Swedish Press Apr 2019 Vol 90:03

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Swedish Press N Y A

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Halmstad: The City with

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April 2019 Vol 90:03 $5.95

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Sven Nordqvist’s Pettson and Findus Halmstadgruppen Olympics 2026

You can thank us later.

destinationhalmstad.com

Swedish Press is the world’s leading magazine on all good things Swedish.

An authority on design, business, culture and travel since 1929, Swedish Press delivers insightful news and commentary in a visually striking format. With a nod to the past, and a peek to the future, Swedish Press is your go-to source for updates and inspiration from Sweden.

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4 Letters to the Editor

5 From the Editor’s Desk Swedish Headlines 6 Headline News 7 Swedes in the News 8 Landskapsnyheterna Business 9 Business News 10 Company File: Acconeer AB Heritage 11 Halmstad – A Surprise for Visitors in Search of Something Different Feature 12 Halmstad – The City with Three

Hearts

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22 Books: ABBA – The Complete Recording Sessions Road to 2045 23 Sweden Applies for the First Ever Climate-Positive Winter Olympics

Hemma Hos 24 Design: Innovation Flows at Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair 2019 25 Treats à la Eric & Anastasia Swedish Press Connects 26 SCA – Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg’s Legacy Lives On In the Loop 27 Canada, US & Beyond 28 Calendar and Events

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CONTENTS ( April 2019 )

ADVISORY COMMITTEE Björn Bayley, Peter Ladner, Brian Antonson, Christer Garell, Anders & Hamida Neumuller

ADVERTISING visit www.swedishpress.com/advertise-us for advertising rates. Call +1 360 450 5858 or +46 725 607800.

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Swedish Press

29 Ads and Info Lifeguards keep watch at the Tylösand beach.

Photo: Lisa Andersson/Destination Halmstad

Interview 14 Sven Nordqvist – En författare med rötter i Halmstad Global Swedes 16 Gina Lindberg, Head of Foreign News at Ekot, Swedish Radio

Heritage 18 Committing Dreams to Canvas Lifestyle 20 Top Sju 21 Books: By the Fire

30 Sista Ordet Minnesotans Travel to Uppsala to Visit Sister City Cover images: (1) Surrealistic painting

by Esaias Thorén, (1) member of the Halmstad(3) (4) gruppen. (2) Campaign picture of Halmstad.

Photo: Patrik Leonardsson (3) Mjellby Konst(5) museum. Photo: Halmstad.se (4) Public library and art exhibition hall by the river Nissan. Photo: Sophie McAulay (5) Beach in Tylösand. Photo: Patrik Leonardsson – Destination Halmstad | Images above: “CORK” lamp by Digitalab. © Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair | “Convex”sound absorbers by Nordgröna. Photo © Nordgröna

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Letters to the Editor Enjoy reading Swedish Press? Email us your pictures along with your name and comments to info@swedishpress.com and we’ll be happy to publish them.

Dear Peter, Thank you for the copy of Swedish Press. It is a lovely publication, both to hold and to read. That there is online translation really helps those of us who left Sweden 30 years ago!

Jill and Bill Roberts Sidney, British Columbia Hi Joan, Swedish Press Magazine holds a special place in my heart, since I was happy to support Anders Neumuller, a wonderful individual whose outlook in life and reporting style was always genuiene and refreshing.

I congratuate you and your husband, Claes, on the tremendous team effort it takes to turn out a quality magazine and securing the ongoing necessary funding to keep the fires burning.

As mentioned, I have completed filming my first feature film, “A New Christmas”, to be released in the fall of 2019.

This story is about two immgrants whose paths cross during Christmas

in present day New York. Sometimes it takes a stranger to show the magic of Christmas. My Best, Vivienne Kjono Lincoln, California Dear Peter, It was a busy week here... the complimentary Swedish Press came already, and I meant to thank you right away. I think the ‘Treats’ page looks very nice, and I know that Joan was the one setting it up, so I will write to her, as well, since I have her email.

I am so incredible impressed by the work you do to be able to present such interesting material, not to speak of the many people you interview in different fields, who work for SwedishNorth American interests. Your own writing pops up in many of the pages, and it is very clear that you keep yourself abreast with everything Swedish... it takes a lot of time and effort. I want to, like many others before me, really thank you for that passion and work that it takes to give us Swedes, and others, in North America such a wonderful and interesting publication each and every month.

Hoping you and Shirley had some relaxing times in sunshine with many margaritas down in Mexico. Greetings

to you both, and many thanks for inviting me to be a small part of the Swedish Press for the month of March.

All the best, Eva Svensson Victoria, British Columbia Dear Joan, I want to thank you for presenting my ‘Treats’ so well for the March issue. It was, indeed, not easy to be as brief as I needed to be, but that probably happens every month, as we all have long life stories. You do an absolutely beautiful job setting up the pages in the magazine.

Thank you for the complimentary copy. I have tried to forward it to my sister in Sweden, whose recipe I included... I think it went.

All the best with thanks, Eva Svensson Victoria, British Columbia Whether your Swedish is fluent or rusty, we hone your language skills by publishing some articles in Swedish. But never despair: you will find English translations online thanks to our valiant team of volunteer translators. Simply go to http://biolson. atspace.cc/swemail/ and you will find translations of all Swedish articles going as far back as to August 2007.

airbags • seatbelts • steering wheels • autoliv.com Half Page Ad v4.indd 1

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from the Editor’s Desk

City Highlight: Halmstad-by-the-Sea We need your support!

Swedish Press strives to create a high quality magazine for you, but the costs are considerable and ever-increasing.

Please consider making a generous donation to help keep your publication, and Swedish heritage, alive. You’ll find a form on page 29. Tack!

Scan this code and discover Swedish Press in other media platforms.

I

n past issues of Swedish Press we have featured North American cities with a strong Swedish cultural and business presence. Now the time has come to turn the limelight on noteworthy cities in Sweden itself. There is no lack of suitable candidates: the beautiful capital Stockholm is an obvious example, as is the bustling seaport of Göteborg – not to mention the mining and space exploration town of Kiruna which is being moved down the road from its present location. And that is just scratching the surface (no pun intended). For our April issue we have chosen a less obvious target, namely the city of Halmstad in the southwestern province of Halland.

The province belonged to Denmark until 1645, and the Danish influence can still be seen in the architecture of central Halmstad. Nowadays the city holds a treasure trove of fine art, including Carl Milles’ fountain Europe and the Bull, of which replicas can be found in Michigan and Tennessee. Equally noteworthy are the mind-bending surrealist paintings by the renowned Halmstadgruppen – a group of six artists who worked together for 50 years from 1929 onwards (page 18). Then there is present-day Halmstad with its vibrant industry, commerce, culture and tourism, as portrayed in our exclusive interview with Karin Olofsdotter, Sweden’s Ambassador to the United States who grew up in Halmstad (page 11).

Another distinguished Swede with roots in Halmstad is author and illustrator Sven Nordqvist. In an interview with Swedish Press he describes the origins of his fairy-tale character Pettson and the latter’s mischievous cat Findus. Nordqvist’s books have been translated into 45 languages (page 14).

Our regular contributors have been busy as usual. In her Feature Story, Lara Andersson provides a historical perspective on Halmstad’s evolution (page 12), while Sofie Kinnefors’ interview with Halmstad-born veteran journalist Ginna Lindberg appears in Global Swedes (page 16). Kristi Robinson takes a detour to Stockholm to report on this year’s Furniture & Light Fair in the Hemma Hos section (page 24).

Even though our focus is on Halmstad, we could not resist including Sarah Johnson’s report on Uppsala which, in addition to being the home of the oldest university in the Nordic countries, is also a sister city of Minneapolis (page 30).

Under Company File we introduce the Swedish company Acconeer AB whose ground-breaking 3D sensor technology is creating endless possibilities in a wide field of applications for the automotive, robotic, tool and medical industries (page 10).

Lastly, we hope that you will enjoy our usual updates on politics, business, finance, art, design, literature, culture and entertainment in Sweden, as well as in Swedish communities in North America.

Peter Berlin Editor Peter@Swedishpress.com April 2019

Below: Beach in Tylösand.

Photo: Patrik Leonardsson/ Destination Halmstad

GRATTIS PÅ FÖDELSEDAGEN Apr 23 Tomas Dahl, 13 år Apr 25 Eowyn Magnusson, 13 år Apr 26 Sebastian Wolff, 16 år

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Moments of Truth for Banks and Terrorists Swedbank Accused of Money Laundering

Swedish IS Fighters Captured

By Peter Berlin

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n investigative news program on Swedish TV channel SVT claims to have gained access to a wealth of classified documents that reveal extensive money laundering at Swedbank, one of the largest banks in Sweden and the Baltic States. The illicit transfer of funds by 50 of the bank’s customers took place between 2007 and 2015 and amounted to $5.8bn. Most of the transfers involved the Baltic States, but $26m was linked to the massive Russian tax fraud uncovered by the Russian accountant Sergei Magnitsky. The TV program identified the Russian oligarch Iskander Makhmudov and the former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovich has having been particularly active in funnelling money through Swedbank.

As for Magnitsky, recall that – instead of rewarding him for his revelations and punishing the perpetrators of the fraud – the Russian government sent him to prison where he eventually died, apparently due to mistreatment.

His death prompted the enactment of the so-called Magnitsky Act in the United States, which in 2012 imposed sanctions on a number of implicated Russian citizens by freezing their bank accounts in the US and denying them visas.

The SVT revelations have caught the attention of the Finansinpektionen (Financial Supervisory Authority) which is set to initiate a formal investigation into Swedbank’s conduct.

However, Swedbank is not the only Swedish “laundromat” for illicit fund transfers. Three of the other major

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banks – Handelsbanken, Nordea and Danske Bank – have also found themselves in the media spotlight.

In 2015, the Finansinspektionen fined Handelsbanken and Nordea for inadequate surveillance of money laundering activities. Of the two, Nordea received the biggest fine which amounted to SEK 50m ($5.3m).

Danske Bank is a Danish bank whose Estonian division has been accused of aiding and abetting the greatest money-laundering crime of all time involving some $200bn. As a consequence, Danske Bank is being evicted from Estonia and is voluntarily closing all of its branches in Russia, Latvia and Lithuania. While the scandal is mainly a Danish-Estonian affair, the bank’s Swedish division – the fifth largest bank in Sweden – has been implicated as an intermediary.

Money laundering is the process of making illegally-gained proceeds (i.e., “dirty money”) appear legal (i.e., “clean”). It is a central feature in financial criminality worldwide. London, Malta and Cyprus are prominent “laundromats,” as are many of the tax havens outside of Europe. In the United States, the casinos and the real estate markets are primary suspects.

