Happy birthday, Sweden
June 6, 2023 8:42 AM Subscribe
Happy birthday, Sweden, which is celebrating 500 years as a nation today on June 6, which became National Day in 1983 and an official public holiday in 2004. One reason the date of 6 June was chosen because it is the day in 1523 when Sweden became independent of the Union of Kalmar, which had formerly united Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It was a genuine new start for Sweden, and it was the occasion of their electing Gustav Vasa as their king and adopting their own flag. The second reason for choosing 6 June is that, in 1809, Sweden adopted a new constitution on that date. The tradition of celebrating 6 June as Flag Day began in the 1890s, when Artur Hazelius held such celebrations at his Stockholm-based open-air museum named “Skansen.”
"The foundations of the Swedish state were laid during the reign of Gustav Vasa (1523–60). The church was nationalised, its estates confiscated by the crown, and the Protestant Reformation was introduced. Power was concentrated in the hands of the king and hereditary monarchy came into force in 1544," according to the Official History of Sweden website. While having or being a king was a big deal in Sweden for ages, today's royal family is legally powerless. As European royal families go, the Swedish monarchy is relatively inexpensive and also often annoying at times.
There are many things to like about Sweden. Skansen, for example, is the world's oldest open-air museum. Sweden was home to Aina Lucia Wifalk, the inventor who developed the modern walker for elderly and disabled individuals. "From the invention of the Celsius temperature scale in 1742 to the development of the world’s first airbag helmet in 2011, Swedish inventions have made a lasting impression on the way we live over the years," according to blogger Karl Andersson. Other nice things about Sweden include lots of forests, lots of lakes, the fika culture, and the legacy of ABBA. While far from perfect, the country has many charms despite the national desire to be lagom.
"The foundations of the Swedish state were laid during the reign of Gustav Vasa (1523–60). The church was nationalised, its estates confiscated by the crown, and the Protestant Reformation was introduced. Power was concentrated in the hands of the king and hereditary monarchy came into force in 1544," according to the Official History of Sweden website. While having or being a king was a big deal in Sweden for ages, today's royal family is legally powerless. As European royal families go, the Swedish monarchy is relatively inexpensive and also often annoying at times.
There are many things to like about Sweden. Skansen, for example, is the world's oldest open-air museum. Sweden was home to Aina Lucia Wifalk, the inventor who developed the modern walker for elderly and disabled individuals. "From the invention of the Celsius temperature scale in 1742 to the development of the world’s first airbag helmet in 2011, Swedish inventions have made a lasting impression on the way we live over the years," according to blogger Karl Andersson. Other nice things about Sweden include lots of forests, lots of lakes, the fika culture, and the legacy of ABBA. While far from perfect, the country has many charms despite the national desire to be lagom.
Happy Birthday, Sweden! You don't look a day over 499!
posted by briank at 9:15 AM on June 6, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by briank at 9:15 AM on June 6, 2023 [5 favorites]
I'm pleased to learn that I somehow stumbled into doing the culture right with my routine of getting a kanalbulle and a coffee, but I'm still disappointed that the stand near my hotel was always sold out of tunnbrodsrulle.
Skansen was really interesting, and it was neat that they have the interpretive staff actually doing tasks instead of it just being a collection of buildings.
posted by LionIndex at 9:17 AM on June 6, 2023 [3 favorites]
Skansen was really interesting, and it was neat that they have the interpretive staff actually doing tasks instead of it just being a collection of buildings.
posted by LionIndex at 9:17 AM on June 6, 2023 [3 favorites]
Not that I need an excuse to listen to Robyn, but hey! An excuse to listen to Robyn! *cues up cover of "Buffalo Stance" for added Swedish oomph, dusts off Neneh Cherry playlist while I'm at it*
posted by EvaDestruction at 9:20 AM on June 6, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by EvaDestruction at 9:20 AM on June 6, 2023 [5 favorites]
We've only made it to Stockholm and Upsalla to see the University and also to go see Linnaeus' farmhouse. In that vein, let me add some cultural stuff to appreciate about Sweden.
