Swedish Stars in the NFL

May 5, 2022

The relationship between American football and the nation of Sweden kicked off in the early 80s. This relationship soon blossomed into the Swedish Superseries. Superseries is the American football league in Sweden, which commenced in 1991.

American football didn’t gain much prominence in Sweden until Swedish players began to play in the NFL. Many people wonder how the diverse background of NFL players contributes to American football. There is no bigger advantage that they offer than spreading American football into their home countries simply because the people back home identify the player as one of them.

Hundreds of thousands of American football fans are in Sweden. Many stakes on NFL week 8 odds and other regular season games. This is only happening consistently due to the bettors’ familiarity with American football.

Swedish NFL Players help to promote American football back home

Foreign players in the NFL help introduce the NFL to their home countries. Even in countries where American football is almost non-existent, the players are known back home and regarded as stars.

When foreign players get the chance to play in the NFL, they automatically become an ambassador for the NFL. This does not only occurs in the United States, but also in their home countries, where they are often celebrated as heroes.

Currently, there are no active Swedish players in the NFL. Nevertheless, many Swedish players who have been privileged to play in the NFL have also contributed to the NFL’s success in many ways.

Some of Sweden’s NFL heroes include:

Bjorn Nittmo

Nittmo was the first Swede to play in the NFL after he was signed up to play for the New York Giants in 1989. His signing sparked interest in American football back home in Sweden. Nittmo had a career that featured many moves as he played for several teams in the United States and beyond.

Ola Kimrin

Ola Kimrin played as a placekicker for the Miami Dolphins in the NFL. Kimrin played for Frankfurt Galaxy under NFL Europe, where he impressed and got signed to Denver Broncos and moved to the United States. Kimrin proceeded to play for several NFL sides, including Washington Redskins and the Tennessee Titans. He represented Sweden and has also coached Sweden’s American football national team.

While Sweden now boasts a good number of American football players, only a handful of talents from Sweden have played and are playing in the NFL.

Sweden’s Superserien is one of the most successful American football leagues outside the United States. The league has been running successfully for more than three decades now. As the Superserien grows stronger, one would hope that the inconsistent number of teams that play the league every year can be finally set to a certain number.

Featured image: https://captaincreps.com/

These are Norway’s 8 UNESCO world heritage sites

Swedes in the States

May 1, 2022

Norway is famous for its breathtaking nature, so we are absolutely positive UNESCO had a hard time deciding on which sites are more noteworthy than others? Well, according to UNESCO, there are 10 requirements, where at least one would have to be met, to make it onto the list of world heritage sites. It is also important that the site is of outstanding universal value, which might be hard to define, but hey, we don’t work for UNESCO, so let’s move on.

It is worth mentioning that there are 5 other sites that are on UNESCO’s tentative list. This means that the sites are, as of now, up for consideration to join the rest of the below sites on the world heritage list.

Bryggen

Bryggen, which translates to the wharf or the bridge in Norwegian, is a cute town that dates back to the early 1400s and played an important role during the Hansa Union at a time when Norway belonged to Sweden. According to UNESCO, the town has been plagued by fires but has been rebuilt using the old, traditional methods originally used when building the town, leaving the structure in its original form.

Geirangerfjord & Nærøyfjord

Located in the Romsdal region and Aurland region, these fjords are about 75 miles apart from each other but have a few things in common landing them a spot on the world heritage list. These two amazing works of nature are considered among the longest and deepest fjords in the world, with the rock walls extending close to 4600 ft above sea level and 1640 ft below sea level. Surrounded by waterfalls, glaciers, lakes, forests, and wildlife – the two fjords are well deserving of being featured on the list.

Urnes Stave Church

Urnes Stave Church was built during the 1200s and is the ultimate Viking structure with Celtic and Roman influences. There are a few of them across the country but this particular church is situated by Sogn and Fjordane which makes it even more breathtaking.

Alta Rock Carvings

In the very northern part of Norway, close to the Arctic Circle lies the Alta Fjord. Apart from its exceptional beauty, the fjord is also famous for being the home of thousands of rock carvings, some dating back as far as 4200 B.C. These carvings depict the everyday life of the prehistoric inhabitants of Northern Scandinavia and have been vital in understanding the history of the region.