Laundered money often serves the purpose of enriching individuals by avoiding taxes. It is sometimes also used to finance illegal activities such as terrorism, notably the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers in New York. The penalties can be severe: In 2012, the US Government levied a fine of $1.9bn on HSBC, and a staggering $8.9bn on BNP Paribas in 2014.

According to the newspaper Expressen, more than 40 Swedish citizens are among the Islamic State (IS) fighters who have surrendered to the Syrian Democratic Forces blockading the city of Baghuz, the last stronghold of the IS terrorists. Another 10 Swedish citizens have been identified in nearby IS graves.

The Säkerhetspolisen (Swedish Security Service) estimates that around 300 Swedish citizens have joined the IS since 2012, half of whom have returned home. It is also estimated that more than 50 have been killed.

Prime Minister Stefan Löfven is against offering Swedish IS fighters any assistance for their repatriation from Syria. On the other hand he advises against stripping them of their citizenship, so as to offer some protection to their children. In contrast, the US and the UK are proposing to deprive their returning IS fighters of their citizenships.

Instead, Löfven is applying pressure on the European Union to set up a tribunal for sentencing EU citizens suspected of having fought under the IS banner.

The Swedish Academy Rehabilitated Almost a year has passed since the sex scandal that paralyzed the Swedish Academy and kept it from awarding the 2018 Nobel Prize in Literature (as reported in the May, June and July/ August 2018 issues of Swedish Press).

In the meantime the Academy has cleaned up its act and is set to choose two winners in 2019, one of which is to make up for the missed-out award in 2018. However, none of the Academy members implicated in the scandal will be invited to participate in the selection of this year’s prize recipients.

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Swedes in the News

Swedish Birthday Bashes and an Academy Award Estelle Turns Seven

HRH Princess Estelle. Photo: Linda Broström, The Royal Court of Sweden

Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel’s firstborn Princess Estelle is now seven years old. To celebrate, the Swedish Royal Court released two new birthday photographs of the princess.

One shows Estelle and little brother Prince Oscar on a sled pulled by a Welsh pony named Viktor. The other image is of Estelle lovingly petting the pony. Both photographs were taken outside of the Rosendal Palace on Djurgården in Stockholm.

Ever since she turned one, Princess Estelle, who is also Duchess of Östergötland, has received a bracelet charm from the county of Östergötland. This year she was given the last charm for her bracelet, which is now complete. Princess Estelle is second in line to the succession of the Swedish throne.

Sarri’s Many Roles Swedish actor, director and screenwriter Olle Sarri, 47, is a busy man. Apart from his role in Britt-Marie

Was Here, directed by Tuva Novotny and based on Fredrik Backman’s popular book Britt-Marie var här, Sarri can also be seen in Den inre cirkeln, Sommaren med släkten and SVT’s new comedy series Revansch premiering this spring.

Sarri, who was raised in Stockholm by a mother from Hälsingland and a father with Sami roots, can also be seen researching his family history in När Olle möter Sarri on SVT Play.

This fall, the busy actor stars in HBO Nordic’s first original series Gösta by Swedish film director Lukas Moodysson.

Ludwig Göransson. Photo: Jordan Strauss

BlacKkKlansman, Isle of Dogs, If Beale Street Could Talk and Mary Poppins Come Back. In his acceptance speech Göransson thanked his mom, dad, wife and companion Ryan Coogler, with whom he has worked for 12 years.

Göransson also earned three Grammy awards in Los Angeles earlier this year.

The Mandelmanns Are Back

Olle Sarri. Photo: Artistgruppen

An Oscar for Ludwig Swedish composer and record producer Ludwig Göransson, 34, brought home an Oscar for best original music at the Academy Awards Ceremony at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on February 24.

The Linköping native was nominated for best original music for the American super-hero movie Black Panther and went up against

Marie and Gustav Mandelmann.

Photo: Mattias Ahlm/Sveriges Radio

Good news for all Mandelmann fans out there – there will be a fourth season of TVseries Mandelmanns gård following self-sufficient Swedish farmers Gustav Mandelmann, 53 and his wife Marie, 54 at their farm Djupadal in Simrishamn

municipality in Skåne. The couple, who run organic farm and gardens Mandelmanns Trädgårdar, hosted Swedish TV-channel TV4’s 2017 annual Christmas show, as well as Summer on Swedish Radio channel P1 last year. The recordings of Mandelmanns gård start this month.

Tua Joins the Academy

Tua Forsström. Photo: Niklas Sandström

Recently, Finnish-Swedish author and poet Tua Forsström, 71, was elected new member of the Swedish Academy, replacing poet and writer Katarina Frostenson who withdrew from the Academy in January.

Forsström, born in Borgå, Finland is well-known for her work as a poet, having released 12 poetry collections, including Annotations released last year. She has also written reviews, plays and radio theater. Forsström stated that she thought Frostenson is a fantastic poet and that she, as a fellow poet, was honored to take her chair at the Swedish Academy.

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[Landskapsnyheterna] BLEKINGE Åtta svenska familjer i BräkneHoby i Blekinge bjöd nyligen in ett antal asylsökande på lunch. Det är den ideella föreningen Bräkne-Hoby-Bygd i Samverkan som tagit initiativet till projektet.

– Vi tror att det här kan vara ett bra sätt att knyta kontakter och lära känna varann, sa Jenny Rydberg, ansvarig för projektet. På luncherna, där det pratades både engelska och svenska, bjöds det på god mat och trevliga samtal.

– Att få personliga och sociala kontakter i det svenska samhället är så viktigt. Samtidigt vill vi involvera våra svenskar. Vi är inte så långt ifrån varandra som man kan tro, sa Jenny Rydberg. Shatha, mamma i en av familjerna inbjudna till lunch, uppskattade inbjudan.

– Det är fantastiskt, jag uppskattar det här. Jag har varit i Sverige i tre år men det är första gången jag är hemma hos en svensk familj och ser hur de lever och hur kulturen ser ut, sa hon.

Jenny Rydberg tycker att det är viktigt att alla engagerar sig.

– Det pratas ofta i samhället om att ”de ska lära sig” – men hur ska de göra det om inte vi hjälper dem? Vi har själva så stor del i integrationen.

VÄSTERGÖTLAND När Boråspolisen Jennie lämnade hemmet för en ensam natt på jobbet, gav hennes tvååriga dotter henne sitt gosedjur – en koalabjörn.

– Då ville min dotter att jag skulle ha med mig hennes älskade koalabjörn, så att jag hade någon att krama under natten och inte behövde vara ensam, sa Jennie. Hon tog med sig koaladjuret till polisstationen, där hon stötte på några kollegor.

– De tittade och flinade lite när jag kom med koalan. Först skrattade de och undrade varför jag hade med mig den. När jag berättade vad min dotter sagt tyckte de så klart att det var jättegulligt. Sedan kallade de mig

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”koalan” resten av natten, men hjärtligt och med kärlek.

På polisstationen fick Jennie även veta att två av hennes kollegor varit inblandade i en olycka. Två kolleger hade råkat ut för en olycka med radiobilen. De hade tack och lov klarat sig, men det var lite skärrat på mötet. När Jennie sedan gav sig ut på sitt nattpass med dotterns kramdjur i knäet tänkte hon på riskerna med sitt jobb och kärleken till sin familj.

– När jag satte mig där med koalan och tänkte på min familj blev det plötsligt så påtagligt hur mycket som står på spel varje gång jag sätter mig i den bilen. Den här natten hade jag ansvar hela vägen ner till Laholm. Man kör långa sträckor på natten, ibland går det fort och det kan vara halt. Det farligaste vi gör är faktiskt att köra bil.

Den här kvällen kunde Jennie i alla fall glädjas över sin lilla dotters kramdjurs sällskap.

LAPPLAND NORRBOTTEN

VÄSTERBOTTEN

JÄMTLAND

HÄRJEDALEN

ÅNGERMANLAND

MEDELPAD HÄLSINGLAND

DALARNA GÄSTRIKLAND VÄSTMANLAND VÄRMLAND

NÄRKE

UPPLAND

SÖDERMANLAND

DALSLAND ÖSTERGÖTLAND BOHUSLAND VÄSTERGöteborg GÖTLAND SMÅLAND HALLAND SKÅNE

Stockholm

GOTLAND ÖLAND

BLEKINGE

Malmö

VÄSTMANLAND Karlsängsskolan i Nora, Örebro län bjöd nyligen sina högstadieelever på gråärts-piroger i ett försök att införa mer hållbar mat på lunchmenyn.

Pirogerna, som innehåller gråärtor, gråärtsbuljong, kålrot och grönkål och serverades med en sås gjord på yogurt, uppskattades av eleverna. Namnet på rätten uppfattades dock som lite tråkigt.

– Gråärta låter inte så kul, men om man kallar den något annat än grå så kanske man får lite gladare känsla, sa Aprilia Fellebro, elev på skolan.

Vad eleverna tyckte om gråärtorna kommer att utvärderas och ingår i arbetet med att ta fram goda, nyttiga och klimatsmarta maträtter.

– Färsen består av kulturväxter som vi odlat länge här och som jag har som mål att visa ett intresse för och återinföra i vår matkultur. I synnerhet gråärtan, som var den vanligaste ärtan som odlades fram till slutet av 1800-talet, men som är väldigt svår att hitta i dag, sa Magnus Westling,

doktorand inom måltidskunskap vid Örebro universitet. Högstadieelevernas feedback kommer även att ingå i Magnus Westlings doktorsavhandling.

DALARNA Björnarna på Europas största rovdjurspark, Orsa rovdjurspark i Dalarna, vaknade tidigare än vanligt i år. Vanligtvis kikar brunbjörnarna upp från sin vinterdvala i mars eller april, men i år vaknade de några veckor tidigare.

– Det har varit en mildare period, och vi tror att det kan ha bidragit till att de vaknade tidigare än vanligt, sa Johan Larson, anläggningschef på Orsa Grönklitt och rovdjursparken.

Längst kvar i idet stannade en avelshona som somnade om efter det att de andra björnarna lämnat boet.

– Hon fick tre ungar efter Jul. Nu sover hon till och från, sa Johan Larson.

[Business] News Aiming for a Greener Planet The Swedish Krona in a Nosedive

By Peter Berlin

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he value of the Swedish krona (SEK) fell significantly against the US dollar and the Euro during January and February 2019. Among the world’s 140 major currencies, only those of Haiti, Jamaica and Ghana performed worse.

The SEK seemed to have stabilized towards the end of February, but pundits expect to see another slump in the coming months. And why is that?

Brace yourself for some economic roller-coaster logic. Since the Swedish economy has shown strong growth lately, the weakness of the SEK may seem paradoxical. However, the growth is largely driven by Sweden’s export industry which thrives when Flying into Headwind Swedes fly five times more than the global average. However, the CEO of Scandinavian Airlines, Rickard Gustafson, is worried because bookings for the all-important summer holiday season are down compared to last year.

