY 10013 • Connecticut -268 Fillow Street, Norwalk, CT 06850 Office in Sweden: Scandinavian News AB, St. Nygatan 13, SE-201 24 Malmö, Sweden Tel. (int+46) 40-330630 Fax (int+46) 40-973589 Periodicals Postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. Nordstjernan is published semi-monthly, except for the month of October.

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Contact us at 1.800.827.9333 — ext 10 for Reader services, ext 12 for advertising URL: www.nordstjernan.com email: subs@nordstjernan.com East coast local numbers: 212.490.3900; 203.299.0380 West coast: 1.800.827.9333

NEWS IN BRIEF. page 3

Swedish News How to subscribe? It’s easy, call 1.800.827.9333 ext.10 Swedish salaries

Fathers and Sons My father was an absent man and perhaps that is why his presence appears more often now, once I have opened my memory bank. When my brother and I were growing up, he was gone most of the time, traveling and making a living for his family. But before his travels grew to Gulliver proportions and we started school, my father spent Saturday mornings with us.

For some reason my mother left on Saturday mornings, whether to shop or just have some time for herself, but what mattered was that my brother Björn and I got to climb up on our parents’ bed, where my father, not a morning person, spun the most marvelous yarns.

Of course we did not know he was a fiction maker or fabulist. And I don’t think later in life, when he was firmly entrenched in remaining honest in a business world that was not, those who came into contact with him knew about this part of his inner life.

And by then we, too, had forgotten, the chasm or gulf had closed. Not as if by magic but by the hard life of a business man in sales on the road.

Saturday mornings in Stora Harrie, Sweden, were a wonderful world.

We learned of Mats and Olle, two boys who were outside playing and fell asleep atop a small hill that had comfortable grass to lie on. Mats

InBox November 2012 Hej! Skickar en kopia av Kung Gustav V framför min farfar Anders Ringborgs hotell, Thor i Ängelholm. Det var manöver någonstans utanför staden och kungen kom för att närvara. Ängelholm är känt för Lergökarna och Lergöksorkestern.

Ulla Ringborg Iavello California

and Olle then were able to observe and understand adventures involving ekorhissen, which for some strange reason was used by the squirrels to travel up to a nest of birds. Into this nest a magpie dropped a silver spoon. Logic was out the window, the animals never brutally interacting, and everything made sense. Then, inevitably, the two boys, Mats and Olle, woke up after yet another adventure.

It never occurred to us, certainly not consciously, that Mats and Olle were us, and we did not yet know that my father was drawing from his vast knowledge of mythology to tailor a story finer than any gift someone could have bought us with money.

What saddens me now is that I do not remember the stories my father told us. But, strangely, I experience a kind of warmth when I write about these mornings my father the storyteller spent with my brother and me.

It was also one of the few times we did not feud, I bite him or he chase me with a feather, pick your sibling rivalry antics of the moment.

What saddens me more than not remembering the stories is that my father never wrote these stories down.

Perhaps he was too tired when he finally set down his suitcase in hotel room after hotel room. I know that he read a great deal, perhaps he needed someone to tell him a story, and that

I understand.

My father would have made such a great story teller if he could have done so “for a living.” Instead he had to march to the drumbeat of a captain of industry, and while I never heard him complain (he never complained about anything), his silence became protracted as the years went by. I wonder if he was telling stories inside of his head.

These are the types of questions one asks when one approaches or reaches middle age; realizes the sacrifices one makes even if one likes going to work.

I also realize that the older I get, the fewer choices are available, or the paths narrow, as my father used to tell me when I was a clueless teenager.

I hope the inner story-teller, sculptor, painter, patio-brick layer, gardener, knitter, singer, chef lives in and outside of you, and you take the steps necessary to practice what you love besides work. And if you can, leave something tangible behind of your adventures outside of work for your children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews, friends.

This has been Super Swede celebrating life and eulogizing his father, hoping the spirit of imagination lives in you. superswede@nordstjernan.com

Swedish salaries are increasing more than the average salaries in the European Union. Meanwhile, there’s a risk that Swedes get under the EU limit of financial vulnerability, according to Statistiska Centralbyrån (Statistics Sweden). In 2005, Swedish households belonged to those with the lowest disposable incomes in the northern and western part of Europe. In 2010, the country had advanced to 8th place, with a growing rate faster than most other countries. Only in the eastern part of Europe has the increase in salaries, in percentage terms, been greater than in Sweden. British household has had no increase in salaries, and in both Denmark and Germany the increase is only half as great as the one in Sweden. At the same time, a growing number of Swedes live in risk of poverty. The proportion at risk of poverty is still lower in Sweden compared to the rest of the European Union, but it’s rising faster in Sweden than in most other EU countries. The groups that are falling behind in salaries are the unemployed and those with no more than a two-year high school education. In a five-year period, from 2005 to 2010, the risk for poverty in these groups has doubled.

Less meat on Swedish plates

The Swedish consumption of meat is decreasing. During the first seven months of 2012, it went down with two percent according to Sveriges Radio’s “Ekot” program. And the prognosis of the rest of the year points to a continuation of that trend. One reason is that prices of meat are getting steeper, which in turn has to do with that it’s getting more expensive for the farmers to raise animals. “Meat is a product where we are very price sensitive,” says Åsa Lannhard Öhberg, administrator at Jordbruksverket (the Swedish Board of Agriculture). “When the price goes up, people cut their meat consumption or choose cheaper meats.” This is hardly a new pattern; the last time the meat consumption decreased in Sweden was during the financial crisis in 2009.

Know someone with alcohol problems?

50 percent of all Swedes do—and they worry about it, too.

In fact, one out of every fourth Swede worries over a relative or friend who consumes too much alcohol. A study is being presented by Novus, commissioned by IQ, an independent company affiliated to Systembolaget, which shows 51 percent of all Swedes know someone they believe drinks too much. However, to take the step and actually confront those friends is something many find difficult to do, especially younger Swedes. According to the study, less than half of Swedes aged 18-35 confront friends they suspect have alcohol problems. Something alcohol researcher Sven Andréasson, professor in social medicine, bemoans: “When you ask people what it was that made them quit drinking, it is generally social factors, social pressure. In some cases, it is treatment, but in most cases it’s about someone they know who has taken action. If a person you feel confident in approaches you and addresses the issue, if that person tells you they’ve seen something or that they are worried, well it usually hits home,” he says.

The Exchange rate: $1.00 = SEK 6.76 11.20.2012

November 30, 2012 NORDSTJERNAN

THE PACIFIC STATES. page 4

SWEA San Franciscofirar 30 år!

Teatro Zinzanni

Firande Sweor; Annette Åsberg, Birgitta Garde, Gun Bolin, Siv Hood, Anita Benson och Carin Bergman-Hayashida.

2012 har varit ett år i jubileumets och firandets tecken för SWEA San Francisco.

I år är det nämligen 30 år sedan föreningen bildades en februarikväll 1982. Djungeltelegrafen hade gått varm när nyfikna svenskor samlades i Norska sjömanskyrkan för ett informationsmöte som sammankallats av Barbro Osher. Mötet följdes upp med ännu ett möte i mars, och så var SWEAavdelningen SWEA San Francisco född.

Föreningen fick en rivstart med 70 medlemmar på direkten och växte snabbt till 120 medlemmar inom ett par månader. Idag har SWEA San Francisco över 400 medlemmar och många aktiviteter varje månad samt bokklubbar, mammagrupper, balett-, opera-, symfoni- och teaterträffar, SWEA Professional och trevliga tjejträffar, samt ett alldeles eget bibliotek!

Firandet av denna fantastiska 30-åring har Lisa Wiborg, som var med när SWEA San Francsico grundades, här tillsammans med Irene Tegelvik och Bridget Brink

Spelmännen

pågått hela året med champangeutlottning på årsmötet, minnesartiklar i SWEA-Magasinet och en speciellt framtagen jubileumslogo. Höjdpunkten för allt firande blev den spektakulära fest som hölls den 21 oktober då över 100 finklädda Sweor samlades på det grönskande Marin Art & Garden Center.

Festligheterna inleddes med en promenad

Teatro Zinzanni

på röda mattan där gästerna välkomnades med champagne och fotografering. Sen blev det mingel till tonerna av svenska visor, samtidigt som artister från Teatro Zinzanni vandrade runt bland publiken och framförde olika konster och tricks.

Ordförande Gun Bolin hälsade välkommen och talade gjorde också kvällens speciella gäster Barbro Osher och VAMEs ordförande Annette Åsberg. SWEAs grundare Agneta Nilsson kunde inte närvara, men skickade en gratulationshälsning som lästes upp.

Middagen kröntes av en underbar svensk dessert - prinsesstårta! Teatro Zinzanni underhöll samtidigt med en show speciellt komponerad för SWEA. Artisterna visade bevis på sin världsklass då de, iförda blågul mundering, framförde fascinerande och humoristiska nummer, bland annat till tonerna av ABBA. SWEA San Francsicos första 30 år som SWEA-avdelning firades så rejält.

Nu arbetar Sweorna vidare med den årliga julmarknaden, styrelseuppdrag, stipendieutdelning, stöd till nytillkomna och trevliga träffar. Som Barbro Osher säger i SWEA- Magasinet: “... framförallt handlar SWEA om att vara en stor värmande famn för alla oss svenskor i förskingringen. Med tillförsikt ser jag föryngringen och framåtandan i vårt gemensamma systerskap. Vi ”gamlingar” kan med förtröstan börja planera för halvsekeldagen.”

SWEA San Francsico är en växande förening i ständig föryngring som ser fram emot många, många roliga år till!

Text: Cecilia Mases Photography: Jessica Armstrong SWEA San Francsico är en förening i föryngring! Anna Hansson-Shea, Maria Philip och Katarina Bennich.

Anna och Katarina, hade tillsammans med Inger Skogström arbetat hårt med planeringen och genomförandet av jubileumsfesten.

NORDSTJERNAN, November 30, 2012

THE PACIFIC STATES. page 5

Golden Gate Swedes The Bay Area and Sveadal

by Muriel Nelson Beroza A history of the Swedish people of the San Francisco Bay Area, spanning 150 years and including the establishment of Sveadal.

Hardbound, 272 pages with 118 illustrations. $20.

Available from Amazon.com

The Young Scandinavians Club presents

Lucia

Annette Åsberg, VAME-ordförande och Lena Powers från SWEA Seattle, SWEA San Francsisos ordförande Gun Bolin och Barbro Osher, SWEA San Francsicos grundare, på 25-årsfirande.

Sunday, December 9 at 4:30 pm Time:

Glögg and lussekatter served at 4:30pm Lucia Program begins at 6 pm Dancing until 8:30 pm

Location:

Swedish-American Hall 2174 Market Street, San Francisco

Tickets:

$20 members, $23 guests, $13 children 5-16 children under 5 free. Last year Lucia completely sold out, so get your tickets early!

Eva C. Eriksson DDS General Dentistry for Adults and Children Prevention Minimally Invasive Dentistry

662 Las Gallinas Avenue San Rafael, CA 94903 Phone: 415-479-6540

Nestled in the heart of the Swedish Village of Kingsburg...

Svensk Butik Swedish

Gifts

1465 Draper Street Kingsburg, California 93631 (559) 897-5119

Billigaste Priset Till Sverige.

Garanterat!

Santa Lucia. . . ...

An authentic Swedish Santa Lucia Celebration will be held Saturday, Dec. 1 in Kingsburg, “California’s Swedish Village”. . .Complete with Lucia pageantry (7:30 a.m.), a gingerbread house contest, carolling, Festival of Lights Parade, and dancing around the Christmas tree. . .

Kingsburg is on Highway 99 ~ 22 miles south of Fresno. . .Plenty of Swedish pancakes, authentic food, fun and more. . .begins at 10 a.m.; parade at 5:30 p.m.

Call the sponsoring Kingsburg District Chamber of Commerce at (559) 897-1111 for more information! Välkommen!!!!!

The Bay Area’s Young Scandinavians Club invites everyone to join us for our annual Lucia celebration. Join us for glögg, Christmas cookies, our traditional Lucia procession, a visit from Santa (with goodie bags for the children), and finally, traditional Swedish style dancing around the Christmas tree.