Struve Geodetic Arc

UNESCO writes about the Struve Geodetic Arc: “The Struve Arc is a chain of survey triangulations stretching from Hammerfest in Norway to the Black Sea, through 10 countries and over 2,820 km. These are points of a survey, carried out between 1816 and 1855 by the astronomer Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve, which represented the first accurate measuring of a long segment of a meridian. This helped to establish the exact size and shape of the planet and marked an important step in the development of earth sciences and topographic mapping. It is an extraordinary example of scientific collaboration among scientists from different countries, and of collaboration between monarchs for a scientific cause.”

Vegaøyan, Vega Archipelago

**Copyright:** Terje Racke Nordic Life – www.nordnorge.com

Any Scandinavian will tell you that one of their favorite places to be during the summer is the Scandinavian archipelago. The wooden houses and fishing huts, boats, and islands are an exotic sight for anyone who has yet to experience it. The archipelago of Vega is no exception. Just south of the Arctic Circle, this small community of a dozen islands houses fishing villages, lighthouses, and farming landscapes. Life here is modest and the archipelago perfectly reflects the way fishermen and farmers alike have been living sustainably for the past 1,500 years.

Røros Mining Town

Røros Mining Town is the home of multiple copper mines that were mined for more than 300 years between the 17th century until 1977. The town was rebuilt from the ground up in 1670 after being attacked and destroyed by Swedish troops. Around 2000 wooden houses with a dark wood exterior can be found in the town.

Rjukan-Notodden Industrial Heritage Site

The latest addition to Norway’s world heritage sites is Rjukan-Notodden Industrial Heritage Site. UNESCO writes: “Located in a dramatic landscape of mountains, waterfalls and river valleys, the site comprises hydroelectric power plants, transmission lines, factories, transport systems, and towns. The complex was established by the Norsk-Hydro Company to manufacture artificial fertilizer from nitrogen in the air. It was built to meet the Western world’s growing demand for agricultural production in the early 20^th century. The company towns of Rjukan and Notodden show workers’ accommodation and social institutions linked by rail and ferry to ports where the fertilizer was loaded. The Rjukan-Notodden site manifests an exceptional combination of industrial assets and themes associated with the natural landscape. It stands out as an example of a new global industry in the early 20^th century.”

Some descriptions are provided by UNESCO under the license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0.

This article was originally published on May 20, 2021, and has since then been updated.

How Sweden Found Out About The Chernobyl Disaster and Alerted The Rest of The World

Luda Berdnyk

April 25, 2022

Who can forget the widely popular HBO series “Chernobyl“? The series which premiered in 2019 follows the story of local men and women who try to diffuse the nuclear damage done when a power plant exploded in the town of Pripyat, Ukraine, in April 1986.

The main characters were locals from nearby Ukrainian towns, but did you know there was another hero, located hundreds of miles away in Sweden, who basically saved the rest of the world from certain catastrophic damage from the aftermath?

This is his story.

This article was originally published on June 20, 2019.

On the morning of April 26, 1986, the world experienced the worst nuclear disaster to date when the 4th nuclear reactor at the Chernobyl Power Plant, in northern Ukraine, overheated and exploded. The blast released a huge amount of radioactive substances such as iodine-131, caesium-137, and plutonium-241, which are extremely harmful to humans in large doses.

What made the situation even worse was the fact that the Ukrainian government, which, at that time, was part of the Soviet Union, tried to keep the entire event a secret as they scrambled to “clean up” the accident. Pripyat, which was only 180 km from Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, experienced a burst of wind during the accident, which scattered the radioactive plumes all around the country and began spreading to neighboring countries like Belarus and Russia.

Within a few days, radioactive particles began to seep into the rest of Europe.

Two days later, an alarm started to ring in Forsmark, a small nuclear power plant in Sweden.

“I didn’t discover it. I just happened to be there,” Cliff Robinson, a chemist, tells Radio Sweden.

