Nordstjernan 2005

The Swedish North Star, continuously published since 1872. Price per copy $3.50.

Volume 148 No. 5, April 01, 2020.

Coronavirus update, March 19, 2020

news in brief

Coronavirus update How many will be infected?

When will it peak?

What can we do to prevent getting sick and reducing the spread of the virus?

Why societies shut down Step by step, the novel coronavirus has upended the world’s social and economic fabric since it was first identified in China last year. Nearly every country in the world has by now shuttered schools and businesses, restricted travel, closed borders, canceled entertainment and sports, and encouraged people to stay away from each other. The pandemic is global and no one is spared. Leading politicians, sports stars, celebrities and your next-door neighbor are all among those testing positive for the virus.

The situation in Sweden is calmer than in many places. Yes, the country has 1,439 cases of COVID-19 as we write this (March 19) and eleven people have died, most of them elderly or immunocompromised, but the borders did not close until all of Europe’s borders closed on March 19.

There’s a shortage of some health care equipment such as hand sanitizers.

The decisive factor for the spread of any virus is what scientists call the basic reproduction number, or R: how many more will be infected by one infected person. For the coronavirus scientists now waver between two and 2.5, although we’ve also seen numbers as high as five in early news reports.

Professor Tom Britton at Stockholm University uses a mathematical model to explain how fast the coronavirus is likely to spread. Listening to him is enlightening—and makes me wash my hands even more often, disinfect surfaces on a regular basis and stay away from groups and meetings.

Let’s take a look at a highly hypothetical case, not specifically based on the coronavirus. If everyone in a fairly homogenous society is susceptible, that is, no one is immune, no one has been vaccinated (which is the case with COVID-19) and there’s been no change in behavior, and let’s for the sake of simplicity assume the number of people one infectious person infects is three. (The basic reproduction number is 3) If your neighbor starts his day being infected, he will infect three people on the train or subway on

his way to work, then each of them could infect three people, and so on—so by the end of an average work day, 9,840 additional people could be infected. Let’s face it, this is not how the virus generation works. The example is only theory; you’re not infectious from the moment you yourself are infected, not everyone will interact in ways that infect other people, and some will already have been infected, but it’s a simple way of seeing that your neighbor should stay home. This is why schools, businesses and nations are closing.

Reducing the reproduction number will flatten the curve of infected people and delay and decrease the peak of infection—thereby reducing stress on the health care system.

In recent weeks, after 20 years as a mathematician, Tom Britton has become extremely popular. What everyone wants to know is: How serious will it be? We reached out to Britton to get a better grasp of what his models mean for us in the long run.

Prof. Tom Britton.

What is your research area?

“My main area is mathematical models for the spreading of infections, and also statistical methodology for how to determine a model’s parameter values, such as R, from outbreak data. It is called “taxes” in statistical language.”

How large will the spread of COVID-19 be in any given country?

“The answer depends very much on what preventive measures are being taken, by ourselves and by the authorities. It is estimated that the reproduction number R, the number infected by a person, is 2.5 before any restrictions or measures have been implemented in a society. Then 60-70 percent will be infected. If nothing is done, this is how many people will become infected in Sweden. But if we manage to reduce the number of

reproductions with different measures, of course fewer will be infected. The magic value is R = 1.

As soon as we get the reproduction number below 1 with different measures, it will quickly disappear. China succeeded in this by means of very comprehensive measures, and very quickly, so that less than 1 percent will be infected in Wuhan.

I am not convinced that we will be as effective in for instance Sweden.”

Using Britton’s model and our example of a reproduction number of 3, putting societal restrictions in place and thereby reducing this to 2 instead, the peak will go down by 50% - that is, 50% less people will be affected - and delay the peak with 70% - in other words, allowing the health care system to catch up.

Does it work?

Well, China has closed down its last coronavirus hospital. For lack of patients!

So, help each other to the extent possible in the community while still avoiding direct contact.

Wash your hands often, stay inside to the extent possible, listen to the scientists and recommendations by health care professionals (forget the fake pundits)!

As for other good news, • One patient, just released as recovered in Wuhan, was a 103-year-old grandmother.

• Apple stores in China have reopened and factories started producing again.

• The number of new cases in South Korea is going down.

• A new U.S. developed coronavirus test gives results in hours, not days • Several U.S. patients have already recovered and returned to everyday life.

• Doctors in for instance India have experimented with a mix of medication to treat patients that seems to work.

• Researchers claim to have found an antibody against the virus; plasma from already recovered patients are Yes, it may take used to treat others infected time, but things and the hunt for a vaccine is will get better. on all over the world.

UBM If you are interested in Britton’s model for the spread of a virus, we recommend you check his lecture, in English: Math of the Corona outbreak (a half hour well spent)

news in brief

Dear reader and friend,

1872, always holding together our community through good times and bad, through war and Our most recent issue, which follows peace, recessions, a depression and political after these two pages, was printed just change. And we will continue to serve you with prior to closures and cancelations of events a printed copy in the mail. This email is just an throughout the country. extra effort to offer an important update.

We have received reports of disturbances in postal distribution and rather than wait for the next issue we wanted to update you soonest; both on some enlightening work

by Swedish researchers and of course, to remind you how important it is to contact an event organizer prior to any specific event.

Most of the listings you find under EVENTS have been postponed or canceled.

Following this page is the digital version of NORDSTJERNAN No. 5 (April 01, 2020)

NORDSTJERNAN hasn’t missed a beat since

Ulf Barslund Martensson

If you have friends or family you would like to share this news with, just forward the link— knowledge is power, especially now when the actions of so few can influence the many.

Please be safe and stay healthy

EU grant for Coronavirus Research dates on the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which produces the disease COVID-19, in test tubes and in animal models.

Effective treatment

Dozens of research groups around the world are already racing to create a vaccine against COVID-19. Stockholm University has been granted research funding from the EU to develop antiviral treatment for the new coronavirus. The project is led by Anna-Lena Spetz, professor of immunology at the Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute*.

“By developing a broad-spectrum antiviral treatment, we are simultaneously building preparedness for future epidemics, when the next animal-human viral transmission occurs,” says Spetz.

In January, the European Commission announced research grants to meet the great need for COVID-19 research on vaccine development, treatment and diagnostics. Due to the urgent need for new knowledge, a total EUR 47.5 million ($52 million) has been released, and 17 projects with 136 research teams have now been selected. With these funds, research teams in Germany, Denmark, France and Sweden will work together to test the effect of drug candi-

The Fight-nCoV project, which includes Stockholm University, will receive $3 million to develop a new type of antiviral treatment with effect against the new corona virus, but also against other viruses that attack the upper airways, such as the RS virus.

“Our solution with broad-spectrum antiviral treatment has the potential to be used against airway viruses where we currently lack effective treatment,” says Spetz.

Fight-nCoV, which is expected to last two years, is based on several years of previous research. Key persons in collaboration are Spetz (Stockholm University), Roger LeGrand, (CEA, France), Urban Höglund, (Adlego Biomedical, Sweden), Jan Münch (Ulm University, Germany), Alexander N. Zelikin (Aarhus University, Denmark) andThomas Schrader (University of DuisburgEssen, Germany).

Strengthening Europe’s defenses

Some of the world’s leading experts on infectious disease prevention and control are in Stockholm. The main European agency to fight infectious disease, ECDC, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control is located in Frösunda, just north of Stockholm. The EU agency is aimed at strengthening Europe’s de-

fenses against infectious diseases. Its mission is to identify, assess and communicate current and emerging threats to human health posed by infectious diseases. It works in partnership with every national health protection body across Europe. By working with experts throughout Europe, ECDC pools Europe’s health knowledge to develop authoritative scientific opinions about the risks posed by current and emerging infectious diseases. It collects, collates, evaluates and disseminates relevant scientific and technical data, and provides scientific opinions and scientific and technical assistance to member states, community agencies and international organizations. It’s about coordinating efforts, exchanging information and expertise along with best practices. For more info, see www. ecdc.europa.eu *The Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute (MBW) unites more than 30 independent research groups. Its mission is to carry out internationally recognized research and teaching in infection- and immuno-biology, integrative biology and molecular cell biology. MBW is located in the Arrhenius Laboratories on the northeastern end of Stockholm University’s Frescati Campus. For more info, see www.su.se/mbw

dashboard | april 01, 2020 SCANDINAVIAN QUIZ

was the island of Blåkulla called 1 Why Blå Jungfrun during the 17th century?

A) its married women had to wear blue

5 What specialty did King Karl XII bring back to Sweden after he returned from exile in Turkey? A) meatballs B) cardamom C) apples D) gold

2 What is a fimbulwinter in Norse mythology? A) a god who acquires new powers B) an eerie shiver C) the harsh winter that precedes the end of the world D) ice

7 Which Nordic country is not a member of the European Union? A) Greenland B) Sweden C) Norway D) Denmark

skirts B) a colony of unhappy women lived there C) saying its real name in- 6 Some reports say the average Swede eats voked evil spirits D) it’s surrounded by 16 kilos (35 pounds) of what each year? A) very deep water meatballs B) potatoes C) candy D) lutfisk

Sweden’s own Easter Island Blå Jungfrun (Blue maiden) is a beautiful island that’s located in the Baltic Sea in southern Sweden near Kalmar, between the mainland province of Småland and the island of Öland. At 570 million years old, its red granite differs significantly from the limestone of the adjacent island of Öland. Blå Jungfrun has a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna, and was designated a national park in 1926.

But it’s nonetheless an ominous place. In fact, its real name might be better known from folklore: Blåkulla. All the world’s evil spirits were believed to let lose the instant Judas betrayed Jesus on Maundy Thursday after the Last Supper, and it was believed witches celebrated a banquet there every year on Maundy Thursday. Were they the ones who laid the rocks of the island’s labyrinth?

The belief in Blåkulla was prominently applied in the witch trials of the 17th century, when women (mostly) were executed for having participated in the banquet of the devil on Maundy Thursday. The modern tradition of “påskkärring” (Easter witches) has its roots in this belief.

Name’s Days of the Swedish Calendar Namnsdagar i Mars

April 01 April 02 April 03 April 04 April 05 April 06 April 07 April 08 April 09 April 10 April 11 April 12 April 13 April 14 April 15 April 1

Harald/Hervor Gudmund/Ingemund Ferdinand/Nanna Marianne/Marlene Irene/Irja Vilhelm/Helmi Irma/Irmelin Nadja/Tanja Otto/Ottilia Ingvar/Ingvor Ulf/Ylva Liv Artur/Douglas Tiburtius Olivia/Oliver |

New York Chicago Stockholm Kiruna Lund Los Angeles 2 NORDSTJERNAN

Sunrise & Sunset

6.38 am 6.32 am 6.13 am 5.47 am 6.37 am 6.39 am

7.21 pm 7.16 pm 7.31 pm 7.40 pm 7.45 pm 7.14 pm

3 In what country would you receive a pepper shaker and get called Pepperman or Peppermaid if you turn 30 and are not yet married? A) Denmark B) Finland C) Norway D) Sweden

4 Many of the Gustavian supporters gave what name to the first King of the House of Benadotte? A) The French Lieutenant B) The French Corporal C) The French Marshal D) The French Baguette

CULTURE

Namnsdagar

8 What costume do Swedish children often wear at Easter? A) bunny B) witch C) chicken D) goat 9 What is the name of the strait that separates Norway, Sweden and Denmark? A) Skatnat Bay B) Kattegat C) Dania Bay D) Skagerrak

10 Swedish fish are one of the only gummy candies that do not contain what? A) gelatin B) sugar C) starch D) coloring Answers: 1:C, 2:C, 3:A, 4:B, 5:A, 6:C, 7:C, 8:B, 9:D, 10:A

The small island is accessible by boat, and is most popular as a swimming and hiking destination during the summer months.