Purchase your tickets online at

www.ysc.org Or, send payment to: Y.S.C., c/o Reneé Hersson, 1696 Green St., San Francisco CA 94123 make checks payable to Y.S.C. For more information about the YSC and its events, see www.YSC.org

Enjoy all that is truly good at

OLSON’S

Celebrating 57 years of business

Stocking up at our Delicatessen and Gift Shop Is a Christmas tradition

Svenska kyrkan i San Francisco avhåller

Svensk Adventsgudstjänst

Söndagen den 9 december 2011 kl 11.00 f.m.

Sång av Zaida Singers Kyrkkaffe serveras efter gudstjänsten

Lucia med andakt kl 15.00

Predikan av kyrkoherde Pernilla Håkansdotter Olsson. $5.00, barn och pensionärer $2.00

Julvesper

1204 Fifth Avenue San Rafael, CA 94901 415-454-4932 Fax: 415-454-5783 www.skytours.com

Söndagen den 16 december 2011 kl 19.00 Arrangerad tillsammans med SWEA - San Francisco

Homemade Potato Sausage • Fläskkorv Medisterpølse • Liverpate Herring • Swedish Meatballs The best of Scandinavian Cheeses Lingonberries • Fine Chocolates Julglögg Be sure to order your special cured Swedish Ham by December 2 In our gift shop…

Great selection of Scandinavian gift items and Christmas decorations.

(323) 938-0742

5660 West Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90019

Store Hours—Nov. Tues. – Sat. 10am-4pm; Dec. (except Mon. Dec 5) Mon.-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun. 12-4pm Closed Dec.25-26 Open 27-29

NORWEGIAN SEAMEN’S CHURCH 2454 Hyde Street, San Francisco • Tel: 415-775-6566 November 30, 2012 NORDSTJERNAN

THE PACIFIC STATES. page 6

Låt lågan brinna

alltid efterlevs, att du och jag har samma värde, att du och någon på andra sidan jordklotet med totalt andra förutsättningar och referensramar är lika mycket värda och ska ha samma möjlighet till ett värdefullt liv. Då är inte längre lågan förförande och eggande för dess geometri faller av som manteln från ett par nakna axlar. Det visar sig att elden inte är allt, något ger den näring att fortsätta brinna, leva, fortsätta skapa fantasier, historier, inspiration och visioner. Kanske svaren finns i glöden och för att orka vara den som driver och manar, leder och inspirerar söka kärnan. Det är tron på det man gör och att det har ett innehåll och en trovärdighet, som driver oavsett om det handlar om ekonomi, företagsamhet eller religiösa övertygelser.

Och så länge den lågan har kraften att brinna så länge kommer det också att finnas spelrum för mänskligt egenvärde, nytänkade och omtanke OCH en stadig grund att bygga gränslöst, att bygga världsvitt. I lågan ligger längtan efter helhet och helighet och den längtan får mig att vilja vara redo, att vilja tända min fackla.

Med önskan om ett gott slut på vårt kyrkoår och en god start på det nya den första advent!

Pernilla Håkansdotter Olsson Kyrkoherde Kalifornien

Photo: Erin Schadt

Pernilla Håkansdotter Olsson

Photo: Kerstin Alm

Kyrkoåret börjar gå mot sitt slut, avslutas med domsöndagen och påbörjas med nyår den första advent. Texterna är dramatiska.

Vi ska vara redo! Fäst upp era kläder, tänd era facklor! Vill vi vara redo? För vad? Vad är det som gör livet värt att leva?

Ja den frågan är ju inte den enklaste fråga att besvara med en sak, det kan ju finnas fler eller färre anledningar men jag hoppas att du känner en positiv känsla i bröstet när du tänker på vad som gör just ditt liv värt att leva.

Om man ska försöka sig på att göra ett samlingsbegrepp så kanske man skulle kunna säga att det som gör mig levande är det som driver mig, det som kallas elden, den som får dig att brinna. Elden som fenomen har ju fascinerat genom alla tider och sekler, den har förbryllat, skrämt och stärkt. Genom sitt vara, med oformlig låga och levande geometri. Elden som både lockar och bränner, nära och långt borta. Den eggar till fantasifulla varelser i mörkret och visar skuggornas innersta väsen. Jag vänder mig rakt till dig och frågar; Var finns den i dig, vad är din inre låga, vad får dig att brinna, vilken är din inre eld?

Vad får dig att vilja vara redo, att tända din fackla?

Vad får DIG att längta efter vidgade vyer och världsvida visioner?

Jag känner min låga, i mitt innersta rum har den sin plats. Den både värmer OCH bränner, ibland kvävs den nästan för att i nästa ögonblick flamma upp.

Den medvetandegör allt i mig, med sitt ljus mitt mörker, min tro och mina tvivel, min drivkraft och mina tillkortakommanden.

Jag har också bestämt mig för vad min låga, min eld ska vara för mig; den ska låta mitt väsen som nästan är skapad till en Gud, som det står att läsa i en av psaltarens psalmer, få ta plats och min låga ska lära mig att se varje människa ur samma perspektiv som jag själv vill bli betraktad. Där jag i varje möte oavsett, färg, form eller ursprung ser på människor med ärlig och uppriktigt och intresserad blick. En grund att vila på, en gemensam nämnare för den världsvida kyrkan, eller om ni vill; den globaliserade kyrkan. Något att kämpa för, en grund som säger, men inte

Yulefest in Seattle

Yulefest was held November 17 and 18 at the Nordic Heritage Museum in Seattle to great success. Thousands of guests shopped, celebrated, and filled up on Nordic treats such as Swedish köttbullsmörgås – meatball sandwich - glögg, Norwegian Lefse and Danish aebleskiver. This long-standing event is a Seattle tradition that actually pre-dates the museum itself, and is held each year the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Köttbullar, meatballs need no explanation here. To create the sandwich, simply cut the cold meatballs in half, add cucumber, a little bit of salad, pickled red beet salad (if available), tomatoes and place all on a piece of - preferably ‘limpa’ - bread. Serve open-faced.

Lefse, almost a national dish in Norway is a traditional soft Norwegian flatbread made out of potato, flour and milk or cream. Not a Swedish tunnbröd but in uses and taste very similar to tortilla. Above served with a thin layer of peanut butter but may like its Mexican cousin equally well be filled with steak or chicken or served as a lefse-klenning, simply rolled up with some added regular butter.

Nordic Heritage Museum in Seattle is dedicated to the heritage of immigrants from all of the Nordic countries. Founded in 1980, the museum is both home to a variety of exhibitions and events and a gathering spot for the local Nordic groups. For more info, see www.nordicmuseum.org

Swedish Club of San Francisco

Julfest - Christmas Party Zaida Singers - Lucia Procession - Långdans/Ring Dance 6:00 PM Glögg 7:00 pm Lucia Procession Herring Table • Dinner by Chef Pelle / $55.00 Member price. $65.00 Non-members, $30.00 children. Send check, payable to the Swedish Club, to Swedish Club c/o Loretta Ortenblad 7430 Greenville Place, Castro Valley, CA 94552. Ph: 510-733-5532 http://swedishclubofsfba.org NORDSTJERNAN, November 30, 2012

Shoppers at the Nordic Museum in Ballard, the traditionally Scandinavian section of Seattle.

Photos: Jason Brooks

Friday Dec. 7 at Burlingame Women’s Club

FEATURE. page 7

Meandering The Göta Canal Continued from page 1

run by the Göta Canal Steamship Company takes four days.

A few years ago, my wife and I took one of these boats, the 138-year old Juno, from Stockholm to Gothenburg. A thoroughly enjoyable event, I thought I would reacquaint myself with the Göta Canal this year, meeting up with the boats in strategic places and catch up with some of the sightseeing, which is part and parcel of these cross country cruises.

My first opportunity came early one day in the village of Berg, where a famous series of locks, eleven in all, link Lake Roxen with the canal. That morning, Wilhelm Tham (at 100 this year, a mere youngster compared to Juno) was due to arrive from the lake and begin a climb that would last for several hours.

This, I knew from previous experience, would give me the chance to board the vessel and chat, perhaps, with those passengers who were not off sightseeing - the particular point of interest her being the Vreta Convent Abbey, a meticulously kept 12th-century nunnery.

Sighting the Wilhem Tham in the morning mist brought back strong memories. After Stockholm and some fifty miles of Baltic archipelago, this, I recalled, was where the canal truly takes over and begins to exert its special magic. From this point on came the sensation of gliding silently through the heart of the Swedish countryside, first as you approached Lake Vättern, then as the canal resumed it meandering ways, to the next large body of water, Lake Vänern, for miles, where the canal was just wide enough for the boat, the water would seem to disappear, leaving you floating alternatively through dense woods - where you could reach out and almost touch the tree branches - and quilts of open fields, punctuated by grazing cattle and, typically, red or yellow farmhouses.

Now, as the Wilhem Tham pause between two locks, I jumped aboard. How familiar it all felt: The same youthful, attentive yet relaxed crew, the same spirit of everyone being one big family. Of course, a good portion of that family was now on its way to the nunnery. I ducked into the empty dining room, curious about the day’s menu. “Poached Salmon,” and - how very Swedish and yet with an American twist - “Burger of Elkmeat and Lingonberries, with Blackcurrant Jam and Glazed sugar Peas,” Back on deck I noticed that practically all the passengers were gone, leaving me little opportunity for chats. Ah, there was a familiar sight!

The captain’s bicycle, tied to the railing at the stern, looking old and just like the one I borrowed years ago.

Then, with my tripod strapped to the basket, I had followed one of the towpaths, soon outdistancing the Juno, when the slowmoving vessel caught up with me, shining white from behind verdant foliage; I was

all set with a fresh roll of film. These towpaths, incidentally, have traffic of their own.

Once used by oxen for hauling barges and sailing craft, they now bustle with cyclists and hikers.

The Göta Canal, or The Blue Ribbon as it is often called, takes its voyagers past castles, monasteries, palaces, medieval churches, and a number of picturesque towns. One such town is Vadstena. Idyllically situated on the eastern shore of Lake Vättern, and once an important center for pilgrims, Vadstena evolved around a cluster

Asked how they felt about the Göta Canal, each one agreed that this was a great way to really see the country. Referring to her recent encounter with Vadstena, one woman exuberantly exclaimed: “It was wonderful! In three hours we saw all the sights, including two weddings and a confirmation ceremony.”

By the way, when Hans Christian Andersen asked for the whereabouts of Fredrika Bremer, he was told that she was in Norway.

This didn’t discourage the young Dane.

“Whenever I travel,” he said, “luck is with me. I’m sure I’ll meet her.” The next morning he left his cabin at dawn to watch the sunrise over Lake Vänern, expecting to have the deck to himself. Instead he ran into a lady wrapped in a coat and shawl - a new passenger who also wanted to see the sun go up.

It was, of course, Fredrika Bremer.

Written by Bo Zaunders Photographs courtesy of Göta Kanal

Incidental Intelligence

When to go: The Göta Canal Steamship Company operates mid-May to mid-September. June, with its long days and midsummer festivities, is the most magical time to visit, though the boats tend to be more crowded at that time. July is when the Swedes themselves take their summer vacations.

The boats: There are three boats on the Göta Canal Line: M/S Juno, M/S Wilhelm Tham, and M/S Diana. The Juno, built in 1874 and rebuilt in 1904, is the oldest and most charming, but its cabins are also the smallest. Of the three, Diana, from the 1930’s, is the youngest and most comfortable.

Wilhelm Tham (1912) falls between the two, both in age and comfort. As for the cabins, they’re generally small. On the Juno, the two best cabins are on shelter deck, behind the dining room, but the cabins on the bridge deck are also quite acceptable.

of 14th-century religious buildings. It has narrow, twisting streets with old, beautifully preserved wooden houses.

As I approached its rather spectacular harbor, featuring a Renaissance castle with a medieval-looking moat, I sighted an old friend - the Juno.

It proved to have been chartered by a group of Americans who, now saturated with sightseeing, were coming back for dinner.