It was early Monday morning on April 28, 1986, and Cliff had just had his breakfast in the coffee room at the plant. He went to retrieve something from the locker room, where he had to pass through a radiation detector before going inside. Instantly, Cliff set the alarm off.

“It was so strange because I hadn’t even been in the controlled [nuclear] area!” he says.

He went through the detector again. It set off an alarm again. After calling a coworker and going through a third time, the alarm didn’t go off. Thinking it was a faulty detector, Cliff shrugged and went back to his work station.

—

An hour later, he went back to the detector, where a large crowd of his coworkers gathered. Nobody could pass through without the alarm going off.

Something had gone terribly wrong, and nobody knew what happened.

“We found nothing,” said Claes-Göran Runermark, who was the operation manager in charge at the time. “We went over all the radiation detection systems over and over again, and there was nothing from Forsmark [the nuclear power plant].”

Despite the alarm, Forsmark employees did not panic. After taking an analysis, they could identify the radioactive particles that they found in the grass near their workplace as those that were specific only to Soviet power plants.

“Thanks to our early detection we could inform the Swedish authorities at an early stage, who then told the world about the radioactive pollution coming from the disaster in the Soviet Union,” said Mr. Runermark.

In fact, a few hours after Forsmark alerted the government, Swedish diplomats were already in touch with Moscow inquiring about whether there could have been a nuclear accident in the Soviet Union.

Surprisingly, the answer they got was “no”.

There had been no accident, and Soviet diplomats were tight-lipped about the entire situation.

After a back and forth exchange, including an entire presentation of the evidence of nuclear fallout, Sweden finally warned that they were going to file an official alert with the International Atomic Energy Authority. Only then the Soviet Union admitted that there had been an accident at Chernobyl.

—

After the devastating news hit major broadcasting stations around the world, the Soviet Union was forced to declare to their own people that there had been an accident at the Chernobyl plant in Ukraine. The news broke in the evening of April 28, more than 48 hours after the nuclear reactor had exploded.

Thanks to the quick thinking of a few employees at Forsmark that day, the world was saved from even further damage from the effects of Chernobyl.

“It was a horrid experience, especially since so many people died because of Chernobyl,” Robinson, now 63, recalled.

“I will never forget the events of that day.”

Featured image: Chernobyl / Claes-Göran Runermark standing by the Forsmark power plant

This article was originally published on June 20, 2019.

Hellberg arrives in Detroit, but what can NHL fans expect

Swedes in the States

April 23, 2022

Towering goaltender Magnus Hallberg signed for the Detroit Red Wings in a midweek transfer that caught many followers of the National Hockey League by surprise. The 6ft 6inch experienced hockey star has a wealth of experience playing for a list of respected teams throughout his career, including the New York Rangers and the Swedish national team.

Hellberg hasn’t played in the NHL for some time, but signs for Detroit fully fit and raring to go. He will want to settle into his new team, bond with teammates, and stake a claim for a starting spot for Red Wings in the near future. Will his big break come this season, or has Hellberg been signed as a backup for an already strong team? These are questions that followers of Detroit and their upcoming opponents have been asking as this transfer sent shockwaves through the division.

Fans of Detroit and the NHL can make their predictions at the top bookies after reading the best sportsbook reviews. The leading gambling apps offer odds on the Detroit season and Hellberg specials, including when his first game will be for the team and how he will perform. There’s plenty to keep lovers of professional ice hockey excited, regardless of what team you support. You can make your predictions on your desktop computer at home or when on the move through a modern and user-friendly smartphone.

Hellberg is here to prove himself

Hellberg may arrive in town with a strong reputation in the game, but he comes to Detroit looking to prove a point to himself and his growing critics. The Sweden internationalist hasn’t played competitive NHL hockey since turning out at Madison Square Gardens more than five years ago. He has been most active in KHL, where he has enjoyed some memorable moments. Still, Magnus lacks match sharpness, having not played since representing Sweden at the Winter Olympics back in February.