April

Marianne – April 4 Marianne or Mariann is a female name with several possible origins. The most obvious might be the French form of the Latin Mariana, which means “woman” or “female.” Further back it might be related to the Hebrew name Miriam (or the Arameic Mariam), which in the Bible was the name of Herod’s wife. The name has been used in Sweden since the 1600s but became common only in the 1900s, peaking during the 1930s and 40s. There are 88,042 women in Sweden with the name today - two persons have it as their last name.

Ingvar – April 10 The man’s name Ingvar is an Old Norse name meaning “Ing’s warrior.” It is thought that Ing was a Norse god, whose identity remains unknown (related are Ingemund, Ingemar, Ingrid, Ingegerd).

founded in new york city in september 1872 Nordstjernan (ISSN 1059-7670), founded in New York City in September 1872, is published by Swedish News, Inc., 570 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10022 • Readers services and editorial submissions: P.O. Box 1710, New Canaan, CT 06840 Periodicals Postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. www.nordstjernan.com, Nordstjernan is published semimonthly, except for the months of April, April, September when it is monthly and Augustwith no issue.

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this week…

April TO DO 03.29 FIRST DAY OF DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME IN SWEDEN: SOMMARTID / and we’re back to 6-9 hours time difference from the 48 states.

After the EU decision to no longer adher to DST, Sweden will no longer advance the clock after 2021.

04.01 JUMP HIGHER: At 9.47 a.m. EST and for six minutes on April 1 the planets Jupiter and Pluto will be in perfect alignment with Earth, which will strongly affect our home planet’s gravitational force. Feel the difference yourself by stepping outside to jump precisely between 9.47 and 9.53 on this day.* 04.01 APRIL FOOL’S DAY: FÖRSTA APRIL / “April, april din dumma sill, jag kan lura dig vart jag vill.” Although we never understood what the beloved herring has to do with the rhyme, which used to be told at the end of a practical joke in Sweden, it allegedly stems from the German “April, April, ich kann dich narren wie ich will.” (No sill/herring in the original!)

04.01 START PREPARING FOR EASTER / Herring, chives and sour cream, eggs of course, and meatballs, possibly Janssons Temptation and lots of candy ... Påsk (Easter) dinner is usually enjoyed the night before Easter Sunday on Påskafton, Holy Saturday on April 11 this year.

Påskfirande, Easter celebration in Sweden /p12

Dashboard, p4-5

Government lowers forecast / Air travel with mind and heart / Flygskam (Flight-shaming) / Digital schooling / Distance infection tests could make next epidemic easier to detect and analyze / Our favorite April Fool’s Day pranks.

Events calendar, p6-11

What’s going on in Swedish America.

04.07 WORLD HEALTH DAY / Världshälsodagen. This year appropriately shining a light on the vital role played by nurses and midwives in society. *Our all time favorite among April Fools’ Day jokes: On April 1, 1976, British astronomer Patrick Moore told listeners on a radio broadcast that the planets would be aligning orbits. He urged everyone to jump to experience the diminished gravity. Prior to having to reveal the joke, the program received hundreds of calls from listeners who were excited from the experience.

“The further north you get, the climate gets harsher and the materials scarcer. People were poor for centuries and had to use their resources wisely to survive.”

Those are the usual reasons for Scandinavian quality along with Scandinavian design. There’s truth to the saying. Scandinavians do live in a harsh climate; they were poor and had to come up with many ingenious and inventive solutions. Today, Scandinavian style is so much more. It is a way of life—it is part of everyday life, both urban and close to nature, also practical, beautiful, sometimes whimsical, and to this day, always with an element of functionality. Two U.S. museums will examine Nordic design’s lasting impact on American culture and life, as well as American influences in the other direction (p15). One of our favorite Swedish designers, whose work is part of the exhibition is furniture designer Bruno Mathsson.

Talk about ingenuity: Mathsson solved the problem of finding the perfect seat position by sitting in a snowdrift and then transferring the imprint to the drawing board. Simple and brilliant. He must have done his “hands-on” experiment in or around 1930 and to this day few chairs are as comfortable as Bruno Mathsson’s saddle strap and bentwood chairs.

We are of course monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak and our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who is or will be directly affected by the virus. Much can be said about what is being, has, hasn’t and could have been done ... here, there and everywhere. Let’s not.

We will all—everyone, universally and without exception all over the world—be indirectly or directly affected and should remember to stick together, help each other to the extent possible and refrain from unnecessary measures such as hoarding food or even toilet paper, which seems to be the next scarce commodity (in case there’s a shortage in your community, make good use of your Nordstjernan back copies. I will never again condone this but: Oh yeah, we KNOW you save them)!

You’re all privvy to an overwhelming amount of information about what’s going on in the U.S. but we’ll be reporting on Swedish scientists’ take on the development of a vaccine and their projections for the epidemic in the next issue. Whether or not we choose to acknowledge it, we all belong to the same global Ulf Barslund Mårtensson community. Take good care of yourselves and each other, Editor & Publisher

p14

Scandinavian design ... so much more than furniture, crystal or architecture ...

The art of form and function / Scandinavian Folk art in NY, p16

Discover Swedish, p19

Common verbs; pratar, skickar, fixar ...

Swedish News, p22

Corona virus in Sweden / A runestone reveals fear of climate in the Viking age / More parenting days for fathers / EU adopts historic climate law / Less leniency for young criminals / Fliers at the Turkish-Greek border.

Lamb, fish or smörgåsbord—it all deserves a Påsktårta (an Easter cake) for dessert.

The Exchange Rate:

$1.00 = SEK 9.77 (03.13.2020)

APRIL 01, 2020 3

dashboard | april 01, 2020

The government building, Rosenbad, in Stockholm.

Government lowers forecast

The stories, the traditions, the people behind the news. founded in new york city in september 1872 executive editor

& publisher:

Ulf Barslund Mårtensson (editor@nordstjernan.com) editor:

Amanda Olson Robison (editor@nordstjernan.com) managing editor & production: Everett Martin graphic design: Nadia Wojcik (design@nordstjernan.com) contributors:

Model of the first aircraft, the ES-19, a 19-passenger airliner with an operating range of 400 km.

Air travel with mind and heart New Swedish start-up Heart Aerospace is developing an electric aircraft to be certified airworthy by 2025. “Initially, our plans will offer pointto-point transportation between Scandinavian cities, before expanding operations to the rest of the world,” the manufacturer said. With offices in both Stockholm and Palo Alto, the head office and initial production is located at Säve Airport in Gothenburg, Sweden. The first aircraft is the ES19, a 19-passenger airliner with an operating range of 400 km. The ES-19 is a fully electric aircraft.

Heart Aerospace, founded by the former Chalmers student Anders Forslund, is backed by California’s innovation fund Y Combinator. It has also received support from the Swedish government and Vinnova. Scandinavian countries are currently at the forefront of the drive to electrify aviation, with Sweden being the home of the “flygskam” or “flightshaming” eco-awareness movement and Norway aiming to fully electrify domestic air travel by 2040. For more info, see www.heartaerospace.com

Flygskam (Flight-shaming) Flygskam. Flight-shaming has been part of the official list of Swedish words since 2017. The moral of air travel has been widely discussed in Sweden in recent years. Some claim that emissions from air traffic are so great that it is almost an obligation to choose means of transport that do not pose as much impact on the environment.

Drawing: Bo Zaunders

The Swedish government cuts its GDP forecast by 0.3 percentage points this year as a result of the corona pandemic. The announcement was made by Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson on March 4, saying growth is expected to be 0.5 percentage points lower on an annual basis. However, the financial effects of the virus outbreak have been limited so far. If needed, Sweden can stimulate the economy in the form of funding for municipalities and labor market policy initiatives, according to Andersson.

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Exerpt from [The] Swede, a book written with the intent of introducing Sweden and Swedes to English speakers ... from allemansrätt to housewives, hugging, humor and husesyn, what does it mean to be un-Swedish? What about Swedish sin, is it a real thing? Are Swedes boring? Are they serious? Over 250 brief chapters, usefully organized like a dictionary, will make you a better Swede or at least better understand your Swedish friends, family or colleagues.

Available through NORDSTJERNAN, 1.800.827.9333, amazon.com and www.nordicsampler.com

Covering three worlds: Sweden, America and Swedish America.

Order your own copy, $55.00 for a year (18 issues) Choose ‘subscribe’ at www.nordstjernan.com or call 1.800.827.9333, ext 10

The idea of flight-shaming is to make people feel ashamed to fly since it has such a negative impact on the world and our climate.

Chipp Reid - Ted Olsson - Leif Rosqvist - Kitty Hughes Ulf Kirchdorfer - Valorie Arrowsmith Bo Zaunders - Göran Rygert - James Kaplan - Gunilla Blixt publications director:

Mette Barslund Mårtensson (mette@nordstjernan.com; 800.827.9333, ext 12)

4 NORDSTJERNAN

dashboard | april 01, 2020

Favorite April Fools Day pranks

In 2001, “Be ready for unexpected guests...” was a spoof on a well-known commercial for Gevalia coffee. April Fools’ Day that year in Denmark, a [Swedish] subway car broke through and surfaced on the square in front of the Copenhagen town hall.

In 1911, Svenska Dagbladet wrote that the Olympic opening ceremony in Stockholm in 1912 would start with a parade of 600 elephants. On the first 50 elephants would be a full symphony orchestra playing the national anthems, and on the remaining elephants the drivers would sit and shout “Lirpa, Lirpa” (read the word backward)!

In 1950, the Swedish newspaper GöteborgsPosten (GP) reported the island of Öland had loosened from the ocean bed and was floating toward the Swedish coast.

In 1957, the BBC announced that spaghetti grows on trees. The broadcast claimed they went to Switzerland to pick spaghetti from the new-found trees. As evidence, a film was shown with the trees. Several viewers wanted seeds to start their own crops.

In 1962, Sweden had only black and white television broadcasts. But April 1st brought change. Television announcer Kjell Stensson explained during a news segment that new equipment had been installed and there was no need to buy a new TV in order to view programs in color. It was enough, Stensson said, to pull a nylon stocking over your existing screen.

Several bought nylon stockings for this purpose.