One reason for the downward trend may be a perception among Scandinavian travellers that climate change will continue to make Scandinavian summers sunnier and warmer, thereby reducing the urge to fly to subtropical holiday destinations.

Other reasons are the competition from low-cost airlines, as well as the weakening Swedish krona against other major currencies which makes foreign travel less affordable.

A more ominous reason from a business perspective is the growing call from ecologists for people to save our

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Graph showing how many US dollars one SEK buys. Source: Oanda

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Mar 8, 2019: 0.1068

0.1110 0.1100 0.1090 0.1080 0.1070 0.1060

Jan 1, 2019

Feb 1, 2019

Mar 1, 2019

the SEK is low. On the other hand, the consistently low inflation rate is symptomatic of consumers’ unwillingness to spend money, which is bad for the overall economy in the long run.

The prospect of an imminent economic downturn is eroding the confidence of speculators in the Swedish currency. A weaker SEK will make imports more expensive and drive up inflation. In order to avoid a runaway inflation, the Central Bank will be inclined to

lower the key interest rate, so as to stimulate the economy. Since traders tend to shun currencies that offer little or no interest yield, the SEK stands to weaken even further. In other words, a very vicious circle.

People in the US, Canada and Sweden who are planning to make money transfers between USD/CAD and SEK in the near future should hedge their bets by keeping an eye on the rapidly evolving exchange rates.

planet by flying less. Not surprisingly, Gustafson is of the opinion that there are better ways to reduce the carbon footprint, such as airlines using more fuel-efficient aircraft in combination with biofuels. He says that Scandinavian Airline’s new planes are 15 – 17 percent more fuel efficient than the older ones, and that negotiations are underway for domestic production of biofuel.

The question remains whether the increased fuel efficiency is anywhere near sufficient to make up for the fact that foreign air travel among Swedes has increased by 120 percent since 1990. Someone has yet to do the maths.

were only some 7,000 public charging stations. The number of electric vehicles is expected to reach 110,000 by the end of the year. Vehicle owners have long been concerned that the growth of the charging station infrastructure might not be keeping pace – a worry that is often the cause of “range anxiety,” i.e. the fear that one’s vehicle might become stranded in the wilderness for lack of battery recharging opportunities.

As a step in the right direction, Riksbyggen – one of Sweden’s largest property builders and managers – has decided that all of their new housing developments will either be provided with operational charging stations, or be pre-wired so as to simplify future installation of stations. Other Swedish property developers are expected to follow suit.

Swedish Homes All Charged Up In January 2019 there were just over 71,000 electric vehicles (all-electric and hybrid) in Sweden, whereas there

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Company File

Radars Watching Out for You and Me

By Peter Berlin

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deon Science Park in the Swedish university town of Lund is a goldmine of technological innovations (see Swedish Press, February 2019 issue, page 14). One of the many tenant companies there is Acconeer AB, a developer and vendor of radar systems – not the big, rotating contraptions found on ships and at airports, but tiny ones the size of a thumbnail.

Before getting into the many applications of such a mini-radar, let’s begin with the basics. A radar is a gadget that uses radio signals to measure the location and speed of an object relative to the position of the radar itself. The distance to the object is determined in one of two ways. The first method consists in having the radar instrument beam a radio pulse towards the object, wait for the pulse to bounce off the object and measure the time it takes for it to return to the radar. Since radio signals travel at the speed of light, the distance is simply the roundtrip travel time multiplied by the speed of light and divided in half. The second method is to transmit a sinusoidal radio wave to the object and measuring the phase

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difference between the outgoing signal and the incoming echo.

By implementing several radar beams in parallel, it is possible to detect the object’s precise location in three dimensions. The object’s speed is found by making several radar measurements at timed intervals.

Imagine, therefore, the many ways a radar can be used to facilitate our daily lives. A robotic vacuum cleaner can be made to automatically avoid obstacles such as walls, table legs and pets; it can even sense a change in texture from carpet to bare floor surfaces and alter the vacuuming mode accordingly. A shopper wishing to place an armful of merchandise in the car only needs to wave a foot in front of the vehicle’s concealed radar to open the lid of the trunk. A driverless car can use a radar to avoid collisions, and radars embedded in the ground of parking spaces can help drivers find vacant slots quickly. Radar technology can even be used to determine a person’s breathing rate

by measuring the slight movement of the chest. The examples are almost endless.

This is where Acconeer AB enters the picture, because the company’s radars do all these things and more. Since radio signals penetrate just about anything other than metals and water, these tiny radars are easy to integrate into devices such as smartphones, vacuum cleaners, and plastic-covered slots inside car bodies. Acconeer radars are also unaffected by stray light and dirt. They consume a minimal amount of battery power, and they can be programmed to perform a large variety of measurement tasks.

One limitation is the relatively short reach of the radar signal – approximately 2 meters (6 feet), but the company is working on extending it to 10 meters.

Acconeer AB was founded in 2011 by Dr Mikael Egard and Dr Mats Ärlelid, together with Mårten Öbrink, Professor Lars-Erik Wernersson, and Lund University.

The CEO is Lars Lindell. The company is represented in the US

by DigiKey Electronics in Thief River Falls, MN, and also in Korea, China, Japan and Russia. The Acconeer website (www.acconeer. com) provides details about their product line, along with videos that explain some of the practical applications for the company’s radars.

H E RI TAG E

Interview with Ambassador Olofsdotter Halmstad – A Surprise for Visitors in Search of Something Different

parts of the world. The daylight has a special quality, perhaps because it reflects the golden beach sand.

Impressions are amplified by memories from one’s childhood.

By Peter Berlin

I

n the March 2018 issue of Swedish Press we published an exclusive interview with Karin Olofsdotter, the Swedish Ambassador to the United States.

In our follow-up interview she reminisces about growing up in Halmstad and highlights the city’s many attractions for today’s visitors.

Please describe your childhood and your enduring roots in Halmstad.

I was born in the 1960s in Söndrum a few kilometres from Halmstad city centre. That is where I went to school, and then we moved to nearby Frösakull on the seafront.

My parents still live in the house that they built there in the 1970s.

They are now 89 and 85 years old and live comfortably thanks to excellent support provided by the Hemtjänst (home care services).

My mother remains quite active and plays golf. I visit my parents as often as I can.

The view from Ringenäs Golf Club.

Photo: Jesper&Fredrik Studio2/Halmstad.se

Ambassador Karin Olofsdotter Photo: Andrea Belluso, House of Belluso

During an interview for Hallandsposten a few years ago you stated that “Halmstad has everything.”

Please elaborate.

I think Halmstad is a marvellous city – but, then again, I always say that! In addition to several movie theatres, discos and restaurants, there is an impressive new public library that juts out into the river Nissan. There is also a superb art museum half-way between Halmstad and Frösakull called Mjellby Farm which is owned and managed by the daughter of one of the artists in the Halmstadgruppen (see page 18). They put on special exhibitions particularly during the summer.

Halmstad has some fine beaches where people have fun swimming and playing. Visitors are particularly drawn to the scenery made up of rocks, beaches and pine forests.

There is also an amusement park, and people play golf and soccer and go wind-surfing. The range of activities is almost endless.

It felt good growing up as a teenager in that environment. I adore the ocean and still find the landscape extraordinarily beautiful, even after having visited many other

Why would someone from the USA or Canada want to visit Halmstad?

Halmstad is a city with a population of around 90,000. North Americans visiting Halmstad will receive an authentic impression of what Sweden is really like and how the Swedish middle-class lives, because the city is of a size that is easier to grasp than bigger ones like Stockholm and Malmö. A holiday visit to Halmstad is particularly recommended in the summer when the sea temperature reaches 25 deg C (78 deg F) and beyond, something people who are not from there find hard to believe. For anyone interested in playing golf it is a veritable paradise with 7 or 8 golf courses; the course in Tylösand is one of the finest in Europe. The sea, the scenery and the golf are perfect for people who enjoy the outdoors.

Halmstad is a perfect destination for anyone in search of something different.

Public library and art exhibition hall by Nissan river. Photo: Sophie McAulay

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Swedish Press | April 2019 11

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alk around the port city of Halmstad and you’ll be struck by the crowned hearts adorning everything from bus stops and trash cans to garden gates and grocery stores. Pay close attention to the architectural influences in the old town square, near Saint Nikolai Cathedral, and you’ll catch sight of some of the northernmost timber frame houses in all of Europe.

These small details – potentially insignificant to the undiscerning eye – are subtle remnants from a time when Denmark ruled Halmstad and the surrounding Halland province.

City of Halmstad. Photo: Patrik Leonardsson

Halmstad, situated in the southwestern part of Sweden midway between Gothenburg and Malmö, and bordered by the 186 km long Nissan river, was first mentioned in a Danish book published in 1231. Many believe the city’s name derives from the Danish “Halmstaede,” meaning something akin to “Strawtown.” Another, less believable theory discussed in the city’s own

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Swedish Press | April 2019 12

The City with Three Hearts k

By Lara Andersson travel brochure, is that “Halmstad’s inhabitants defended the town against the Danish by putting tar onto sheaves and then throwing them from the town wall onto their rivals.”

Originally located slightly more inland in an area now known as Övraby, Halmstad moved five kilometers south in 1320, most likely to gain easier access to the Nissan and ensure a more robust coastal defense. The city received its first official charter in 1307 (marking 2007 as its 700th anniversary). From the 1300’s up until the 1600’s the Danes developed the region, building – amongst other important architectural sites – Saint Nikolai Church in the 1400’s. In its new location, Halmstad served as an important fortified border town and, for a brief period, acted as one of the most important meeting points for Norway, Sweden and Finland, as delegates of the Kalmar

Union – a union uniting the Scandinavian territories under a single monarch between 1397 and 1523 – held important negotiations there. It was such a crucial point in Scandinavian history that the Kalmar Union elected its King in Halmstad.

Perhaps one of the region’s most notable historical figures is the Danish King Christian IV. He granted the city its coat of arms with its signature motif of three crowns and three hearts. Many believe he took inspiration from a previous Danish monarch, Valdemar Sejr. Sejr reigned from 1202 until 1241, and his children and grandchildren had the distinctive crowned hearts in their signets, making Christian IV’s choice three hundred years later a respectful nod to his forefathers.

After years of development and expansion, a devastating fire in August of 1619 burned down most of Halmstad, save for a few key structures: Saint Nikolai Church, Norre Port

Halmstad Castle. Photo: Jörgen Hagman

(the only town gate left of the original ones that Christian IV inaugurated in 1601), and the Danish Castle built at

the beginning of the 17th century in a particular style known as Christian IV’s renaissance. The King swiftly conceived of a new city plan and set construction in motion. Much of what you see in today’s Halmstad is due to his vision.