That ensures the newest face in the Red Wings dressing room will be rested, fit and determined to make an impact, but he must first build his fitness and time on the ice before he can be dropped into the starting lineup. But what about the goaltenders Detriot already have at their disposal? Hellberg is a talented, experienced player who wants to make an impact in the NHL again, but he can’t simply expect to turn up and start playing. He is smart enough to know he must bide his time and wait for an opportunity to play.

The arrival of Magnus has excited Red Wings fans – even if it has left them a little confused about the timing of the signing – but how must the team’s other two goaltenders be feeling? In Alex Nedeljkovovic, Detroit already has a quality shot-stopper who cemented the number one jersey quite some time ago. If he ever requires rest or is injured, Detroit has Thomas Greiss waiting in the wings. Thomas is known for his patience and willingness to be ready when called upon. When his coach has asked him to step up, he has always been ready, willing, and able. So, what does the future hold for him?

Three into one doesn’t work

It’s safe to say that although Magnus is a goaltender of the highest quality, Detroit doesn’t need three players all good enough to start on the same team. That suggests Alex or Thomas could be on their way out of the club. The signing of Hellberg suggests a deal has already been done to take one goalie out of Detroit, with the coaching staff acting early to replace him.

Coach Jeff Blashill didn’t seem to have a definite plan in place for his new player, or – far more likely – he did know but wasn’t giving anything away. When speaking to the press, Jeff chose to keep his cards close to his chest, telling fans that Magnus performed well in practice and looked good on the ice but won’t be playing in any upcoming matches this month. There you have it – as clear as mud.

That leaves followers of Detroit having to stick to what they do know. The club has a new player on the books, and he’s an internationalist goaltender who is here to play as the number one.

The life of Astrid Lindgren: Sweden’s most beloved author

Swedes in the States

April 13, 2022

This article is made in collaboration with the project ‘Sweden’s History’. The text has been edited by our editorial team but you can find the original version on Sweden’s History’s Instagram. Be sure to follow them for daily facts and stories about Swedish history.

You are probably familiar with the fictional characters Pippi Longstocking, Emil in Lönneberga, Ronia – The Robber’s Daughter among others. Most Swedes have grown up with these characters and they all have one thing in common: They were created and authored by one of Sweden’s most prominent children’s books author, Astrid Lindgren.

But who was the woman behind the author of some of the world’s most popular children’s literature? Astrid wanted to spread love and joy through her books, but her life wasn’t always joyful itself. Keep reading.

Astrid Anna Emilia Lindgren was born in November 1907, in the small community called Näs, right outside the town Vimmerby in Småland, Sweden. She grew up with her parents, Samuel August Ericsson and Hanna Jonsson, as well as her three siblings: sisters Stina & Ingegerd, and her brother Gunnar Ericsson.

In 1914, Astrid Lindgren started school. According to the book ‘Astrid Lindgren – en levnadsteckning‘ by Margareta Strömstedt, her first day wasn’t ideal. Not unlike many children, Astrid was scared and shy, although she would eventually learn to overcome her shyness.

In 1917, her teacher would often read Astrid’s essays out loud for her classmates, and just a few years later, at the young age of thirteen, Astrid had her first essay published in a local newspaper. She would go on to graduate school with the highest grades possible.

After graduating, she started working for the same newspaper that had published her essay years earlier, doing short news coverages. She would work there for two years before moving to Stockholm in 1926, to further her education in typing and stenography (the writing method that she eventually come to when writing her books).

It was at this time that things started getting tricky for Astrid Lindgren. During her time at the local newspaper in Vimmerby, she had developed a relationship with the editor-in-chief, Reinhold Blomberg.

Reinhold Blomberg was at the time of their relationship married, which complicated things when Astrid found out that she was pregnant. Reinhold offered to divorce his wife and marry Astrid but she declined and gave birth to her son, Lars, in 1926 at a home for single mothers in Denmark. Because she was poorly paid and single, Astrid decided to leave her son with a foster family in Copenhagen. Despite her struggle with money, she would travel between Stockholm and Copenhagen frequently to visit her son.