In 1987, Swedish television came up with a new classic joke. This time it was about cultivating vegetables in microwaves. In just a few minutes, a person could grow a radish to enormous proportions, according to the broadcast.

In 1998, Burger King created an advertisement about the launch of a hamburger for southpaws: The contents of the burger would be the same, but all ingredients would be rotated 180 degrees, to facilitate eating for left-handed people.

In 2012, Swedish business newspaper Dagens Industri reported that Apple supported debt-laden Greece by purchasing the island Ios - with the same name as their IOS operating system.

Digital schooling. Swedish ed-tech company

Kognity, which develops smart textbooks for the IB program offers a number of schools, in several regions affected by COVID 19, access to the digital services free of charge. For more info, see www. kognity.com (This is no joke! /Ed.)

H&M’s Conscious Exclusive SS20 introduces Circulose® for the very first time with an easy, blue day dress inspired by the carefree summers of the 1920s Côte d’Azur (above).

New clothes, second-hand garments The Swedish innovation company Re:newcell has devised a way to transform disposed garments into fresh fibers which can then be used for new clothes. Fabrics and fibers made from Circulose are indistinguishable from virgin man-made cellulosic fibers and fabrics. The material is marketed under the name Circulose®. A first demo plant with the capacity to produce 7,000 tons of Circulose pulp opened in Kristinehamn, Sweden in 2017. The goal is to recycle one billion garments per year by 2025.

As of the end of March, garments containing Re:newcell’s fabric are being sold to end customers for the first time through hundreds of H&M stores and online. The H&M dress consists of 100% viscose of which 50% is FSC certified wood and 50% is Circulose recovered from post-consumer denim. It’s the piece that proved it – recycling clothes finally works. The dress will be available

in select stores worldwide and online starting March 26, 2020.

How it works: The process that Re:newcell uses was developed by researchers at KTH in Stockholm and is now in production on an industrial scale at the factory in Kristinehamn.

The raw material is old clothes that are compressed into large bales, for example used jeans or seconds from textile factories.

The end product becomes a long “mat” of pressed, recycled material that goes through a cutting machine. These sheets are then sold to clothing manufacturers, who can spin different kinds of textile fibers from the pulp to meet the demand from fashion houses looking for durable materials. For more info, see www. circulo.se or www.renewcell.com

Distance infection tests

Founded in Linköping in 2001, Swedish startup Dynamic Code sells infection tests via mail order.

They also have a technical platform for diagnostics where they link patients’ home tests with digital health care providers, lab analyses, pharmacies and aftercare. Dynamic Code has become known for home testing for chlamydia but also develops and manufactures a number of other home tests for diseases and disorders. About 10 million of the annual visits to Swedish primary care are caused by infections—such as bacteria, viruses and fungal infections. “Testing for coronavirus is definitely within our core competence and we have of course begun to quickly investigate it. If the demand is there, we are very likely to launch it,” the founder Anne Kihlgren said in a recent interview. For more info, see www.dynamiccode.com APRIL 01, 2020 5

local events

Local Events California Sacramento 04.18, 10 AM-4 PM Sacramento Scandinavian Festival: The 37th annual festival features Scandinavian food, baked goods and merchandise for sale. Gather information about the Nordic countries and enjoy music, entertainment, crafts and door prizes. $5/general admission, free/ under age 12. Tickets available at the door. At Scottish Rite Masonic Center, 916.759.6750 / www.facebook.com/ events/2163718947262044 Thousand Oaks 04.04-04.05, 10 AM-5 PM The 45th Scandinavian Festival: The festival celebrates the cultures of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and the Sami people from the Arctic regions of Scandinavia, with music, dancing, food, lectures, demonstrations, vendors, a Viking Encampment and Sami Village, and activities for families and people of all ages. At California Lutheran University, mksmithers@sbcglobal.net / www.scandinavianfest.org

Connecticut Bloomfield 04.18, 2-5 PM Lakritsfest 2020: Join Vasa of Connecticut’s first National Licorice Day celebration and savor Scandinavian and tasty licorice creations on sale, music, food, crafts, and purchase raffle tickets for the collectable limited edition Lakritsfest 2020 Blue

The Northern Lights, seen in Kilpisjärvi, Finland in January 2020 by Ellen Robison.

Under Northern Lights

“Under Northern Lights” is presented by New York Scandia Symphony on April 16 at 8 PM. Scandia Symphony has served the communities of New York City with innovative and creative programs of Scandinavian music for 31 years, sharing the musical treasures and cultural heritage of Scandinavia with American audiences in various indoor and outdoor venues / www.nyscandia.org.

Under Northern Lights features 50 of NYC’s finBottle. Winners have a chance to fill their prize bottle with a beer on tap, plus see Vic’s V8 classic lineup in reserved parking at the brewery. Thomas Hooker Brewing Company, 860.242.3111 /steinmillerl@ gmail.com.

SAN FRANCISCO Lördag 11 april kl 18.30

SPRING FUNDRAISER för Svenska kyrkan i San Francisco. Middag och cocktail $150. Anmälan till kristin.hamren@svenskakyrkan.se

Söndag 12 april kl 11.00

PÅSKGUDSTJÄNST

och årsmöte i Norska Sjömanskyrkan på Hyde Street. Mary Philipson predikar.

Musik och solosång. Efteråt serveras kyrklunch. Årsmöte för alla medlemmar.

Lördag 18 april kl 15.00

GUDSTJÄNST

i Los Altos Lutheran Church. Mary Philipson predikar Efteråt serveras kyrkkaffe.

Torsdag 23 april kl 18.30

SOPPA OCH SAMTAL med dansösen Katja Berner “Mitt uttryck är att dansa”. Anmälan till kristin.hamren@svenskakyrkan.se Se Facebook för mer info!

SVENSKA KYRKAN SAN FRANCISCO Norska Sjömanskyrkan, 2454 Hyde Street, San Francisco Tel: 415-632-8504 Epost: sanfrancisco@svenskakyrkan.se Hemsida: www.svenskakyrkan.se/sanfrancisco 6 NORDSTJERNAN

est musicians and violinist Stephanie Chase in a performance of Emil Hartmann’s Violin Concerto, Helios Overture and Symphonic Rhapsody by Carl Nielsen and Midsommervaka (Swedish Rhapsody No.1 by Hugo Alfven, Dorrit Matson conducting. $25/general admission, $15/seniors and students at Symphony Space, 212.864.5400 / www.symphonyspace.org

Fairfield 04.11, 11 AM Easter Brunch & Egg Hunt: Scandinavian Club members and their extended families are invited to this Easter potluck.

Bring a favorite dish to share, enjoy a children’s Easter egg hunt as well as an Easter bonnet contest! Wear your most decorative springtime hat.

Scandinavian Club, 203.512.5229 / www. thescandinavianclub.com

Florida Clearwater 04.03, 11:45 AM- 2:45 PM Suncoast Scandinavian Club Luncheon with entertainment by Swedish-American accordionist Bruce Ralg. Lunch is $17/ visitor. RSVP required to 732.546.7756 or sunscanclub1965@gmail.com / www. facebook.com/Suncoast-ScandinavianClub-Inc-639715096132281 Davie 03.07, 6-10 PM Broadway, Jazz and Nordic Love Songs: A musical journey from Carmen to Broadway, and jazz to Nordic love songs featuring Anna-Lisa Jakobsson, mezzo soprano. Jakobsson got her start with the Finnish National Opera and celebrates 40 years on worldwide stages. Based now in the U.S. she performs with Dr. Robert Sharon, piano, and Laura Olsson, soprano. Music by Alfven, PetersonBerger, Rangström, Sjöberg, Grieg, Bernstein, Sondheim, Porter, Puccini, Offenbach, Garner, Mackeben. Swedish

Church in Florida, 561.271.8121 / kickan@ bocaswede.com Fort Myers Ongoing To Life: The Liberation of Ravensbrück, brings the story of the White Buses, a rescue operation undertaken by the Swedish Red Cross which brought thousands of women and children from Germany’s Ravensbrück concentration camp to freedom at Malmö Harbor. In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Nazi-era concentration camps, the exhibit is on view through May 3 at Florida Gulf Coast University’s Wilson G. Bradshaw Library, 941.315.5125 / www. better-futures.com Jacksonville 04.03, 3-8 PM Swedish Easter Påskbord (smörgåsbord): All you can eat! Ask restaurant staff for details and to purchase tickets. Limited seatings at 3-5 p.m. or 6-8 p.m. www.ikea. com/us/en/store/jacksonville

Illinois Chicago 04.06- 04.10 Spring Crafts in the Children’s Museum: Join in the Easter-themed activities all week to learn about all the Swedish Easter traditions by creating Easter trees with feathers and dressing up as witches!

Swedish American Museum, 773.728.8111 / www.swedishamericanmuseum.org

local events

The real man behind the crime

04.06, 6-8 PM Easter Crafts: Get ready for Easter at the Swedish American Museum’s craft evening. Learn some Swedish traditions and create some beautiful decorations.

This event is for adults and ages 12+.

Swedish American Museum, 773.728.8111 / www.swedishamericanmuseum.org Ongoing Astrid Lindgren, To Play is to Live: Come and learn all about Sweden’s beloved children’s author, Astrid Lindgren, the

creator of characters such as Pippi Longstocking and Emil. Generations of Swedes, at home and abroad, have grown up reading her books, listening to them on tape and watching the movies. It is as much a natural part of childhood in Sweden as riding a bike. In this exhibit you will learn about Astrid herself, her life and what inspired her to write her stories.

Through May 24 in the Raoul Wallenberg Gallery at Swedish American Museum, 773.728.8111 / museum@samac.org/ www.swedishamericanmuseum.org

Remember, there may be changes due to the corona virus. Always double-check times and dates with the organizer of the event you are interested in attending.

Who was The Man Who Played with Fire? Since his untimely death at just 50 years of age, Stieg Larsson has become one of the world’s most famous authors. His Millennium Trilogy novels – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (“Man som hatar kvinnor”) and its sequels – have sold more than 90 million copies worldwide and spawned multiple film adaptations.

Directed by Henrik Georgsson, Stieg Larsson – The Man Who Played with Fire is a fascinating documentary that paints a compelling portrait of the man before his books were known, a man whose life was replete with the intrigue and danger that fuelled his novels. Larsson’s obsessive pursuit of tracking extremist far right and neo-Nazi groups as an investigative journalist made him an expert in a field that’s only grown more politically relevant, both in his native Sweden and beyond. Defying intimidation and death threats, he warned of the disturbing growth of the far right as a political force. With unprecedented access to the author’s meticulously researched and politically charged archives, as well as interviews with his life partner and colleagues, Stieg Larsson – The Man Who Played with Fire reveals a man who was determined to protect the endangered principles of democracy and freedom at any cost.

Presented for a public screening on April 11 at 1-3:30 p.m. at Scandinavian Cultural Center in West Newton, Massachusetts. In Swedish with English subtitles, 99 min. www.scandicenter.org

Life Made Sweder (where it really counts)

The “Wettex disk trasa,” a Swedish invention, will make life much Sweder in the kitchen - guaranteed! 6 3/4” x 8”, machine washable (use it over and over again) 100% biodegradeable.

