nordstjernan The Swedish Newspaper of America
Published by Swedish News. Volume 144 No. 15, September 15, 2016. Price per copy $2.50
Page 19-34
Page 35
Straight outta Luleå
Perspectives, Page 3
Op-Ed: Defending Sweden’s secular society.
Readers Forum, Page 4
Family reunions / Tips on credit vs debit in Sweden / The (true?) meaning of Helan Går.
Lisa Carr, Dallas TX guest@nordstjernan.com
Page 6
The members of Movits! are leaving an impression with a really catchy sound all their own — at venues around the U.S. as they tour this fall.L-R: Anders Rensfeld, Joakim ‘One-Take’ Nilsson, Johan Jivin’ Rensfeld and Zacke, a fellow former Luleå native and Swedish hip hop artist.
Nils Hilmer Lofgren awarded
We know the bonds between Sweden and America are strong. And they continue to be so, decades after the biggest wave of our forefathers settled in the United States. We can all cite examples of interest, culture and initiatives that have linked our people and our countries over the years. And every year since 1960, the Vasa Order of America selects a prominent American (or Canadian) citizen of Swedish heritage to be recognized as Swedish-American of the Year (SAY). This year, the winner is Nils Lofgren, recording artist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with many albums and possibly best known for his role as the lead guitarist in Bruce Vasa Star / Page 23 Springsteen’s E Street Band. Grattis, Nils!
Photo: Axel Söderlund
Feature, Page6
Photo: Glynnis Jones / Shutterstock
Riding a wave of continued underground popularity following their earlier appearance on “The Colbert Report,” swingin’ Swedish hip-hop group Movits! returns to American soil this month for a 6-show tour. Here’s an interview with the three members of Movits! during their first U.S. tour. The back story is just too fun not to repeat. The Luleå-based trio, known worldwide for its irresistible amalgam of acoustic hip-hop, jazz and Benny Goodman-style swing, was in Uppsala in May 2009 when the band members heard they were being hyped on some U.S. blogs. Their debut album, Äppleknyckarjazz (“Apple-Swiper Jazz”), released in November 2008, spawned two engaging music videos (directed by Kalix-born Axel Söderlund). A Colbert staffer spot- Continued on page 8
Unlocking a mystery after 11 years, with thanks to the right potatoes.
Dashboard, Page 16,17
The Draken sails into New York / A pioneering colonial ship visits Cape Cod / A statue of the shy and reclusive Greta Garbo finds an unexpected home / Sexy and sexual Swedes are changing their behavior / Pittsburgh welcomes autonomous Volvo rides.
People, Page 8
A Swedish chef for all seasons and seasonings.
Page 8
Photo: Petter Arvidson/Bildbyrån
Too early for pumpkins? Yes, in the U.S. for sure, but in Sweden the first harvests of the traditional autumn treat are ready in August and continue through October, depending on temperatures. Harvest Festival on Öland offers fresh produce and ... kroppkakor. / Page 6
Photo: Ölands Turistbyrå
This Week, Page 35
news in brief. page 2
Swedish News Natomedlemskap avskräcker Gästledare
Sydsvenska Dagbladet 2 september, 2016
Jan Carlson, chairman, chief executive and president of Autoliv with Håkan Samuelsson, president and CEO of Volvo Cars.
Self driving cars - Volvo and Autoliv unite
(Economy) Automotive safety company Autoliv and Volvo Cars have formed a joint company to better create one of the industry’s hottest concepts – self driving cars. Competitors include Tesla, Apple and Google, but the new Swedish company is confident no one can beat them when it comes to safety. Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars, said: “By combining our know how and resources we will create a world leader in AD software development. This means we can introduce this exciting technology to our customers faster.” (Volvo is partly already there; turn to dashboard, pages 16-17 to find out how to travel driverless in Pittsburgh, PA already.) According to the press release, the first product is expected on the market in 2021.
PM reveals parts of autumn budget
(National) Stefan Löfven revealed in a press conference on Sept. 6 the upcoming autumn budget which puts major focus on climate change and creation of jobs. The government has promised SEK 13 billion for environmental issues over the next four years. The bulk of the investment is planned for 2019 to 2020. The proposal still needs to be voted through parliament.
Police crisis in Gothenburg
(Göteborg) Peter Larsson, of the Gothenburg police, believes that resources to effectively fight crime is lacking in Sweden’s second largest city. A shortage of police manpower — an ongoing issue — has left the organization without full power to control escalating criminal activity. Politicians in the western region of the country believe the situation in Gothenburg is under control.
Street children can’t go home
(World) Attempting to return North African children to their home country proves to be nearly impossible. Sweden and Morocco have had dialogue on how best to repatriate the kids — approximately 800 children and adolescents live on the street in Sweden. When authorities send them back to their home countries, often it is their own family who rejects them and the children are once again back in Europe. Foreign Minister Margot Wallström (S) is in Morocco and will discuss possible solutions.
Report on NATO membership stirs debate in Sweden
(World) A government commissioned report has stirred debate regarding the consequences of a Swedish NATO membership citing that an arms race in the Baltic region could be a likely scenario. The risk, however, of a Swedish-Russia conflict seems unlikely as Sweden would be safer as a member of NATO.
Nordstjernan, September 15, 2016
Dags att ta steget. På fredagen (09.02.2016) drog Flygvapenövning 16 igång. Under fyra dygn kommer det att mullra av stridsflyg över sydöstra Sverige, från södra Östergötland ner till Blekinge, längst kusten och vidare ut över Öland och Gotland, vilket möjligen antyder från vilket håll en fiende förväntas komma och var striden – om än osannolik – skulle stå. Utgångspunkten för övningen är ett tänkt, väpnat anfall mot Sverige, ett “högkonfliktsscenario mot en högteknologisk motståndare”. Dånet från Jasplan på jakt kan säkert imponera, men den svenska beredskapen är inte god. Eller som det formuleras i en expertrapport som inom kort överlämnas till regeringen: den svenska försvarsförmågan uppvisar “inte oväsentliga brister”. Ett diplomatiskt uttryckssätt, och formuleringen kommer mycket riktigt också från en diplomat, ambassadör Krister Bringeus, som på en motvillig rödgrön regerings uppdrag utrett fördelar och nackdelar med ett svenskt Natomedlemskap.
Den stora vinsten med ett svenskt stärkas oavsett. Det kommer att kosta. medlemskap är enligt Bringeus att Decennier av underfinansiering har den osäkerhet som finns kring hur satt sina spår. Sveriges samarbete med Nato har Sverige kommer att agera, undanröjs. Därmed skulle Natoländernas pågått länge, det utvecklas och blir “gemensamma konfliktavhållande allt tätare. Så var det under alliansens regeringsår. Så är det med dagens förmåga” sannolikt öka. Denna i grund och botten logiska rödgröna regering. Men det finns en avgörande skillnad slutsats går tvärs emot Socialdemokraternas standardargument att ett mellan samarbete – hur tätt det än svenskt Natomedlemskap skulle leda är – och medlemskap. Paragraf 5 i Natostadgan som säger att ett angrepp till ökad osäkerhet kring Östersjön. I en annan utredning som även den på ett medlemsland är ett angrepp kommer att överlämnas till regerin- på alla, gäller enbart den som tillhör gen den närmaste tiden föreslås att klubben. Utan medlemskap tvingas Sverige den allmänna värnplikten återinförs redan 2019, om än i kraftigt modifi- leva på hoppet. På hoppet att USA och andra Natoländer trots allt komerad form. Sanningen är att försvarets per- mer till vår undsättning om en militär sonalförsörjning inte fungerar. Det konflikt utbryter. Ryssland skulle sannolikt svara med frivilliga yrkesförsvaret lockar inte. Tusentals soldater fattas. Något be- ilska på ett svenskt Natomedlemskap, höver göras. kanske också med ytterligare upprustDet har gått sex år sedan värnplikten ning. Men att vänta på att den perfekta avskaffades, eller förklarades vilande tidpunkten för att ta steget ska infinna som det formellt heter. Det svänger sig, blir lätt en förevändning för evig numera snabbt i en försvars- och väntan. säkerhetspolitik som bör vara stabil Ett avgörande närmar sig. Inne och långsiktig. Knappt har de senaste eller ute? årens försvarsbeslut klubbats i riksdaInne borde vara det logiska och gen förrän de har börjat framstå som självklara svaret. näst intill överspelade. Natomedlemskap är långt ifrån svaret på allt. Försvaret behöver
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News in brief. page 3
“Sweden has for a long time been subjected to a range of pressures and challenges in society. It is collectively a result of several governments’ inability or unwillingness to deal with these pressures and challenges.” This is how a recently published open letter to the defense of a democratic society and a secular state begins in an Op-Ed that ran in Dagens Samhälle, www.dagsenssam-
halle.se. The letter was signed by a number of well-known Swedish social commentators, writers and academics. We would like to remind our readers of our credo that we strive to offer as objective a view as possible of Sweden by allowing space for as many voices and opinions as we can. The opinions of individual Op-Ed inclusions or perspectives are not necessarily those of Nordstjernan but we feel they deserve your attention.