Astrid met Sture Lindgren while working at the Royal Automobile Club in Stockholm. Sture was the CEO of the organization and at the time – married. The pair would eventually fall in love, and Sture left his wife to marry Astrid in 1931. By this time, Astrid had brought back her son, Lars, from Copenhagen, who was also given Sture’s last name, Lindgren. In 1934, the coupled welcomed their daughter, Karin, to the world.

It is thanks to Karin that Astrid would come up with the character Pippi Longstocking. Recalling the moment Pippi was “born”, Astrid would say:

“Every night when I sat by her bed, she demanded in a typical way that children ask for something: “Tell me a story!” And one night when I was quite exhausted I asked her, “What should I tell you?” So she replied: “Tell me about Pippi Longstocking!” She came up with the name at that very moment. I did not ask her who Pippi Longstocking was, I just started telling and because of her strange name, Pippi also became a strange girl. Karin showed a strange love for Pippi, I had to tell the story over and over again, and it continued for several years.”

Astrid started penning down to write down the story of Pippi Longstocking in 1944. Her daughter, Karin, was turning 10 years old and Astrid wanted to give her the manuscript as a birthday gift. It was while writing down the character of her daughter’s imagination, that Astrid realized that she wanted to continue writing books. She gained notoriety after participating in competitions hosted by various publishing companies. Pippi Longstocking would be an instant hit.

Astrid Lindgren would go on to write multiple books about Pippi Longstocking, while also creating new characters like Emil in Lönneberga, The Brothers Lionheart, Madicken, and The Children of Noisy Village.

In 1952, Sture Lindgren would pass from a heart attack. Astrid would never remarry and was a widow for almost fifty years. She died in 2002, in the same apartment on Dalagatan in Stockholm which the family had lived since 1941.

Today, you can find Astrid Lindgrens World, a theme park in Vimmerby, where all her stories and characters come to life. There is also a Children’s museum and fun park in Stockholm called Junibacken. All these worlds are creations based on her family and childhood memories & landscapes. Astrid Lindgren – one of the most-read children’s book authors in the world.

This article was originally published on February 28, 2021.

Why do Scandinavians sing before drinking?

Swedes in the States

April 5, 2022

Perhaps not in line with the stereotypical image of the conserved and quite Scandinavian but the tradition of the ‘snapsvisa’ is an important part of larger holiday celebrations such as Easter, midsummer, or Christmas.

What is a snapsvisa?

A ‘snapsvisa’ is a variety of traditional short songs, sung right before taking a shot of snaps or akvavit at a holiday dinner in Scandinavia. The songs are most of the time supposed to be humorous and in one way or another glorifies the drink or the singer’s desire to drink the contents of the glass they are holding.

The most popular snapsvisa is ‘Helan går’:

Swedish version

Helan går
Sjung hopp faderallan lallan lej
Helan går
Sjung hopp faderallan lej
Och den som inte helan tar^*
Han heller inte halvan får
Helan går
(Drink)
Sjung hopp faderallan lej

English version

The whole goes down
Sing “hup fol-de-rol la la la la”
The whole goes down
Sing “hup fol-de-rol la la”
And he who doesn’t take the whole
Doesn’t get the half either
The whole goes down
[drink]
Sing “hup fol-de-rol la la”

The history of the snapsvisa

The tradition of singing, before taking a shot of akvavit or snaps at a dinner celebration, originated from student organizations and the academic circles in Scandinavia during the second half of the 18th century. The snaps songs would become more popularised among the rest of the population about 100 years ago – during the same time as the government would tighten up the control around alcohol consumption in Sweden.

In a way, the snaps songs offer a somewhat cheeky response to sobriety and distancing from alcohol which was long a coveted way of living in Swedish society.

Check out the Swedish actress, Malin Åkerman, sing Helan går below!

This article was originally published on March 30, 2021

Travel hacks to help you save on your next flight to Scandinavia this summer

Swedes in the States

March 27, 2022

Finding cheaper flights to Scandinavia from nearby cities

Scandinavian Airlines offers various routes across the United States to Scandinavia. Whether you’re looking to explore Copenhagen, Oslo, or Stockholm, there’s a flight for you. But your departure city can make a big difference in the cost of your flight. Sometimes, changing your departure city to another airport can radically lower the price of your ticket. So, it’s always worth checking flights from multiple airports before you book.