Two designs: God Jul for Christmas and Life Made Sweder for all year round. Mix and match designs, get five cloths for $20.

Price: $4.95 — order five now for $20.00 Incl. S&H (in continental U.S.)

Please send me ____ Life Made Sweder dish cloth(s) x $4.95 = ______ m 5 dish cloths at $20

____ God Jul dish cloth(s) x $4.95 = ______

(When ordering 5 or 10, please mark how many of each version you’d like)

Total: ______

Name __________________________________________________________

NEW GIF TS INSPIRED BY

OLD TRADITIONS CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES JEWELRY | HOME & KITCHEN SPRING & EASTER

Address ________________________________________________________ City State Zip ___________________________________________________ Tel.______________________________________

m Check enclosed payable to Nordstjernan m Please charge my credit card: Card# _________________________________ Exp. Date: _______ / _______ Signature _____________________________________ SSC Code:_________ Mail to: Nordstjernan, P.O. Box 1710, New Canaan CT 06840

APRIL 01, 2020 7

local events

To Play is to Live If you’re in Chicago, see Astrid Lindgren, To Play is to Live, a new exhibit at the Swedish American Museum. This one is all about Sweden’s beloved children’s author’s understanding that children should be children, they should be able to play freely. For generations of readers who grew up loving her playful characters such as Pippi Longstocking and Emil, it’s easy to understand that she took play seriously. In this exhibit, learn about Astrid herself, her life and what inspired her to write her stories.

Through May 24 in the Raoul Wallenberg Gallery at Swedish American Museum, 773.728.8111 / www.swedishamericanmuseum.org

Rock Island 04.14, 6-8 PM Nordic Book Club Discuss books on Nordic topics or by Nordic authors: April’s book is “Things my son needs to know about the world” by Fredrik Backman. We will provide coffee and tea and a welcoming environment! Registration is suggested via www.augustana.edu/about-us/ events/2019/nordic-book-club-0.

Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center. 309.794.7204. lisahuntsha@ augustana.edu. www.augustana.edu/ swenson/classes

Kansas 04.10 & 04.12 The Messiah Festival of the Arts: A 10day festival of art, music and theatre culminates with J.S. Bach’s “Passion According to St. Matthew” at 7:30 p.m. on Good Friday, April 10 and G. F. Handel’s “Messiah” at 3 p.m. on Easter Sunday, April 12. The Bethany Oratorio Society has been performing Handel’s “Messiah” since 1882 - the longest running performance of the Messiah in North America, now in its 138thyear. Presser Hall Auditorium at Bethany College, 785.227.3380 / www. messiahfestival.org

Since 1919

LOS ANGELES Söndag 5 april kl 12.00

PALMSÖNDAG Svensk gudstjänst på sjömanskyrkan i San Pedro.

Torsdag 9 april kl 12.00

SKÄRTORSDAG Svenska och Norska kyrkan har mässa tillsammans i San Pedro. Lunch serveras efteråt.

Fredag 10 april kl 18.00

LÅNGFREDAG Svensk gudstjänst på sjömanskyrkan i San Pedro. Kören medverkar.

Söndag 12 april kl 11.00

National archives and library for Swedish-American historical research Publishers of Swedish American Genealogist 639 38th Street Rock Island, IL | 61201-2296 309-794-7204

www.augustana.edu/ swenson 8 NORDSTJERNAN

PÅSKDAGEN Svenska och Norska kyrkan har gudstjänst tillsammans i San Pedro. Svenska kören samt norska barnkören medverkar och det blir äggjakt för barnen.

Onsdag 15 april kl 18.00

GUDSTJÄNST i Taizé ton. 423 Belvue Lane, Newport Beach, CA 92661 (parking on Balboa Blvd or Miramar) Gudstjänsterna i Angelica Lutheran Church är tills vidare inställda.

Följ oss på facebook och instagram! @svenskakyrkanlosangeles

SVENSKA KYRKAN LOS ANGELES 1035 South Beacon Street, San Pedro, CA 90731 Tel. (310) 292-7080 • Epost: losangeles@svenskakyrkan.se Hemsida: www.svenskakyrkan.se/losangeles

Haram-Christensen Corporation Importers of fine Scandinavian Specialties

125 Asia Place Carlstadt, N.J.07072 Tel:201-507-8544 Fax:201-507-0507 www.haramchris.com Email: sales@haramchris.com

Products –KLÄDESHOLMEN Herring & Cod Roe Spread, ROYAL SWEDEN Lumpfish, Capelin, Löjrom Caviar & Cod Roe Spread, ABBA Herring, Kalles Kaviar, & Salmon Pate, FELIX Lingonberries, Red Cabbage & Sliced Pickles, BEAUVAIS Pickles & Red Cabbage, HAFI Preserves including Lingonberry, Gooseberry, Blueberry & Queens Blend, NYAKER Lemon, Oat & Gingerbread Cookies, Läkerol, Pearl Sugar, Spirit Vinegar, Crispbread, FREIA & NIDAR Chocolates & Marzipan, CHEESES: Snöfrisk, Gjetost, Gulost, Farmers Cheese, Danbo & Esrom & Finlandia and many more products from the Scandinavian Countries.

Call for information about the store nearest you that carries our quality products.

local events Maryland Potomac 04.05, 2:30-5 PM Scandinavian Crafts Celebration: Take an introductory class in wheat weaving, Dalmalning, wood carving, or Swedish huck weaving. Each class is presented by a local artisan who specializing in their craft.

Fees cover all supplies, the wood carving class requires a minimum age of 18 and liability waiver. Pre-registration required - $5/Drott Lodge members, $15/nonmembers. Drott Lodge, 301.962.3788/ janetjohnson30254@gmail.com / www. drott-lodge.org

The inventor of abstract art: a Swedish woman

Massachusetts West Newton 04.02, 7 PM Martin Hedmark: A Modern Swedish Architect in America. Learn about this young Swede who came to the United States in late 1924 to launch his career, primarily as an ecclesiastical architect for Swedish congregations and cultural institutions in America. His first commission was for Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Providence, an expression of two distinct early 20th century Nordic architectural styles: National Romantism and Nordic Classicism. Massachusetts architect Eric Inman Daum’s lecture explores Hedmark’s designs for Gloria Dei and other projects in New York, Worcester, Philadelphia and suburban New Jersey.

Free with regristration. Scandinavian Cultural Center, 617.795.1914 / www. scandicenter.org 04.04, 6-8 PM Maple and Spruce, Birch and Pine: Musicians Mioi Takeda and Lynn Bechtold perform new works written for Miolina

by Swedish composer and sound artist Ann Rosén, Finnish composer Tomi Räisänen, and Lynn Bechtold, as well as other featured works by Norwegian composer Ketil Hvoslef and Swedish composers Cecilia Franke, Mauro Godoy Villalobos, and Katarina Leyman, in their first performances in the U.S. Following the performance, Rosén and Räisänen will join Miolina for a Q&A. Scandinavian Cultural Center, 617.795.1914 / www. scandicenter.org 04.11, 1-3:30 PM Screening: The Man Who Played with Fire. Directed by Henrik Georgsson, this documentary paints a compelling portrait of Stieg Larsson before his books were known, a man whose life was replete with the intrigue and danger that fuelled his novels. His Millennium Trilogy novels – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and its sequels – have sold more than 90 million copies worldwide and spawned multiple film adaptations. In Swedish with English subtitles. Scandinavian Cultural Center, 617.795.1914 / kerry@scandicenter.org / www.scandicenter.org

Michigan Grand Rapids 04.21, 7 PM

Detail of Tree of Life, Hilma af Klint Swedish Reading Club: Discuss Anna Brones’ book Live Lagom: Balanced Living the Swedish Way. This guide to life is based on the Swedish philosophy of lagom, meaning “not too little, not too much, just right.” Lagom helps you to achieve balance in everyday life and in all areas including home, work and health. Learn how to save money, feel less stressed, reduce your environmental impact, and create your ideal home and career through the way of life practiced in one of the happiest and most satisfied countries in the world. Covenant Living of the Great Lakes, 616.458.0420 / www. sahswm.org/upcoming-events

Minnesota Lindstrom 04.04, 9:30-11 AM Moberg Emigrant Novels Book Club: This is the first meeting of our new club, formed for the study of The Emigrants, the series of four novels by the Swedish author Vilhelm Moberg. His novels are generally considered to be among the best in Swedish literature. A main part of the story takes place her in the Chisago County area with main characters Karl Oskar and Kristina Nilsson. Free! At Wildcat Center, Community Center, Chisago Lakes High School. Lindstrom Historical Society.

612.913.6454 / svendasvede@aol.com / Minneapolis 04.01, 6:30-8:30 PM Nordic Table Workshop - Gravlax: One of the most traditional Swedish foods can also be one of the most intimidating to pull off at home. But gravlax – literally “buried salmon” – is a great project to tackle for a holiday party or buffet.

Anna Sharratt walks students through the process of selecting a piece of fish to tasting the finished product, while

Hilma af Klint (1862-1944) started creating her first works of abstract art in 1906, predating Kandinsky and others later known as abstract painters, but abstract art had not yet been invented.

Hilma af Klint was a painter and a mystic whose paintings or diagrams were visual representations of complex and abstract philosophical ideas. Last year, a survey of af Klint’s works at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City shattered records and became the museum’s most visited exhibition in its 60-year history.

This new exhibit at Lightforms Art Center in New York features artwork from the artist’s Tree of Knowledge series and a 34-page sketchbook. They are not selfexpression, but an artistic language to make spiritual realities visible to others and possibly serve as a visual teaching tool. On exhibit through June 29. www. lightformsartcenter.com

sharing opportunities for customizing flavors and accompaniments, from the traditional to the creative. Pre-register $45 ASI members / $55 non-members.

American Swedish Institute, 612.871.4907 / www.asimn.org

for children ages 3-5 and their important adults. American Swedish Institute, 612.871.4907 / www.asimn.org 04.07, 8-9:30 PM Folklore & Superstition: Learn about the most common creatures and elements

04.03, 10-11:30 AM Preschool Program: What’s a Swedish påskkärring? Come find out through dance, storytelling, exploration and craft with your little one. This Eastertime topic will be explored through creative storytelling, music, art and more.

Together, we’ll answer the questions of “What do Swedish families do throughout for Easter?” and “Why do they do it?”

This program is specifically designed

APRIL 26, 2020 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Old Swedes Historical Site, Fort Christina National Park, Copeland Maritime Center and Kalmar Nyckel Shipyard Celebrating Colonial and Native life in the Delaware Valley with Food, Games, Music and More!

FREE admission & parking Free Shuttle van among locations.