Seeing a beautifully intact 17th century ship The Vasa is an overwhelming experience. It felt like time travel.
It really feels like August Strindberg just stepped out of his apartment and will be back at any moment.
Linnaeus Farmhouse is a bit outside of Upsalla but worth the bus ride to this rural red farmhouse. There's drawings all over the walls.
Next year we plan to go to visit the island of Faro, where Ingmar Bergman lived and also filmed many iconic films.
posted by vacapinta at 9:26 AM on June 6, 2023 [2 favorites]
Seeing a beautifully intact 17th century ship The Vasa is an overwhelming experience. It felt like time travel.
It really feels like August Strindberg just stepped out of his apartment and will be back at any moment.
Linnaeus Farmhouse is a bit outside of Upsalla but worth the bus ride to this rural red farmhouse. There's drawings all over the walls.
Next year we plan to go to visit the island of Faro, where Ingmar Bergman lived and also filmed many iconic films.
posted by vacapinta at 9:26 AM on June 6, 2023 [2 favorites]
Seems like a great opportunity to plug the Flat Pack History of Sweden podcast. Currently the hosts are deep into the Kalmar Union period.
posted by Preserver at 9:40 AM on June 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Preserver at 9:40 AM on June 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
Yes yes, Skansen is hosting the royal family and elected government for a massive anniversary celebration today, but today was also the day that the new permanent exhibition about bicycle tourists in the 1950s premiered, an initiative that I proposed a few years ago while working both as a volunteer at the museum and professionally at the national cycling advocacy agency Cykelfrämjandet (please pardon the shameless self-promotion, I'm pretty proud of this and just got home from the opening ceremony). The next time you're visiting Skansen keep an eye out for Ulla and Gunnel and learn more about Swedish welfare reforms from the mid 20th-century and allemansrätten, among other things.
posted by St. Oops at 9:57 AM on June 6, 2023 [8 favorites]
posted by St. Oops at 9:57 AM on June 6, 2023 [8 favorites]
Congratulations, St. Oops, that is a fabulous accomplishment! How was the opening ceremony? I’m personally a little skittish around the royal family. Not that I hang with them, but when I was being a tourist with my two sisters and their children, the King drove entirely too fast and too close to my adult niece at Drottningholm. And yes, I am holding a grudge.
posted by Bella Donna at 10:05 AM on June 6, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Bella Donna at 10:05 AM on June 6, 2023 [2 favorites]
Delaware, one of the smallest of the United States, was once New Sweden.
posted by Rash at 10:12 AM on June 6, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Rash at 10:12 AM on June 6, 2023 [2 favorites]
Bella Donna, the royal family did not stoop to attending our modest ceremony, but we did have the pleasure of hosting the traffic mayor, a good friend of mine. The docents representing the cycling tourists and some of the museum staff responsible for developing the exhibition will make a small presentation on Sollidenscenen between the formalities, but it won't be broadcast with the rest of the ceremony.
posted by St. Oops at 10:12 AM on June 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by St. Oops at 10:12 AM on June 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
Timely post, thanks Bella Donna! This is my first National Day in Sweden and it's been a fun one. Spent part of the afternoon at the Nationaldagsgallopen as I live just down the road, and the rest at a colleague's cookout. Didn't make it out to Skansen today but planning to make it out there for Midsommar in a few weeks.
for some reason I got into Japanese but Sweden seems to have it stuff sorted out better this century so probably a better place to retire to should the time come.
Not to derail but unfortunately this is easier said than done (unless you're an EU citizen) - I came over from the US for a specific job and likely will only be here for a few years. I'd love to find a way to stay over here longer or get some sort of retirement visa and just go buy one of those little red houses, but it's not easy if you don't have an EU passport or EU spouse. Would love to be proven wrong though...
posted by photo guy at 10:53 AM on June 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
for some reason I got into Japanese but Sweden seems to have it stuff sorted out better this century so probably a better place to retire to should the time come.