Prices: Prices are comparable to those on a luxury ocean liner but cabins in general much smaller than you’re used to and service and all other aspects of the accommodations, well, having more in common with the Orient Express on water than anything you’ve ever experienced before. For two passengers in a double cabin, depending on cabin, the two-day mini canal cruise will run $1,500 - $2,500, the classic four day cruise $3,400 - $6,200 and the luxury Great Swedish 6-day cruise $5,000 - $8,000 (prices are for two). These prices were converted from Swedish kronor and do not take into account early booking discounts and are based on the exchange rate in early November 2012.

Contacts: The simplest way to find out more about how to meander the Göta Canal, is to visit the general information site http://gotacanal.se or www.stromma.se/en/Gota-Kanal for the actual Rederi AB Göta Kanal we covered here. To speak directly to a representative of the Göta Canal Company in Sweden, call int. +46-(0)31-80 63 15. Or, go online, head for stromma.se/en/Gota-Kanal.

November 30, 2012 NORDSTJERNAN

FEATURE. page 8

In Sweden, change your name online

Did you always secretly wanted to be called Moonbeam or Ursus? No problem. If you’re in Sweden, feel free to change your name right away - online. The changing of a name used to be a time-consuming process, tak-

ing up to seven weeks. Now it’s easier than ever. Patent och registreringsverket (the Swedish Patent and Registration Office) has developed an online service. Within a week, from applying online, proceedings begin.

Perfect gift for children

Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center National archives and library for Swedish-American historical research Publishers of Swedish American Genealogist 639 38th Street | Rock Island, IL 61201-2296 Telephone 309.794.7204 www.augustana.edu/swenson

Says Åsa Ekvall at PRV: “We want to make it easier for our customers, couples about to get married, people in need of a new first name or those who just want to create their own unique last name.” In order to use this

Zacharius Topelius’s “Läsning för barn” (Reading for Children) series appeared on book shelves from 1856 – 1896. His works are now considered a treasure trove of historical significance, and their emphasis on nature, the simplicity of daily life, spirituality, and morality teaches lessons that are just as relevant and important for readers today.

Judith Gustafson has painstakingly translated these classic stories into English, making them available for worldwide enjoyment. Her goal was to present them as authentically as possible, bringing out the meaning, tone, and scriptural message that Topelius originally intended.

Reading for children is the perfect collection of stories to be read to or by children.

Order should be made through Tate Publishing

service, you need to be able to verify your identity electronically, and you also need to be able to pay online. You also need to be over the age of 18, and a Swedish citizen or registered in Sweden. To change your last name costs 1800 SEK ($275) and to change your first name 1000 SEK ($150).

Now you can change your name online.

To change your first name, be ready to pay $$150, for a change of your last name, you’ve got to shell out $275. Above: Greta Garbo (1905-1990), one of Sweden’s most famous person to have her name changed. She was born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson and changed her name to Greta Garbo before she made her first film with Stiller.

NORDIC HOUSE

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FEATURE. page 9

King pays for wedding The king himself, Carl XVI Gustaf, will pay for the wedding of Princess Madeleine and Chris O’Neill.

Thus, the Swedish taxpayers are spared. The wedding, about to take place next summer, will be in Sweden but where is yet not known.

“It’s the king, not the taxpayers, who will pay for it,” confirms Bertil Ternert, Director of the Information and Press Department at the Royal Swedish court.

When Crown Princess Victoria married Daniel, it was the state that paid for the wedding, and so the issue was brought up in a debate article by commissioner Staffan Norberg (of the Left Party) in Södertälje; Norberg questioned the justness of having Swedish tax money pay for Madeleine’s wedding. And now the king (and the Swedish court) is letting it be known that it is the king who will pay. The Swedish king (and his family) has a private fortune, which dates back to the days of the first Bernadotte, and this presumably is what will pay for the celebrations this summer.

Though Madeleine and Chris O’Neill live in New York, the wedding will take place in Sweden.

“Definitely Sweden, and Stockholm I suppose. But we’ll see,” said

O’Neill to Swedish tabloid Expressen last week. And he continued: “It is Madeleine who makes me this amazingly happy. She is the star

in my life.” And Madeleine could do nothing but agree: “I am just as happy. This is simply amazing, just as Chris says.”

LUCIA FEST – JULBAZAAR

“Natten går tunga fjät…” toll free: 877-784-7020. tel: 206-7847020

Linnea Lodge #504 Petaluma invites you to its Annual Lucia Fest & Julbazaar Sunday December 9, 4-7 PM Petaluma Veterans Memorial Building

Punch & Glögg served at 4PM, followed by a Swedish Christmas Smörgåsbord Dinner Lucia Pageant Ring dances around the Christmas tree Visit by Santa Claus

(bring a small, wrapped present for Santa to give to your child with child’s name clearly printed on gift)     

Handcrafted items & homebaked goodies for sale Call Don Christensen for price and reservations at 707-545-2241. Due date December 3.

LINNEA LODGE, VASA ORDER OF AMERICA

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                                         

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  

     

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 

        

Söndagen den 2 december kl. 18.00

Svenskt Luciatåg

Carols and Candles Wayfarers chapel

Lördagen den 15 december kl. 17.00

Decemberfest

med luciatåg och jultomten på besök Glögg, lussebullar och pepparkakor serveras

Sonja Anderson’s

    

Nordic World www.nordicworld.com 800-873-1445

Tisdagen den 25 december kl. 07.00

Julotta

efter gudstjänsten serverasskinksmörgås, mjuk pepparkaka och kaffe

Pernilla Håkansdotter Olsson, Kyrkoherde

   



 

VÄLKOMMEN TILL DIN KYRKA!

Church of Sweden Los Angeles 1035 South Beacon Street, San Pedro, CA 90731 Tel. 310-832-6800 • E-mail: losangeles@svenskakyrkan.se www.svenskakyrkan.se/losangeles

November 30, 2012 NORDSTJERNAN

NEWS IN BRIEF. page 10

Swedes for Obama

Daily Aftonbladet polled their readers to see which of the American presidential candidates appealed most to them, and it is clear Barack Obama is the winner, were Swedes to vote: As many as 90 percent keep their fingers crossed for the Democrat. However, in the town of Älmhult the numbers differ from other municipalities, as 34 percent would vote for Mitt Romney there. Singer Pauline Kamusewu grew up in Älmhult, and she expresses shock over the result: “Is it true? They need a reality check. I’m shocked.” Kamusewu says she’d rather not say how she’d vote if she were an American but that she leans toward Obama: “Perhaps he hasn’t done the best, but he has done what he has better than others. If he gets to stay then maybe there will be a change.” Aftonbladet polled 23,143 readers, of them 20,877 voted for Obama and 2,266 for Romney. The newspaper cautions that this poll shows who Aftonbladet readers would vote for, and may not be representative for all Swedes.

What keeps Swedes up at night?

What do Swedes worry about? No, it’s not the mortgage, and it’s not debt that make them toss and turn at night. Instead it’s unemployment and prolonged sick leave. One in every four Swedes worries their income will change because of unemployment or illness, according to a poll by Svensk fastighetsförmedling (Sweden’s largest chain of estate agents).

Especially women worry. 29 percent of them express serious concern over these issues, whereas only 20 percent of men worry over the same things. And it’s mostly people in the age group 35-59 who worry; younger Swedes are not as concerned. In the age group 25-34 the greatest worry is sinking housing prices.

“There are reports of a marked increase in the number of notices and rising unemployment,” says Peter Pütsep, managing director at Svensk Fastighetsförmedling in a press release. 1,022 Swedes from all over the country participated in the poll.

Swede in D.C. Internationally renowned journalist Klas Bergman covers the 2012 U.S. election process from a Swedish American perspective.

Born in Stockholm, Bergman spent most of his adult life outside Sweden, reporting from western and eastern Europe, the Middle East and the U.S., based in Washington, DC and working mainly for the Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter and the Christian Science Monitor.

His primary domicile has been America, ever since his early student days in California in the 1960s. He now lives in the Washington, DC area.

For more information on the columnist and communications specialist, see http://ksbergman. wordpress.com

TV debates do matter The last of the three television debates of the presidential election campaign is over, and in only two weeks America will choose a new president.

The debates have played an important role in this campaign, more important, perhaps, than in many a year, maybe since John F. Kennedy met Richard Nixon in the very first debate in 1960 and upset the favorite, the sitting vice president.

In the first debate in this year’s campaign, the challenger Mitt Romney knocked the socks off a sleepy Barack Obama and became a serious challenger to the president.

Obama’s listless performance let Romney into the race, a race that the president at that time led comfortably. And then, Romney held his ground pretty well, although the judgment is that Obama won the two following debates—the last one by 48 percent to 40, according to CNN’s first quick poll, and by 53 percent to 23 according to CBS News.

Still, it was a fairly even debate where neither candidate committed any major mistakes. In fact, you could argue there was no real debate, for Romney had decided to hold back, lie low, be cautious and presidential. All his earlier criticism of Obama’s foreign policy was gone, replaced by broad consensus between the two about America’s role in the world and President Obama’s foreign policy.

On Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, the War on Terror, including the drone attacks against terrorists in various countries, and, yes, even on Libya, Romney took positions very close to Obama’s. By refraining from attacking Obama, Romney had clearly made a decision not to seem like a war hawk, not to seem beligerent, as someone seeking new conflicts and new wars for America in the Middle East. By doing so, he moved toward the political center, toward a more moderate policy—he became a “man of peace,” as one commentator put it, jokingly.

Romney’s transition seemed to startle Obama a bit, although the president kept up his attacks, calling Romney’s foreign policy “all over the map” and charging him for trying to “air brush history.” And while expressing his satisfaction that Romney now supported the administration’s diplomatic efforts in that volatile region, Obama could not refrain from sticking it to Romney when possible. Romney’s charge that the U.S. Navy has fewer ships since 1916 was met by the zinger of the evening: Obama saying that the military also has fewer bayonets and horses than in 1916....

Why the subdued, cautious Romney?

Was he playing it safe in a race that seemed more even than ever? Maybe. But as a result, he came to stand in stark contrast to a firm, straight talking, decisive president, who said he had done what he promised to do when he became president, and that he was the best one to lead America in the next four years.

Will what happened in this third debate matter? We don’t know yet. The two previous debates had each been watched by almost 70 million people. The last debate most likely had fewer viewers. Foreign policy is not the main theme of this campaign. And most voters seem to have made up their minds by now. The number of undecided are very few and the remaining two weeks of the campaign will be more about getting out the vote—because turnout can decide this election.

That debate also competed with the drama of the seventh and deciding game in the National League’s baseball playoffs, and, I must say, I myself switched channels a couple times to verify that my old favorite team, the San Francisco Giants, really was ahead and on its way to the World Series. Now, that’s important, too, but not, of course, nearly as important as what happens on November 6—for America and this country’s future.

Want to “meet with” Klas? Klas Bergman continuously also blogs at nordstjernan.com, under “Blog” NORDSTJERNAN, November 30, 2012

NEWS IN BRIEF. page 11

Swedish News

Blue and Yellow Utopia ‘Swedeville’ As many of you know, I reside in the south, a place where the spires of Baptist churches, like telephone poles to God, invade your peripheral vision en route to one of the few liquor stores around. Where I live you also hear people talk about the War of Northern Aggression, which to most of us is known as the Civil War, and took place in America in 1861-1865.

We have a “neat” Confederate memorial statue celebrating the Great South.

If you come to visit and people see you come or go in the vicinity of a Civil Rights museum that has been struggling to stay afloat, do not count on being invited to lunch by southerners, who are known for their hospitality— like Paula Deen and her ear-splitting butchery of the English language.

I had these thoughts and images when I took my three mini-Dachshunds for a walk this morning, a beautiful and sunny one, temperatures finally bearable for those of us who have Viking blood coursing through our veins; the heat and humidity level below 90 degrees. I was also visited (no, not by divine intervention) by a plan that was beginning to formulate itself in my mind.

What if I turned a neighborhood, such as the one I live in, into a Swedish haven? Of course all of this is dependent on investors or cultural grants, but let us worry about the financing later.

Let us call the settlement “Swedeville.” Not a particularly beautiful name that will have people flocking to live here, but then some of the names of retirement communities are either patronizing or outright frightening.