It is important to note that, though the Kalmar Union had long been in existence at this point, many attempts had already been made to overtake Halmstad from the time of its inauguration. Amongst others, the Swedish insurgent Engelbrekt and his troops marched on Halmstad in the 1430’s. In 1534, during Denmark’s largest civil war known as the Grevefejden or “Feud of Counts”, Swedes overtook the city. However, it wasn’t until 1645 that Swedes officially conquered the Halland territory, when the Second Treaty of Brömsebro declared Halland Swedish for the next thirty years. The Treaty of Roskilde in 1658 made this settlement permanent, and the final battle between Denmark and Sweden, called the Battle at Fyllebro, took place just outside of Halmstad in 1676.

Once Halmstad fell into Swedish hands, the city continued to flourish.

In 1678 Swedish King Karl XI held his Riksdag (parliament) meeting in Halmstad, inviting 279 Swedes to discuss the state of the country. Shortly thereafter, in 1686, Halmstad’s first factory, a tobacco production site, was constructed and opened for business.

By 1737 the city’s fortifications were demolished and

Carl Milles’ Europa och Tjuren.

Photo: Helene Karlsson/Halmnstad.se

tobacco crops were planted in their place to keep up with the high-paced demands of the newly industrialized city.

In the following decades, Halmstad saw massive increases in its population growth. In 1800 the city had 1,317 inhabitants. By 1850 the number had doubled to 2,761, and by 1900 the population reached an unprecedented 15,387 inhabitants. During the 20th century the city opened libraries, sports halls, museums and concert halls.

Appreciating and creating art became a driving impulse for a select few of the city’s inhabitants, when fraternities such as Halmstadgruppen (see page 18) thrived on artistic synergies.

Fast forward to 2010 when Halmstad’s population had grown from 48,800 in 1990 to 58,577. Today, the city focuses on being forward-thinking and multicultural. The municipality’s webpage elaborates on a vision for Halmstad in 2020 that emphasizes three key goals: (1) ensuring that the city is a place where

“people can meet in safety, with respect and love;” (2) where people can “grow through education, enterprise and new thinking”; and (3) all while enjoying an atmosphere that “instills a desire to prosper through activities, a community spirit and a quality of life.”

With these noble ambitions, combined with the fact that the region is known as a popular travel destination, it comes as no surprise that Halmstad won the accolade as “Super Municipality of the Year” from lifestyle magazine Dagens Samhälle in 2018. “We look at how the municipalities have performed historically in important

The beach life in Tylösand.

Photo: Patrik Leonardsson/Halmstad.se

areas and also measure their strength through a number of forward-looking factors,” said Anna Sönne at Dagens Samhälle. “The ambition is to identify exciting examples of how to successfully run a municipality.” Halmstad has secured its title as a coveted area to live in and will continue to evolve in years to come.

Engraving of the City of Halmstad by Johannes van den Aveelen for Suecia Antiqua et Hodierna, 1690-1710.

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Swedish Press | April 2019 13

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En författare med rötter i Halmstad

Sven Nordqvist är en av Sveriges mest kända barnboksförfattare och illustratörer. Han har belönats med Augustpriset och var ledamot av Svenska barnboksakademien 1991 – 2011. Han föddes i Helsingborg men växte upp i Halmstad, dit han flyttade med sin mor efter föräldrarnas skilsmässa när han var två år gammal. Han har varit bosatt i Halmstadtrakten i trettio år. De sista åren bodde han i Söndrum, där bl.a. de världsberömda konstnärerna i Halmstadgruppen en gång höll till.

Här nedan berättar han om sina minnen från barndomen och tonåren, och hur hans författarkarriär utvecklats sedan dess.

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i var väldigt mycket på Östra Stranden om somrarna, berättar Sven. På den tiden fanns det jättesmå stugor lite överallt bland sandklitterna. Vi hade en sådan liten stuga, och där var vi jämnt på somrarna. Eller också cyklade vi genom hela staden till stenbrottet där det fanns ett utomhussimbad med en 50-meters bassäng där vi kunde bada.

I läroverket gick jag ända från klass 25 till studenten. Därifrån har jag många minnen av bl.a. skoldanser och alla tjejer som jag trånade efter. Jag var 33 år när jag flyttade ifrån Halmstad till Stockholm efter det att jag träffat min nuvarande fru. Men innan dess var jag gift och bodde i en villa i Söndrum.

Jag kommer också ihåg den stranden – det var mycket med stränderna där i Halmstad och Tylösand och Frösakull.

Jag känner ett visst vemod när jag numera besöker Halmstad, fast det är så mycket ombyggt att jag knappt hittar längre. Jag försökte hitta den där cykelvägen där jag brukade åka varje dag från södra Halmstad till läroverket.

Men den går inte att hitta den längre, för det är bara byggt överallt. Det är lite sorgligt på något sätt, för minnena är så starka från min barndom.

N O R D Q V I S T

© Sven Nordqvist

Beträffande Svens inträde i författarbanan, så gjorde han några försök i tonåren, men hans huvudintresse var att teckna. I 12-årsåldern tog han en kurs i teckning som var ganskas enkel, men den höll i alla fall hans intresse uppe. Under hela tonåren tecknade han intensivt. När han blev 18 år sökte han in till olika konstskolor men blev inte antagen, så han tog istället en amerikansk illustrationskurs, Famous Artists School. Det var ingen konstutbildning som sådan, utan den syftade till att man skulle bli illustratör, och det var precis vad han ville bli – en skicklig tecknare som kunde ta sig an diverse teckningsuppdrag. Det var en ambitiös korrespondenskurs där man skickade in sina teckningar och fick dem bedömda. Samtidigt läste han arkitektur på Tekniska högskolan i Lund och blev arkitekt efter fyra års studier. Där

© Sven Nordqvist

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I N T E R V J U

ingick också en kurs i konst och skulptur, vilket påminde om konstskolorna.

– Men hela tiden höll jag på med frilansjobb, säger Sven. Jag siktade in mig på att kunna försörja mig som tecknare. Jag jobbade ett år som arkitekt och ett år på Tekniska högskolan. Sedan ägnade jag mig helt åt frilansarbetet som tecknare, och har fortsatt med detta hela tiden därefter.

Han har fortfarande sporadiska kontakter med Amerika. Några av hans vänner i New York har sina sommarställen nära hans eget på ön Yxlan i Stockholms skärgård, så de träffas ett par veckor varje år. Han och hans hustru har också släktingar i USA. – När min morfars mamma var 90 år kom hon tillbaka till Sverige från Amerika för att ta hand om sin son. Hon hade bott i Amerika större delen av sitt liv. Hon var alltid pigg och menade att hon skulle resa tillbaka till Amerika när hon fyllde 100 år, fast det blev inget av med det. Hon föddes 1864 medan amerikanska inbördeskriget gick mot sitt slut, och hon hade t.o.m. träffat Buffalo Bill.

Henne har jag faktiskt upplevt, vilket är ganska häftigt!

Många av Sven Nordqvists barnböcker handlar om gubben Pettson och dennes katt Findus.

– Pettson påminner rätt mycket om mig själv. I den första boken jag gjorde var det inte min avsikt

© Sven Nordqvist

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© Sven Nordqvist

att skapa någon särskild personlighet hos aktörerna, utan det var bara en gubbe i största allmänhet. Jag valde den lättaste vägen, nämligen att Pettson fick reagera ungefär på samma sätt som jag själv skulle ha gjort. Han tycker om att snickra och vara ensam.

Findus var från början också en katt vilken som helst, men när min son växte upp så fick katten överta en del av hans tankar och sätt att uppföra sig.

Sagorna om Pettson och Findus har översatts till omkring 45 språk.

Böckerna är särskilt populära i Tyskland. Tyskarna verkar gilla Sverige rent allmänt, och de läser gärna svenska författare.

Sven Nordqvist har även skrivit barnböcker som innehåller andra aktörer än Pettson och Findus. Vad framtiden beträffar, säger Sven Nordqvist så här: – Jag har egentligen tänkt att det inte ska bli några fler Pettsonböcker, för jag är lite trött på att rita samma typ av bilder med samma miljöer och samma föremål. Jag har gjort det nu så många gånger och vill göra andra saker, men förlagen vill gärna ha nya böcker, för de säljer ju bra. Jag har därför några gånger accepterat att göra små enklare böcker för nybörjare, med mindre text och enklare bilder.

Ett par stycken har redan kommit ut.

Just nu håller jag på med en bok som fungerar mer som en leksak där man kan vrida på bilderna eller dra ut en flik eller liknande, så att bilden ändras

N O R D Q V I S T

lite. Ibland får jag förfrågningar om att illustrera böcker av andra författare.

Senast var det en bilderbok av Sami Said från Eritrea. Oftast vill jag inte, men jag har illustrerat alla Jujja Wieslanders böcker om Mamma Mu och Kråkan, och de är mycket populära.

Hon skriver nya böcker emellanåt och vill att jag ska illustrera även dem.

Avslutningsvis nämner Sven två böcker som varit särskilt viktiga för honom. Den ena heter Var är min syster som han gjorde för drygt 10 år sedan och för vilken han fick Augustpriset. Det är en bilderbok med stora bilder och mycket att titta på, och där texten spelar en underordnad roll.

Berättelsen handlar om en storasyster som försvunnit och en lillebror som åker med sin morfar i en ballong för att leta efter henne. Samtidigt pratar pojken om systern så att man lär känna henne. Den andra boken kom ut i höstas och heter Hundpromenaden.

Det finns ingen text alls i den, utan det är stora scenerier som är till för att beskåda.

Båda böckerna tog lång tid att färdigställa.

– De borde gå bra i Amerika, säger Sven Nordqvist. De flesta böckerna finns i engelsk översättning på Amazon. com och åtnjuter genomgående 4 – 5 stjärnor i läsarnas recensioner.

Intervjun av Peter Berlin

© Sven Nordqvist

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Swedish Press | April 2019 15

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Putting Sweden on the Map At Home

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‘I am constantly trying to make sense of ...’

Global S

Ginna Lindberg, Head of Foreign News at Swedish Radio’s news department Ekot.

Ginna Lindberg. Photo: Mattias Ahlm

As a young girl Ginna Lindberg was constantly on the lookout for exciting neighborhood news to fill her homemade and self-published magazine. Since then, the Swedish journalist and Halmstad native has built an impressive career for Swedish Radio, where she worked as Head of Foreign News, Program Director and foreign U.S correspondent in Washington DC. After six years in the States, Lindberg returned to her post as Head of Foreign News at Swedish Radio’s news department Ekot. Swedish Press spoke to Lindberg about broadcasting, newsgathering, her journalistic mentor, and peaceful Swedish hometown.

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Swedish Press | April 2019 16

Please tell us a little bit about your background.