Not to derail but unfortunately this is easier said than done (unless you're an EU citizen) - I came over from the US for a specific job and likely will only be here for a few years. I'd love to find a way to stay over here longer or get some sort of retirement visa and just go buy one of those little red houses, but it's not easy if you don't have an EU passport or EU spouse. Would love to be proven wrong though...
posted by photo guy at 10:53 AM on June 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
That is a shame, photo guy. It certainly doesn’t help that Sweden is busy, making it harder to become a citizen. I don’t think the laws have yet been changed, but the residency requirement is going to shift from five years to eight years, for example. The Prime Minister took today as a fine time to give a speech about how important it was to increase the value of a Swedish citizenship. You know, by making it a lot harder to become a citizen. I’m gonna stop there before I run my pleasant summer evening.
posted by Bella Donna at 11:52 AM on June 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Bella Donna at 11:52 AM on June 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
Yeah I saw that speech, unfortunate/gross and really took the shine off an otherwise nice day. Sadly that seems to be the way the world is heading now.
posted by photo guy at 12:10 PM on June 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by photo guy at 12:10 PM on June 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
Grattis på födelsedagen, Sverige!
posted by kirkaracha at 1:04 PM on June 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by kirkaracha at 1:04 PM on June 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
Canada celebrates our fellow hockey enthusiasts :D
posted by elkevelvet at 1:11 PM on June 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by elkevelvet at 1:11 PM on June 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
Well, considering my father's parents both came to the USA from Sweden in the 1930s knowing no one and completely penniless makes me think maybe not everything about Sweden was always sweetness and light.
posted by SoberHighland at 6:24 PM on June 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by SoberHighland at 6:24 PM on June 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
here's hoping Erdogan has a nice present in mind for Sweden
posted by senor biggles at 6:30 PM on June 6, 2023
posted by senor biggles at 6:30 PM on June 6, 2023
fun fact, Sweden is roughly the size & shape of California (with 1/3 the population)
Slightly bigger than California, with about a quarter of the population (a hair over 10 million and a hair under 40 million).
posted by Dysk at 1:04 AM on June 7, 2023 [1 favorite]
Slightly bigger than California, with about a quarter of the population (a hair over 10 million and a hair under 40 million).
posted by Dysk at 1:04 AM on June 7, 2023 [1 favorite]
Not to derail but unfortunately this is easier said than done...
I'm well aware of the direction the current (and previous) government is pushing, am disgusted by the SD along with the other parties that were willing to get in bed with them, and am concerned about what comes next (though much more on the refugee/asylum side vs skilled labor).
That said, I'm actually amazed at how easy/open immigration is on the labor side, and even where it will be if every item on rights' (current, maybe not full Tidö) wish list is checked-off. Today, basically if you can find employment with a permanent (or multi-year contract) at ~$30K/year, and that provides the basic, required insurance, you're more-or-less guaranteed PR at year 4, and citizenship at year 5.
Even with the proposed requirements (basic language requirements, civics test, even the move on citizenship to 8 years), I think it probably still lies on the lax side vs. the rest of Europe, still is pretty "check the box," and avoids a lot of the soft assessments of "integration effort" that I think can be a nightmare in some other countries, and also is avoiding the labor-needs testing mess.
Again, I'm aware of (hate, am disgusted by) the xenophobic motivations behind this, serious concerns about where refugee/asylum based immigration is headed, and have no illusions about the efficiency of Migrationsverket (unacceptable) or the huge life impacts of approval limbo for residency permits. It just seems like even with the big step backwards Sweden is trying to take, it's still far ahead of almost every other European country.