In this Swedeville, we will have to come up with street names to replace common ones around here in the south, such as those containing the name Robert E. Lee (famous southern general who fought in the War of Northern Aggression) and the very much favored “plantation,” which exists to remind southerners of times when things were glorious and right and they were living out a kind of manifest destiny.

So we will gather names of Swedish kings and maybe something with “björk” or “sjö.” The latter would be a particularly good choice because as inhabitants of Swedeville we could laugh at all the people trying to pronounce its sound that really shows if you are Swedish or not. I would also include a

street for the literati among us, nicely tongue-tripping, of “Nordstjernan.”

The houses in Swedeville we might as well turn into humongous sommarstugor. They have to be that identifiable red that signals summer and for a Swede, a relatively elevated mood. But most important, the word stuga must equal McMansion.

Things are starting to look good in Swedeville and all we have done so far is name some streets and put in comfortable, large homes.

Our car choices must of course include Volvo (they could become an important founding sponsor of this community), and Saabs are only available used, due to recent economic developments. But since our neighborhood is to be appealing to people who are trying to emulate being Swedish in a kind of non-religious paradise way, BMW and Mercedes are to co-exist with Volvo.

While Swedes have a reputation of being neutral, which somehow seems to equal a willingness to take in political refugees, the refugees of Swedeville must be people who come from South American countries and look like the offspring of Nazis who hid down there. No Africans, please! I don’t think we can post this at the entrance of the gated Swedeville community, but surely there must be a clever way to make this kind of population planning palatable.

Swedes are neutral, so if some people of Swedeville decide to keep out dark people, then neutral will the rest of the residents of Swedeville show themselves to be. No sense taking sides or engaging in overt aggressive arguments.

We must make sure people have Swedish flags. While they are not hoisted in front of your everyday Swedish home, it is both safe and slightly exhilarating to engage in this sommarstuga practice. I imagine my neighbor who sports the sign “That We May Be One In Christ”—all caps and a very visible red logo of the cross— might be reasonable and exchange this sign for a Swedish flag. Especially if that means the Vietnamese neighbor he has been feuding with about property lines moves out among all this Swedish pride.

Weren’t those great shirts? “Swedish Pride” and “Träna for Sverige”?

Instead of residents wearing T-shirts with Confederate flags or NASCAR after work, now we will see the yellow and blue light up the neighborhood.

And we can dress our dogs in these

Born in Sweden and raised both in Europe and the U.S., Ulf Kirchdorfer is as Swedish American as we come. Ulf, who has a Ph.D. in English and is dean of global studies at Darton College, will keep all of us - Swedes, Americans and Swedish Americans alike - on track.

clothes, too.

It takes a long time to plan a neighborhood properly, even if we are making good progress. So let me offer a few more suggestions, while promising to continue this planning, with your help, I hope—send those emails and letters to Nordstjernan.

We need to build a church that looks like one of those empty Swedish churches. It could serve as a meeting hall for our Swedeville neighborhood association. The building of the church, as opposed to church, is one many of us are familiar with. I remember one, barely, that I stepped inside maybe three times as a child. Remarkably, I saw one just like it on a Swedish Wallander episode featuring some religious zealot and nut. Come to think of it, believing in God and going to church is very crazy and un-Swedish. But let’s have a church in our Swedeville because next to serving as a meeting ground for our neighborhood association it can also come in handy as a fortress against southerners criticizing us for our godlessness.

There is so much exciting news I still want to tell you about Swedeville. We are planning a store featuring Swedish foods, particularly lots of cheese, and the topless sunbathing will be great, along with plenty of sambo features, and I am not talking about the story involving Sambo that is no longer deemed acceptable reading.

But while you think about if we should have recently renamed chocolate balls (recipe, page 10) for sale in the wonderful store that offers knäckebröd wheels, please give some thought to policies regarding weapons and make other suggestions that would make living in Swedeville palatable to Swedes and those who want to be Swedes. Which, of course, begs the question: Just who is the Swede? And another: What does he really think?

And one more: What does he really want?

From the south, planning Swedeville, this has been SuperSwede returning from his Saturday promenade.

Taylor Swift’s Swedish success

American singer Taylor Swift sold 4 million copies of her new CD in 24 hours. And she did so with some Swedish help. Super producers Max Martin and Shellback are being celebrated by both the star herself and American media, for the three tracks they’ve helped her with on the album titled “Red”. When Swift performed live from a stage at Times Square last Tuesday, she sang “We will never get back together”, a song she recorded in Stockholm and wrote together with Max Martin and Shellback and also produced by the duo. In an interview with Los Angeles Times, Swift says it was something of an experience for her to watch Max Martin create the hit single in the studio. “I wanted to watch Max Martin conceptualize a pre-chorus that gets stuck in your head as much as the chorus. I wanted to see him suggest a post-hook, or a bridge that sounds like another chorus. I wanted to see how all that unfolds.... I loved watching everybody have their own process. I think moving forward that just gives me more colors to paint with.” The other two songs the Swedes contributed with, “I knew you were trouble” and “22”, are also considered top numbers. And USA Today writes that the three Swedish songs are the absolute best ones on Swift’s album.

Sweden Democrats pushing ahead

The controversial party Sverigedemokraterna (Sweden Democrats) is experiencing good times. In the latest poll from Yougov, they are pushing ahead. This fall, the leaders from the eight political parties met for their first debate, though Swedes in general seemed only mildly interested as the program was seen by only 750,000 people. And according to the latest election poll by Yougov, not much has hap- Jimmie Åkesson pened. Only one party sticks out from the rest and that’s the Sweden Democrats; 9.3 percent of Swedes today said they’d vote for the Sweden Democrats were there an election in Sweden this year. That’s 2 percent more than last month.

World heritage threatened on Öland

The planned wind turbines on the southern part of Öland may lead to the island losing its world heritage status. The warning comes from the Swedish department of Icomos, Unesco’s expert agency. The world heritage area Södra Öland (southern Öland) is comprised of over 56,000 hectares (138379 acres). The plan is to put up the wind turbines right there. “To say that they (the wind turbines) would cause no apparent harm on the value of what constitutes the world heritage area would be near impossible,” writes Kerstin Westerlund Bjurström, chairwoman for Icomos in Sweden, in a letter to Mörbylånga municipality.

Record number apply to university

A record number of applicants wanting to enter colleges and universities in Sweden has been reached, according to Verket för högskoleservice (the Swedish Agency for Higher Education Services). Meanwhile, there are fewer spots available, which means stiffer competition. Earlier this month, 209,023 persons had applied for college and university for spring 2013, which is 7,000 more than a year ago, and 9,000 more than two years ago. In spite of the increasing number of applicants, the number of available spots at Swedish institutions is decreasing; next year it will decrease by 10,000.

Sweden’s population has surpassed 9.5 million.

superswede@nordstjernan.com

November 30, 2012 NORDSTJERNAN

NEWS IN BRIEF. page 12

Swedish Cinderella

Most Swedes do not consume enough fruit and vegetables. Do you?

Not enough fruit and veggies You’ve heard it before, haven’t you?

We aren’t eating enough fruits and vegetables. At least Swedes aren’t.

Only 9 percent of all adult Swedes are. By eating enough, according to recommendations from Livsmedelsverket (the National Food Agency), you should consume half a kilo of the good stuff a day (that’s 1.1 lbs).

According to Statens folkhälsoinstitut (the Swedish National Institute of Public Health), how much you eat depends on what group you belong to. “People with good economy and a long education oftentimes have better eating habits than those with shorter educations and poorer economy,” says Pia Lindeskog, director of the department for living habits at Statens folkhälsoinstitut. “This is something we see in almost all studies. It’s a class matter.” Lindeskog says those of us who eat lots of fruits and vegetables increase our ability to feel good, while also making sure common diseases are prevented. The nutrition and vitamins found in vegetables cannot be gotten by popping vitamins: “Studies show that you might get side effects if you use these pills to get the nutrients you need. So the best thing is to eat fruit and vegetables. ” The number of Swedes eating the right amount of fruit and vegetables in Stockholm: 11 percent (women: 15 percent and men: 7 percent). Best are the people living in Täby and Sollentuna, where 14 percent eat the recommended amounts, and worst are the people in Norrtälje, who only eat 6 percent.

NORDSTJERNAN, November 30, 2012

“Searching for Sugar Man” a documentary about the folk singer Rodriguez, has received an Oscar nomination.

“Searching for Sugar Man” is a movie directed by Swedish film director Malik Bendjelloul. In the film, Bendjelloul follows the epic search of two South Africans to track down the elusive Rodriguez, who has become a legend in their country while living a life in relative obscurity in Detroit. The nomination was announced early Thursday morning at a press conference in Beverly Hills.

“It feels surrealistic, crazy. Oscar is, the word itself, it’s something you’ve

heard about since you were a kid. It never occurred to me that it was something anyone ever achieved. I mean, I’m from Sweden. It’s completely crazy,” Bendjelloul told the Free Press from Los Angeles. He further said that he had expected to get a phone call around 5:30 in the morning if he earned a nomination,

NEWS IN BRIEF. page 13

story Oscar nominated

Malik Bendjelloul, his film “Sugar Man” has been nominated for an Oscar. The Oscars take place on Sunday, February 24 this year.

when he woke up later than that, he though the film had failed to make it into the best documentary category. Then he went online.

“I checked my e-mails and I was like, ‘Wait, wait, no, no I got it, I got it!’,” he said with a laugh.

Bendjelloul credits Rodriguez with being the key to the film’s success. “This is the most amazing story ever. The story of Rodriguez, it was like the Cinderella aspect of it, a man lives his whole life without knowing he’s a superstar. When I heard the story, I thought it was the best story I ever heard in my life.”

The 85th Oscars is broadcast live on ABC on February 24.

‘Drivin and Dreaming’ in California

Swedish singer-songwriter Sofia Talvik, above, is in California on her Drivin’ and dreaming tour of the U.S..

Talvik also played at Lollapalooza and SXSW, but the extensive two-year U.S. tour in an old RV with her husband will put her in close contact with the fans.

Check when she’ll be near you www. sofiatalvik.com and enjoy ur video clip of Sofia and her husband Jonas Westin; driver, PR, bookings as well as sound technician online, at nordstjernan.com

InBox

Much ado about method...

I recognized a quote you used in your holiday greeting, thought you might like to know its source. It was John Wesley (17031791), an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian - who said, ‘Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can.’

He was one of the founders of Methodism and I suspect he came by these tenets at his mother Susanna’s knees. The story is told that she, who had a bevy of children and a husband who was often gone preaching well, she ran her household in a disciplined fashion, both godly and practical: for every hour spent praying or reading the Bible, an equivalent hour was to be spent Doing Good - most probably first of all helping with the housework. Her teaching took hold, which is why the Wesley brothers (John and Charles) were sneered on while at college, called ‘those darned methodical Wesleys’ - hence the name Methodists. FYI. Thanks so much for your column.

Birgitta Ericsson, Medford, OR Thanks for this Birgitta, much appreciated!

Quite a joy to learn about the “methodical Methodist brothers” /Ed. November 30, 2012 NORDSTJERNAN

DASHBOARD. page 14

Sweden and the United States

First of Advent (a major event in Swedish households) is fast approachingwhich means it’s time to light the first candle of the Advent candlestick. This year it falls on December 2.

Washington, D.C.

L-R: Mrs. Eva Hafström, Ambassador Jonas Hafström, Marga Bergman and the author Klas Bergman. The aAmbassador and Mrs. Hafström held a book release event at the Nebraska Ave. residence recently for Bergman’s book “Amerika - Drömmarnas Land” so far only available in Swedish. The author promises to have an English version available for download as e-book early next year. In case you read Swedish, the book is an entertaining read through the author’s five decades of experience with the U.S. beginning with his high school and colllege years in California in the early sixties. Publisher: Carlsson Bokförlag ISBN-13: 9789173315159

Food

Biff Strindberg

Let’s add a bit more of a salute to August Strindberg (1849-1912), since 2012 marks his centennial. This is a recipe for a minute steak (“lövbiff”) with mustard.