I grew up in Halmstad in Halland on the Swedish west coast. I still visit regularly, since my parents and one of my sisters and her family live there. Walking in the salty winds along the harbor of Grötvik is one of my favorite ways to relax. I have lived in several places including Paris, France and Washington DC in the U.S. and now live with my family in Stock­holm, where I’m employed.

Where did you attend college?

I studied Culture Science, Literature and French at Lund University and journalism at Skurups Folkhögskola. Both schools are located in Skåne in the southern part of Sweden.

When and why did you decide that you wanted to become a journalist?

I have always known that I wanted to become a journalist. I am curious, love story-telling, and am constantly trying to make sense of what is happening in the world. As a kid, I published my own weekly newspaper filled with stories about our local neighborhood. I guess that was where it started. As an adult, I am driven by the belief that journalists have a duty to give a voice to those who do not have one – and a duty to shine a light in the dark corners of the world.

What journeys have you experienced at Swedish Radio?

I started at the local Swedish Radio station SR Malmöhus in the southern part of Sweden in 1990. After a couple of years I moved on to the National News Department of the Swedish public radio, Ekot and have been part of their foreign news department since the mid 90s. I was based in Washington DC as Correspondent from 2007 until 2013. After that I took on the role as program director for Ekot, responsible for numerous radio shows, including the current affairs programs P1morgon, Studio ett and Godmorgon, världen! which bring up political events taken place during the past week. Since 2015 I am Head of the Foreign News Department of Swedish Radio.

What does your current job as Head of Foreign News at Swedish Radio’s Ekot entail?

I am head of the group of correspondents and foreign reporters at Swedish Radio’s news department.

We are the national public radio of Sweden and have 23 correspondents around the world, plus ten reporters in Stockholm, and I am proud to say that we have the largest net of foreign correspondents among all news organizations in Scandinavia.

l Swedes

I love my job. It is intense and stressful, but also exciting and fulfilling. Every day is different when you work with global news reporting.

I also regularly comment on American Politics for the radio and do a weekly podcast about US politics called USApodden.

I noticed as a US correspondent how many of our Swedish listeners there are who follow US politics on a really detailed level. I regularly got emails from the “Swedish Ron Paul Fan Club” and other Swedish listeners with a passionate relation to American politics. That gave me the idea to start the podcast, and it has gained many loyal listeners.

We have done quite a lot of podcast shows in front of live audiences around Sweden in the past year. https://sverigesradio.se/usapodden Any specific memories from your time in Washington D.C? I travelled all over the US during those years and am in constant awe over the rich variety and diversity of that country. To cover the presidential election campaigns was one of the highlights, of course. There were some historic moments. I will never forget how I stood in a sea of people on the National Mall on that icy cold January day when Barack Obama was inaugurated. People

‘.... what is happening in the world.’ around me were cheering, singing and holding hands, and when I was interviewing people, one lady said “Can you feel it? This is history being written, right now!” Other than that, I think my strongest impressions come not from political reporting, but from individual meetings and interviews with all sorts of fascinating American people.

warm fall afternoon. I also miss my work-related trips throughout the U.S. The United States is such a multifaceted country and I’ve enjoyed discovering places that I would not otherwise have seen. I would, for example like to return to New Orleans, which I visited frequently as a reporter. I would also like to visit the old Swedish settlements outside of Chicago.

What did you like the most about living in Washington?

I love Washington as a city. It’s small and easy to get around – you can ride your bike and chances are you’ll bump into a friend or acquaintance while out on the town. At the same time, Washington is a metropolis and power center of American politics. A city with great contrasts. Some people refer to Washington as the “swamp” and describe it as charmless and tough, but I feel the opposite. It’s one of my favorite places in the world.

After such a long and distinguished career in journalism, who are your heroes?

My former colleague Nils Horner is one of my greatest journalistic role models. Nils was tragically killed five years ago while on assignment in Kabul, Afghanistan. He was the kind of correspondent who always put people’s own stories first; he was both a gifted listener and a great reporter. We recently released a documentary on P3 Dokumentär called Mordet på Nils Horner about Nils and his work as a foreign correspondent. You can listen to it on our website: https://sverigesradio.se/sida/ avsnitt/1249772?programid=2519

What do you miss about your former hometown?

I miss our friends. Luckily, we keep in close contact. My family and I travel to the U.S. regularly and our friends visit us in Sweden. I also miss everyday things like drinking coffee at “Jimmy T’s Diner” near the congress, while reading the Washington Post and eavesdropping on Congressmen and staffers from Capitol Hill. I miss walking through piles of bright yellow leaves in Rose Park, Georgetown on a

Swedish Radio’s documentary “Mordet på Nils Horner”. Photo: Swedish Radio

Interviewed by Sofie Kinnefors

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Swedish Press | April 2019 17

H ERITAG E

‘They stayed together through thick and thin...’

Committing Dreams to Canvas

By Peter Berlin

W

hy is the memory of dreams so transient?

It may be that dreams are often too surreal for the brain to anchor them to reality, and hence to retain them. Many surrealist painters adhere to the Freudian theory that dreams reveal insight into hidden desires and emotions, and these artists are keen to render their insights onto canvas.

Our fascination with surrealist art is triggered by the liberating juxtaposition of familiar objects in a dreamlike setting that defies the laws of logic and physics.

Surrealist art is almost exactly a century old. It was pioneered primarily by French artists such as Marcel Duchamp and Man Ray

who had their roots in Cubism and Dadaism – art forms that emerged as a protest against capitalism, bourgeois values, the nightmare of World War I, and anything to do with established norms. These forms gradually developed into Surrealism which took a step back from the anarchy and abstractions of the earlier “-isms” by re-introducing recognizable shapes.

The surrealists painted unnerving, illogical scenes with photographic precision, and created strange creatures from everyday objects that allowed the unconscious to express itself.

Household names in surrealist art include painters like Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró and Max Ernst. Less well known are the Swedish artists Sven Jonson, Waldemar Lorentzon, Stellan Mörner, Axel Olson, Erik Olson and Esaias Thorén. During the 1920s, each of them found surrealist inspiration while studying art in

Germany, France and Italy. The initial reaction of the general public to their art was largely negative, so they turned to each other for moral support. In 1929, the six artists formed the Halmstadgruppen. Remarkably, the group stayed together through thick and thin until the death of Mörner fifty years later.

Sweden had a long tradition of national romanticism which favoured a re-interpretation of the country’s folk art and architecture. The surrealists were seen as defectors from the accepted aesthetical norms, thumbing their noses at social conventions and “good taste”. Over time, the Halmstadgruppen’s surrealist art matured to the point where they were invited to exhibit their paintings in various European capitals alongside respected surrealist artists like Salvador Dalí, André Breton and Paul Éluard. However, the paintings of the Halmstadgruppen differed

Grupporträtt av Halmstadgruppen, Stellan Mörner, 1936. Olja på duk, Halmstads kommuns konstsamling/Mjellby Konstmuseum. Bilden är beskuren.

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Swedish Press | April 2019 18

H E RI TAG E

from those of their famous peers by mixing pure fantasy with real features from the Halmstad surroundings. The Group also distanced itself from the atheist leanings of the surrealist movement by accepting assignments to decorate churches and chapels.

The six members of the Halmstadgruppen were true contemporaries.

Sven Jonson (1902 – 1981) grew up in Söndrum near Halmstad, the son of a seafaring family. He started out as a house painter and soon developed an interest in fine art. Following study visits to Cologne and Paris, Jonson and his friend Esaias Thorén founded a group of artists called The Young Ones and co-opted the painter Axel Olson as their tutor. Later they met the son of the governor of the province of Halland, Stellan Mörner, who secured them assignments to execute wall paintings in Halmstad Castle.

Many of Jonson’s paintings capture the vastness of the sky, the ocean and the desolation of endless beaches.

Jonson’s travel mate Esaias Thorén (1901 – 1981) also grew up in Halmstad. Initially he wanted to become a musician but soon turned his attention to painting. His style favoured objects laden with symbolism and people moving in lively or dramatic environments.

Like Sven Jonson, Axel Olson (1899 – 1986) grew up in a Halmstadbased seafaring family. As an adult he travelled to Germany and Italy to study painting. After his return to Halmstad he worked for a while in the advertising business to support himself financially. He and Lorentzon had their artistic breakthrough when given the task of decorating the ceiling and the pulpit in the chapel

Sven Jonson: Portalerna, 1938

at nearby Skavböke. Later in life he suffered from cataracts which threatened to blind him. Following a successful operation, his paintings became noticeably brighter in colour.

The Young Ones were joined

by Axel Olson’s brother Erik and their cousin Waldemar Lorentzon, forming the nucleus of the emerging Halmstadgruppen.

Erik Olson (1901 – 1986) was arguably the most cosmopolitan of the six in the Halmstadgruppen.

Not only did he study in France and Italy, but he subsequently went to work for his tutor, the painter and cinematographer Fernand Léger at the Académie Moderne in Paris. In 1935 he settled down near Copenhagen where his paintings included a satirical picture of Adolf Hitler.

After Germany invaded Denmark in 1940 he found himself on the Gestapo blacklist and had to return to Sweden. Following his conversion to Catholicism in 1950, his paintings often featured religious motifs, with the biblical deluge as a recurring theme.

Like Jonson, Thorén and the Olson brothers, Waldemar Lorentzon (1899 – 1984) grew up in socially humble circumstances. However,

he was fortunate to find a patron in the Mayor of Halmstad, Georg Bissmark, who sponsored his travels to Paris to study painting. From 1950 onwards he devoted himself almost exclusively to painting surrealist murals in churches all over Sweden.

In contrast to his colleagues in the Halmstadgruppen, Stellan Mörner – or more accurately Count Carl Stellan Gabriel Mörner af Morlanda (1896 – 1979) – spent his early years on the family estate Esplunda near the city of Örebro. After obtaining a degree in art history, he travelled to Germany, Italy and France for further study. Many of his surrealist paintings feature castle interiors, probably inspired by his upbringing at Esplunda. In his later years he also became known as an author and a talented theatre stage set designer.

His death in 1979 spelled the end of the Halmstadgruppen, even though the remaining members lived on for another few years.

Art enthusiasts will find a comprehensive collection of works by the Halmstadgruppen at Mjellby Art Museum near Halmstad. The permanent exhibition, currently closed for restauration work, will re-open on May 11, 2019. See also www.mjellbykonstmuseum.se.

Waldemar Lorentzon: View from the terrace.

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Swedish Press | April 2019 19

[Lifestyle]

Top Sju

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2018

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Kay Pollak’s beloved movie As It Is in Heaven (Så som i himmelen) has been made into a musical, and now also as a new CD. The Swedish film, released in 2004, tells the story of Daniel Daréus – a successful and internationally known conductor who returns to his hometown to retire. The movie features the late Michael Nyqvist, as well as Frida Hallgren. The brand-new CD, which contains 12 songs, features music by ensemble members from Så som i himmelen – the musical.