Swedish News
Time to defend the secular society Sweden has for a long time been subjected to a range of pressures and challenges in society. It is collectively a result of several governments’ inability or unwillingness to deal with these pressures and challenges that have created a need for this open letter. With growing concern, we have in the last few decades witnessed a marked increase in both the so-called exclusion areas as well as direct ‘nogo zones.’ The conflicts this has lead to in society — increased polarization, greater inequality, a weakened welfare and an increase in religious and social conflicts — have not been resolved by the incumbent governments and authorities. Reactions to alarm reports from our emergency services about the assaults at call-outs have, when they were countered at all, consisted of attacks on the individuals who sounded the alarm about the untenable work situations and allegations that they were racist’s errands or lies about the situation. In addition, there’s been a widespread ideological offensive, where a culture of adaptation toward the mainly Islamist demands for specific legislation and collective rights (at the expense of individual rights) have pushed back long-won rights. The segregated bathhouse times and general allowance of child marriage and polygamy are extremely serious setbacks to the democratic society Sweden has built over a long time. A society based on a secular state where religion and politics are clearly separated. It is therefore high time to fight back against these destructive trends that seriously threaten what’s so important and necessary for society, both confidence between citizens in general and between the political powers and
voters. As some of us wrote some time ago: “Only a secular political entity can see every human being without religious grid.” We therefore welcome all those individuals who want to do something about this to sign this open letter. We hope this will be the start of a nationwide movement, politically and religiously independent, who want to protect the good society — on a democratic basis — we have all actually built with joint forces. • The individual is the smallest building block of society and her rights come before the collective. • It is the state’s obligation to provide all citizens with equal protection, opportunities and rights, without threat or intimidation to choose their own life. • Society must regain control of the areas now fallen under the influence of criminal and / or religious forces that threaten both the individual and society’s monopoly on violence. This means an immediate and robust response to threats, harassment and particularly violence against official public servants. • An immediate cessation of public support for Islamist organizations pursuing so-called “Muslim civil societies” or other forces that want to create parallel structures of society. This is nothing other than attempts to separate parts of society. • We remind that the state is secular and gender neutral. This must permeate all forms of regulation and benefit standards. And these standards must then be followed. • Society’s structures to the Constitution must be strengthened and our ju-
dicial institutions’ independence from political power must be improved and defended. • Important positions such as national police chief and other senior positions in the administration must be appointed on the basis of suitability and not through party allegiance. A failure by the state, which we are all jointly responsible for, will inexorably lead to the destructive trends we have seen over the last decade in particular become even clearer. Needless to say, such a scenario leads to young women and girls particularly being affected. Even today it is a demonstrable problem that these groups of individuals cannot live a full and free life in Sweden in accordance with our values. The letter was signed by Magnus Norell, Johan Westerholm, Carina Hägg, Edward Nordén, Helene Bergman, Chris Forsne, Hanna Gadban, Jan Hägglund, Camilla Grepe, Devin Rexvid, Jonas Andersson, Freddy Rosberg, Kent Gustavsson, Nima Dervish, Göran Adamson, Anosh Ghasri, Mona Lagerström, Sara Mohammad — authors, commentators, journalists and political scientists representing a broad selection of society and religions.
Photo: Håkan Sandbring
perspectives.
Sweden isn’t ready to call it quits on summer just yet.
Summer heat remains in Sweden
(Weather) Sweden isn’t ready to call it quits on summer just yet. September has brought lovely weather with brilliant sunshine and temperatures at 24-25˚C (75˚ F). Swedish nights tend to be chilly. Residents and tourists alike are taking advantage of the wonderful weather and can expect autumn to reach the Nordic country by end of the month.
Internet file-sharing crackdown
(Culture) File sharers in Sweden may soon find themselves with an SEK 2000 fine as television and film companies step up their claims on copyright infringement and illegal downloads. Jon Karlung, CEO of service provider Bahnhof, believes the initiative is a form of extortion. Margot Wallström has gotten involved with the debate citing issues of individual rights, copyright protection and consumer questions, saying this crime fighting must be taken on with a broader approach.
ISIS recruitment video spreads in Sweden
(National) A video which features several Swedish men is being circulated via social media and encouraging Swedes to join the militant group. The video received over 14,000 views within its first 36 hours and depicts the brutal methods in which IS executes its enemies. The film serves as a recruitment tool and a trailer for the group’s upcoming movie.
Castle for sale
(Real Estate) For SEK 43 million ($5 million) you can be the next owner of Hönsäter Castle, previously owned by King Magnus Eriksson. The castle sits at the base of a mountain in Kinnekulle near Lake Vänern in Västergötland, and features historic architecture, interior and exterior embellishments in the finest tradition of Swedish design. Library with fireplace from 1670, bar, open living rooms, modern baths and a grand estate.
Can immigrants better help each other?
(Culture) A new website and organization started by two immigrants is helping newcomers to Sweden learn the lay of the land. www.thenewbieguide.se
Sweden in America
apps for your smartphone that give you instant access to everything Swedish and Nordic in the U.S. www.swedeninamerica.com - where Sweden meets America: Places, events and organizations. (Apps by Nordstjernan)
Our first issue after the traditional print hiatus of August. Make Life Sweder through NORDSTJERNAN: Call 1.800.827.9333 ext. 10, to order.
The Exchange Rate: $1.00 = SEK 8.42 09.07.2016
September 15, 2016 Nordstjernan
readers forum. page 4
InBox Family reunion Dear Editor: My husband and I (both with Swedish heritage) just returned from a 4-week trip to Sweden. The main purpose of our trip was to meet with cousins from my great grandfather’s (farfars far) family. Anders Peter Nilsson emigrated from the Vimmerby (Frödinge) area in 1866 with his wife and five children. They went to Minneapolis and eventually ended up owning a farm near Watertown, Minnesota. Anders Peter died in 1884, but his wife, Anna Louisa, lived until 1911. We don’t know when the last contact occurred between Anders Peter and his five sisters who remained in Sweden, but there is no record in the family archives of it after the 1866 emigration date. In 2008 when my husband and I started locating descendants from the sisters’ families, none had any knowledge that their female ancestor (one of Anders Peter’s sisters) had a brother who went to America. In 2010, we went to Frödinge and met 40 relatives from Sara Lisa’s family. We met descendants of the other sisters at separate locations. When we returned home, we thought about how much fun it would be to bring all our cousins from this family together. Working with Per Josefsson, the cousin who put the 2010 reunion together, we were able to get the cousins from the Sara Lisa branch interested in a reunion that would bring the other cousins to Frödinge. After providing Per with the contact information for the other cousins, he and his sister, Fia, put together a wonderful gathering in Frödinge on Saturday, May 28, 2016. Sixty-five relatives met at the church parish hall for a 6-hour reunion. Vimmerby Tidnigen even sent a photographer. The events included: fika with östkaka (the famous variety manufactured in Frödinge); a family history presentation in which we used each other to build a family tree; a tour of ancestral land; a church service officiated by a cousin (a pastor in that area); and a Småland buffet. Photos of the reunion were shared with the American cousins on their special Facebook page. A special thrill for my husband and me was introducing cousins to each other. We had met them all, but they didn’t know each other. One cousin had lived next to another for years and they were totally unaware of their family connections! This story was repeated several times. At the end of these few hours together, it was clear the family wanted to meet again, and July 2020 was set for the next reunion. We went back to our relatives in Watertown, Minnesota and issued the invitation and gave a power point presentation of the Frödinge reunion. It is possible to find family, even after family ties have been disconnected. We are also reconnecting with and meeting Swedish cousins from three other branches of the family. What a thrill to be with people who share your heritage but live thousands of miles away! Sincerely, Bonnie Nelson Johnson
Nordstjernan, September 15, 2016
The local newspaper, LNT-Vimmerby Tidning, picked up on the large Stolpetorp, Frödinge family reunion.