The origins of the dish aren’t actually clear, and it’s even unclear whether the Swedish author ever ate it.

Ingredients for four servings: 4 minute steaks (sometimes also known as cube steaks, thin cuts of red meat) 4 Tablespoons mustard 1 finely chopped onion 2 egg yolks Mix mustard and egg yolks to a batter, spread it on one side of the steak and drizzle chopped onion on top. Put the steak in the frying pan batter side up, turn the steak once. Serve the steaks with fried or boiled potatoes.

Recipe courtesy of recept.nu.

Biff Strindberg—an easy and quick-to-make classic. Photo from recept.nu

Biff Strindberg seems like a variation on Biff a la Rydberg (originally introduced at the long ago disappeared Stockholm Hotel Rydberg) oftentimes called Biff Greta and served as a luxurious “pytt-i-panna” with ingredients served separate on a plate.

‘Sill or strömming?’

It has been scientifically proven: Sill (herring) and strömming (Baltic small herring) are two different things.

A study from Uppsala and Stockholm universities shows that the two fish are genetically different. Previously, it was thought they only had small or no differences at all. “All the ‘sill’ and ‘ström- Is it sill or is it strömming? “Sill” is ming’ we’ve studied are herring and “strömming” is Baltic closely related. But for (small) herring. The above photo shows a small percentage of strömming. the genes, we’ve found very clear differences, not only between ‘sill’ and ‘strömming’ but also between different collections of the two,” says Leif Andersson, professor of gunctional Genomics at Uppsala University, in a press release.

NORDSTJERNAN, November 30, 2012

DASHBOARD. page 15

Stockholm, Sweden

When Kanye West visited Stockholm’s Grand Escalier, he couldn’t find anything he liked on the menu. No problem, the staff made the American superstar a burger he won’t forget anytime soon. Recipe: Begin with the bottom half of a piece of Brioche bread. Add Dijonnaise, salad, and oven-baked tomatoes as well as fresh tomatoes. The burger itself then consists of diced prime rib and duck liver and pancetta, fried with shallots. Let a slice of Gruyère cheese melt over the burger and top it with onion and more Dijonnaise.

“Ljusets tid i december”

Los Angeles, CA

Congrats to Swedish actor, director, and martial artist Dolph Lundgren who receives the 2012 Eliason Merit Award. The Swedish movie star and action hero has starred in over 40 movies since his breakthrough in “Rocky IV” and the James Bond feature “A View to a Kill”. His most recent films include the successful Sylvester Stallone produced “The Expendables.” Born in Stockholm a former Fulbright Scholar and with a Masters degree in Chemistry Lundgren is not your typical action hero, however.

What happens in Sweden in December?

On December 13 one of the most beloved holidays takes place, and that, of course, is Sankta Lucia. Along with Advent, Lucia marks the beginning of Christmas. Some trace the “re-birth” of the Lucia celebrations in Sweden to the tradition in German Protestant families of having girls dressed as angelic Christ children handing out Christmas presents. The Swedish variant of this white-dressed Kindchen Jesus, or Christkind, was called Kinken Jes, and started to appear in upper-class families in the 18th century on Christmas Eve with a candle-wreath in her hair, handing out candy and cakes to the children.

Another theory claims that the Lucia celebration evolved from old Swedish traditions of “star boys” and white-dressed angels singing Christmas carols at different events during Advent and Christmas. In either case, the current tradition of having a white-dressed woman with candles in her hair appearing on the morning of Lucia Day started in the area around Lake Vänern in the late 18th century and spread slowly to other

Lucia as seen by popular Swedish painter Carl Larsson (1853-1919).

parts of the country during the 19th century.

In the Lucia procession depicted by Carl Larsson in 1908, the oldest daughter brings coffee and St. Lucia buns to her parents while wearing a candle-wreath and singing a Lucia song. Other daughters may help, dressed in the same kind of white robe and carrying a candle in one hand, but only the oldest daughter wears the candle-wreath.

The modern tradition of having public processions in the Swedish cities started in 1927 when a newspaper in Stockholm elected an official Lucia for Stockholm

01 ‘Name’s days’ of the Swedish Calendar: December December 02

/Kommande två veckors namnsdagar

November 30:

Sunrise In New York 7.00 a.m.

In Stockholm 8.13 a.m.

In Kiruna 9.52 a.m.

Lund

8.09 a.m.

In Los Angeles 6.41 a.m.

Sunset 4.29 p.m.

2.59 p.m.

1.04 p.m.

3.44 p.m.

4.44 p.m.

December 03 December 04 December 05 December 06 December 07 December 08 December 09 December 10 December 11 December 12 December 13 December 14 December 15 December 16

that year. The initiative was then followed around the country through the local press.

Today most cities in Sweden appoint a Lucia every year. Schools elect a Lucia and her maids among the students and a national Lucia is elected on national television from regional winners. The regional Lucias will visit shopping malls, retirement communities and churches, singing and handing out “pepparkakor” (gingerbread).

Guinness World Records has noted the Lucia procession in Ericsson Globe in Stockholm as the largest in the world, with 1200 participants from Adolf Fredriks Musikklasser, Stockholms Musikgymnasium and Stockholmläns Blåsarsymfoniker.

‘Gör det lätt i år’

‘Namnsdag’ December 5

Sven is Old Norse for “young man” or “young warrior.”

The original spelling in Old Norse was Sveinn. Over the centuries, many northern European rulers have carried the name including Sweyn I of Denmark (Sven Gabelbart), who established Danish rule over Norway and successfully invaded England in the year 1002.

An old legend relates the pagan king BlotSven ordered the execution of the Anglo-Saxon monk Saint Eskil. In medieval Swedish “sven” Oskar/Ossiann (or “sven av vapen” Beata/Beatrice (sven of arms) is a term Lydia for squire.

Barbara/Barbro

Sven Nikolaus/Niklas Angela/Angelik Virginia Anna Malin/Malena Daniel/Daniela Alexander/Alexis Lucia Sten/Sixten Gottfrid Assar

Do some of your shopping early

A Gift of

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Order now and your gift subscription will start with our Christmas issue 2012 Coupon, page 15

November 30, 2012 NORDSTJERNAN

LOCAL EVENTS. page 16

Christmas Bazaar at the Swedish Church

Mona Johnsson, Michael Skoglund and Monica Oscarsson sell table cloths.

Administrator of the Swedish Church, Lena Fleischmann, likens the preparation for the Christmas Bazaar to giving birth: It takes nine months to prepare, she says, and it cannot be done unless you have a little bit of help (in this case, glögg).

Continued from page one

meet the same people, but there are new ones, too. It’s great.”

“Yes,” adds Mona. “It’s a tradition I hope will always continue. Whether there’s money made or not, it’s great. It’s like a great big family here.”

Anne Rudolph sells lussekatter and cinnamon buns. “I do this to help the church—I want to keep this bazaar going, so I do my share. What’s best about the event? That everyone’s happy, there’s a positive atmospehre. I just told Gunhild Ljung, who is always here with me: ‘I can’t believe it’s a year since last time!’”

Carin Friberg comes in from Mount Kisco, in Westchester, to help; it’s her third year.

“It’s great to meet other Swedes,” she says.

“I come to the church a lot. I usually am here for Träffpunkt* every Wednesday.”

Artist Bert Alexander is back in New York after living a while in Malmö. Bert took some time off from painting to help out at the bazaar: “Why am I here? Because it’s a lot of fun!”

In January, you’ll be able to see Bert’s paintings of famous Swedes exhibited at the Swedish Church—paintings that are unique as well as affordable, he says.

At SWEA’s table we met Madeleine Ribbing, who calls the Christmas Bazaar an “injection” of Christmas. “For me this marks the beginning of the Christmas celebrations,” she said.

Hollister North’s father is American. She grew up in Sweden but is now back in the U.S. “I’ve been here for the past 15 years,” Hollister says. “What’s best about it? Oh, I don’t know. Maybe the dinner they give us volunteers at the end of it. It’s also fun to talk to the people stopping by.”

Gunilla Lindblad comes from Malmö. She likes to volunteer at the Christmas Bazaar because it’s a great way to meet good friends.

“It’s always fun to sell things. And this gives a nice taste of Christmas. My bestseller? The candles and the tomtar.”

And then there’s Lena Fleischmann, who isn’t a volunteer but the administrator at the Swedish Church. Nevertheless, Lena has been working at the Christmas Bazaars for the past 33 years.

“I always say it’s a bit like giving birth,” she says. “It takes nine months to prepare, and then when it actually takes place you have to have just a bit of glögg to make it easier. But not too much, or it will get you in trouble.”

By Eva Stenskär

Gunilla Lindblad from Malmö likes to volunteer at the Christmas Bazaar because it’s a great way to meet good friends.

For more information about the activities at the Swedish Church in New York: svenskakyrkan.se/newyork *Träffpunkt is a weekly event at the church, where you meet for “fika” and conversation.

Madeleine RIbbing, at SWEA’s table, says for her the Christmas Bazaar is the very beginning of the Christmas celebrations.

Bert Alexandersson, back in New York

after having lived in Malmö for awhile, a great, Swedish-style Christmas. has an exhibition of paintings of famous Preparing for the Christmas Bazaar takes Swedes at the church in January. time and commitment, and the church couldn’t do it without plenty of volunteers.

What is it, we wanted to know, that makes these volunteers give their time and energy?

Photographer Michael Skoglund has helped sell Christmas table linens the last three years, and says that though he likes everything involved with volunteering at the bazaar, the best is the glögg.

Mona Johnsson has been volunteering at the Christmas Fair every year since 1973. She was also selling Christmas linens.

“I began as a ‘glöggdam,’” she says. “That’s when Gunnar Granberg was pastor here. Up Carin Friberg spends with the vodka from underneath the table much time at the Swedish whenever someone said the glögg wasn’t Church and recommends strong enough! In those days we made all the “Träffpunkt,” where Swedes food ourselves. We made the gravy for the meet for fika and chat. meatballs; there was red wine in it. Oh, it was fun! It still is. I meet people here that I don’t Anne Rudolph, right sells meet during the rest of the year.” lussekatter and cinnamon Monica Oscarsson has been involved as buns. long as Mona. “It’s a great tradition. We want We went upstairs for some glögg, and there we found Pastor Stellan it to continue, so we help out. Every year I Ponnert and film critic Niclas Goldberg.

NORDSTJERNAN, November 30, 2012

Hollister North likes to chat with people.

LOCAL EVENTS. page 17

Triumph for SATC and Strindberg

by Eva Stenskär evanyc@nordstjernan.com

“Bastards of Strindberg,” a staged reading of four one-act plays, shows that August Strindberg still has the power to inspire, even when his own material might be a bit stale. These children of Strindberg are quite beautiful and very much carry his blood.

What promised to be just another staged reading of “Bastards of Strindberg” by the Scandinavian American Theater Company at Scandinavia House, turned into a triumphant evening. I write “just another” because for a media-stuffed audience, readings can be dry and uninspiring. In addition, this time the reading was four one-act plays based on or informed by one of Swedish playwright August Strindberg’s most dated and overplayed pieces: “Miss Julie.”

The reading, however, was wonderful. All four plays (“High Powered,” “Midsummer at Tyrolen,”

“First I said ‘yes’ because who doesn’t want his play read in New York City,” he said. “But when I heard ‘Miss Julie’, I thought ‘Oh, no, not again.’

I think the play lacks relevance today; I think it’s antiquated.”

My thoughts as well. Yet, these four plays all added something to the character of Julie, in a way they were better—or perhaps just more in tune with our time—than Strindberg’s “Miss Julie.” I think what’s lacking in “Miss Julie” is that we as an audience don’t really care what happens to any of the characters, we never feel for them, but that wasn’t at all the issue with the newly written plays.

In “High Powered” by Dominique Morisseau, a couple is fighting over whether it’s worth the price you have to pay to move up in society. Wonderful acting by Jocelyn Bioh and Harvey Gardner Moore—the audience loved and rooted for both their characters: his fierce insistence on becoming somebody, of making something of his life, and her feelings of being happy with what she already had.

Two American, two Swedish playwrites participated in the SATC project. L-R: Andreas Boonstra in one of his plays at Momentteatern, Stockholm, David Bar Katz, Dominique Morisseau and Lina Ekdahl.