Artists include Malena Ernman, Anders Ekborg, Sara Jangfeldt, along with other talented musicians from the musical theatre. The CD has been described as powerful and emotionally charged.

Swedish author and journalist Dag Öhrlund, 61, came out on top when Swedish streaming service BookBeat listed their most listened-to authors of 2018.

Especially popular was Öhrlund’s crime novel Se till mig som liten är in the series about police officer Ewert Truut and his coworkers Carolina Herrera and Måns Schmidt. Dag Öhrlund, on his own, and together with Dan Buthler was closely followed by Swedish authorcouple Ahndoril (a.k.a.

Lars Kepler) and American author Nora Roberts.

Theater concert Eka över hela staden, based on music

by Swedish singer/songwriter and Uppsala native Veronica Maggio, premieres at Uppsala Stadsteater on April 27. Maggio debuted in 2006 and has since released five studio albums and earned five Grammy awards. Eka över hela staden features individual stories based on her song lyrics and is performed by four singing actors, a live band and dancers from Uppsala Dansakademi.

1 Distinguishing Swedish fish at the counter just got easier. Swedish fish farmer “Gårdsfisk” is first out with the original label (ursprungsmärkningen) indicating that the fish was bred, slaughtered, refined and packaged in Sweden.

Gårdsfisk are farmed at Gårdsfisks Gård outside of Kristianstad and smoked in a smokehouse in Småland.

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20 April 20 marks “Polkagrisens dag” in Sweden.

Invented in Gränna, Småland in 1859 by Amalia Eriksson (1824-1923), the “polkagris” is a popular Swedish hard candy stick made of water, sugar, peppermint oil, glucose and vinegar.

The classic variant tastes like mint and has red and white stripes, but you can also enjoy flavors such as strawberry, licorice and caramel. For those who aren’t able to make it to Gränna this spring: Swedish polkagrisar can be purchased online.

1930 Enjoy an old-fashioned Easter at Sweden’s biggest outdoors museum Skansen in Stockholm. Peek into one of Skansen’s many historical houses to experience what Easter might have looked like in the 1930’s or wander its Easter market full of beautiful craftsmanship and delicious sweets. Visitors may also take part in fun activities, such as pony riding, egg hunts, broom binding or face painting (choose between being transformed into an Easter bunny or Easter witch).

Those who enjoy music may also want to stop by The Salvation Army who will be performing Easter carols.

Free admission for all visitors under the age of 15 dressed up as Easter bunnies or witches during Maundy Thursday (Skärtorsdagen).

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Lower your risk of catching a cold by washing your hands for 30 seconds.

Doing so will reduce the risk of infection by 90 percent, says Swedish physician Mikael Sandström, 61. The Swedish doctor is known for his regular appearances on Swedish Television’s channel 4 morning news and talk show “Nyhetsmorgon,” as well as for his and journalist Tilde de Paula Eby’s weekly podcast “Läkarpodden.” Sandström recommends wetting hands before applying soap, using a soap to work up a foam, washing around and in between fingers, and finally rinsing thoroughly with water.

[Lifestyle] Books By the Fire

By Barbara Sjoholm

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any people of Swedish descent are familiar with the beloved figures of Swedish fairy tales: haughty princesses and plucky lads, stupid trolls, magic animals, and tomtar. But not so many are aware of the rich heritage of Sami folktales from Sweden, which also feature brave and clever folk, magic animals, spirits, and the troll-like figure of Stallo.

From 1907 to 1916, the intrepid Danish artist and ethnographer Emilie Demant Hatt spent many months in Swedish Sápmi, living in reindeer-herding communities and recording notes and folktales from the original Sami languages.

After publishing a vivid account of her travels, With the Lapps in the High Mountains (1913), and editing and translating the work of the Sami writer and artist Johan Turi, she turned her attention to the tales she’d been told over the years.

In 1922 she published By the Fire, a collection of around sixty-five

Elisabet Rensberg (age eighty-three) and her granddaughter Vanja Torkelsson, 1954.

Photograph by Einar Montén. Courtesy Jämtli Museum, Östersund, Sweden.

folktales in Danish from all over Swedish Sápmi.

Almost a hundred years later, the University of Minnesota Press is reissuing By the Fire in its first English translation by Barbara Sjoholm, with reproductions of Demant Hatt’s original black-and-white linocuts that illustrated the original. Sjoholm also translated With the Lapps in 2013 and published Black Fox, a biography of Emilie Demant Hatt in 2017. She did extensive research at Uppsala University and the Nordiska Museet in Stockholm to identify By the Fire’s storytellers and to find out more about them.

The gifted narrators include Anni Rasti, in whose tent Demant Hatt lived during a grueling weekslong trek over icy plateaus and frothing rivers; Märta Nilsson, a Sami elder, who resided with her husband Nils in a siida near Östersund; Margreta Bengtsson, a wife, mother, and reindeer herder in Pite Sápmi, near Arjeplog; former herder

Anders Larsson, in Frostviken; and Elisabet Rensberg from Härjedalen, whose granddaughter still recalls hearing the old tales as a child. Sjoholm tells some of these individuals’ stories in her Afterword, illustrated by photographs.

At times entertaining and amusing, at times deeply uncanny and unsettling, the stories that Demant Hatt collected also speak to the situation of the Sami in the early twentieth century. As both ethnographer and supporter, Demant Hatt admired the Sami for their resilience and humor, and she collected a number of tales and legends that demonstrated how an indigenous people could protect themselves and sustain their communities, often through inventive means.

For lovers of folktales, By the Fire makes for wonderful reading, while it also shines a light on an important part of Swedish heritage: the Sami people and their culture. The book is available at www.upress.umn.edu/ book-division/books/by-the-fire.

Emilie Demant Hatt, 1910. Photograph by Borg Mesch. From Yngve Åstrom, Hjalmar Lundbohm (Stockholm: LTs Förlag, 1965).

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[Lifestyle] Books ABBA – The Complete Recording Sessions

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Reviewed by Barry Livingston

wedish author Carl Magnus Palm is recognized as the world’s foremost Abba scholar and historian. His works include liner notes for ABBA deluxe edition CD and DVD releases, and he is the author of several books about the group including the acclaimed biography, Bright Lights Dark Shadows – The Real Story of ABBA. His newly published and revised volume, ABBA – The Complete Recording Sessions, may well be the crowning achievement from this writer who sets the gold standard for music journalism in general. Originally published in 1994, the book has now been expanded to 450 pages and comes as a beautiful clothbound edition, with four times as much text as in the original book.

Some critics might view this as a coffee table or reference volume; however, readers willing to delve into the actual contents will be richly rewarded with a fascinating journey through the group’s creative process.

Carl Magnus Palm. Photo: bjornfotograf.se

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ABBA The Complete Recording Sessions Revised and Expanded Edition

By Carl Magnus Palm Published by CMP/Text (Stockholm) Ordering Information: www.abbathecompleterecordingsessions.com www.carlmagnuspalm.com

The book is divided into essentially 13 sections, each chronicling a different phase or album in Abba’s career. Carl Magnus Palm leaves no stone unturned as he takes us through the recording of each ABBA song from its inception to the final steps of production.

A real highlight is the multi-page boxed sections devoted to such topics as writing the songs and recording the vocals. Each section features extensive interview excerpts with the band members, backing musicians, and production staff, including chief engineer Michael Tretow. The section titled Writing the Songs, for example, delves into how and where Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson worked together, and the fascinating story of their creative process as a song-writing team.

There is also much new information that has come to light since the book was originally published in the 1990s. In particular, the author was given unprecedented access to the newly digitized ABBA music archive, including a number of unreleased and unheard recordings.

As the book editor notes, “these sessions reveal hitherto unknown facts about how Abba’s music was created, and the process by which the group worked through their songs, trying out and discarding many ideas along the way.” In other words, there is much for the reader to discover here, including the early recording histories of each band member prior to their eventual collaboration.

Abba – The Complete Recording Sessions is a volume that will certainly appeal to Abba fans, as well as to anyone interested in popular music culture and artistic processes. Author Carl Magnus Palm is a national treasure, and Abba – The Complete Recording Sessions may well be his greatest accomplishment. At least, until his next book comes along!

Arrival is ABBA’s fourth studio album.

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Road to 2045

Road to 2045 Sweden Applies for the First Ever Climate-Positive Winter Olympics

By Mattias Goldmann, CEO of Green and Liberal Mindset Fores

There are two contenders for the Winter Olympics and Paralympics 2026: Italian Torino or the Swedish proposal with capital Stockholm and Falun and ski resort Åre. Sweden’s bid is to arrange the world’s first fossil-free, climate-positive Olympic games.

Stockholm in the winter. Photo: Malcolm Hanes/ Swedish Olympic Committee

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ince Sweden’s emissions are only 0.15% of the world’s total, a meaningful contribution to combat climate change must include the aim of inspiring others.

And what better opportunity than the Olympic and Paralympic Games, with millions of TV viewers, hundreds of thousands of visitors on site, several thousand competitors, and media from all over the world.

Sweden recently hosted two world championships: Alpine sports in Åre as well as Biathlon in Östersund, both of them fossil free to the highest extent possible. Fossil fuels were replaced by

renewables, including locally produced biofuels from forestry waste, electrification of transports, wind power and – perhaps surprisingly for Sweden – solar energy. But it was not only about replacing energy; showing and inspiring was also a large part of the story, and the climate friendly, largely vegetarian diet for elite skiers made headlines.

The Olympic and Paralympic bid has many climate components, including: Fossil-free all the way. Air, car, bus and train travel to and from the Olympics shall use electricity or renewable fuels made from residual products and waste. This also applies to the machinery needed in the slopes, on the hockey rinks and elsewhere.

Efficient transports. To reduce the need for spectators to transport themselves, several competitions are held in Stockholm, while Åre and Falun are reached by train and bus.

Existing facilities. In order to minimize the building’s climate impact, existing ski facilities and buildings are used. Where capacity needs to be expanded or the building is being renovated to meet OS and Paralympic’s

high demands, recyclable and recycled materials will be used, including wood sourced from Swedish forests where, for every tree that is felled, three are planted.

Green snow and ice. The need for artificial snow is to be reduced partly by better conservation of used snow, and artificial snow and ice will be manufactured using only renewable energy.

Climate positive at all levels. As the first Olympics and Paralympics organizer ever, the Swedish bid includes taking climate responsibility not only for the venues themselves, but also for the competitors, for the media and for spectators. Emissions will be minimized and mapped, and all remaining climate impact fully offset with 15 percent beyond zero, so that the entire event is climate positive.

Swedish winter sports can be part of the climate leadership and the climate inspiration that the world needs. Let the climate-smart games begin!