606 N. Church St. Wilmington, DE www.oldSwedes.org www.ColonialSwedes.org

302.652.5629

APRIL 01, 2020 9

local events of Swedish folklore. This class will meet on Tuesdays, April 7, 14 & 21, and cover all sorts of rå - forest creatures, ocean creatures, mountain creatures and more - while exploring their place in folklore, in the past and today. American Swedish Institute, 612.871.4907 / www.asimn.org

the most popular films and tv shows from sweden

swedish dvd releases Order Swedish language movies on DVD. All videos are in the original language with English subtitles.

19.95

ed: $

educ

r Price

Becoming Astrid: About the life of the creator of Pippi Longstocking, Sweden’s beloved author Astrid Lindgren.

Immerse yourself and family in swedishness with the latest dvd releases from Sweden.

Becoming Astrid $29.95 = _______ A Man Called Ove ($29.95) $19.95 = _______ The Last Sentence ($29.95) $19.95 = _______ The 100 Year Old Man ($29.95) $19.95 = _______ The Dragon Tattoo Trilogy Extended Boxed Set $39.95 = _______ Wallander Series 2 Boxed Set ($74.95) $59.95 = _______ Max Manus: Man of War (in Norwegian) $19.95 = _______

Please send me:

Total = _______

Incl. S&H (in continental U.S.)

Name ____________________________________ Address

04.11, 2 PM Outdoor Egg Hunt: Ages 0- 12 and their special adults search for eggs on ASI’s lawn - in rain, snow or shine. American Swedish Institute, 612.871.4907 / www. asimn.org 04.17, 7 PM T i m b u k t u ’ s B o o k & To u r : Ja s o n “Timbuktu” Diakité is on tour with his book, “A Drop of Midnight.” Born to interracial American parents in Sweden, Jason Diakité grew up between worlds— part Swedish, American, black, white, Cherokee, Slovak and German, riding a delicate cultural and racial divide. What unfolds in Jason’s remarkable voyage of discovery is a complex and unflinching look at not only his own history but also that of generations affected by the trauma of the African diaspora, then and now.

Meet him, hear about his book, and have him sign your copy. American Swedish Institute, 612.871.4907 / www.asimn.org Ongoing Frederick D. Somers: Borders & Betweens: Exploring then, now and when, this exhibition is a retrospective of the work of Minnesota-based artist Frederick D. Somers. From his time in Sweden to the woods near his home in Northfield, Fred’s oil and pastel paintings reflect themes from the land and are recognized for their peaceful sensitivity. Through April 22 at American Swedish Institute, 612.871.4907 / www.asimn.org

New York New York 04.01, 6-9 PM Film Screening - Chasing Unicorns: A semi-satirical tale based on real-life Estonian startups, Chasing Unicorns follows Õie, a young bookkeeper from a small town who stumbles onto the tech scene in her native Estonia, a country

where making startups is a “national sport.” Based on the experiences of more than 30 Estonian entrepreneurs whose real-life stories overlap with Õie’s fictional journey, Chasing Unicorns is directed by Rain Rannu (Estonia, 2019). 107 min., in Estonian with English subtitles. Director Rain Rannu will hold a Q&A after the film.

Scandinavia House, 212.847.9729 / www. scandinaviahouse.org 04.01-04, 07:30 PM - POSTPONED! From South Carolina to Sweden: A Drop Of Midnight What does blood memory, legacy, and ancestry mean to an AfricanAmerican family that left Harlem for Sweden? Harlem Stage commissioned WaterWorks artist Jason “Timbuktu” Diakité to debut his autobiographical theater project, A Drop of Midnight, directed by Farnaz Arbabi, composed

by Erik Hjärpe and accompanied by live band, The Rakiem Walker Project. One of Sweden’s biggest hip-hop artists and a best-selling author, Diakité takes us on a journey of cross-generational migration from the cotton fields of South Carolina to the little town of Lund, Sweden. A Drop Of Midnight explores the questions of being a son and being a father, of how one generation wants to escape the same past that the next generation wholeheartedly wants to embrace. Harlem Stage. 212-281-9240 / www.harlemstage. org/events-list/waterworks-drop-ofmidnight-3-31-20 04.16, 8-10 PM Scandia Symphony-Under Northern Lights: 50 of New York’s finest musicians perform Emil Hartmann’s Violin Concerto, Helios Overture and Symphonic Rhapsody

by Carl Nielsen and Midsommervaka (Swedish Rhapsody no. 1 by Hugo Alfven, Dorrit Matson conducting. New York Scandia Symphony at Symphony Space, 212.864.5400 / www.symphonyspace.org Shelter Island Through May 2020 Helena Hernmarck exhibit: Shadow and Light is showing at Shelter Island Historical Society, 631.749.0025 / www. shelterislandhistorical.org

__________________________________

City, State, Zip ______________________________

Augusta’s Daughter

Telephone Number ___________________________ Check enclosed payable to Nordstjernan

Please charge my credit card:

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Mail order form to:

NORDSTJERNAN P.O. Box 1710 New Canaan, CT 06840 or call 1.800.827.9333 Ext. 10

10 NORDSTJERNAN

Ever wonder what made so many emigrate from Sweden in the nineteenth century?

Judit Martin’s novel, “Augusta’s Daughter,” about 19th century Swedish peasant life made such an impression on us, we decided to offer it to the Nordstjernan readership. call 1.800.827.9333 for your own copy ($24.90 incl. S&H to continental U.S.).

Through

NORDSTJERNAN 1.800.827.9333 Ext 10

local events

Easter egg hunts Swedish children don’t have egg hunts or an Easter bunny, but they do receive påskägg (Easter eggs) stuffed with candy.

Swedish America hosts hunts for our children anyway–check your local listings for an Easter egg hunt near you.

North Carolina Charlotte 04.03, 6-8 PM Easter Påskbord: IKEA’s All-you-can-eat buffet includes herring, salmon, assorted cheeses, cucumber salad, dill potato salad, assorted crispbreads, Swedish ham, meatballs with Lingonberry jam, an assortment of desserts and much more. $12.99/adults $2.99/kids. Reserve your ticket(s) now at www.ikea.com/us/en/ stores/charlotte

Oregon Portland 04.05, 7:30 PM The Complete Songs of Edvard Grieg The Human Condition: The final concert of this series brings the artists together in some of Grieg’s most poignant songs to texts by A. O. Vinje and Otto Benzon. $20/members, $25/non-members, $5/ Arts for All. Nordia House, 503.977.0275 / www.nordicnorthwest.org 04.11, 10 AM-2 PM Viking Knit Bracelet: Using sterling silver wire, pliers and wooden dowels, create one of the most ancient and lovely chains dating back to Viking times. Artist Debra Carus teaches ​essential skills: weaving fine wire around a wooden dowel, drawing down the wire to compress it, finishing with end caps and a clasp. Perfect for a bracelet or necklace. Nordia House, 503.977.0275 / www.nordicnorthwest.org

Pennsylvania Philadelphia 04.11, 10:30-11:30 AM

New Nordic Cuisine, Healthy & Nutritious Swedish Food: A talk and food demo with Amy Von Sydow Green. Swedish food is much more than meatballs, potatoes and cinnamon buns (although those are all delicious)! Learn about what a healthy Swedish diet looks like, simple and clean cooking, a balanced way of eating, and seasonal and tasty ingredients. She will demonstrate recipes based on traditional nutritious used in Nordic cooking for generations back with fresh fish, root vegetables, oats, apples, berries and more.

Space is limited, pre-registration required.

American Swedish Historical Museum, 215.389.1776 / www.americanswedish.org

Washington Seattle 04.04, 11 AM-2 PM Cast on and Go! Knitting Acquire the basic skills to begin knitting. Jump into your first knitting project with Sönna Schuttner, learn knitting terminology and put it into practice as you cast on, knit, purl and cast off. No knitting experience required. Cost: $40 for members; $50 general admission.

National Nordic Museum, 206.789.5707 / nordic@nordicmuseum.org / www. nordicmuseum.org 04.09, 6-8 PM Scand30: Wise Words from Past Generations What are the proverbs and wisdom that Nordic and Baltic immigrants have passed on, and what do they tell us about these cultures? Join us for a conversation with Guntis Smidchens, professor of folklore, UW. Scandinavian 30 is a series of free, thirty-minute talks

by Scandinavian Studies and other UW faculty held on the second Thursday of each month at the National Nordic Museum. Grab a drink at our café, Freya, enjoy the evening, and learn about Scandinavia! Free; RSVP appreciated National Nordic Museum, 206.789.5707 / nordic@nordicmuseum.org / www. nordicmuseum.org 04.14, 12-2 PM Soup and Cinema: Love is All You Need Join us for an evening screening of the film: Love is All You Need (Denmark), from Oscar winning director, Susanne Bier. Enjoy hot soup, fresh bread, coffee, and cookies served by our cafe, Freya!

National Nordic Museum, 206.789.5707 / nordic@nordicmuseum.org / www. nordicmuseum.org 04.16, 6-9 PM Folk Costume Fashion Show Join us for an evening of fashion, music, and fun as we explore traditional Nordic folk costumes. Wear your favorite costume, or just admire others’, we hope to see you there! This evening is in conjunction with our temporary exhibit: Gudrun Sjoden: A Colorful Universe’ and in partnership with Skandia Folkdance Society.

National Nordic Museum, 206.789.5707 / nordic@nordicmuseum.org / www. nordicmuseum.org 04.19, 2-4 PM Mostly Nordic Concert Series Norwegian Suites for Strings This unusual string trio - violin, viola, and piano - gives us a chance to hear the beauty and richness of close harmonies inspired by Norway’s landscapes, folk music, and culture.

These masterful and award-winning performers will immerse you in beautiful suites and sonatas by Edvard Grieg, Bjarne Brustad, and Johan Halvorsen, which will be complimented by a world-premiere performance of a brand-new work based on Norwegian musical themes by composer and Norwegian music specialist, Steven Luksan. National Nordic Museum, 206.789.5707 / nordic@nordicmuseum. org / www.nordicmuseum.org

04.23, 6-8 PM Crafts & Cocktails Join us after work for the Nordic’s new “crafting happy hour.”

Recharge from your day and pick up craft supplies for an evening of creativity, inspiration and fun! Craft is co-developed and facilitated by a local artist. 21 and up.

Valid ID required for entry. Ticket includes craft supplies and one drink ticket. $25/ members; $35/general admission.

National Nordic Museum, 206.789.5707 / www.nordicmuseum.org Ongoing Gudrun Sjödén—A Colourful Universe: The technicolored story of Gudrun Sjödén, an inspired, knowledgeable, principled and Swedish creator of fashion for women.

The exhibit traces the trajectory of her life as a fashion designer and entrepreneur, and examines her philosophy, process and practice through watercolors, clothing, textiles and archival materials. Through September 6 at National Nordic Museum, 206.789.5707 / www.nordicmuseum.org

Washington, DC Ongoing Papier: An exhibit by Swedish designers Bea Szenfeld and Stina Wirsén, displays Szenfeld’s handmade paper garments with Wirsén’s expressive fashion drawings as a colorful backdrop—the two artists meet in a mutual affection for the analogue handmade process and for the love of paper. At House of Sweden through June 28, 202.467.2600 / www. szwedenabroad.se/en/embassies/usawashington

Wisconsin Milwaukee Opening soon!