“Chanting Hymns To Fruitless Moons” and “The Truth About Fröken Julie”) were sharply written, relevant and fun as well as practically acted rather than read, and excellently done so. The four plays showed that though it’s 100 years since Strindberg died (and 124 years since he wrote “Miss Julie”), he still has the power to inspire. The reading was also a testament to the enormous talent that’s around—whether they are writers, actors or directors, and regardless of where they are from.

If I were to pick a favorite, it’d be Swedish playwright Andreas Boonstra’s “The Truth About Fröken Julie,” the longest of the pieces, which was constructed like a bunch of directorial notes more than a regular play. It delved into Strindberg’s original text with a magnifying glass, exposing its loopholes and mistakes, and doing so with verve and finesse without dismantling the Swedish literary giant. Boonstra is fluent when it comes to “Miss Julie” for he has read it and read it and then read it some more. In his play, he gently pokes fun of Strindberg’s textual problems. Why, for instance, would a man like Jean be a footman when he has traveled around Europe and speaks French? And what of the name Jean? What servant in Sweden at the time had a name like Jean? Boonstra did more than that, he broke with what Strindberg wanted to do with “Miss Julie”—to usher in the naturalistic theater.

“Strindberg wanted to raise up the fourth wall in the theater room,” explained Boonstra. “He wanted to give the audience the sense that they were flies on the wall, seeing and hearing something on stage they weren’t supposed to see or hear. But what we’re doing in Europe today is the opposite; we’re tearing down that wall. We want to close the gap between the stage and the audience.”

In the panel discussion that followed the performances, Boonstra admitted he didn’t feel enthusiastic when he was approached to write a short play inspired by “Miss Julie.”

In “Midsummer at Tyrolen,” written by Lina Ekdahl, actors Vanessa Johansson, Oliver Burns and Anette Norgaard began by commenting on the three characters in “Miss Julie” (Julie, Jean, and Kristin) and then slowly merged into them. It’s an enormously entertaining morsel which again shed light on Strindberg’s play.

In “Chanting Hymns To Fruitless Moons,” playwright David Bar Katz examines what would have happened had Julie not met the fate Strindberg forced upon her (suicide).

“When re-reading the play, I found myself angry,” Bar Katz said at the discussion that followed the reading. “Angry that Miss Julie had to die. So I was channeling my anger on her behalf (by giving her another ending). I also wanted to know what Midsummer really meant, what it was Strindberg alluded to in the play, the pagan forces. I wanted to see these actualized.”

And lastly there was, Boonstra’s “The Truth About Fröken Julie,” a gem for anyone in love with Strindberg.

Thus the reading was also a triumph for Strindberg. It is of course flattering for a Swede like myself, to see non-Swedes—Americans in particular—discover someone like Strindberg. It is even more flattering to watch foreigners create something as moving as these plays inspired by Strindberg.

The Scandinavian American Theater Company is a collective of theater artists founded in 2009 to provide a Scandinavian perspective through the new generation of Scandinavian playwrights and theater artists. They present contemporary plays and inventive takes on the classics from the Nordic region, which includes Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Iceland. www.satcnyc.org www.scandinaviahouse.org

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Saffranbullar och flätor Vår egen inlagda sill (pickled herring), salt sill fillets, potatis korv, Göteborgskorv (Swedish medwurst), Abba sill: ansjovis, matjessill, lök och vin marinerad. Bondost, Västerbotten och Prästost.

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November 30, 2012 NORDSTJERNAN

FEATURE. page 18

Erickson’s Delicatessen Ann-Mari & Ann-Britt Nilsson (owners)

Here for your Holiday Shopping!

Complete line of Scandinavian delicacies Shipping by UPS Everything for the Smörgåsbord

5250 N. Clark St. Chicago, IL 60640 Tel. 773-561-5634 Swedish film support is not very gender equal - most of the money (73%) goes to men. The only woman on the top ten list of film makers to receive grants from Svenska Filminstitutet is Lisa Langseth, director of the awarded film “Till det som är vackert” (“Pure”). Above: Langseth (left) and Alicia Vikander, star of “Pure”.

In equal Sweden: Most film support to men So much for gender equality in Sweden!

Nine out of ten film grants go to men, in spite of Filminstitutet’s pledge to gender equality, this according to Swedish Television’s “Kulturnyheterna”. This past year, the Svenska Filminstitutet (the Swedish Film Institute) has granted production support of 101.6 million SEK ($15 million) - to nine men. Lisa Langseth (director of the feature film “Till det some är vackert” or “Pure” as the English title is) is on the top ten list of awardees as the only woman. In total 187.4 million SEK ($28 million) has

been granted, of which 73% has gone to men. Managing director of Filminstitutet, Anna Serner, who took office early in 2012, has earlier referred to the lack of gender equality in the film industry as a “democratic problem”. After the release of these new numbers, she says that changes take time: “A film project is a developmentally process that takes a long time, so we won’t see any changes until the end of the contract periods, in 2015.” And she added: “My absolute ambition is that we should see a change in the coming years.”

Nelson’s Food Pride 100 years of Swedish Tradition Family owned Business Swedish Specialty Food Items www.nelsonsfoodpride.com

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Subscribers Subscribers are areinvited invited to to aa genealogical genealogical Workshop Salt Lake Lake workshop in in Salt City City each each autumn.

October.

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NORDSTJERNAN, November 30, 2012

Swedish American Genealogist Swenson Center Augustana College Rock Island, IL 61201-2296 Phone 309 794-7204 www.augustana.edu/sag

VIEWPOINTS. page 19

Ulf Nilson Sweden, November 2012 ulf.nilson@nordstjernan.com

Nuclear in 2013?

Are we going to experience an atomic war in the Middle East? Israel against (more or less) all the others? Hundreds of thousands of dead bodies, houses in flames, the future destroyed. …?

Yes, yes, I know the question has been asked before and is always answered with a resounding NO. But the times they are changing and you shouldn’t be too sure.

Politicians should have been able to stop the first world war from breaking out—but, alas they didn’t.

The democracies could have stopped a certain Adolf Hitler before he built that unstoppable army, but they didn’t.

And so it goes. The fact that we have had some kind of peace (minus Korea, Vietnam and others) is no guarantee for the future. The former Soviet Union, now Russia, is in decline and therefore dangerous. The giant China is growing in population, strength and ambition. And therefore dangerous.

To put it plainly: The world is not as dangerous as it was before. It’s worse.

It is worse, one must say, because the last Olle Wijkström olle.wijkstrom@nordstjernan.com

decade or so has been reasonably quiet. This leads people to believe that things have really changed—maybe we are in for peace.

But no. The reality is the world is becoming more dangerous by the day. This is not the least because atomic weapons are more available than ever before. More states have them, more will get them and one day they will come into use. I, being a bit pessimistic, judge this to be inevitable.

In the Middle East, the last few weeks have been truly awful. Israeli rockets destroyed 245 rockets from the other side but 500 went into Israel, killing men, women and children and destroying houses. The Israelis, naturally, retaliated.

And so it goes ... (as Kurt Vonnegut would have written).

So it goes, and the worst thing is the only thing in sight: escalation. Israel must defend (there is no other word) its borders and territory, which is small and makes it awfully easy to kill people.

The Israelis have all kinds of weapons and an

absolute will to defend themselves. The enemy is immensely superior in numbers and better and better at using modern weapons.

In other words, the future is grim. The U.S.— the only superpower today—is committed to the defense of Israel, but what forms will the defense take? The U.S. can hardly bomb Cairo or Damascus. It can hardly send troops to fight alongside its Israeli brothers …

Or can it?

We simply don’t know.

What we do know is that the problem is inhumanly complex yet will have to be resolved by humans. Of course, negotiations would be the best solution, but who should negotiate with whom, and who could make an agreement—should there be one—stick?

So what we Europeans can do, being totally powerless in (among other places) the Middle East, is wait and see and hope that the combatants come to their senses.

Fat chance, indeed.…

Våra behov av öppna fönster

För tio år sedan startades en betagande ceremoni i Gamla Stan i Stockholm. Den första december för tio år sedan började det. Ett fönster öppnades i ett hus i en av stans gränder. Grannar lika väl som folk från andra stadsdelar och besökande turister samlades i gränden under det öppnade fönstret. En trumpetare från den närbelägna Storkyrkan blåste in julen, när fönstret öppnade.

Precis när klockan slagit sex slag i Storkyrkan öppnades fönstret. En av arrangörerna från Mäster Olofsgården hälsade välkommen och tackade lägenhetsinnehavaren som upplåtit sin lägenhet och fönster.

Någon boende i Gamla Stan, som var i besittning av någorlunda njutbar sångröst kom fram bakom gardinerna och sjöng en sång. En annan spelade något stämningsfullt på piano eller fiol. En tredje läste en dikt. En fjärde berättade någonting intressant om huset eller stan. Andra spelade en truddilutt på munspel eller nöjde sig med att bara vinka och önska varandra God Jul! Utanför i gränden står människor, som lyssnar och ler. Eller nöjer sig med att känna samhörighet med omvärlden under den halvtimme det tar innan fönstret stängs och folk troppar hem för att se på Aktuellt i TV och få reda på alla onda nyheter om vad som utspelas i Syrien och andra avlägsna orter långt från Gamla Stan. Sådana nyheter tycks det tyvärr aldrig råda någon bríst på.

Så här gick det till och fortsätter att gå till varje kväll år efter år det senaste decenniet i Gamla Stan.

Ett år öppnade kungen själv med Silvia vid sin sida ett fönster i slottet och önskade sina medborgare en trevlig helg. En levande julkalender öppnades i fönster efter fönster. Ena kvällen i en gränd. Nästa kväll i en annan gränd. Gränd efter gränd.

Ingemar Ingevik hette en av stöttepelarna bakom julkalendern i Gamla Stan. Innan han för blott någon kort tid sedan avled hade han under tio år fått uppleva vilken succé Gamla stans julkalender

initiativ blivit. Tack vare hans och flera andras engagemang, uthållighet, och envishet ställde människor upp, lägenhetsinnehavare upplät sina våningar. Artister, målare, skådespelare och sångare boende i Gamla Stan övertalades att vara med och sjunga eller deklamera. Även när december kylan ven genom gränderna eller snön föll i tunga sjok stod Ingemar nedanför det fönster, som stod på tur att öppnas och såg till att allt fungerade med högtalaranläggningar och strålkastare.

I en tidningsartikel läste jag att Ingemar före sin död uttryckt sin stora glädje över att Gamla Stans julkalender blivit en stor framgång.

Han sade: ”Egentligen borde vi öppna våra fönster varenda dag året runt. Det finns ingen anledning att begränsa lyckan av öppenhet och samvaro till några få veckor i december,” Det finns många skäl att hålla med Ingemar.

Alla behöver vi öppna våra fönster och förnimma den varma tomtebolycka som julkalendern är till för att skapa. Som vi alla vet är världen tyvärr också full av elände, fattigdom och krig. Bara några kvarter från de öppnade fönstren i gränderna i Gamla Stan pågår droghandel på Sergels torg, överfall, knivdramor, otrohet, hustrumisshandel och brottslighet av allehanda slag runt om i storstaden. Bara i vår egen näraliggande värld florerar eländet.

Vidgar vi synfältet till hela världen finns ytterligare anledning till djup förstämning.

Allt detta betyder ytterst att det trots allt finns än mer anledning att glädjas över att det ändå existerar en del bitar av tillvaron, som fortfarande smittats av julkalenderns budskap. Det finns fortfarande gränder med fönster som öppnas för varma budskap. Det finns ännu också hyggliga människor, som Ingemar, som engagerar sig för andra människor och för traditionerna vidare

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1.800.827.9333 - ext 10 November 30, 2012 NORDSTJERNAN

LOCAL EVENTS. page 20

More events and list your own, at www.nordstjernan.com-EVENTS

l California

11.30.2012 06:30 PM - 12.01.2012 02:00 AM Eliason Merit Award 2012: Dolph Lundgren SACC-LA is proud to announce that this year’s Eliason Merit Award goes to the world famous Swedish movie star and action hero Dolph Lundgren, star of over 40 movies since his breakthrough in “Rocky IV” and the James Bond feature “A View to a Kill”. His most recent films include the successful Sylvester Stallone produced “The Expendables” The Eliason Merit Award is an exclusive red carpet event honoring Swedes that have contributed significantly towards strengthening Swedish-Amerian relations.

Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce -LA. www.sacc-la.org | 323.309.5037 12.09.2012 10:00 AM - 05:00 PM SWEA Los Angeles Annual Christmas Fair at at the Shrine Expo Hall. Gifts and crafts, traditional food, a Lucia pageant and choir perform twice, at noon and at 3 pm. www.swea.org/losangeles | 562-472-9098

l Connecticut

12.01.2012 10:00 AM - 04:00 PM The Scandinavian Club Annual Fair & Bake Sale - Local artisans, Nordic gifts, handmade crafts FREE ADMISSION. www.thescandinavianclub.com (203) 938-9677 12.08.2012 07:00 PM - 09:00 PM Stämbandet Jul Concert & Lucia Fest at United Covenant Church, WIlton. 203-847-9824

l D.C.

12.01.2012 11:00 AM - 05:00 PM SWEA Christmas Bazaar at House of Sweden, 2900 K Street NW Washington DC 20007 (Georgetown Waterfront) Metro: Foggy Bottom. www.swea.org/washingtondc

l Georgia

12.07.2012 07:30 PM - 09:00 PM Lucia Concert This is a Christmas concert featuring Atlanta’s Lucia Choir as well as children’s choir and musicians. At New Location free-will offering will be taken.

This is for the whole family. Check www. vasaorderatlanta.org. Vasa Order. . nordiclodge708@gmail.com. http://www.vasaorderatlanta.org/ 12.08.2012 06:00 PM - 12:00 PM SACC-Georgia 27th Anniversary Lucia Gala at The Commerce Club 191 Peachtree Street, Atlanta. www.sacc-georgia.org | 770-670-2480 12.09.2012 05:00 PM - 09:00 PM Julbord, Christmas Dinner t the Ansley Golf Club with Nordic Lodge 708. www.vasaorderatlanta.org 12.14.2012 07:30 PM - 09:00 PM Atlanta Lucia program starting at 7:30 p.m.

For more info, see www.vasaorderatlanta.org

l Illinois

11.30.2012 04:00 PM - 11.30.2012 10:00 PM Late Night Andersonville and Julmarknad Preview Sale 773.728.8111 | swedishamericanmuseum.org

11.30.2012 07:30 PM - 08.30PM Swedish Historical Society Lucia Concert at the First Lutheran Church Address: 225 S. 3rd St., Rockford, IL 61104. www.swedishhistorical.org Admission: Free will offering 12.01.2012 09:00 AM - 02:30 PM Swedish Historical Society Julmarknad at Trinity Lutheran Church Address: 200 N. 1st St., Rockford, IL 61107 www.swedishhistorical.org 12.01.2012 10:00 AM - 12.02.2012 04:00 PM Julmarknad Swedish American Museum’s annual Christmas Bazaar. 773.728.8111 | swedishamericanmuseum.org 12.06.2012 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM Hejsan – Children’s After-School Program: “Swedish immigration movement” 773.728.8111 | swedishamericanmuseum.org 12.07.2012 05:00 PM - 12.07.2012 08:00 PM IKEA Swedish Julbord at IKEA Bolingbrook. www.ikea.com/us | 630-972-7900 12.08.2012 09:00 AM - 11:00 AM Breakfast with Tomten (Santa) 773.728.8111 | swedishamericanmuseum.org 12.08.2012 01:30 PM - 03:30 PM Musicians and instructors Mary Allsopp and Paul Tyler co-host a Scandinavian Jam at the Swedish American Museum.

773.728.8111 | swedishamericanmuseum.org 12.13.2012 11:30 AM - 12.13.2012 08:00 PM St. Lucia Celebrations Thursday, Dec. 13, 11:30 a.m. at Daley Plaza; 4:45 p.m. at Swedish American Museum; 7 p.m. at Ebenezer Lutheran Church, 1650 W. Foster Ave. 773.728.8111 | swedishamericanmuseum.org 12.16.2012 05:00 PM - 08:00 PM Julbord, Family Dinner, a traditional Swedish Christmas Smörgåsbord, catered by Tre Kronor restaurant. 773.728.8111 | swedishamericanmuseum.org Continuously Step back in time in historic Bishop Hill.

Utopia on the Prairie, then and now. For information call 309-927-3899 or email heritage@bishophill.com. Visit our Website at: www.bishophill.com

l Kansas

12.02.2012 03:00 PM - 05:00 PM Jultide at Bethany College The Bethany College Choir and the Handbell Ensemble come together for a memorable evening..

Bethany College. 888-227-2227. cvbdir@ lindsborgcity.org. www.visitlindsborg.com 12.08.2012 10:00 AM - 03:00 PM Lucia Festival Music and festivities begin downtown at 10:00 a.m. The 4th grade Lucia program commences at 11:30 a.m. at the Bethany Lutheran Church, 320 N. Main, with the crowning of the younger Lucia, a choir concert and an account of the legend of Lucia. The Lindsborg Swedish Dancers and Lindsborg Folkdanslag will engage in a routine of traditional folk

dances downtown at 1:30 p.m. These talented ambassadors embody the spirit of Lindsborg sharing colorful performances throughout the year, in Lindsborg, nationally and abroad. The processional starting at 2:45 p.m. concludes at Bethany Lutheran Church with the coronation service of a local Lucia.. City of Lindsborg. 888227-2227. cvbdir@lindsborgcity.org. www.visitlindsborg.com

l Minnesota

12.01.2012 10:00 AM - 8:30 PM Julmarknad - Swedish Christmas Market at American Swedish Institute. Admission is $7 adults, $6 ages 62 and above, $4 ages 6–18 and full-time students with ID, and free for children under 6 and ASI members. www.asimn.org | 612-871-4907

l New York

11.27.2012 06:30 PM - 08:00 PM August Strindberg and His Turbulent Life - a Free Lecture by Lena Einhorn, a Swedish author, filmmaker, and director at Scandinavia House.

212.847.9740 | www.scandinaviahouse.org 12.01.2012 01:00 PM - 03:00 PM Swedish Christmas Children’s Workshop $12 ($10 ASF Members); ages 5-10 Enrollment is limited; early registration is strongly encouraged Scandinavia House invites young children and their caretakers to experience how Swedes prepare for Christmas in this customary julpysseldag (Christmas craft day). Kids will learn the secrets of making traditional holiday crafts like woven hearts, yarn tomtar, and paper angels. . Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center in America. 212.847.9740. kate@ amscan.org. http://www.scandinaviahouse.org 12.08.2012 06:00 PM - 10:00 PM Lucia Pageant and Christmas Party with Stenland Lodge VAO District 4 New York. 845-359-5188.

12.11.2012 06:30 PM - 12.11.2012 10:30 PM SWEA New York Julfest med Lucia at Battery Gardens Restaurant. Pris: $100. 212-599 2949 | www.swea.org/newyork 12.15.2012 07:30 PM - 12.15.2012 09:00 PM 55th Annual Lucia Fest in the Rochester, NY area.

Procession, carols, dancing around the Yule tree.

Refreshments, free admission. Fairport United Methodist Church. 31 W. Church St, Fairport, NY. http://fairportumc.org | 585.367.8469

l Pennsylvania

12.07.2012 06:00 PM - 09:00 PM Join us for a very special Swedish holiday tradition. Drinks and an authentic Christmas smörgåsbord dinner are followed by the Lucia procession.

The Christmas Market is open all evening. Members $45, non-members $55. Cash bar. Register by phone or online by December 3rd. American Swedish Historical Museum. 215.389.1776. www. americanswedish.org

will be open all day. The Swedish Christmas Café will be selling holiday foods and sweets for your refreshment. Admission is $10 for non-members, $7 for members, children 4-12 $4, and children under 4 are free. Reservations are not required, but tickets may be purchased in advance on online. American Swedish Historical Museum.

215.389.1776. www.americanswedish.org 12.07.2012 06:00 PM - 12.09.2012 05:00 PM 75th annual Lucia Fest- Old Swedes’ Church- Philadelphia Sankta Lucia and St. Eric’s Fair – Gloria Dei (Old Swedes’ Church) - Philadelphia Celebrating 75 years of the Lucia Fest! Presentations will be made at 6:00 & 8:00 PM on Friday, December 7th; on Saturday and Sunday, December 8th and 9th, the presentations are at 2:00, 3:30, & 5:00 PM. Before, during, and after each of the presentations, visit the St. Eric’s Fair, a Christmas bazaar that specializes in Scandinavian imports in the Parish Hall that adjoins the Church. Food and drink are available. Tickets, $10.00 per adult; $6.00 for children under 12, can be purchased online at www. old-swedes.org until November 30 or at the door.

Gloria Dei (Old Swedes’ Church) is located in South Philadelphia on Christopher Columbus Blvd, just to the south of Penn’s Landing, between Christian Street and Washington Ave. (Free parking.

l Wisconsin

12.01.2012 10:00 AM - 04:00 PM A Nordic Christmas at the Inn. Elmbrook Historical Society presents “A Nordic Christmas at the Inn”. Their historic Dousman Stagecoach Inn Museum will be decorated by various Scandinavian organizations as we assist them in their fund raiser. Swedish American Historical Society of WI members will decorate the Parlor in a traditional Swedish Christmas theme. Tour the Dousman Stagecoach Inn Museum and visit our Swedish Christmas Parlor. Children’s craft area, Nordic music, bake sale. Admission: Adults - $5, Children 6-12 - $2, Children 5 and under are free.

1075 Pilgrim Parkway, Brookfield, WI. (suburb of Milwaukee) Saturday, December 1, 2012 – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, December 2, 2012 – Noon to 4 p.m. . Elmbrook Historical Society. 414-352-7890. www.sahswi.org 12.16.2012 04:00 PM - 12.16.2012 06:00 PM Lucia Celebration Join us for this festivity of light as the Christmas season begins. Enjoy coffee and treats following the procession and program. We’ll dance around Christmas tree and Santa will be available to greet the children. Held at Whitnall Park Lutheran Church, 105th and Forest Home Ave., (just east of Hwy. 100) in the suburb of Hales Corners, WI . Swedish American Historical Society of WI., Inc. . 414-352-7890. swedishamericanhistoricalwisc@gmail.com. www.sahswi.org

12.08.2012 11:30 AM - 4:30 PM Lucia Fest and Christmas Market. Drop in for our family-friendly Lucia Fest, with Lucia processions at 1 pm and 3 pm. The Christmas Market includes your favorite holiday deli items, Christmas decorations, and gifts, the SWEA bakery tables and

Herr & Fru | Mr. & Mrs. Time to get ready for Christmas Swedish-style!

We have Tomtes, Candle-Lights, Pepparkakor, Christmas music, and more.

Online or catalog shopping & quick shipping.

“Are we lost?”

“Not a chance. Rest assured.”

[Not. You can stay calm]

NORDSTJERNAN, November 30, 2012

“Are you sure??”

“I know this forest like I know my own pocket..”

“That’s what worries me.

Your pockets are usually full of holes.”

800-779-3344 • www.hemslojd.com 201 N Main St • Lindsborg, Kansas

LOCAL EVENTS. page 21

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‘Not my time to die’ The Titanic and the Swedes on board Please send me ____ book(s) x $19.95 = _______

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The 123 Swedes on board made up the third largest ethnic group on the Titanic after the American and the British. RIGHT: The 40-yearold married Swedish American William Skoog and his wife had moved from Iron Mountain, Michigan, to Sweden in December of 1910 to establish a home, but regretted the move and decided to return to Iron Mountain. He and his wife and their four children all perished when the Titanic sunk.

The book profiles each of the Swedish passengers; including the 34 survivors...

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William Skoog and and Anna Skoog (standing) with three of their children, Thorsten, Harald and Mabel.

Margit not included.

November 30, 2012 NORDSTJERNAN

FEATURE. page 22 Language - Practice your Swedish!