In Sweden on debit Dear Editor, If you look on all American currency the words “Legal Tender for Public and Private Debts” appear. Therefore in the USA, if a vendor does not accept US currency, he must give you the goods or service free as dictated and enforced by fiat law. The enforcement of such a fiat law allows for American currency to have and retain its value. Such is not the case in Sweden. I am writing to tell you, and perhaps your readers, that things have changed since my last visit to Sweden of two years ago. I prepared for that visit by having my CREDIT card imbedded with a chip and PIN which was fairly new in the USA. During that visit, it worked perfectly for any purchase whether buying diesel for the rental car, a room for the night, or dinner. And I was rather proud of myself being able to make purchases just like the Swedes. That is, I simply inserted my card and entered my pin number; and unlike past visits I didn’t have to pester the Swedes by requiring different purchase procedures for the tourist. These days in the USA while imbedded chips are becoming more common on credit cards, I have recently I returned from a three week visit to Sweden and I had much problems trying to spend money! It seems that since my last visit, automatic purchases (where no vendor manpower is involved) in Sweden are only made with DEBIT cards and not CREDIT cards. That is, if you try to make a purchase by inserting your credit card
into a machine and typing your PIN code it will be rejected (or as I learned that they say in Sweden “declined”). Rather to make a purchase human interaction is required where the vendor will have to print out a receipt and have you sign it. They will also most likely ask for some identification that will allow them to verify your signature. And these days in Sweden, lots of purchases are automatic without the human element of the vendor involved. Here are some examples of the fun I had trying to spend money on my last trip: - I took a bus to Halmstad, and learned that Swedish buses do not take Swedish currency. Rather users must use a debit card or have an advanced purchased a pass for travel. When travelling to Sweden I usually exchange a $1000 into Swedish krona as a backup when it is easier to use cash for purchases instead of credit cards. However when boarding the bus, the driver said he didn’t accept cash. When I told he I didn’t have a debit card but credit card, it got even more difficult. After about five minutes of pushing buttons and swiping cards, the driver was able to process the ~100 SEK ticket to Halmstad. I also had to sign the receipt for such a minor purchase and the other bus passengers certainly did not appreciate the “dumb American” causing this delay. - Many Swedish gas stations only have automatic paying pumps that therefore only take DEBIT cards. I figured this out the hard way after having my CREDIT card declined for purchase by several gas stations (and running low on diesel). I even called my
credit card company to ensure my PIN was correct, etc. Eventually I found a gas station that had both KORT and KASSA pumps. I found out if I use the kassa pump, I could fill up and then go inside and pay via credit card (having to also show my ID that includes my signature). However tourist beware that many gas stations in northern Sweden are only automatic so start looking for a kassa station when you get to half a tank. While perhaps an investigation into the economics of this change and who is benefiting in the profits generated from these restricted purchases would be very interesting, I am only writing to suggest you inform your readers that when making visits to Sweden consider bringing a DEBIT CARD instead of CREDIT CARD. They should also beware that Swedish currency isn’t always accept throughout Sweden. (I found this same issue to be true when traveling through Copenhagen Denmark and assume the rest of Scandinavia is similar.) While I will do such on my next visit, I subscribe and look to Nordstjernan for informing me of such changes in Sweden that effects the visitor. Having such information greatly improves the quality of my visit. Tack så mycket, Russ Tillman Vicksburg, MS
Readers forum. page 5
Helan Går
As a true Swedish aquavit drinker, you are, on festive occasions, expected to sing a good many snapsvisor AKA nubbevisor (drinking songs). For every toast a different song must be sung - which makes for an increasingly joyous and noisy party. The song mentioned here, ‘Helan Går’ must be considered almost mandatory at any Swedish dinner where aquavit is served.
Dear Editor, In your July 30 issue you published the classic drinking song but with a translation that I feel does not do any justice to the meaning of the ditty. As a frequent singer of Helan Går, I feel the translation fails to convey the gist of the song, mainly to encourage the kräftskiva participants to drink liberally. I suggest the following translation instead (with my annotations) The whole one goes down. (“Helan går” literally meaning “the whole thing goes “, i.e. Drink up!) Sing “hup fol-de-rol la la la la” The whole one goes down Sing “hup fol-de-rol la la” And he who doesn’t take the whole Doesn’t get the half one either The whole one goes down [drink] Sing “hup fol-de-rol la la” I’m not sure how one gets “Now for the First” from “Helan går”, to be honest. Ditto for “They also Number Two forsake” from “Han heller inte halvan får” which translates literally as “He does not get the half one either”, i.e., if you don’t drink the full shot then you don’t get to drink less than the full shot. Thank you for your attention to this matter of cultural heritage! Skål! John Gustavsson Portland, OR Thanks for another translation of Helan Går, John and thanks for offering one of the explanations to where the song has its origin. Here’s another: At one point pre-the Swedish smörgåsbord and before Swedes took up the tradition of organized singing at the table, likely in the nineteenth century, men and women usually split up before a dinner. Women gathered to chat and gossip about life while the more reserved and less talkative Swedish men needed a bit of assistance to loosen their spirits. The men gathered around a “sillbord” – a herring table – with shot glasses. To make everyone more relaxed before dinner every man received a full or whole glass (“ett helt glas” eller “helan”) of aquavit. After downing this first glass most men also received a half-full glass or “halvan” to boost their confidence. For those, by all means not few, that were really shy there would sometimes be yet another splash of aquavit poured, the so-called “klacken” or the heel. Thus fortified the men could then join the ladies at the table for a social, sometimes boisterous meal. Editor
VASA PARK 70th ANNIVERSARY PARTY!
Saturday September 17, 2016 Vi har öppet måndag till fredag kl 9:30 till 15:00 Den mobila passtationen är i Fort Lauderdale den 15-17 november. Kontakta konsulatet för mera information.
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(It is not unheard of that guests pass on the actual aquavit but NEVER on the singing!)