The prices of flights to Stockholm or Copenhagen from Newark can many times be more affordable than people think. There are a few things that you can do in order to make sure that you are getting the best possible price on your flight. First, check a few different travel websites in order to get a general idea of what the average price is. Secondly, try to fly during off-peak hours in order to get a cheaper price. Lastly, consider signing up for email alerts from airlines so that you can be notified as soon as there is a price drop. By following these simple tips, you will be sure to save money on your next flight!

Parking at the airport

If you are lucky enough to find a cheaper alternative at an airport a bit further away or just don’t want to spend money on the latest soaring prices of ride-sharing apps, there are services that can help you book parking spots at airports. Parkos.com is one of those platforms. Flights to Stockholm or Copenhagen tend to be a lot cheaper from Newark than neighboring cities. Take your car down and use Parkos to compare and book an affordable and safe parking spot near the airport. With services like Parkos, you can easily take your car and park it at the airport while you’re away, saving money on not only flight tickets, but also ride-sharing apps.

Taking the train in Scandinavia

The railway system in Sweden is extensive and easy to use. It’s even possible to travel between Denmark and Sweden by train, which makes the need for a car rental unnecessary. Tickets are easy to buy on the state-owned railway’s website, SJ.se.

Railways in Sweden are extensive and easy to use. And while you’re choosing a sustainable and more cost-efficient option, you are at the same time able to sit back and relax with a fika while cruising through the epic views of the Scandinavian countryside. Whether you’re looking to travel between cities or explore the great outdoors, the Swedish railway system is an excellent option.

Free museums

Scandinavian cities have a number of free museums that are definitely worth checking out! From acclaimed art galleries to fascinating historical exhibits, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Best of all? Many of the museums are entirely free to visit. Check, for example, out Nordiska Museet in Stockholm or XX in Copenhagen. This list provides a comprehensive guide of free museums in Stockholm.

Opt for an alcohol-free vacation

Eating out is, in general, an expensive activity when visiting big cities. Although, there are many note-worthy restaurants in Scandinavia that are well worth the visit, noma and Franzen being a few of them, perhaps consider sticking to non-alcoholic beverages when dining out. Especially in Sweden where the infamous alcohol tax will help drive up that restaurant check quickly. Sticking to water or

Airbnb instead of staying at hotels

Hotels in Scandinavia can be pretty expensive. Especially if you are looking to stay in the center of the big cities. Airbnb or similar platforms offer a great alternative at a way better price. Living in a Scandinavian home could also

Kristina Vasa: The life and death of Sweden’s rebel Queen

Swedes in the States

March 25, 2022

Queen Kristina of Sweden was one of the most controversial regents in Swedish history. Not only was she the first Queen regent of Sweden, but she was also an intellectual and brave woman, who would contribute enormously to the Swedish scientific and cultural scene and infrastructure. She was known for following her heart in many aspects of her life and truly lived a full life, always keeping her surrounding on their toes.

Kristina Vasa was born on December 18, 1626, at Tre Kronor Castle in Stockholm to King Gustav II Adolf, also known as Gustavus Adolphus, and Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg. She was the great-granddaughter of Gustav I Vasa through his son Karl IX.

After Kristina’s birth, Maria Eleonora noted in her diaries that she was embarrassed, and sad, for not having produced a living male heir. Gustav Adolf, on the other hand, was said to have been very attached to his daughter and was accepting of his daughter becoming the future regent. Therefore, before leaving for Germany to defend Protestantism in the 30-year-old war, Gustav II Adolf secured his daughter’s right to inherit the throne, should he fail to return from the war.

The king made it clear that he wanted his daughter to have the same upbringing and education as a prince would: preparing her to one day be “king”, she was educated in sciences, religion, political science, and languages. She was also trained to handle weapons and horseriding.