Sveriges landskap Sverige är indelat i 25 landskap. Dessa är historiska, geografiska och kulturella områden, och även om de inte har några administrativa funktioner, förblir de en del av vårt historiska arv och är ofta en del av en persons sätt att identifiera sig själv. “Han är från Skåne”, säger vi. Aha, då tror vi att vi vet exakt hur den personen är. “Hon växte upp i Norrbotten.” Då får vi genast en mental bild av den personen. Ursprunget till “landskap” är mindre riken som gradvis blev mer och mer utsatta för den svenska kungens regler under konsolideringen i Sverige, runt 800-1000 e Kr. Efter att Sverige enats och en gemensam svensk monark blivit etablerad blev dessa provinser hållna som hertigdömen.

Norrbotten

Sveriges nordligaste landskap heter Norrbotten, och det gränsar söderut till Västerbotten, västerut till svenska Lappland och österut till Finland. Norrbotten är ett ganska ungt landskap, det fick inte sitt vapen förrän år 1995, efter årtionden av kontroverser (idén om Norrbotten som ett landskap tog tydligen ett tag att vänja sig vid). Under medeltiden var Norrbotten ett ingenmansland, glest befolkat av samer som levde på jakt, fiske och renskötsel. Men från medeltiden och framåt, gjorde svenska kungar sitt yttersta för att kolonisera och kristna området. Nybyggare från Finland kontrollerade handeln och även beskattningen av området, som inte var bundet till Sverige förrän mot mitten av 1500-talet.

Finska och samiska minoriteter bosatta i Norrbotten har hållit sin kultur och sitt språk levande. Eftersom Norrbotten är så långt norrut man kan komma i Sverige, är det intressant att titta på temperaturerna här: Somrarna kan vara förvånansvärt varma, med ett rekord på 37C (98F), om vintrarna kan temperaturen sjunka till -19C (-2F).

Norrlands landskapsblomma är åkerbäret, och landskapsdjuret är lavskrikan. Språken som talas i Norrbotten omfattar svenska, meänkieli, finska och samiska. Vissa talare av meänkieli har successivt betraktat sig som en del av Kvenfolket, ett folk som förmodligen kom till området mycket tidigare än de svenska nybyggarna. Gammelstads kyrkstad, utanför Luleå, upptogs 1996 på Unescos världsarvslista. Befolkningsmängden i Norrbotten ligger på omkring 192,542. Den största staden i Norrbotten är Luleå, med 45,467 invånare. Luleå ligger på den norra kusten, och är säte för Luleå universitet. Hamnen i Luleå - Sveriges femte största hamn, som transporterar mer än sju miljoner ton gods varje år - är av särskild betydelse för järnmalmen från LKAB: s gruvdrift i Kiruna och Gällivare / Malmberget. Under vintern fortsätter sjötrafiken i stort sett i oförändrad takt med hjälp av isbrytare. Luleå är hemmahamn för de svenska isbrytarna. I Luleå finns även ett av världens äldsta köpcentrum ,”Shopping”, designat av den brittiske arkitekten Ralph Erskine. Det öppnade år 1955. En känd person född i Luleå är filmstjärnan Maud Adams (född 1945). Adams, som föddes Maud Solveig Christina Wikström, upptäcktes i en affär 1963, av en fotograf som bad att få ta hennes bild, en bild han sedan skickade in till Fröken Sverige-tävlingen som arrangeras av tidningen Allers. Adams vann den tävlingen, och blev sedermera fotomodell och skådespelerska.

NORDSTJERNAN, November 30, 2012

Sweden is divided into 25 “landskap” or provinces. These are historical, geographical and cultural regions, and though they have no administrative functions, they remain historical legacies and often are part and parcel of a person’s way of identifying him or herself. “He’s from Skåne,” we say. Aha, then we believe we know exactly how he is. “She grew up in Norrbotten.” We immediately get a mental picture of the person depending on what “landskap” he or she is from. The origin of the “landskap” is smaller kingdoms that gradually became more and more subjected to the rule of the Swedish king during the consolidation of Sweden, around 800-1000 AD. After Sweden was unified and a common Swedish monarch was established, these provinces were held as duchies.

The northernmost province in Sweden is Norrbotten, which borders south to Västerbotten, west to Swedish Lappland and east to Finland. Norrbotten is a fairly young province; it didn’t receive its coat of arms until 1995, after decades of controversy (the idea of Norrbotten as a province evidently took some getting used to). During the Middle Ages, Norrbotten was a no man’s land, sparsely populated by the Samis who lived on hunting, fishing, and reindeer herding. But from the Middle Ages and on, Swedish kings did their utmost in trying to colonize and Christianize the area. Settlers from Finland controlled the trade and even the taxing on the area, which wasn’t tied firmly to Sweden until the mid 16th century. Today, Finnish and Sami minorities live in Norrbotten and have kept their culture and language alive. Since it is as north as you can come in Sweden, it’s interesting to look at the temperatures in Norrbotten: Summers can be surprisingly warm, with an all-time high record of 37C (98F), winters see degrees drop to sometimes -19C (-2F). The provincial flower for Norrland is the Arctic raspberry, and the animal the Siberian jay. Languages spoken in the province include Swedish, Meänkieli, Finnish, and Sami. Some Meänkieli speakers have gradually been considering themselves part of the Kven people, which supposedly arrived to the area much earlier than the Swedish settlers. The Church Village of Gammelstad outside Luleå has been named a UNESCO World heritage site. The population of Norrbotten is around 192,542. The biggest city in Norrbotten is Luleå, with 45,467 inhabitants. Luleå is situated on the northern coast, and is the seat of Luleå University. The harbor of Luleå — Sweden’s fifth-largest port, which transports over seven million tons of cargo each year — is of particular significance for iron ore from LKAB’s mining in Kiruna and Gällivare/Malmberget. During the winter, sea traffic continues at a virtually unchanged rate with the assistance of icebreakers; Luleå is the home port of the Swedish icebreaker armada.

In Luleå you’ll find one of the oldest indoor shopping centers in the world, called “Shopping”, designed by British born architect Ralph Erskine, and opened in 1955. Famous people born in Luleå include movie star Maud Adams (b. 1945). Adams, who was born Maud Solveig Christina Wikström, was discovered in 1963 in a shop by a photographer who asked to take her picture, a picture he submitted to the Miss Sweden contest arranged by the magazine Allers. Adams won this contest and from there her modeling, and eventually also acting, career took off.

Swedish movie star Maud Adams (Bond girl) was born in Luleå in 1945.

Piteå Havsbad in the province’s south, often called the ‘Riviera of the North’ since, for several summers it’s offered the highest water temperatures in the Baltic.

Contrary to the other traditional provinces of Sweden, Norrbotten County, consisting of the northern parts of Lappland and Västerbotten, is older than the province.

The ‘landskap’ Norrbotten was allowed its own heraldic coat of arms as late as 1995, above.

Norrbottens länsvapen [the Norrbotten County coat of arms - literally ‘weapon’]

This dramatic photo is from one of the lakes in Stora Sjöfallet national park in Norrbotten, the third largest park in Sweden at 1278 km2 The name of the park comes from a five-level waterfall on the Lule River. The national park was created in 1909 and today considered part of the Laponian area which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park’s highest peak is 2015 meters above sea level and is a part of the mountain massif Áhkká which has 13 peaks and 10 glaciers totally. Global warming reportedly makes the glaciers melt with 10 meters each year.

SPORTS. page 23

Sweden team captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic executes a reverse bicycle kick to score his fourth goal of the game against England Nov. 16 at the inaugural match of Friends Arena. Bildbyrån photo

Jaerbyn retires, Zlatan shines Chipp Reid, Sports Editor chipp@nordstjernan.com

SKIING

Jaerbyn calls it quits

For two decades, Patrik Jaerbyn was a fixture on the World Cup circuit, carrying Sweden’s lone hopes in the downhill for many of those years. In 2004, that changed, when countryman Hans Olsson joined him on tour, and the Swedish downhill team immediately doubled in size.

Olsson, 28, praised Jaerbyn, 43, who retired after this year, saying his elder teammate was a pioneer, trailblazing a path for the Scandinavian nation—despite lacking an adequate support staff—in the sport’s most thrilling discipline.

Jaerbyn, who currently resides near Vail, Colorado, will coach a few young American racers this winter but admits that he is still in a conundrum as to what the future holds.

“It’s a new stage of my life, so the question is what is the next challenge. It’s a tough task, it’s very confusing,” said Jaerbyn.

Jaerbyn added: “I will miss the pure joy of skiing, the excitement of getting everything dialed in and pushing yourself to the potential of where you can be.”

Myhrer nets first WC gold

Andre Myhrer took home the gold medal in the first World Cup slalom race of the season.

Myhrer, with a time of 1 minute 49.55 seconds, the Swedish skier picked up where he left things

last season. He won the slalom at the finals in Schladming last year to take the crown in the discipline title, and he now starts the new season at the top of the podium.

“It feels great to start the season with a win,” Myhrer said with his usual calm. “This means I can continue to do what I have been doing so far; there is less stress when you start like this.”

When you are the best in the discipline, it’s not always easy to keep it going over the long summer but Myhrer seems to have found a good way, as strong as we left him in March.

“The skiing is there and I had a good summer. I took it easy in spring due to some back problems but was able to slowly increase the training. We also went to New Zealand, as we haven’t been there for two years the change was welcome. I felt really good coming into this race.”

After being only .27 seconds behind Myhrer in the first run, last year’s Overall title winner Marcel Hirscher gave it his best shot at stealing the victory from the Swede. But, his efforts proved just not enough as he finished second, a mere .06 seconds behind the Swede.

HOCKEY

HV 71 tops Eliserien

The Eliterien neared the half-way of its regular season, and HV 71 continued to hold down the top spot in the standings. The Jönköping team

has 49 points. Skellefteå is in second place with 47 points from a 16-7 record while Luleå is third with a 15-7 record and 42 points. Defending champions Brynäs is currently in sixth place with a 12-11 record and 37 points.

So far the work stoppage in the NHL has had minimal impact on the Elitserien. Dallas Stars forward Fabian Brunnström is back with his former team Frölunda, but he remains one of the few NHL players to head for Sweden.

Brunnström has 12 points in 22 games with the Chiefs.

FOOTBALL

Halmstad back in Allsvenskan

It took less than a season for Halmstad to fall apart as an Allsvenskan side. After a bitterly unsuccessful attempt to rely on Spanish players, Halmstad went down to the Superettan, and in the space of the year rebuilt a team that won three titles in 10 years and returned to the Allsvenskan.

Halmstad topped GIF Sundsvall in the homeand-home promotion playoff, topping Sundsvall by a combined score of 8-5. Halmstad won at venerable Orjans Vall 5-1 in the first leg.

HBK lost the second 4-3, but the three away goals more than ensured that Halmstad would advance.

“This is just fantastic,” said Halmstad veteran Mikael Svensson. “To be part of this is very special to me. Halmstad always holds a high

place in my place. This is where I started and to be able to help the club get back to the Allsvenskan is fantastic.”

Gudjun Baldvinsson was the scoring hero for Halmstad as he netted five goals in the two games, including a pair in the loss to Sundsvall.

Halmstad finished third in the Superettan this season while Sundsvall finished third from last in the Allsvenskan.

Sweden wins opener in ‘Zlatan’s house’

The Yankees have the House that Ruth Built: Yankee Stadium. Now, Sweden might just have the House that Zlatan Built.

The Swedish national soccer teams opened their new home at Friends Arena in Solna Nov. 16 with a 4-2 win over England with captain and striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic scoring all four goals. Zlatan scored the first-ever goal at the new stadium 20 minutes into the match. After England took a 2-1 lead, Zlatan took over.

He tied the game in the 77th minute and put Sweden in front seven minutes later. A minute into stoppage time, he struck an incredible, overhead bicycle goal from 30 meters out to cap Sweden’s win.

Friends Arena is a state-of-the-art stadium modeled after several in North America. The stadium has a retractable roof, which will allow year-round play. It cost $240 million to build.

(For more on the match and Zlatan’s goals, see our website.)

November 30, 2012 NORDSTJERNAN

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