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September 15, 2016 Nordstjernan
feature. page 6
Solving a culinary mystery Jessica Lidh jessica.lidh@nordstjernan.com
I was in my first semester studying Swedish language and culture in Växjö, when my professor suggested I visit Öland, the country’s second-largest island. Öland was about to host its annual harvest festival, Skördefest, and my professor thought I would enjoy the cultural experience. To me, making the decision to go was easy. I loved the autumn festivals back in the Washington, DC suburbs where we would eat fried apples and roam around corn mazes for hours. Skördefest would be a great chance to see how Swedes celebrate the changing seasons. My friend Suvi and I hopped a train to Kalmar and then went by bus across Ölandsbron, the Öland bridge, to the town square in Borgholm. Greeted by a towering figure comprised of various gourds, squashes and pumpkins, Suvi and I joined the thousands of visitors on the narrow island in the Baltic. We walked to Borgholms Slott, Borgholm Castle, the ruins of a 12th century fortress. It was like stepping back in time, or stepping into the pages of one of Elsa Beskow’s beloved children’s books. Throughout the fortress ruins, craftsmen and women gathered and created a wool market. Spread over their tables was an impressive assortment of wool clothing, textiles, and sheep and tomte decorations. Little old ladies sat at aged spinning wheels, their feet gently bobbing in silent rhythm, their waxy fingers twirling raw wool into fine yarn. Many people were dressed in traditional costumes, and there may have been folk music playing in the air — or it might have been all in my head. Whichever it was, there was a magic in the air of those ruins, a magic that translated to a call for celebration. Summer was over, the autumn harvest was in full swing, and Swedes were rejoicing in the last fall days of 2005 before winter fell upon the land. After Borgholms Slot, Suvi and I went back to the town square where we joined others in Skördefest merriment and stopped for a quick lunch, hungrily devouring a kebab pizza. It was only after I was full that I saw other festival goers eating something I had never seen: Everyone in the streets held cardboard bowls of something. What was it? I had to ask. “Kroppkakor med lingon,” a man informed me, taking a large bite. It looked and smelled heavenly. But what was it? Potato dumplings filled with diced ham and served with lingonberries, he said, encouraging me to try some for myself. But I was really too full. I promised myself that before I left Sweden, I would find kroppkakor again. But I simply had no idea the delicacy would be so difficult to find. Instead, I left the country the following June without ever getting to sample this native cuisine. That’s how a simple decision — to eat kebab pizza — created one of the greatest mysteries of my youth, and a regret I held for 11 years.
Nordstjernan, September 15, 2016
Eleven years ago, around this same time of year while living abroad in Sweden, I made a decision that would haunt me for more than a decade.
At the time of “Skördefest,” this year on September 28 on Öland, fall has arrived.
When I asked my Swedish relatives about the dumplings, they said the dish is famous in Öland, but that it is very difficult to make. My cousins told me I had to find the right type of potato, or the dumplings would fall apart when I boiled them. They told me it wasn’t worth it. Make meatballs instead. But I didn’t want meatballs. I wanted kroppkakor. For 11 years, I’ve wanted kroppkakor. Wondered about kroppkakor. Yearned for kroppkakor. Until now.
‘Our Beloved Sweden’
Last week, I leafed through my copy of Our Beloved Sweden, an old Swedish Lutheran cookbook published in Hastings, Minnesota in 1996, whose introduction reads, “We dedicate this book to the honor of our ancestors who came from Sweden with their hopes and dreams, and brought with them the Swedish ways that they cherished and hoped would be perpetuated.” I have no idea how this cookbook came into my possession, but I’ve had it for as long as I can remember, and believe it or not, it contains not just one but four recipes for kroppkakor. I chose to make the first recipe and eagerly went to the grocery store to buy everything I would need. My husband, I should add, who has heard me talk about the elusive kroppka-
The author and her friend Suvi at the Öland Harvest Festival, “Skördefest.”
kor since he and I married in 2012, was both excited to get to taste the end product and to get me to finally shut up about the potato dumplings. But he was also skeptical of my ability to accomplish the task. He’d heard my Skördefest story and my relatives’ warnings about the difficulties of preparing the dish, and with some playfulness, he portended, “You’re going down like the Vasa.” My husband’s warning only urged me on. I would not sink like the 17th century war ship! I would prevail and prove my worth as a Swedish cook, as I had done time and again with my family’s recipes for kåldomar, köttbullar and others. As instructed, I peeled, boiled and mashed the potatoes and let them cool. Because I didn’t know what my cousins meant when they told me I needed to use the “right” potatoes, I used a combination of russet, yellow and red potatoes. I then began to make the dumpling dough by adding three eggs and flour. The recipe didn’t indicate how much flour to use; it simply stated, “Make the dough by adding the eggs and flour to the potatoes until it will roll out without getting sticky.” I started with two cups of flour. And then four. And then six. And then I lost count. I used nearly two entire packages of all-purpose flour before the mixture became
something resembling a dough. For the filling, instead of using a pound and a half of salt pork, as the recipe called for, I used a pound of bacon and half a pound of salt pork. To me, salt pork is too fatty (and chewy) for my liking, and bacon—in my opinion—just makes everything better. The recipe suggested a quarter of a teaspoon to a full teaspoon of allspice. I love allspice, so I used an entire heaping teaspoon’s worth. The recipe also doesn’t tell me how many dumplings it yields, and I ended up rolling out 18 dumplings. “Are you planning to feed an entire church?” my husband smugly mused, as he helped line baking sheets with parchment paper so I would have somewhere to place the dumplings after boiling. He still had such little faith in me! But his teasing only urged me onward, ever more resolute to prove him wrong. Next came the true test: the boiling. Would
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the potatoes fall apart as my cousins predicted? Would the dumplings float to the top once they were finished cooking as the recipe implied they would? How would they taste? I was so close to finding out. Gently, I spooned the large dumplings — indeed, they were nearly the size of baseballs! — four at a time into the boiling, salted water. And then I waited. And waited. My husband gazed into the pot, and I grew nervous. Had I failed? I pushed a dumpling with a wooden spoon. Immediately, it rose from the bottom and bobbed in the rumbling water. Soon, the others followed suit. They all floated! I’d succeeded! But how about the taste? It was my turn to be smug as I dished up two dumplings per plate and smothered them with butter and lingonberry preserves. My husband and I sat down at the table, and I took a deep breath. Eleven years of wondering, and now I’d finally know if kroppkakor was as good as it looked. I cut into one dumpling and allowed some steam and a bit of the filling to spill out. They looked good. They smelled good. I took a bite ... they tasted good! Vasa Ship, I was not. I’d successfully prepared Öland’s unofficial dish! My curiosity was, at last, satisfied. Sitting in our dining room after a long day in the kitchen, I reflected on this moment. My potato dumplings were probably not as good as they would have been under the Swedish sun on that crisp September day on the streets of Borgholm in 2005. How could they be? But for a 31-year-old woman who will forever be fond of that transformative year of self-discovery when she was 20 and living away from home for the first time in her life, I think my kroppkakor turned out “lagom.” They turned out “just right.”
Kroppkakor
Recipe for kroppkakor, a contribution by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Galeton, PA, courtesy of the cookbook Our Beloved Sweden Dough: 10 or 12 large potatoes, boiled and mashed 3 eggs Flour Add a little milk and butter to the potatoes while mashing. Cool thoroughly. Make the dough by adding the eggs and flour to the potatoes until it will roll out without getting sticky. Roll out a square about 9-inches by 6-inches and cut this into 6 squares. Fill each square with the filling. Pinch together to make dumplings. Filling: 1-1/2 pounds salt pork, cubed 2 or 3 onions, chopped finely 2 pounds lean ground beef 1/4 to 1 teaspoon ground allspice, to taste Black pepper, optional Fry the salt pork until golden brown and drain it on paper towels. Fry the onions in 1 tablespoon of pork fat until they are golden and tender. Drain. Fry the ground beef in a small amount of fat until thoroughly cooked. Drain if the mixture is greasy. Combine the pork, onion and beef. Cool.
I used my copy of Our Beloved Sweden, an old Swedish Lutheran cookbook published in Hastings, Minnesota in 1996 to make my “kroppkakor.”
Broth: Water Salt Pork 6 peppercorns or whole allspice In a large kettle put water, a small chunk of salt pork and 6 peppercorns or whole allspice. Bring to a boil. Add the potato dumplings, 6 or 8 at a time, to the boiling broth. Let them rise to the top and remove. Continue this until all the dumplings are cooked. Start with the coolest ones and place them in the boiling broth until all of them have been cooked twice. Serve with butter or margarine. Good with cranberry sauce.* Warm the leftovers in a skillet with a little butter or margarine. (Some kroppkakor aficionados will tell you halving the already cooked kroppkakor and heating the halves up in a skillet with butter is the ultimate kroppkaka experience.)