At the age of six, Kristina lost her father after he was fatally shot at the battle of Lützen in Germany. Despite her young age, she would succeed her father as regent under the guidance of Axel Oxenstierna, who was also head of the regency council that would rule Sweden until the day she turned eighteen.

As a result of her father’s death, Kristina’s mother would become increasingly unwell, showing signs of severe mental illness. Because of this, it was decided that Kristina would be separated from the queen in order to keep her safe and well growing up. It is unlikely that Kristina suffered from the separation from her mother. The Queen had disregarded her daughter from the day she was born, so they never had a close relationship.

Instead, Axel Oxenstierna would make sure that Kristina grew up with her aunt Catherine of Sweden and cousin, Karl X Gustav, both of which she was said to have had a close relationship.

Oxenstierna was expecting to have a great influence over Kristina once she became Queen. To his disappointment, Kristina would turn out to be very independent. She was described as a person with great integrity, and a competent regent on her own. As Kristina turned eighteen and was ready to ascend the throne, Axel Oxenstierna’s pleaded for her to find a husband.

But Kristina refused to marry anyone.

This would cause a scandal at the royal court, but according to Kristina, the main reason for her decision to not marry was based on her unwillingness to become dependent on someone who could ultimately end up controlling her life. Because of this, Kristina was successful in persuading her council to appoint her cousin Karl Gustav as the heir to the royal crown.

During this time, the Thirty Years’ War was still raging on. Queen Kristina thus had to lead the great power, Sweden, through the last victorious years until the Westphalian peace in 1648.

Two years after the peace, Queen Kristina was crowned.

As a Queen, Kristina valued a rich, educated, and beautiful court in Stockholm, which was now a great power capital in Northern Europe. She would invite artists and scientists from different parts of Europe to Sweden with the intention of making Stockholm “Athens of the North”. She was known for her generosity, frequently gifting and giving away land and titles. Her extravagant way of living and giving would ultimately bring the state to the brink of bankruptcy. Because of this, Kristina would become increasingly unpopular with the Swedish population.

Ten years after her coronation, Kristina decided to abdicate the throne and hand the crown to her cousin, Charles X Gustav. Shortly afterward, Kristina left Sweden for Germany where she converted to Catholicism. She did not officially declare her conversion, worried that the Swedish council would stop supporting her financially, something that would have been devastating to an already financially struggling Kristina.

Her later years would be spent traveling between Sweden, Germany, and Italy. Upon her arrival to Rome, she was greeted with triumph by Pope Alexander VII. They would however have a falling out later on, which led to Kristina temporarily leaving Rome. During a visit back to Sweden, she tried to reclaim the Swedish throne after the death of her cousin, Charles X Gustav. However, because of her conversion to catholicism, this was impossible. She also tried to claim her right to the Polish throne with the support of the new Pope, Clement IX, who she had befriended.

In 1668, Kristina would return to Rome for the last time. She would live out her days making a huge impact on the cultural scene in Rome. In 1671, she would establish the first public theatre in Rome, Tor di Nona.

In 1689, Kristina died following a serious case of pneumonia at the Palazzo Corsini, which was her residence at the time. She had requested a simple burial at the Pantheon in Rome but was given a large celebration. Her body was embalmed, her face covered with a silver mask and a gilt crown was place on top of her. She lies in an ordinate sarcophagus in the Vatican.

This article was originally published on March 10, 2021

The Swedish wine ‘Sav’ made from birch sap finds its way to the United States

Swedes in the States

March 17, 2022

This article is made in a paid collaboration with Viking Spirits, Inc.

Scandinavia is famous for many things – till recently, wine has not been one of those things.

Slowly but surely, the number of wineries across Scandinavia has been growing steadily thanks to rising temperatures, making the region easier for wineries to cultivate and grow grapes – there is one winery that stands out from the rest.

READ: Scandinavian Wineries on the rise due to climate change

Savhuset Åre AB makes their wine ‘Sav’ from the sap of the birch tree – a widely spread tree across Sweden. Not only does this make the wine independent of temperature fluctuations or climate change, but that it’s also made entirely from the native Swedish vegetation.