Fores (which includes the 2030-secretariat) is a Swedish think tank devoted to questions related to climate and environment, migration and integration, entrepreneurship and economic reforms, as well as the digital society.

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Hemma hos

Innovation Flows at Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair 2019

By Kristi Robinson

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nnovation in sustainability and classic forms “CO-RK” lamp by Digitalab. with a modern twist were the prevailing themes at the Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair. For five days designers and design enthusiasts from all over the world descended upon Stockholm for the biggest and most anticipated design event in Scandinavia.

One of the most talked about exhibits of the Stockholm Design Week wasn’t actually at the fair. “The Baker’s House,” an installation

by Stockholm design duo Färg & Blanche, was held in Blanche’s greatgreat-grandfather’s townhouse which had been passed down through five generations of her family. Decorated in the original antique lavishness of the 19th century, the house was the show space for Färg & Blanche’s furniture pieces such as candlesticks, a table, lamps, and stools. All the

“The Baker’s House” by Fredrik Färg & Emma Marga Blanche.

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[Design]

pieces on display were in some way inspired by details of the house or Blanche’s family history related to their knäckebröd factory.

Sustainability was front and center for an overwhelming number of the products and designs. An interesting new trend was the use of high-tech processes employing low-tech natural materials. Some of the standouts were Swedish design studio Front with their limited edition “Mirror” for furniture manufacturer Swedese, made from laminated wood off-cuts from Yngve Ekström’s classic 1950’s Lamino chair. Front was given a prestigious new award, “Born Classic,” given to a Scandinavian designer or producer for a product that exemplifies sustainability and innovation. “Mirror” by Front for Swedese. Photo © Front Digitalab from Portugal, a technology-based architectural office and design studio run by Ana Fonseca and Brimet Silva, scored the editor’s choice “Rising Star award” for their digitally fabricated cork lamp. Using natural cork thread, the lamp was intricately woven based on a mathematical algorithm. Baux was the recipient of another editor’s choice award named “Best Stand.” Swedish design studio Form Us with Love and independent designer Johan Ronnestam impressed with their architectural space using Baux acoustic panels. The panels are made of wood pulp from Swedish trees and a potato binder, while wheat bran is used for coloring. The panels are 100 percent biodegradable and

“Baux” by Form Us with Love and Johan Ronnestam for Swedese.

create zero percent pollution or waste.

Also on the sustainable edge was a bio-acoustic product by Nordgröna.

The company, headed by three brothers out of Arlöv, has created sound-absorbing panels for use in office and public spaces. They are made out of handpicked Swedish reindeer moss. Stumbling upon the idea almost by accident on a hiking trip, they realized that reindeer moss had the ability to absorb water and keep their tent dry. Through much research they found the moss was highly sound absorbing as well, and developed moss wall panels in a range of shapes and colors.

Full of innovation, the fair this year was yet another showing of why Scandinavian ingenuity leads the design world.

“Convex”sound absorbers by Nordgröna.

Photo © Nordgröna All photos © Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair unless otherwise noted.

Hemma hos

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ur story is a tale of two cultures. We are both firstgeneration Americans, born to Swedish and Greek fathers who were the only members of their families to emigrate to the United States from their respective homelands. Eric’s father, Martin, was a master woodcarver and carpenter who emigrated from Voxtorp, Småland in 1950 to Minneapolis, Minnesota. He served in the U.S. Army; and, while stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington, met Eric’s mother, Nila, who hailed from Tennessee. They married in Portland, Oregon in 1954.

Ana’s father, Stanley, from the island of Skopelos, Greece, was serving as a merchant marine when he sailed into the port of Portland in 1957. Due to the warm hospitality of the Greek community, he chose to make Portland his home. He met and married Ana’s mother, Vivian, who herself had emigrated with her widowed mother from Athens to Portland in 1949 at the age of thirteen We both grew up in households that kept Swedish and Greek traditions alive. We were fortunate that our parents also provided us with the opportunity, in our youth, to visit their respective homelands and meet the aunts, uncles and cousins we had always heard about. We met as freshmen at Concordia Lutheran College in Portland in 1977. We came to learn that we not only shared similar familial stories but that we were born one day apart! Since our marriage in 1982, in a traditional Greek Orthodox wedding, we have traveled to Sweden and Greece numerous times to learn as much as possible about each other’s heritage and our parents’ homelands, collecting wonderful memories with

[Treats]

à la Eric & Anastasia

each trip. Eric’s father gifted us our first subscription of Swedish Press in

Julskinka Ingredients: • 12 to 15 lb pickled fresh ham • 24 peppercorns • 1 egg, well beaten • ½ tbsp dry mustard • ½ tbsp sugar • 2 tbsp fine, dry bread crumbs

2004 after sharing his copies with us for many years prior to that (always the frugal Swede).

Both of our dads are gone now, but we are forever grateful to them for immersing us in their respective cultures. One of the Swedish traditions passed on to Eric from his dad was the recipe for “Julskinka” or Christmas Ham. Ana’s mother and grandmother prepared many traditional Greek meals and pastries; however, Ana will admit she did not inherit their love of cooking but does enjoy making an occasional pan of Baklava. Opa!

By Eric & Anastasia Johansson

Preparation: Place ham in large pot and cover with boiling water. Bring to simmering point. Add peppercorns. Cover pot and simmer until ham is tender – 4 to 5 hours for a 12 lb ham and 5 to 6 hours for a 15 lb ham. Remove ham from water. Remove skin and excess fat. Brush ham with beaten egg. Sprinkle with a mixture of mustard and sugar and then with bread crumbs. Place ham on rack in an open roasting pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 40 minutes until brown.

Baklava Ingredients: • 4 cups finely chopped walnuts • 1/4 tsp cinnamon • 1/8 tsp ground cloves • 1/3 cup sugar (mix the above ingredients) • 1 lb filo pastry dough • 2 cups sweet melted butter for 10 minutes.

Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place 5 filo leaves in 13 x 9 ½ x 2 inch pan. Butter each as it is stacked. Evenly sprinkle 5 heaping teaspoons of nut mixture. Place 2 leaves on top, brush with butter.

Sprinkle 5 tablespoons of mixture. Repeat 4 times. Place remaining filo leaves on top, buttering every second leaf. Trim edges with sharp knife. Score top sheets into diamond shapes using an up and down motion. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour. Turn off heat and let Baklava cool in oven. Pour hot syrup over cool Baklava.

Ingredients for Syrup: 2 cups water, 2 cups sugar, 1 ½ cups honey, 1 tsp orange juice, a few pieces of orange rind and cinnamon stick. Bring to boil and cook for 10 minutes.

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Swedish Press Connects

Swedish Council of America

Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg’s Legacy Lives On

By Brian Kays, SCA Communications Intern

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oung scientists’ persistence and hard work is fueled by the goal of improving society. Their work requires hours of time spent in labs hoping to discover breakthroughs that benefit the greater good. Every year, a group of 25 elite young scientists have the privilege of representing their country and research institution by participating in the Stockholm International Youth Sciences Seminar (SIYSS) held in conjunction with Nobel week festivities in Stockholm. These hand-picked young scientists have the remarkable opportunity to interact and share their research with Nobel laureates, their peers, and Swedish students aspiring to be scientists.

Swedish Council of America has the honor of sending one young scientist to SIYSS from one of SCA’s six Swedish heritage schools under the banner of the SCA Glenn T. Seaborg Science Scholarship. The scholarship was established in 1979 in honor of internationally famed chemist and former SCA Board Chair, Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg. Dr. Seaborg received the Nobel Prize for his work in transuranium elements in 1952.

SCA’s most recent Glenn T. Seaborg Science Scholarship recipient, Annika Schroder of Gustavus Adolphus College, lauded her time in Stockholm exclaiming, “All aspects of this week in Sweden surpassed what I had expected and reaffirmed my passions for the sciences.” She, like other students over the last four decades, describes her experience as tremendously life-changing. A common thread through Glenn T. Seaborg Science Scholarship recipients is renewed passion and inspiration for scientific research. The following quotes demonstrate Annika Schroder with her the legacy of students’ presentation at SIYSS. SIYSS experience: • “Being surrounded by so many people working toward the greater good has renewed within me an ultimate goal of scientific research – furthering knowledge that leads to

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Annika Schroder and her fellow SIYSS young scholars.

the betterment of society.” – Aeli Olson, Bethel University (2017) • “Not only did this trip renew my inspiration for research by reminding me what is possible with persistence and hard work, but it also gave me another reason to share my love for Sweden (and how cool it is!) with my friends.” – Griffin Reed, Gustavus Adolphus College (2016) • “Nothing in my life since then has surpassed my experience in Stockholm in 1979! There I met Nobel Prize winners whose work I admired, shook hands with royalty, and attended events with Dr. and Mrs. Seaborg, both wonderful people.” – Ellen Eliason Kisker, Augustana College (1979 – First SCA Glenn T. Seaborg Scholarship recipient) 2019 marks the 40th anniversary of the SCA Glenn T. Seaborg Science Scholarship. Nominees will be assessed on past academic achievement, demonstrated ability to conduct independent research, creative potential, and ability to represent effectively and positively the six Swedish-American heritage colleges and the Swedish Council of America at SIYSS and the Nobel festivities.

SCA is Swedish America’s community foundation. Our mission is to promote knowledge and appreciation of Swedish heritage and culture in North American life and to strengthen contemporary cultural and educational ties between North America and Sweden. We achieve this by providing grants to organizations, scholarships to youth, recognition to leaders and communications to the community – all focused on furthering our mission. www.swedishcouncil.org

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Genealogy may highlight vacation adventures – The Swedish American Genealogical Society suggests that travel can provide insights into family histories. A program at the Swedish American Museum this month promises to encourage family members to discover clues to the past during vacation trips.

Julie Benson, a member of the Museum-based Genealogical Society, will provide tips on this subject and answer questions from 10 a.m. to 12 noon Saturday, April 27. She will share tips on exploring both local settlement sites and the locations from which ancestors emigrated.

Since its founding in 1976, the Swedish American Museum has made genealogy an essential initiative for scholars, historians and families that seek information about ancestors and the places they lived in Scandinavian countries.

In 1994, members initiated a formal genealogical program and created a Nordic Family Research Center. It eventually became the Swedish American Genealogical Society, where individuals may attend individual research sessions on Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings.

In addition to monthly programs on specific topics, the Genealogical Society encourages participation in such travel opportunities as the tour of Bishop Hill and Andover, Illinois, that will take place in May. 8

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Reflect: Bigert & Bergström – Ongoing through April 28, 2019, a five-meter-tall golden egg that is also a functional sauna takes residence in ASI’s outdoor courtyard. The piece, entitled Solar Egg by Bigert & Bergström for Riksbyggen, was created by the Swedish art duo Bigert & Bergström, two of Sweden’s most notable international climateinspired artists. The installation reflects its surroundings and also acts as a chamber for the exchange of ideas. Solar Egg is made of wood and covered in a stainless golden mirror surface whose many facets reflect its surroundings. In the centre of the egg is a wood-fired, heart-shaped sauna stove made of iron and stone. Solar Egg was created for the Swedish housing developer Riksbyggen to stand as a symbol of new beginnings in Kiruna, a town currently undergoing a physical move to make way for an iron ore mine.