Making kroppkakor.
Öland’s kroppkakor with lingonberries, home-made in America. (Food images: Private)
*Of course, since being readily available today, lingonberries are the original and most appropriate complement. Öland is Sweden’s second largest island and its smallest province. It is located in the Baltic Sea east of Småland from which it is separated by the Kalmar Strait. The island, since 1972 connected to the mainland through the Öland Bridge, has about 13,600 known archaeological sites. Southern Öland is dominated by the treeless, steppelike wide plains called the Great Alvar, about ten kilometers in width. Öland is geologically a very young island, composed of limestone and geologically as different from the Småland mainland as can be. There are several prehistoric sites on the island from the Iron Age, mainly forts and gold
rings. The ports and most of the buildings are located on the west side of the island for several reasons, including protection and contacts with the mainland through Kalmar. An unusual feature of the cultural landscape of Öland are the hundreds of windmills made of wood, however, there aren’t as many of them now as there were a hundred years ago. Today these windmills enjoy heritage protection and have become characteristic of the province. Since the early 1900’s, the island of Öland, due to its natural and cultural heritage and its air and light conditions, has been a popular haunt for artists.
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her clients even flew her to their home in Baltimore, MD when they hosted a special dinner, and she cooks three nights a week for one of her regular clients.
Food heals
Emily Hansen, distinguished private chef — an a chef for all seasons and seasonings.
A chef for all seasonings by Ted Olsson, San Francisco ted@nordstjernan.com
Emily Hansen is a private chef operating her business out of San Francisco. Her mission is to bring the restaurant into people’s homes. She provides her clients with small, often intimate dinner parties in their homes or at other venues with invited guests for special occasions. Hansen is a lifetime member of the Sveadal community. Her father, Dave, is memorialized in Sveadal’s annual Horseshoe Contest every 4th of July. Having grown up on the peninsula, she now resides in San Francisco, where she is active as part of its flourishing culinary scene. She attributes her passion for
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food to her Swedish-American grandmother, Christine (“Fifi”) Ferrari, who with her grandfather, Ernie, was a longtime cabin owner in Sveadal. In her earliest memories she was in the kitchen with her grandmother, loving and learning how daily and special dishes were prepared. Whenever homework was due, the kitchen beckoned much more appealingly. She was in her element as she learned that cooking was not a chore but an art allowing her to express herself. When Hansen finished high school, she had her heart set on attending a culinary academy in New York City, but her family and friends did not think cooking an appropriate career goal and she instead studied psychology at the University of San Francisco. Upon graduation, however, she bought a one-way ticket to New York and took up residence there. She enrolled in a nine-month program at the French Culinary Institute, from which she graduated at the top of her class. Her grandfather Ernie could take pride in the end, especially since she developed a real passion for the Italian cuisine of his heritage. Following this training, Hansen’s first job was at Eleven Madison Park, one of the top restaurants in New York, with refined culinary tastes. Having polished her skills there she moved onto Del Posto, a fine-dining Italian restaurant, where she honed her skills in the cuisines of Italy’s many regions. When it was discovered that Ernie was in bad health and dying, she returned to the Bay Area and took a position at the Gary Danko restaurant, one of the very best in San Francisco. During its 11 years of existence, the owner had not entrusted the reputation of the restaurant to a female chef, but Hansen rose
to become the meat cook. Following that experience and her own rapidly growing reputation, she worked as the sous chef at a small restaurant, Baker and Banker. This allowed her to expand her expertise as she moved into management, a particularly valuable experience for her next job with celebrity chef Tyler Florence, at his Wayfare Tavern in the city. When he opened his second restaurant, El Paseo in Mill Valley, he asked her to help design the restaurant and she remained there as chef d’cuisine. With that new skill under her toque and enjoying the new challenge, Hansen decided to start a consulting business on opening new restaurants. She might have been thinking of the local scene, but her first challenge in this field was to design, to train the staff, and to open a new restaurant, The American Steakhouse, in Ulan Bator, Mongolia! With a profound language barrier and cuisine difference, her one and a half months there were particularly challenging. Yet with demonstrations, samplings and lots of gestures, she was able to communicate with the new trainees and teach them the culinary culture of the United States. After that challenge, Hansen decided to fulfill her passion by starting her own business headquartered in San Francisco. She would become a private chef, preparing fine dining experiences for small, intimate parties in her clients’ homes on special occasions or even on regular assignments. Always ready for a challenge, Hansen entered the culinary competition, Chopped, on The Food Network, where she distinguished herself by winning second place. She has cooked for celebrities themselves. One of
The 120 guests at Sveadal’s 90th anniversary banquet can certainly attest her presentations are a feast for the eyes as well as to be savored by the palate. And not only does she serve masterpieces of cuisine but her sauces and dressings are delicious — and the content of a cookbook she dreams about writing. Hansen knows she is truly blest and fortunate, for her culinary art is all passion, so it never is work but always fun. Now she is scheduled to offer a course for QuickBooks on how to turn one’s passion into a career. Another enthusiasm of her passion was shown at Sveadal’s banquet, for she loves to introduce young people to the joys of cooking and the art of presentation. There she trained several of the young servers in how to arrange and serve various dishes. And a few lucky adults, by assisting her, were able to peer over her shoulder to garner secrets which will enhance their own skills in the kitchen. She is grateful to live here in the Bay Area, in touch with most of her family and relishing all the get-togethers. She is a loyal fan of both the San Francisco Giants and of the San Francisco 49ers, and now that her younger half-brother, Bradley Northnagel, another Sveadal rising star, is a highly ranked collegiate football player on the University of California, Berkeley’s football team, she is looking forward to watch him play an exhibition game in Australia. Ironically Hansen’s degree in psychology is being put to good use, for she is very interested in teaching cooking to kids to nurture their talents for remunerative and gratifying culinary careers. She believes cooking can be calming therapy for troubled kids as they discover their own passions and talents. She has donated to an Episcopalian community effort to help the homeless use cooking as not merely a means of therapy but also as a means to gaining rewarding employment. She hopes to teach at a culinary academy and enjoys being involved in corporate teambonding exercises, involving training teams of colleagues. Although she is not a doctor, she is proud to save people’s lives. www.chefemilyhansen.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aycFIHHAMU
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Straight outta Luleå - Movits! on U.S. tour ted one on social bookmarking site Reddit. com, shared it with his famous boss, and an invitation to perform on the show soon hit the group’s inbox. Lead vocalist Johan “Jivin’” Rensfeldt, his multi-instrumentalist brother “Mördar” Anders Rensfeldt and jazz saxophonist Jocke “One-Take” Nilsson, thought it was all someone’s idea of a joke. “We figured one of our friends up in Luleå put it together somehow,” Johan said, relaxing before the night’s show at the Mohawk Bar in Austin, Texas. The guys figured it’d make a good story to share at their next gig — and it truly did. “We couldn’t believe the email was real, but it was.” In July 2009, Movits! made its U.S. debut with a charming interview with Colbert and a take-no-prisoners rendition of ”Fel Del av Gården.” The next day, Äppleknyckarjazz shot up the Amazon.com charts and was released on iTunes in Sweden and the U.S. Thanks to “the Colbert bump,” it actually topped hip-hop icons — some of the band’s idols, like Eminem — in downloads for a while. “We still look at a screenshot of that sometimes and can’t believe it,” said Anders. Fueled by Colbert’s young, hip viewership, Movits! went from being complete unknowns (despite 7 years of making music together) to being recognized on the streets of New York overnight. The phone started ringing. And the opportunities started coming. “I think we really underestimated the impact the show would have,” Jocke added. “Our hope was to get a little more attention in Sweden … the next morning, we had 30,000 new views on YouTube and 400 unread emails.”