The history of the birch tree in the Nordic region can be traced to the end of the ice age when large blocks of ice would start melting and moving, exposing the bare ground to the sun. Some of the first trees to start growing were, in fact, birch trees. Since then, the birch tree has carried much importance to Sweden.

The Vikings would dedicate the birch tree to the Norse goddess of motherhood and fertility, Frigga, and the tree would commonly be used to build cradles to celebrate the beginning of new life. At the arrival of spring, the sap would fittingly be drunk in a celebratory way.

With the rich history of the birch tree in mind, ‘Sav’ sparkling wine was created. In 1988, eco-engineer and the founder of Savhuset, Peter Mosten, found a recipe for sparkling wine made of birch sap by the chemical engineer Gunnar Jegrelius.

Printed on each bottle is a short version of the story behind Savhuset:

“Twenty years ago, in a godforsaken archive, the Swedish engineer Peter Mosten found a most peculiar recipe torn out of a 1785 botanical book. Mosten tried to achieve the gustatory sensation promised in the recipe, but failed. It took him a decade of experimentation to reach the necessary heights and to create Sav, a sparkling birch wine”

Every year as the ice melts away to give way to spring, the trees will transform the crystal clear and clean water into sap. That’s when Peter Mosten and his team at Savhuset will go out to harvest carefully selected birch trees around the lake Storsjön in northern Sweden.

On their website, they describe the harvest process:

“Each tree is carefully controlled and must be at least 30 years old. They must not stand near roads that carry pollution. The historical use of the land is investigated extremely carefully. This is to avoid the absorption of undesirable substances and substances from previous industrial and other activities. Birches should also not grow in rough terrain. It must be possible to carry the heavy vessels of 25 – 30 kg for transport to the winery. Every vessel that arrives is carefully checked to ensure the quality of the birch sap.”

From there, the finest sap they can harvest is processed at a small facility in Östersund, where it will also be bottled later on. The sap is carefully inspected before it’s filtered and is then treated before it starts its first fermentation process. After being fermented the first time, it is placed for a longer amount of time in a cooler place where it gets to ferment for longer. Finally, the sap is filtered and bottled. Over the next couple of years, the bottles will be lying down flat for the wine to continue fermenting – it is during this process that the beverage gets its bubbles and eventually creates a naturally sparkling wine.

One might think that the sap makes the wine very sweet but the editors at Swedes in the States had the opportunity to try the wine ourselves. ‘Sav’ is a sparkling fresh wine with hints of citrus, almonds, and apples. The flavor is not too heavy and just as minimalistic chic as anyone would expect from a Scandinavian wine.

Savhuset makes over 200,000 bottles per year. Until recently Germany, Singapore, England, Denmark, and China are the only countries in which this exotic Swedish wine has been available.

Now the import company Viking Spirits, Inc is taking the exotic Swedish ‘Sav’ wine to the United States via their webshop.

Founded by Swede Daniel Borg and his former colleague Daniel Hoggar, Viking Spirits, Inc aims to bring Scandinavian wines and liquors to the U.S. market. You can read more about them on their website

Scandinavian books to help you de-stress

Swedes in the States

March 17, 2022

With the risk of this article being too long for anyone to want to read, we won’t list all the reasons as to why most of us are going through a rough, to say the least, year. And while 2020, and the first couple of months of 2021, has kept many of us glued to the news, perhaps now is the right time to shut off the electronics for a few hours, and sit down with a book?

We think the timing of turning to some Scandinavian wisdom for health and happiness couldn’t be better. Here are the books that we love:

Swedes in the States may receive compensation when you make a purchase through the links below. Supporting our community comes at no cost to you but is subtracted from Amazon’s fees.

Lagom – The Swedish Art of Living a Balanced, Happy Life

The Key to Happiness

Food Pharmacy

The Nordic Theory of Everything

There’s No Such Thing As Bad Weather

Parenthood – The Swedish Way

Have you read any Scandinavian non-fiction books that you feel have been helpful to you? Let us know in the comments below.

This article was originally published on January 13, 2021.

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