Caveat- I'm saying all of this as a fairly high-income expat from the US. I work a lot with labor immigration for my job with people for both visa waiver and non-visa waiver countries, but as the employer offering long-term contracts for tech jobs well above the monthly limits, so I definitely have a limited/specific point of view.
posted by cosmonaught at 1:59 AM on June 7, 2023 [1 favorite]
I'm well aware of the direction the current (and previous) government is pushing, am disgusted by the SD along with the other parties that were willing to get in bed with them, and am concerned about what comes next (though much more on the refugee/asylum side vs skilled labor).
That said, I'm actually amazed at how easy/open immigration is on the labor side, and even where it will be if every item on rights' (current, maybe not full Tidö) wish list is checked-off. Today, basically if you can find employment with a permanent (or multi-year contract) at ~$30K/year, and that provides the basic, required insurance, you're more-or-less guaranteed PR at year 4, and citizenship at year 5.
Even with the proposed requirements (basic language requirements, civics test, even the move on citizenship to 8 years), I think it probably still lies on the lax side vs. the rest of Europe, still is pretty "check the box," and avoids a lot of the soft assessments of "integration effort" that I think can be a nightmare in some other countries, and also is avoiding the labor-needs testing mess.
Again, I'm aware of (hate, am disgusted by) the xenophobic motivations behind this, serious concerns about where refugee/asylum based immigration is headed, and have no illusions about the efficiency of Migrationsverket (unacceptable) or the huge life impacts of approval limbo for residency permits. It just seems like even with the big step backwards Sweden is trying to take, it's still far ahead of almost every other European country.
Caveat- I'm saying all of this as a fairly high-income expat from the US. I work a lot with labor immigration for my job with people for both visa waiver and non-visa waiver countries, but as the employer offering long-term contracts for tech jobs well above the monthly limits, so I definitely have a limited/specific point of view.
posted by cosmonaught at 1:59 AM on June 7, 2023 [1 favorite]
Thanks for the context, cosmonaught. I am an American immigrant to Sweden, and I knew nothing about how Sweden's old and new citizenship requirements compared to other European nations until your comment. One of the biggest frustrations of living in Sweden is watching the Migrationsverket (Immigration Department) screw up on a consistent basis. Another is watching the newest Swedish government dragging the country to the right, admittedly with the support of a chunk of the population. So yeah, that part still sucks. At least the coalition is losing popularity with voters, according to polls.
posted by Bella Donna at 6:15 AM on June 7, 2023
posted by Bella Donna at 6:15 AM on June 7, 2023
My comment is definitely just "right-ish" at best, Bella Donna-- I'm also just another American expat in Stockholm. I'm a little extra plugged-in because my job has me relocating people to a few places in Europe (and lots to Sweden), but would defer/recant to anyone that *actually* knows anything.
And Migrationsverket is a hot mess. I just got through my PR approval, but my wife's is pending and I have no idea if we'll see it in a week or a year. The crazy processing time isn't too bad for American's (worst case at least we can enter on a 90-day tourist), but it's devastating for people from non-visa waiver countries. I've had people on my team skip weddings and funerals because they wouldn't be able to return.
But... this is all a long walk form celebrating Sweden's National Day. It really is a lovely place!
posted by cosmonaught at 8:28 AM on June 7, 2023 [1 favorite]
And Migrationsverket is a hot mess. I just got through my PR approval, but my wife's is pending and I have no idea if we'll see it in a week or a year. The crazy processing time isn't too bad for American's (worst case at least we can enter on a 90-day tourist), but it's devastating for people from non-visa waiver countries. I've had people on my team skip weddings and funerals because they wouldn't be able to return.
But... this is all a long walk form celebrating Sweden's National Day. It really is a lovely place!
posted by cosmonaught at 8:28 AM on June 7, 2023 [1 favorite]
There’s a lot of post hoc stuff around the Swedish National Day - celebrations started as a nationalistic/commercial initiative by Hazelius in 1893, both to commemorate Vasa’s election (but not coronation) as king in 1523 and Karl XIV’s signing of the constitution of 1809 (which was great progressive step). Of course there’d been a date reform in 1753 so Vasa’s election would have been on June 16 in the Gregorian calendar.