Scandinavian Design and the United St a t e s , 1 8 9 0 – 1 9 8 0 : T h i s m a j o r international exhibition is the first to present the extensive exchange of design ideas between the United States and the Nordic countries between 1890 and 1980. The exhibition complicates existing narratives about American and Nordic design, presenting an understudied chapter in American culture and history.

May 15–September 7, 2020 at Milwaukee Art Museum, www.mam.org

Swedish Holiday Favorites All the Easter candy, decorations and food for a Happy Easter.

349 Main Ave. | Norwalk, CT 06851 | Phone: 203-529-3244 Email: info@scandinavianbutik.com | www.scandinavianbutik.com

We now carry a full line of Swedish specialties

Medwurst (made on site), Kokkorv (made on site), Bond-ost, Prästost, Grevé, Herrgård, Crispbreads, Hafi Preserves, Hafi Lingonberries, Abba, Kalles, Swedish Chocolates, Ekströms and much more ...

One Bourbon Street, Peabody, MA 978-854-6650 www.karlssausage.com

APRIL 01, 2020 11

feature

In Sweden, the big Easter celebration is on Easter eve prior to Easter Sunday. Swedes celebrate “evenings” more often than the actual holidays because in the past, the new day started at 6 p.m. the night before. At Easter, Swedes mainly eat eggs, pickled herring—even a smörgåsbord of sorts—and salmon.

The Swedish Merchants Organization asked Swedes in 2019 what was most important to have on the Easter table (three options could be chosen).

Here is how they ranked in popularity: Eggs: 52 percent Herring: 30 percent Salmon: 18 percent Meatballs: 17 percent Jansson’s temptation: 17 percent Prinskorv (cocktail sausage): 8 percent Lamb: 8 percent If you compare Easter food with Christmas food, there are clear similarities. Herring, salmon, meatballs, Jansson’s temptation and prinskorv are all common elements on Christmas and Easter tables.

Eating eggs for Easter is an old Catholic tradition.

The chickens started to lay eggs in the spring, but since meat and eggs were not allowed during fasting, all eggs were saved for Easter. Even today, the egg is the most important symbol of the feast. During Easter week, Swedes buy about 50 million eggs, according to the trade organization Svenska Ägg (around 30,000 are consumed in an ordinary week).

During Holy Week, many people in Sweden leave their jobs early on Wednesday or Thursday or take off that entire week before Easter. Here’s a comprehensive list of the traditional days of the Swedish Easter almanac: Palmsöndag. Palm Sunday opens Holy Week in memory of Christ’s entrance to Jerusalem on a donkey and people laid palm leaves on the ground.

Svarta måndag. In the old days this day was called Black Monday because it was the day when chimneys were swept.

Vita tisdag. Tuesday was called White Tuesday because the chimneys had been cleaned and were nice and white.

Dymmelonsdag. Exactly why it is called “dymmel” and what a “dymmel” is remains unclear. But on the Wednesday of Holy Week everybody had to be quiet to observe Easter, and a little wooden clapper was put on all the bells of the churches. Such a thing is called a “dymbil” and perhaps that’s why it is called “dymmelonsdag.”

Skärtorsdag. Maundy Thursday in Swedish is called “Skärtorsdag” but has nothing to do with the Swedish color for pink (skär). In this case “skär” is an old word for cleansing as Jesus washed the feet of his apostles. Skärtorsdagen is also the day of the Last Supper. It was considered a dangerous day to be outdoors because the old spirits had been let loose (when Judas betrayed Jesus).

Långfredag. Good Friday was the day Jesus was crucified. As you can hear in the Swedish word for the day, it was a long (lång) and painful day. In remembrance of Jesus, fasting was especially important this day, and it has been a holiday in Sweden since the 17th century. Until 1969, public entertainment was prohibited on this day in Sweden. Everything was closed, including movie theaters and restaurants.

Påskafton. In Sweden “påskafton” is the Christmas Eve of Easter, a day for feasting and eating.

Påskdagen. Church bells chime again on “påskdagen” and the organs in the church play. An old tradition was to go out early on Easter Sunday and watch the sun dance, which, people believed, it did out of happiness that Christ was resurrected.

Annandag Påsk. The day after Easter Sunday and traditionally a non-religious holiday in Sweden, which up until the 19th century stretched into the entire week after Easter.

Cold poached salmon for Easter One dish you will find on many a table in Sweden at Easter is cold poached salmon—a favorite treat any Sunday of the spring. Light, fresh and delicious, here it’s served with herb garden sauce, dill, lemon, boiled potatoes and asparagus.

Cold Poached Salmon Serves 6 Ingredients 2-1/2 pounds salmon filets with skin Marinade: 3 quarts water 1/2 cup white wine vinegar 2 tablespoons salt 5 white pepper corns 2 bay leaves 1 small onion 1 carrot 1/2 leek Instructions Clean the salmon filets and remove any remaining bones with tweezers. Cut them into six equally large pieces and place them in a baking dish or pan with high edges, about 1/2 inch apart. Sprinkle a little salt on the filets.

Clean and cut the vegetables into slices. Place all marinade ingredients in a saucepan and boil for 10 minutes. Pour the boiling marinade over the salmon, covering the fish under at least 1/2 inch.

12 NORDSTJERNAN

Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or wax paper and let it stand to cool slowly.

Herb Garden Sauce 4 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill 2 teaspoons dried or fresh tarragon 2 teaspoons dried or fresh chervil 1/2 cup heavy cream salt and white pepper

Mix the mayonnaise with the herbs. Whip the cream, carefully fold the mayo mix into the heavy cream, add salt and white pepper. The sauce needs to sit in the fridge for at least an hour to bring out all the flavors.

Garnish the salmon with dill and lemon slices, serve with freshly boiled potatoes, Herb Garden Sauce and asparagus.

Easter mango mousse cake For dessert after an Easter smörgåsbord, Sunday lunch or dinner of lamb or fish, you need something on the lighter side. Here’s a variation on Gunilla Blixt’s gluten-free mango mousse cake—not a quick fix but always fresh, light and delicious to balance off a heavy meal.

Ingredients 7 oz. (200 grams) almond paste 2 egg whites 1/2 cup almond flower 2 gelatin sheets (or 1-1/2 tsp gelatin powder) 1 ripe mango 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 7 oz. heavy whipping cream Instructions Almond cake - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with a greased and floured baking paper (use almond flour if you want the cake to be gluten free). Beat two egg whites.

Mix the finely grated almond paste with almond flour and carefully fold the beaten egg whites into the almond mix. Pour the mix into the springform and make sure it is evenly distributed. Bake for 10-15 minutes. When the cake has completely cooled, remove it from the springform, clean the pan, remove the baking paper and put the cake back into the pan.

Mango Mousse - Remove skin and pit from the mango, chop to pieces. Blend the mango pieces to a puree in a food processer or a mixer, stir in the lemon juice and confectioners sugar. If you are using gelatin powder, dissolve it in a cup with water and let it stand until it solidifies (around 5 minutes), put in the microwave for 30 second until it returns to a liquid state. If you are using gelatin sheets, let it soak in water for 5 minutes.

Without squeezing out the water, place the sheets in a small saucepan and carefully heat it on low to a liquid state. Remove from heat. Stir in a couple tablespoons of the mango puree. Fold the gelatin in the mango puree.

Add the heavy whipping cream to a mixer, whip until soft peaks forms. Add the mango mixture with the whipping cream and stir well with a spoon. Distribute over the almond cake and gently shake the pan until you have a smooth surface. Cover with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated for at least 6 hours. You can easily make this cake one or two days in advance.

found the eggs along with gelatin sheets at Scandinavian Butik, www. scandinavianbutik.com. Get creative and have fun making a springy Easter cake using edible flowers, marzipan chickens, candy ... chocolate makes a great compliment to the subtle mango flavor and the almond.

Our cake was decorated with a bird’s nest made of chocolate and marzipan eggs. We APRIL 01, 2020 13

feature

With a combined population of less than 25 million, the Scandinavian countries have had a remarkable influence on the rest of the world.

Products which have their origins at the top of Europe appeal to people who seek not only Scandinavian form but a new way of life; comfortable living, functionality and relative safety without compromising upon beauty and style.

14 NORDSTJERNAN

100 years of Nordic design A new exhibition at Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Milwaukee Art Museum examines modern design exchanges between Scandinavia and the United States.

Scandinavian Design and the United States, 1890–1980 is the first major international traveling exhibition of its kind. The exhibition will be on view at the Milwaukee Art Museum from May 15 to September 7, 2020. It will go on to LACMA from November 8, 2020 to February 15, 2021, and will be presented at the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm, Sweden and the Nasjonalmuseet in Oslo, Norway in 2021-22.

Design without boundaries

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and the Milwaukee Art Museum (MAM) have jointly announced the first exhibition exploring the myriad design exchanges between the United States and the Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

Scandinavian Design and the United States, 1890–1980 will examine Nordic design’s lasting impact on American culture and material life, as well as the United States’ influence on Scandinavian design. Co-curated by Bobbye Tigerman, Marilyn B. and Calvin B. Gross, curators Decorative Arts and Design at LACMA, and Monica Obniski, curator 20th- and 21st-Century Design at MAM, the exhibition will feature rich and varied accounts of immigrant Scandinavian designers who settled in the United States, Americans who studied or taught in the Nordic countries, the uses of design as a diplomatic tool, the extensive campaigns to market and export Scandinavian design to Americans, and the ways design has been used to motivate social change. The exhibition will show how major themes such as concerns about environmental sustainability and accessibility, the contributions of immigrants to their adopted societies, and critical analysis of advertisements and marketing remain relevant topics of contemporary discourse.

cessible and sustainable design movements in the 1960s and 70s charted a new course for designers in both the United States and the Nordic countries.”

Tigerman explains: “This exhibition seeks to correct the prevailing narrative of American design history, which neglects the long, extensive influence of Scandinavian design in the United States.” The canonical history has largely centered on central Europeans who immigrated to the United States in the 1930s and became leaders at architecture and design schools across the country (examples include Walter Gropius, Marcel Breuer, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Josef Albers).

“This narrative has obscured, for example, the critical role played by Cranbrook Academy of Art—specifically through Finnish American architect Eliel Saarinen and a dynamic group of Scandinavian instructors—in shaping an exceedingly influential generation of American designers, which included Charles and Ray Eames, Eero Saarinen and Florence Knoll,” continues Tigerman. “The exhibition explores how Scandinavian design became an integral part of what we now think of as ‘American design.’”

Scandinavian Design and the United States will feature more than 180 objects, including furniture, jewelry, glass, metalwork, textiles, architectural drawings and product designs, and will be organized into six thematic sections: Migration and Heritage, Selling the Scandinavian Dream, Design for Diplomacy, Teachers and Students, Travel Abroad, and Design for Social Change.