A bit of background:
The band’s name doesn’t come from the fact that its music makes you want to get your ass out on the dance floor and “move it,” as two tipsy coeds speculated in the graffiti-spattered ladies room of the Mohawk (although that’s undeniably true). In fact, its roots are almost three centuries old and couldn’t be more Swedish. It’s a musician’s homage to Fader Movitz, a key character in Swedish composer Carl Michael Bellman’s “Fredmans Epistlar” song cycle. (In another nod to Bellman, Äppleknyckarjazz even features a tune called Epistle No. 1.) The band cites renowned Bellman troubadour Cornelis Vreeswijk and his bluesy renderings of Bellman’s classic pub songs as a major inspiration. Vreeswijk’s influence coexists alongside “King of Swing” Benny Goodman — his “Sing Sing Sing” provided a creative epiphany, and the album opens to Gene Krupa-esque beats — scat jazz singer (and proto-rapper, if you think about it) Cab Calloway, gypsy guitar virtuouso Django Reinhardt and the driving rhythms of Buena Vista Social Club. “In some strange way, the swing, jazz and hip-hop combined to create something no one else had done before,” Johan said. “People are drawn to something new and fresh.”
On top and out in front are Johan’s syncopated rap vocals — cleverly constructed social commentary delivered entirely in Swedish. “Fel Del av Gården,” the thumping number the band performed on The Colbert Report, talks about an outsider born with the deck stacked against him. Others, like “A-Kasse Blues” and “Swing för Hyresgästföreningen,” perfectly channel the big-band era by evoking a working-class, pre-folkhem Sweden that would be all but impossible to explain to a non-Swedish audience. But that doesn’t seem to have presented much of an obstacle, as the band’s earlier sold-out shows across the country have demonstrated. “Sometimes it’s weird that 95 percent of the people out there don’t know what I’m saying,” Johan said. “But we like listening to French pop and don’t understand a word. Sometimes the ‘flow’ is just great, and you get to enjoy the sound without getting caught up in the lyrics.” American fans who discovered the Swedish trio via Colbert aren’t surprised to see the three-man line-up on tour. But the group’s fullstrength sound on for instance Äppleknyckarjazz is the product of a studio-layered big band orchestra — brass, strings, accordion, keyboards, harmonica. Of course, it’s too expensive to tour the states with a big band, so the Movits! sound is rolled up and reproduced onstage via DJ soundboard by Anders, who ably sets up the evening’s beats. But Anders is more than the maestro, as he gets to demonstrate on a few numbers. He pulled out his guitar on the gently swinging “Stick iväg Jack Del 2” — a sequel to Ray Charles’s classic “Hit the Road, Jack” — to complement Jocke’s slick, jazzy accompaniment. The present Movits! tour continues through September 24, ending in Minnesota. Check out http://movits.se/ for more info. And see the Colbert Report interview July 27, 2009 online.
Photo: Axel Söderlund
Continued from page one
Joakim ‘One-Take’ Nilsson, Johan Jivin’ Rensfeldt and Anders Rensfeldt of Movits!.
The sound of one of Sweden’s most inventive folk bands, Jaerv, at the 2016 ScanFest.
Also on tour, Jaerv
Jaerv is on a U.S. tour, and if you’re lucky enough to be close to Chicago’s Swedish American Museum (www.swedishamericanmuseum.org), among other places, prepare to be seduced by the melodic tunes of this award-winning group. The Swedish quintet presents extrovert-
ed, vigorous and heartfelt folk music with influences from both jazz and pop music. After concerts in the east and at Scandinavian Day in South Elgin, IL and in Minneapolis, MN the group will perform at the Swedish American Museum in Chicago. For more info, see www.jaerv.com
September 15, 2016 Nordstjernan
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Gathering for a big celebration —
Svea Chapman as Princess Christina signing the plaque.
Conor Massey and The Sveadal Kids as the cast of historic characters and events: Marley and Josh Baughman, Trent and Shane Green, Kelsey, Anna and Mathew Juul, Liberty and Lucius Niesen, Bo and Riley Ramsey, Anita and Paul (Jr.) Beroza, Madison, Jacob and Nicole Stancil, Svea Chapman, Elsa Lillibridge, and Jordan Massey.
by Ted Olsson, San Francisco ted@nordstjernan.com
People began arriving on Friday, and by late afternoon the pool was almost as packed as it would become on Saturday. The weather had cooled into the lower 90s, and as the sun set in the west along the top of the mountain range near the infamous Loma Prieta (source of the 1989 earthquake), dusk was smudged a light orange. The crowd was gathering to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Sveadal, the Swedish cultural heritage retreat in the Santa Cruz mountains. California, of course, has been suffering for years from the symptoms of climate change, with years of drought and an increase in wildfires due to dense underbrush. On this weekend on the other side of the mountain, the Soberanes Fire was burning through Monterey County. It had begun on July 22 in Garrapata State Park north of Big Sur and Carmel and had already consumed 40,000 acres, forced 350 residents to evacuate, a contracted bulldozer operator fighting the fire was killed, and 57 homes we destroyed. The fire was only 15 percent contained, and because of the rugged terrain in the mountains, it was not expected to be extinguished before the end of August. More than 5,300 firefighters from throughout the state were battling the fire, which threatened another 2,000 homes. At least for the time, Sveadal was protected, though the box canyon has experienced its share of fires (fortunately when people
Nordstjernan, September 15, 2016
were not present). Everyone enjoying the anniversary weekend was oblivious and carefree, basking on the deck or lawn, soaking and swimming in the pool, drinking and conversing with old friends. That evening Karin Sayegh called for the first rehearsal of the Sveadal kids, who would star in the historical program the next evening. She had written the script and was teaching its dramatization to her acting troupe. With experience she had assigned the older kids to read the narration, while the younger ones acted out the story. The program showed the history of Sveadal through the decades. At first some of the kids were shy, embarrassed or reluctant to get into costumes or express emotion, but with the patience and enthusiasm of an early-primary school teacher, Karin prepared them well. Cleverly, Linnea Chapman had created a simple but evocative backdrop of Sveadal’s entry gate. This was hung in one corner of the clubhouse and dance floor, and the audience sat on benches in an arc around this set with the evening sun illuminating the production. Behind the backdrop, each decade’s actors assembled, performing while passing in front of it. Linnea was also the artist who designed the invitation and the table tents for the banquet, indicating the delicious menu everyone would enjoy.
The program
By the time of the performance, Karin and her team had heroically motivated the
kids not merely to get into the spirit of the performance, but to also enjoy their roles in celebrating this historic occasion. Swedish American Patriotic League (SAPL) President Conor Massey welcomed community members and guests and about 100 people assembled for the program. During the performance the kids stole the show as they taught the adults the history of Sveadal. We learned about every decade of Sveadal’s life as a park, each decade concluding with the refrain “… and still they built, and still they painted, and still they improved their beloved Sveadal.” 1920s: The founders discovered and bought the site; the Swedish royal couple (Crown Prince Gustav and Princess Louise) dedicated Sveadal in 1926; by 1928 Sveadal had a dance floor beneath redwoods, a new pool and annual Labor Day swim races. 1930s: All rentals got plumbing; Mr. Celander created Mimers Kella from the natural spring at the base of the redwoods beside the creek; mail delivery and the first telephone party line connected us to the world. 1940s: Electricity reached Sveadal; the famous Swedish woodcarver Emil Janel chiseled “Tomtegubben” with a hand axe into a redwood stump; the Labor Day aquacade began; and young married couples founded the Sveadal Club. 1950s: The first annual Sveadal Day had a western theme; the flag boards and routine were added to the swimming races; and two huge, used water tanks were installed which served the community for the next 60 years.