Oscar II celebrated his 50 year wedding anniversary on June 6th 1907, and at that time it was announced that this date would henceforth be a flag day, known as Swedish Flag Day.
During the heady days of the 80s, nationalistic fervour made the Flag Day into the National Day, and it became a public holiday in 2005 (at the expense of Whit Monday which had been a public holiday up until then).
Personally and as a swede, I consider the national day pointless at best, and harmful at worst. The one good thing is perhaps that we got rid of a Christian public holiday, would have loved it if it wasn’t to get a nationalistic one instead.
posted by boogieboy at 9:31 AM on June 7, 2023 [3 favorites]
Oscar II celebrated his 50 year wedding anniversary on June 6th 1907, and at that time it was announced that this date would henceforth be a flag day, known as Swedish Flag Day.
During the heady days of the 80s, nationalistic fervour made the Flag Day into the National Day, and it became a public holiday in 2005 (at the expense of Whit Monday which had been a public holiday up until then).
Personally and as a swede, I consider the national day pointless at best, and harmful at worst. The one good thing is perhaps that we got rid of a Christian public holiday, would have loved it if it wasn’t to get a nationalistic one instead.
posted by boogieboy at 9:31 AM on June 7, 2023 [3 favorites]
I have lived in Sweden a while (apparently 60 years - how did that happen?) and have seen the attempts to whip up national pride wax and wane. This latest weeze from the powers that be with a national holiday on what was called Skansen Day when I first came here will never have the heft or attraction of the day they really express their pride and love for their beautiful country. Midsommar!
For generations it has signalled the start of the summer - and holidays.
There are rituals, there is food, there is drink, there are songs about the beauty of nature, there are silly games, family gatherings,
Here is the expression of pride and love for the country and it’s beauty. And founded on the Almanac not political dates.
A poet friend wrote this today, summing it up.
In the style of a traditional midsummer song
so in the local language. Förlåt.
NATIONELLT
I junis ljuva tid av fjärilsdungar,
av spädgrön björk och klockors djupa blå,
av koltrasts stolta sång för sina ungar
och tärnors dyk för mat till sina små.
När varje morgon fylls av fåglars kvitter
och viken utav solens silverglitter,
när all natur, som den ju gör ibland,
ger skäl att gränslöst älska detta fosterland.
Då syns från skogens rand en vålnad hasa
med mordisk blick och vildsint skägg
och stank av döden mot syren och hägg.
Säg, ser ni vem det är? Ack, ve och fasa:
Nationens grundare och hjälte: Gustav Vasa!
230606
posted by jan murray at 5:34 PM on June 7, 2023 [4 favorites]
For generations it has signalled the start of the summer - and holidays.
There are rituals, there is food, there is drink, there are songs about the beauty of nature, there are silly games, family gatherings,
Here is the expression of pride and love for the country and it’s beauty. And founded on the Almanac not political dates.
A poet friend wrote this today, summing it up.
In the style of a traditional midsummer song
so in the local language. Förlåt.
NATIONELLT
I junis ljuva tid av fjärilsdungar,
av spädgrön björk och klockors djupa blå,
av koltrasts stolta sång för sina ungar
och tärnors dyk för mat till sina små.
När varje morgon fylls av fåglars kvitter
och viken utav solens silverglitter,
när all natur, som den ju gör ibland,
ger skäl att gränslöst älska detta fosterland.
Då syns från skogens rand en vålnad hasa
med mordisk blick och vildsint skägg
och stank av döden mot syren och hägg.
Säg, ser ni vem det är? Ack, ve och fasa:
Nationens grundare och hjälte: Gustav Vasa!
230606
posted by jan murray at 5:34 PM on June 7, 2023 [4 favorites]
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fun fact, Sweden is roughly the size & shape of California (with 1/3 the population)
posted by Heywood Mogroot III at 9:02 AM on June 6, 2023 [1 favorite]