Dala horses have been manufactured since the 17th century, but were largely unknown outside Dalarna until the end of the 1930s. The World exhibition in New York 1939 became a breakthrough for the horse as a Swedish national symbol as an over 9 feet tall horse was placed outside Sweden’s pavilion.

A richly illustrated, 336-page catalogue conceived and edited by the co-curators and distributed by DelMonico Books/Prestel will include essays by 18 international scholars. Written to appeal to both specialist and general-interest readers, it will feature both in-depth essays and short entries on objects or individuals with untold stories. With its combination of new research and extensive illustrations, it is certain to become the standard reference on the subject and a beautiful object in its own right.

For more info, see www.mam.org or www. lacma.org

One hundred years of interaction

“This highly collaborative project is the first to weave together nearly 100 years of cultural interactions between these two regions,” says Obniski.

“The exhibition narrative begins with the arrival of Nordic immigrants in the United States in the 19th century and the importation of Scandinavian luxury goods. It traces the burgeoning interest in Scandinavian design in the post-World War II era, and ends by showing how the emergence of the ac-

Part of the exhibition: Tapestry by Swedish born, U.S. based Helena Hernmarck, Bay Street, 1970. Wool, linen, cotton, 49 x 72 in. In the permamnent collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. APRIL 01, 2020 15

feature

the art of form and function

Bruno Mathsson, ca 1950 and right, “Gräshoppan,” the Grassshopper, too ugly for the reception at the hospital in Värnamo at the time of its introduction in 1931 ...

When one of Bruno Mathsson’s early chairs was put in the reception area of a Swedish hospital, people thought it was so ugly that it was relegated to the attic.

That very same chair—Gräshoppan, or the Grasshopper, you see above right—is now seen as a classic from one of the world’s foremost furniture designers.

(It did come down from the attic after successes at the Paris Expo and the Golden Gate exhibition in San Francisco in the late 1930s.)

The term “form and function” could have almost been coined to describe Mathsson’s designs.

Simple in concept but also elegant and practical, the furniture Mathsson designed in the 1930s and 40s still looks fresh and modern today. The respect

in which he was and still is held within the art and wider world is evident from the list of venues that have displayed his work: from the Museum of Modern Art in New York when it opened in 1939, to Yokohama Library in Japan and the head office of SAS in Stockholm today.

With a father who was a fourth-generation master woodworker and carpenter, Mathsson’s vocation was perhaps preordained. But after learning the woodworker’s craft in his home town of Värnamo, Sweden, he soon developed a fascination with the possibilities by using new wood technology in making furniture. Mathsson immersed himself in design literature from the

Signature Scandinavian folk art in NY Early 17th to 18th century Swedish kurbits (gourd) decorations reflect symbols of hardy vegetables, sometimes of Biblical legend, including flowering pumpkins and squash. Rosemaling (flower painting) was also popular in agrarian southern Norway during the 1700s to the late 1800s. In central Sweden it developed around Lake Siljan in Dalarna. Traditional colors came from local raw materials. For example, rust red, also called Falu-red came as a by-product of copper mining in Falun, Sweden.

Linseed oil from flax, a popular herb found in southern Scandinavia, mixed with a variety of natural pigments created a paint that would not trap moisture causing flaking and decay.

“It was in my fingers!” Ellen Fjermedal explained.

Ellen, a demure but determined and spry elder, started drawing when she was a child in Arendal, on the south coast of Norway. Now living in Victor, New York, Ellen has a studio and display area at home where she paints rosemaling (Norwegian) or kurbits (Swedish) decorations. “The Swedish curves are bolder than the Norwegian, sometimes with animals,” she explained, “and I am self taught.

Sometimes I see fjords, valleys and water in what I paint. Other times vintage flowers.”

Ellen noticed a unique visual comparison between centuries-old Norwegian rosemaling 16 NORDSTJERNAN

Röhsska Arts and Craft Museum in Gothenburg, and emerged as one of the most celebrated interpreters of the functionalistic school of ideas ... and possibly one of the greatest ever designers in the world.

Many of Mathsson’s pieces are based on the bentwood technique for making furniture frames, and he used cherry, curly birch, beech, oak and ash, with linen webbing. The influence of his design greatness can be seen today in the bestselling armchair of that other great Swedish furniture institution, IKEA. Later in his career, Mathsson turned his eye to other projects, including his celebrated glass houses and furniture made of tubular steel, and at age 80 he developed a line of computer furniture with his signature style.

Mathsson, who died in 1998, was known as a great internationalist and he travelled widely. On the 1940 trip he made to New York, he met with and was inspired by many of the leading lights of American architecture and design, including Walter Gropius, Hans Knoll and Frank Lloyd Wright. He formed close links with Japan in the 1970s where Mathsson furniture is still produced and sold.

Mathsson was showered with honors around the world, but it is said the event which meant most to him was the front page headline of the New York Times when he returned to MoMA for a show in the 1970s. “Bruno is back” it read. America was now on a first-name basis with the woodworker from Värnamo.

For more info, see www.mathsson.se

designs, antique southwestern Mexican furniture designs and then more contemporary chip carving done by her late husband, Syvert. While separated by time and miles, the various naive patterns are all remarkably similar with distinctive flourishes, scrolls and s-curves, done more often by itinerant craftsmen and furniture makers. Beyond just function, the designs show a cross-over of decorative desire using indigenous materials, also called folk art. These are contemporary elements combined with traditional needs for embellishment and character.

Using strictly oil paints, traditional colors and then a varnish finish, Ellen paints delicate asymmetrical roses, petals and scrolls that decorate functional items, including wood and tin plates, shelves, cradles, wooden shoes and a Continues on next page Left: Fjermedal showing some of her work in Victor, NY.

Continued from previous page wide variety of boxes, other furniture and ornaments. “My ancestors introduced rosemaling as a way to decorate walls, ceilings and handmade furniture.”

Ellen has perfected a most characteristic painting technique of dual complimentary colors on the brush at the same time. Close inspection of her

most delicate work reveals no brush overs, and instinctive but calculated single floral strokes and curves where two to three colors interact.

As an artist Ellen is very prolific. She had a successful fine arts career in New York City, eventually moving to Victor to be closer to family.

Her home is very carefully utilized to show her fine art paintings from the American southwest, New York City, and her Norwegian home, as well as a steady group of rosemaling/kurbits items.

She shows her work at Scandinavian holiday events in Jamestown and Rochester, New York, and the Vasa Scandinavian Festival, Budd Lake, New Jersey.

Nils R. Caspersson

Traditional Scandinavian

Unique Gifts & Crafts “Little Sweden USA” Lindsborg, KS www.hemslojd.com 800.779.3344 Call for free catalog!

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news in brief

PROUDLY SWEDISH For more than 150 years, we’ve proudly crafted our snus in Sweden — the birthplace of snus — and we don’t intend on changing that anytime soon.

Because if it’s not from Sweden, it’s not snus.

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Learn more at GeneralSnus.com.

WARNING: Smokeless tobacco is addictive.

18 NORDSTJERNAN

DID YOU KNOW? Holding on to tradition. Swedish furniture designer, architect and educator Carl Malmsten (18881972), although a mere 20 years his senior, was in many ways the opposite of Bruno Mathsson (p16). Malmsten was known for his devotion to traditional Swedish craftsmanship (slöjd) and his strong opposition to functionalism. Malmsten considered “the rationalization of the home according to functionalist principles a debasement of its traditional role as an intimate place for gathering and repose.” His career took off after he was commissioned to furnish Stockholm City Hall (Stadshuset) in 1917. Carl Malmsten design, 1915 Malmsten has had a lasting influence on Swedish furniture design through the two schools he founded—the Carl Malmsten Furniture School (Carl Malmstensskolan) in Stockholm and Capellagården on Öland. For more info, see www.capellagarden.se, www.malmsten.se, and next time you’re in Stockholm, visit the Malmstensbutiken store on Strandvägen.

Collecting for Linné. Carl von Linné sent his disciples to all corners of the world to collect specimens and report their observations: To name but a few, Anders Sparrman and Carl Peter Thunberg traveled to China; Sparrman and David Solander participated in James Cook’s round-the-world expedition and Pehr Kalm (1716-1779) traveled to North America. After arriving in Philadelphia in 1748, Kalm was to spend several years traveling in the U.S. and Canada. His description of the wonders of Niagara Falls became the first published description of the area in English, incidentally published by Benjamin Franklin whose career began as a book publisher in the city of brotherly love.

Kalm returned to Sweden in 1751, carrying several seeds from the continent of which only the so-called false Virginia creeper (vildvin) started growing naturally in Sweden. Linné named a genus of about 10 species of evergreen shrubs, native to North America, “Kalmia,” after his disciple.

Saving lives, making lives better. In the early 1960s, Swedish pharmaceutical companies began working with research projects based on receptor mechanisms. These projects led to some important drugs known as beta-blockers, which are used in treating asthma, cardiovascular diseases and various other conditions. This group of products includes Aptin®, a medicine for treating angina pectoris and heart arrhythmia and Bricanyl® (1966), an anti-asthma agent without unwanted side effects on the heart, often used as an inhaler.

language & culture

Lesson 8 Vanliga verb (common/regular verbs - Grupp A/Group A) Swedish demonstrates shortcuts, mainly based on the influences of Latin and Greek—languages that are the foundation of English, Swedish and the Germanic languages. The lessons will include crosswords, fill-in sections, personal questions, Odd Man Out, word groups (like family, colors, animals), jokes, silly translations, short texts in Swedish, all in a kind of Swedish atmosphere. By partaking in Discover Swedish you will no doubt get a grip on Swedish and you may even learn a lot about svenska (the language) och svenskarna (the people of Sweden).

Discover Swedish is not a regular language course.

Teachers and other professionals in the language field may object to the fact that it leaves out bits and pieces, and simplifies language learning. That is a calculated move: These lessons are for regular readers, maybe even beginners, trying to get a grip on another language.

Subscribers eager to look back at earlier lessons, numbers 1-7, please check our online digital content in issues 16-18, 2019 and 01-04, 2020: www.nordstjernan.com/digital_issues Discover Swedish concentrates on grammar, hopefully in a playful way, but serious at the same time. The playfulness is illustrated in the examples and exercises. It aims at pointing out similarities but also differences between the two languages.

Apart from grammar and the overall structure of Swedish, these lessons also teach how to use your own experience with vocabulary. Discover

Christer Amnéus

Verbs in Group A in Swedish end with -ar in the present time: pratar, fixar, skickar / speak, fix, send

Presens/in the Present (I listen to music on Spotify.)

Ordlista i slutet av varje övning/Vocabulary at the end of each exercise Sammanfattning/Conclusion: Verbs (eat, play, sit and work, which means something you do) have different endings in Swedish. I play = jag spelar. I eat = jag äter and I see = jag ser In this lesson we have concentrated on the ending –ar, as in älskar, pratar, arbetar, badar etc.

More will follow in later lessons. Rest assured.

Silly translation: “Hit you down and take for you of the cakes.”