1960s: Celander’s cabin was destroyed by a landslide and the rental duplex was burned down; Wednesday nights were dedicated to community dinners prepared by volunteers from the renters or private cabin owners; and SAPL’s longest running Swedish Midsummer was relocated to Sveadal. 1970s: New sports facilities were constructed and Muriel Beroza published her first book, Sveadal, recording the history of the community; but the decade ended with the loss of the original clubhouse to fire. 1980s: A new and improved clubhouse was built; it was dedicated by Swedish Princess Christina (King Carl XVI Gustaf’s sister) during New Sweden ’88. 1990s: SAPL celebrated the centennial of its Midsummer festival, but the great 400-year-old Olsson Oak, a centerpiece on the semicircular lawn in front of the clubhouse, which had been the site of so many weddings, after being singed by fire and damaged by disease, had to be felled. 2000s: Sveadal narrowly escaped destruction by a fire descending the mountain from illegal activity; and a new dance floor was built abutting the clubhouse. 2010s: Four new large water tanks were installed for drinking and for the fire system; a new deck replaced the original one for this second clubhouse; the tableau concluded with a new refrain: “And from now on the kids still will build, and still they will paint, and still they will improve their beloved Sveadal.” Continues on next page
The Pacific states. page 11
Sveadal at 90 A commitment to the future
Throughout the pageant, where the same cast of kids took on roles for every decade, they were appreciatively applauded with each appearance. For now it was realized that not merely had the kids reminded the adults of the community’s history, but in the process the kids had themselves experienced it, in a way committing also to its future. Karin and her stage crew (Twinkle Peterson, Mary Ann Nichelini, Linda Zalko, Linnea Chapman, Carol Anderson, Linda and Paul Beroza, Astrid and Ted Olsson) recapitulated our history quite memorably. Many in the audience had lived through much of it and offered a warm standing ovation at the end. As a special treat Karin and Twinkle led the audience in a rendition of “Sveadal” (to the tune of “Edelweiss”), the new lyrics of which Karin and her dear friend, the late Charlotte Weissenborn, had composed more than a quarter-century earlier for a similar celebration. “SVEADAL” (Karin & Charlotte) Sveadal, Sveadal Every summer we greet thee, Warm and bright, our heart’s delight Greet our friends and fam’ly. Oaks and redwoods, they gently sway, Uvas sparkles forever. Sveadal, Sveadal, Blest be our haven forever. Swedes, Americans, come as one Sharing customs together, Sveadal, Sveadal, Blest be our haven forever. After the performance, champagne was passed out and a toast to Sveadal was offered — its future soon in the hands of these kids. The drink was accompanied by copious plates of herring, sliced eggs and potatoes.
The banquet
This celebration was the first in a series of planned anniversaries, each leading to Sveadal’s centennial a decade from now. The second surprise highlight of the evening awaited as people drifted into the banquet hall of the clubhouse and Twinkle Peterson projected a slideshow of Sveadal’s history, the photos for which had been thoughtfully composed by Kathleen (“Poonie”) Erickson. The banquet that followed was a sumptuous affair for the fortunate 10 dozen people who reserved for this special occasion. The menu (see attached photo) was simply mouth watering. For this special anniversary, the dinner was prepared by chef Emily Hansen. She is a local hero, having grown up in Sveadal to become a distinguished private chef, living in San Francisco and serving clients throughout the Bay Area and beyond. From the first taste to the memory
Californian Swedish Americans celebrate with a memorable program and banquet.
of the last lingering bite, the meal was a special treat to conclude a most auspicious anniversary. Emily also used the occasion to teach the kids who served the meal about presentation and protocol for serving such works of art. A couple lucky adults even got to experience a professional cooking lesson from the great chef by assisting her. The salad was delicious, tastefully presented with several rye croutons lending a contrast to the delicious gravad lax in a delightful dressing. But even that could not prepare us for the entrée: The rack of lamb was perfectly cooked, spiced and presented. The sauces were distinctive, dramatically accentuating the succulent meat. The asparagus was crisp and crusted. The Hasselback potatoes were both generous and well seasoned. Remarkably, everyone was offered seconds, which many gladly accepted. The dessert was prepared as individual Tom Juul and the banquet scene. Photo: Vicki Feodor-Thurman rhubarb and strawberry pies with a flavorful distinctively stiff dollop of whipped cream. This was paired with the chef ’s own rhubarb-infused aquavit served in tall Swedish snaps glasses. Bottles of white and red wine complimented each table and coffee helped to finish the meal. President Massey welcomed everyone to the banquet, extending a special welcome to all the Vasa members, whose Bay Area lodges in District 12 comprise half the members of the CalFire Division Chief Edgar Orre and Sveadal Manager Kirsten league. He particularly Emily Hansen & Rob Green in the kitchen. Baughman. Photo: Vicki Feodor-Thurman invited all attending Photo: Vicki Feodor-Thurman as the president’s guest at the head table. this banquet to supHis presence reminded us of our need for port Svea Lodge VOA#343 as they would communal vigilance, how important our celebrate their centennial on August 20th safety is, and of how precious Sveadal’s at Hult Restaurant in Los Gatos. Chef Alex existence is. Hult had again been one of the judges at the The evening concluded with a brisk busidistrict’s annual Akvavit Championships on ness at the bar as everyone remained behind Sweden Day at Sveadal. to soak up the conviviality of the occasion. Once again Massey thanked all who Out on the dance floor Paul Beroza was dramatically retold our history in the proplaying a medley of “Dances through the gram. And then the whole room stood for Decades,” which attracted couples and an anniversary skål (“Ja, må hon leva”) to youth alike to display their skills at tradiSveadal that it might reach its centennial a tional Swedish folk dances or contemporary decade hence and yet an additional century dance hits that had accompanied Sveadal thereafter. This was followed by a hearty and its community throughout the years. four-fold Hurrah! which made the room Only reluctantly did the guests gradually echo back each thunderclap. The evening’s entrée. leave, but the memories of this 90th anniverAfter the dessert the chef was called from her kitchen, everyone acknowledging that Sveadal, Muriel Beroza, was again rec- sary set the standard until we celebrate the this had been the best dinner ever to grace ognized for her 90th birthday this year, centennial of Sveadal in 2026. Then a new the clubhouse tables in Sveadal. Everyone coinciding with the age of Sveadal itself. cast of characters will be entrusted with the stood in wild applause for her tasteful art- Additionally the president introduced and care of this Swedish heartland. istry and hailed her with “Helan Går” by thanked Commander Edgar Orre, Calsaluting her with her own aquavit. This was Fire’s local division chief headquartered in truly one for the books. Morgan Hill. As a Norwegian and fellow Rena Mattman was also recognized for Scandinavian, he was warmly welcomed her birthday and our honorable historian of September 15, 2016 Nordstjernan
feature. page 12
Researching family history Since my family is small, and when I was born there was only one surviving grandparent (who died when I was 5), I’ve always wondered about our family history. I have friends who are part of enormous Italian families (one friend has over 100 first cousins who all live nearby), and dinner with them often turns to tales of what their grandparents and great-grandparents did. Not having stories like that in my family has made me determined to find whatever crumbs of knowledge I can glean from official records about my ancestors. This summer I spent a good amount of time doing research, and I hope my path to discovery may aid others who wish to do their own digging into their family history. by Karen Snowberg guest@nordstjernan.com