Sauna sessions are available in the Solar Egg on Wednesday nights from 5-7 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays from 12-4 p.m. Book your seat for this unique opportunity!

Solar Egg by Bigert & Bergström. Photo: Jean-Baptiste Béranger 18

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Outdoor Adventures: Navigating the Nordic Way – People from the Nordic nations love being outdoors. Join the American Swedish Historical Museum in exploring the history of Nordic navigation, compasses, and the modern-day sport of orienteering from April 6 to September 22.

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Antique compass. Photo: American Swedish Historical Museum

For thousands of years, people in northern Europe navigated turbulent seas and dark forests to survive and thrive. The Vikings were particularly renowned for their directional abilities at sea by using unique tools, birds, and their own senses to find land. This exhibit highlights the techniques that brought these voyagers from the Black Sea to Newfoundland!

One can also learn about how the compass revolutionized navigation in Europe beginning in the 1600s. This exhibit includes compasses spanning the last 500 years and explains their role in transforming wayfinding. These objects also gave rise to the Nordic sport of orienteering by the late 1800s.

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Calendar & Events

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A guide to fun and interesting Swedish events outside Sweden

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CHICAGO Swedish American Museum 5211 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60640 Tel: 773-728 8111 | info@samac.org www.swedishamericanmuseum.org Apr 7 and 28 – Sun 10 am: Svenska Skolan program on Swedish culture and history for Swedish-speaking kindergarten through high school students.

Apr 9 – Tue 6 pm: Volunteer Appreciation dinner and recognitions.

Apr 14 – Sun 1 pm: Scandinavian Jam instructional program about traditional music; participants may play their own instruments during the jam session at 2 pm.

Apr 14 – Sun 4 pm: Annual Meeting and celebration of achievements.

Apr 20 – Sat 11 am: Guided tour of the permanent exhibit, “A Dream of America,” focusing on immigration to Swedish neighborhoods.

Apr 27 – Sat 10 am: Swedish American Genealogical Society discussion by Julie Benson about exploring family histories during vacation trips.

DETROIT Swedish Club of Southeast Michigan 22398 Ruth St, Farmington Hills, MI 48336 Info: 734-459 0596 www.swedishclub.net Apr 7 – Sun 1 to 2:30 pm: Buffet hosted by Jenny Lind Club.

Apr 27 – Sat 3pm; Valborgsmassoafton Festivities – bonfire, picnic food & singing.

MINNEAPOLIS American Swedish Institute 2600 Park Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55407 Tel: 612-871 4907 | www.asimn.org Ongoing through April 28, 2019 – Imagine: Surreal Photography by Erik Johansson – Swedish visual artist digitally knits together his own photographs to create complex and clever naturescapes.

Ongoing through April 28, 2019 – Reflect: Bigert & Bergström – A five-metertall golden egg that is also a functional sauna is on display at the ASI’s outdoor courtyard. The piece, entitled Solar Egg by Bigert & Bergström for Riksbyggen, was created by the Swedish art duo Bigert & Bergström, two of Sweden’s most notable international climate-inspired artists.

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Ongoing through May 11, 2019: Family Gallery – Eurpean Market Square – In this interactive exhibition in the ASI Family Gallery, kids (and their adults, too!) can play and pretend to sell wares in a European-style market.

Apr 13 – Sat 9 to 10:30 am: Easter in the Castle and Egg Hunt – ASI celebrates Easter (påsk) by hosting the Twin Cities’ only Easter egg hunt in the 33-room Turnblad Mansion.

Apr 29 – Fri 6 to 9 pm: Valborg at ASI – Celebrate the coming of spring at the American Swedish Institute with bonfires, songs, crafts and specialty cocktails by FIKA inspired by Solar Egg. PHILADEPHIA American Swedish Historical Museum 1900 Pattison Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19145 | Tel: 215-389 1776 | info@americanswedish.org | www.americanswedish.org Apr 6 to Sep 22 – Outdoor Adventures: Navigating the Nordic Way – People from the Nordic nations love being outdoors.

Join ASHM in exploring the history of Nordic navigation, compasses, and the modern-day sport of orienteering.

Apr 14 – Sun 2 to 4 pm: Easter Family Fun Day – Children can make Swedish Easter crafts, dress up as Swedish Easter witches, enjoy face painting, and an egg hunt.

PORTLAND Nordic Northwest Nordia House, 8800 SW Oleson Rd., Portland, OR 97223 | Tel: 503-977 0275 www.nordicnorthwest.org Apr 12 to Jul 8 – From Sweden to Oregon: the Immigrant Experience 1850-1950 – an exhibition which follows the Swedish immigrants to Oregon and reveals what became of their lives, hopes, and dreams.

Curated by Swedish Roots in Oregon SEATTLE Swedish Cultural Center 1920 Dexter Ave. N. Seattle, WA 98109 Tel: 206-283 1090 | www.swedishclubnw.org info@swedishculturalcenter.org Apr 5 – Fri: 8 pm to 12 midnight: ABBA Night returns. Food and ABBA music. Come to dance or just listen and watch the fab 18

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clothes from the 70s on our dancers!

Costume contest too.

Apr 7 – Sun 8 am to 3 pm:Swedish Pancakes – Music and dancing, plus authentic Swedish pancakes, ham, lingonberries, coffee and orange juice.

Apr 14 – Sun 7:30 pm: Väsen! The Swedish neo-traditional acoustic supergroup returns to Seattle, performing at the Triple Door, 216 Union St. Nordic Museum 2655 NW Market Street, Seattle, WA 98107 Tel: 206-789 5707 | nordic@nordicmuseum.org www.nordicmuseum.org Ongoing through Apr 14, 2019 – The Vikings Begin Exhibition – Based on the latest research conducted on both historic and recent discoveries of Viking-era artifacts

by Uppsala University in Sweden.

TORONTO Svenska kyrkan i Toronto 25 Old York Mills Road, Toronto ON M2P 1B5 Tel: 416-486 0466 | toronto@svenskakyrkan.se www.svenskakyrkan.se/toronto Apr 6 – Sat 11am to 2 pm: Påskbasar.

Apr 21 – Sun 4 pm: Påskdagen gudstjänst.

Påskbuffé i svensk stil efter gudstjänsten.

VANCOUVER Scandinavian Community Centre 6540 Thomas Street, Burnaby, BC V5B 4P9 Tel: 604-294 2777 | info@scancentre.org | www.scancentre.org Apr 13-14 – Sat 11 am to 6 pm Sun 11 am to 4 pm: Nordic Spirit 2019: Are We There Yet? – Exhibition and program on historic images, travel stories and videos of our Immigrant Travel Stories.

WINNIPEG Swedish Cultural Assn of Manitoba 764 Erin Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3G 2W4 | Tel: 204-774 8047 | Reservations at: svenskclub17@gmail.com Apr 5 – Fri 11:30 am: Svensk Lunch, $8.00 for homemade soup, 2 open-faced sandwiches, coleslaw, pickles, dessert, juice, coffee and tea. Smaskigt! (Yummy) Apr 18 – Thurs 7 pm: Swedish Cultural Association Annual General Meeting, Thursday, April 18th, 7p.m.

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[Ads] and Info Swedish Press Classified Alberta Organizations Svenska Skolan i Calgary bedriver undervisning för barn 3-15 år gamla på lördagar kl 9:30-12. Alla barn är välkomna. Undervisningen sker på svenska. Kontakta Svenska Skolan genom Scandinavian center 403-284-2610 eller skicka epost till contact@swedishschool.com.

Läs mer om vår skola på www.swedishschool.com BC Organizations Scandinavian Business Club Monthly meetings feature business speakers. Guests and new members welcome. Call SBC: 604-484-8238.

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Sista ordet

'And yes, there was a Viking ship raft!'

Minnesotans Travel to Uppsala to Visit Sister City

by Sarah Johnson

“T

here is a town in Minnesota with friends taking good care of us…” went the song written by one of the members of the Uppsala Friendship Committee and performed at the Welcome Skål! event upon our arrival in Sweden’s fourth largest city. Visiting one of our sister cities to experience Walpurgis, the Nordic celebration of spring, I was fortunate enough to be a part of Minneapolis’s first citizen delegation to Uppsala (our sister city since 2000), a municipality of about 130,000 inhabitants approximately 40 miles north of Stockholm. Sister Cities is an international program started by President Dwight Eisenhower to foster people-to-people diplomacy.

Uppsala is a river city, so one of the cherished traditions during Walpurgis (held annually on April 30) is waiting for the student-created rafts to come floating by. It’s a celebration reminiscent of Minneapolis’s milk carton boat

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Swedish Press | April 2019 30

Fyrisån, the river that bisects Uppsala.

Bottom left: Viking ship raft during Walpurgis.

races during Aquatennial (our city’s summer festival). Östra Ågatan, the main boulevard, was packed with college students holding bottles of wine and chanting songs in Swedish, while people on balconies overlooking the river waved the blue and yellow national flag. Police in wet suits were sitting on risers near a small waterfall, ready to help any rafters who got stuck on the rocks. (And yes, there was a Viking ship raft!)

One of the advantages of joining a sister cities trip is that you can often take part in experiences you wouldn’t otherwise have as a regular tourist. In Uppsala, we had the opportunity to learn about the cultural issues facing Sweden from two local officials – Director Hannes Vidmark from the

Department of Ecological Sustainability, and Anders Fridborg, Chief Security Officer and former head of unit coordination for refugee reception.

Topics ranged from climate taxes to teaching children from Afghanistan how to ice skate.

On a day trip north of Uppsala, we heard about something very familiar to Minnesotans: iron ore mining. At Österbybruk, skilled blacksmiths would live with their families and work at the Walloon Forge, producing some of the world’s highest-quality iron dating back to the 1600s. We also saw the

Open mine pit at Dannemora.

Photos courtesy: Sarah Johnson

deep and dark open mine pits at Dannemora, known as the end of the line where they would send prisoners and other undesirables to work. Our tour guide explained that these miners were often known by their facial deformities – one side of their face was perpetually burned due to the need to hold a stick in their mouth for light while deep down in the mine. She painted a gruesome picture of smoke, fire and ever-present danger in a place where the average life expectancy was 35 years.

The sign at their train station (“Uppsala: Välkommen hit, Välkommen hem,” Swedish for “Welcome here, Welcome home”) underscores the friendliness of the people in this area of the world. I can’t wait for them to come and visit us!

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