Fler övningar / More exercises on page 21.

1. Spanska äpplen/Spanish apples:

-ar: lova, lyssna, titta, festa.

Rätt (R) eller fel (F)/Right (R) or wrong (F)?

Jag spelar fotboll.

I play football.

Spelar du tennis?

Do you play tennis?

Pratar han engelska?

Does he speak English?

Ja, han pratar engelska. Yes, he speaks English.

Hon älskar bananer.

She loves bananas.

De älskar pasta.

They love pasta.

Jag spelar hockey.

R F

Jag tittar på tv varje kväll

R F

Min familj pratar spanska.

Alla i New York City älskar äpplen.

Jag älskar min familj.

Vi badar i Atlanten i december.

Jag vilar på eftermiddagen.

Augusta’s Daughter Ever wonder what made so many emigrate from Sweden in the nineteenth century?

Judit Martin’s novel, “Augusta’s Daughter,” about 19th century Swedish peasant life made such an impression on us, we decided to offer it to the Nordstjernan readership. call 1.800.827.9333 for your own copy ($24.90 incl. S&H to cont. U.S.).

The sequel,

Kajsa

was just released. The story of 15-year-old Elsa-Carolina’s illegitimate daughter Kajsa,who was cast out into the world from a foster home at the age of 8.

R F R F R F R F R F

Ordförråd/Vocabulary min: my / spanska: Spanish / titta på: watch / varje kväll: every night/evening / äpple: apple / bada: swim/bathe / vila: take a rest / eftermiddag: afternoon

Continues on page 21

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APRIL 01, 2020 19

local events

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katrin, almost american

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A novel by Lilly Setterdahl

Mail order form to: NORDSTJERNAN P.O. Box 1710, New Canaan CT 06840 or call 1.800.827.9333 ext. 10

language & culture 2. Zlatan i Kalifornien (As earlier reported, he’s now back in Milan). Välj/Choose: A. Zlatan 1 spelar tennis.

B. I Mexico 1 pratar man svenska.

C. I Kalifornien 1 badar man i Atlanten.

X spelar fotboll.

X pratar man ryska.

X badar man i Lake Michigan.

2

2

2

spelar basket.

pratar man spanska.

badar man i Stilla havet.

D. Kor 1 älskar gräs

E. Jag 1 tittar på radion.

F. Vi 1 vilar i hammocken.

X älskar pasta.

X tittar på tv.

X vilar i krokodilvattnet.

2

2

2

älskar fisk.

tittar på lukten.

vilar i tornadon.

Ordförråd/Vocabulary ryska: Russian / Stilla havet: the Pacific Ocean gräs: grass / fisk: fish / lukten: the smell / vilar: rest / vattnet: the water 3. Vem är jag? / Who am I? Stryk under de aktiviteter som stämmer för dig/Underline the activities that match you: jag badar i juli, jag tittar på sport, jag vilar på eftermiddagen, jag bakar bröd, jag älskar Texas, jag röstar på Demokraterna, jag arbetar hårt, jag vaknar klockan 6 Ordförråd/Vocabulary hata: “hate” in this example dislike / bröd: bread / rösta på: vote for / arbeta hårt: work hard / vakna: wake up 4. Testing, löpande text / Running text Lennart Svensson älskar sin familj. Han pratar alltid om sin fru och sina barn. Han arbetar

inom IT, där han utvecklar mjukvara. På semestern badar han en vecka i Spanien eller

Grekland. Han tittar på sport på tv, särskilt ishockey och fotboll. Lennart älskar pizza och sushi och lagar ofta mat.

Ordförråd/Vocabulary alltid: always / inom: in/within / där: where / utveckla: develop / mjukvara: software / på semestern: on (his) vacation / Grekland: Greece / särskilt: particularly / laga mat: cook / ofta: often

A new book by Lilly Setterdahl

The passengers dress in period clothing, dance, flirt and fall in love on the maiden voyage of the newly-built Titanic Princess sailing from Jiangsu, China to Dubai, United Arab Emirates in 2018. But will the ship reach Southampton, England and New York without serious threats?

True to her tradition, the author creates Scandinavian characters and fits them into the story. Whether or not you are a Titanic fan, you will love reading about the surprise onboard meeting of the grandsons of two Titanic survivors, the lady’s maid Anna and her rescuer, Roberto, both featured in Setterdahl’s previous Titanic novels.

KEY

KEY 2. Zlatan i Kalifornien.

A:X, B:2, C:2, D:1, E:X, F:1 KEY 4. Löpande text / running text Lennart Svensson loves his family. He always talks about his wife and children. He works in IT, where he develops software. On his vacation he swims/goes swimming for a week in Spain or Greece. He watches sport on TV, especially ice hockey and football. Lennart loves pizza and sushi and he cooks as often as he can.

KEY for silly translation: “Hit you down and take for you of the cakes” would be a direct translation of the common expression“Slå dig ner och ta för dig av kakorna.” In other words: “Have a seat and try some of the cookies.” (kaka is cookie and tårta is cake)

jag pratar mycket, jag spelar badminton, jag älskar pizza, jag hatar fisk, jag pratar spanska,

Titanic Sailing Again

Continued from page 19

Välkommen till nästa övning. Welcome to the next exercise, a continuation of common/regular verbs in issue 06, 2020.

Easter in Swedish?

The word for Easter in Swedish, “Påsk,” comes from the Greek word “paska” and the Medieval Latin “pascha,” words which in turn come from the Hebrew “pesach.” A similar word exists in Old Swedish: “Paskar.” “Pesach” is Passover, the Jewish holiday commemorating the Exodus. Easter in English (as well as “Ostern” in German) has a completely different origin than “Påsk,” it is thought to stem from an Old Germanic word which means “shed light.”

Some experts think this might have been a name of a goddess who was celebrated at the vernal equinox, although this is not certain.

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APRIL 01, 2020 21

news in brief

Swedish News Corona virus in Sweden

By mid-March Sweden had close to 800 cases of corona virus and one death. Routines at the country’s elderly homes have been tightened and visits banned at hospitals and care centers because of the virus.

Many people returning from affected risk areas are self-quarantining for 14 days to reduce the risk of spreading infection. Several planned concerts and other events around the country were canceled or postponed, but the government chose not to close all the country’s schools. However, each individual school can decide on a closure. By mid-March, the Public Health Authority had not decided to ask for a government ban of larger public gatherings.

More parenting days for fathers

Fathers are taking more parents’ days than in previous years after a reform in 2014, according to the Swedish Social Insurance Inspection (ISF). The reform was aimed at getting parents to spend more days when their child is younger, and to make the withdrawal more equal. Mothers still take more days off, but the increase is greater among fathers, who after the reform took an average of 11 more days with children up to age 4. In total in 2019, fathers took 30 percent of their parents’ days, compared with 16 percent in 2005.

Nuclear preparedness lacking

An audit has shown the preparedness for dealing with an accident at a Swedish nuclear power plant is lacking on several points. The government now admits there are shortcomings, and the procedures must be reviewed. The National Audit Office’s report came last fall. Among other things, the division of responsibilities between different authorities is seen as unclear.

EU adopts historic climate law

On March 4, the European Commission adopted a climate law that will lead to zero emissions within 30 years. The new Climate Act will now be addressed by both the European Parliament and the member states of the Council of Ministers. The goal is set for the entire EU, rather than the member states individually, to give the most polluted countries more time. Some environmental politicians and organizations have criticized the law for being insufficient and are calling for earlier measures.

Less leniency for young criminals

The government is proposing a restriction on the lenience on penalty for young criminals. This applies to all crimes that have a minimum penalty of one year in prison, such as robbery and brutal assault, according to Swedish radio. The penalty lenience allows people between the ages of 18 and 21 who commit crimes to receive a milder penalty. M, KD and SD want to remove it completely, while S, MP, C and L want to limit it to more serious crimes. V wants to keep the penalty discount as it is.

22 NORDSTJERNAN

Fear of climate in the Viking age The Vikings erected a runestone out of fear of a climate catastrophe. Several passages on the Rök stone—the world’s most famous Viking Age runic monument—suggest the inscription is about battles, and for over 100 years researchers have been trying to connect the inscription with heroic deeds in war.

Now, thanks to an interdisciplinary research project, a new interpretation of the inscription is being presented. The study shows the inscription deals with an entirely different kind of battle: the conflict between light and darkness, warmth and cold, life and death.

The Rök runestone, erected in Östergötland around 800 CE, is the world’s most famous runestone from the Viking Age, but it has also proven to be one of the most difficult to interpret. This new interpretation is based on a collaboration between researchers from several disciplines and universities.

“The key to unlocking the inscription was the interdisciplinary approach. Without these collaborations between textual analysis, archaeology, history of religions and runology, it would have been impossible to solve the riddles of the Rök runestone,” says Per Holmberg, professor in Swedish at the University of Gothenburg, who led the study.

Fear of another Fimbulwinter

The study is based on new archaeological research describing how badly Scandinavia suffered from a previous climate catastrophe with lower average temperatures, crop failures, hunger and mass extinctions. Bo Gräslund, professor in archaeology at Uppsala University, points to several reasons people may have feared a new catastrophe of this kind: “Before the Rök runestone was erected, a number of events occurred which must have seemed extremely ominous: a powerful solar storm colored the sky in dramatic shades of red, crop yields suffered from an extremely cold summer, and later a solar eclipse occurred just after sunrise. Even one of these events would have been enough to raise fears of another Fimbulwinter,” says Bo Gräslund.

Nine riddles

According to the researchers’ new interpretation now being published, the inscription consists of nine riddles. The answer to five of these riddles is “the Sun.” One is a riddle asking who was dead

Fliers at the Turkish-Greek border

The leader of the Sweden Democrats, Jimmie Åkesson, traveled to the border of Turkey and Greece where he handed out fliers saying Sweden cannot accept more asylum seekers. “Sweden is full” appears in English, and the message is signed with “The Swedish people and the Sweden Democrats,” according to Swedish media.

“There is no capacity in Sweden to receive more,” Åkesson said. “There are no homes. We try to

The Rök runestone features the longest known runic inscription in stone.

but now lives again. The remaining four riddles are about Odin and his warriors.

Olof Sundqvist, professor in History of Religions at Stockholm University, explains the connection: “The powerful elite of the Viking Age saw themselves as guarantors for good harvests. They were the leaders of the cult that held together the fragile balance between light and darkness. And finally at Ragnarök, they would fight alongside Odin in the final battle for the light.”

According to the researchers, several points in the inscription have clear parallels with other Old Norse texts that no one has previously noted. “For me, it’s been almost like discovering a new literary source from the Viking Age. Sweden’s answer to the Icelandic Poetic Edda!” says Henrik Williams, professor in Scandinavian languages with a specialty in runology at Uppsala University.

make them not want to go to Sweden.” The party leader was criticized as rogue by the government, and the measure also received criticism from some among the public. Several police reports against him were filed in Stockholm.

Jimmie Åkesson, SD

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Swedish design with a green soul

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