With the help of the Internet, genealogy research has become an accessible, interesting hobby to pursue. There are specialists with excellent resources in Swedish genealogy, but I enjoy doing my own research and now it’s easier than ever to trace family roots back multiple generations. To get started, I needed to decide which online genealogy software program to use. I decided to use ancestry.com. They boast that they make it easy to trace your family tree, and while it’s on the expensive side compared to other sites, it’s worth the investment if you’re serious about doing genealogy research the right way. The site features an easy-to-use card catalog with the ability to filter searches by collection, location, dates and languages. You can also hire one of their professional genealogists to do expert research for you. The site has a “My Shoebox” tool which lets you store records you find but wish to review at a later time. My first exploration into ship registries brought great surprises. Since all four of my grandparents spoke Swedish, we assumed
they were all from Sweden. My siblings and I were always proud of the fact that we were 100 percent Swedish. When I started searching for our grandparents’ names in the ship records, however, I discovered Farmor and Farfar were from Åland and western Finland, respectively. Nobody in our family has done any research on these relatives, so that will be a project for the future. Going back to the Snöberg family, I decided to concentrate my efforts on finding out more about people in the maternal line, since work had already been done on the paternal line about 25 years ago by a great uncle in Huskvarna. I confess to getting a bit side-tracked by a family mystery that was never solved in Sweden, though: What happened to Hermann? With the greater availability of records, I was able to find more details about my Mormor’s younger brother, Hermann Wilhelm Snöberg. He was born in 1891 and left home at a young age to become a seaman, working on merchant vessels all over the world. His demise has always been a mystery to the family in Sweden as they suddenly never heard from him again. They assumed his ship sank during World War II, his last letter to his brother
Albin Snöberg in Degerhamn had been dated 12 Dec 1938. He had just returned from Palestine and commented that Palestine wasn’t holy because the Arabs were cutting the necks of Jewish people so they could not leave their ship there. Hermann wrote that he planned to return to New York for Christmas. Through the records on ancestry.com I was surprised to find Hermann’s application for citizenship in the USA (which was granted). Despite being constantly out to sea in his employment as a merchant mariner, he listed his residence as 25 South Street, New York, NY. This address was a boarding house next to the Swedish Seaman’s Mission which housed itinerant Swedish sailors whenever they were in port. (Note: These buildings were later torn down to make room for New York’s expanding financial district.) Checking through ship registries I found Hermann entering the U.S. repeated times as he returned from voyages to various countries in Central and South America, Cuba, France, Africa, etc. and he did survive the war, as he was listed entering the country during the next
several years! It’s after that when he drops out of sight. My next step will be to investigate the death records for New York City so, perhaps, Hermann’s life records can be completed. I was quite pleased with my initial use of ancestry.com. I look forward to using it more and would recommend the use of this or a similar site to do family research. I am amazed that I can sit at my desk and with just a few key strokes discover more information about my grandparents and their families. I also flew to Rock Island, IL to visit the Swensson Swedish Immigration Center at Augustana College to seek more help in digging into the Swedish Church archives to learn more about my family. But that’s the topic for a future article. Karen Snowberg is the cultural director for Vasa Order of America and Canada www. vasaorder.org, an organization that seeks to benefit its members by sharing Swedish and Scandinavian culture and heritage.
‘Not my time to die’ The Titanic and the Swedes on board Perfect bound, large size paperback, 296 pages. Richly illustrated. Please send me ____ book(s) x $19.95 = _______
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The 123 Swedes on board made up the third largest ethnic group on the Titanic after the American and the British. The book profiles each of the Swedish passengers; including the 34 survivors... Mail order form to: NORDSTJERNAN P.O. Box 1710 New Canaan CT 06840 Or call 1.800.827.9333 ext. 10
feature. page 13 perspectives.
Olle Wijkström olle.wijkstrom@nordstjernan.com
Lumpen och ett eventuellt återinförande Numera kan i princip alla svenska ungdomar som släpat sig igenom grundskolan (det vi på min tid kallade folkskolan) gå ut och pröva vingarna på vad de vill. Några kanske har fått nog av teori och skola, lägger av att läsa vidare. Andra ger aldrig upp. De läser vidare. De blir chaufförer, snickare, köksor, civilingenjörer, civilekonomer, advokater, biskopar, kirurger eller annat. Jag hoppas ni lade märke till den inskränkning jag gjorde genom att lägga till ” i princip”. Vi är alla medvetna om att det finns begränsningar. Hälsa, ekonomi, förstånd och talang begränsar möjligheterna för många att lyfta vingarna. Inte heller är det längre möjligt att stoppa sina studier efter genomgången folkskola. Utan fortsatta studier är det omöjligt att få ett avlönat arbete. Det är ett faktum som alla undomar upplever. Såväl byggnadsarbetare som städare, butikskassörer och många andra vet det. I forna dagar då allmän värnplikt gällde för pojkar fanns inte friheten att direkt fortsätta studier eller börja jobba direkt efter dåtidens grundskola, den så kallade folkskolan. Varje som vapenför ansedd yngling skulle inställa sig för mönstring. Vilka regler som gällde för det luddiga begreppet att vara vapenför vet jag inte. Men stränga var de ingalunda. Jag tror det räckte med att man inte var invalid eller hade allvarligt förståndshandikapp. Nu överväger Sverige att återinföra värnplikt Personligen ryckte jag in på LV4 i Linköping. Vid inryckningen röt en vicekorpral med gäll och bestämd röst oss välkomna. Han lät oss tydligt förstå att från och med nu var det han som bestämde. Vi inryckta soldater skulle lyda. Nu existerade inga alternativ eller onödiga diskussioner. Vår första uppgift blev att hämta och fylla de framlagda linnepåsarna med halm och tillverka en madrass.. Halm fanns i ett särskilt skjul. På logementet eller” luckan” som det kallas i det militära bodde jag och tjugo andra nyinryckta. Jag tilldelades en säng för min fyllda halmmadrass. Därutöver lakan, kudde med halm i och filt. Vicekorpralen som hette Karlson gav först en detaljerad instruktion hur
Best brunch in the world
“Lumpen” sängarna skulle bäddas för att se anständiga ut. Vid varje revelj följande morgnar återkom alltid Karlsson. Han sprättade brutalt upp de sängar han bedömde undermåligt bäddade. Dagarnas övningar kallade för ”Exercis 1” Detta bestod i att vi skulle lära oss att stå upprätt i olika ställningar ”Giv Akt” och ”Manöver” och att kunna göra ”Höger om” etc. Övningarna gick ut på att vi som utsattes för dem skulle kunna uppföra oss. Vara uppmärksamma! Stå upp vid tilltal! Svara tydligt vid förfrågan! Många bra regler för hela livet. I sängen bredvid mig låg dalmasen John Homman. John var begåvad på många sätt. Han hade en underfyndig humor. Dessutom var han kunnig om det mesta i naturen. Han kunde härma de flesta fåglars läten, lärkor, starar och trastar. Efter lumpen utbildade han sig och blev jägmästare. Ett yrke som måste ha passat honom perfekt Hans från Ludvika var hjälpsam mot alla. Varenda morgon sjöng han när vi alla duschade i det gemensamma tvagningsrummet: ”Oh vilken underbar morgon”. Hans djupa bariton saknar jag ofta. Bertil Nordfors löste problem. Den som fastnade i någon teknisk fråga vände sig alltid till honom. Sten Svensson var smålänning. Han hade egen motorcykel och fästmö från Mjölby. Bland annat därför blev han en idol. Åke Andersson hade en makalös aptit. Han smorde gärna pjäxorna åt den som delade med sig till honom av plättarna och sylten, då sådant serverades på mässen. Det är framför allt kamratskapet och hänsynstagandet till grabbar som bor i slafarna bredvid, äter samma mat och upplever exakt lika vardagar som gör att värnplikten och lumpen blev en värdefull upplevelse Enligt tidningarna kan mönstring och värnplikt komma att introduceras igen om några år. Förmodligen icke som allmän värnplikt utan i någon begränsad form. Även om militär träning kan vara kväljande för många är upplevelsen att bo tillsamman med oliktänkande på en lucka och tvingas ta hänsyn till andra i grunden positiv. Många som gjort det blir vänner för livet.
“ Olle Wijkströms nyutkomna och rikt illustrerade bok - Min Historia - handlar om hans minnen och möten med alla slags folk från tre kontinenter. Boken innehåller stämningar och möten. Stamhövdingar, presidenter och vanligt folk. Boken kan beställas och betalas via Nordstjernan”
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A restaurant in Sweden’s second city serves the best brunch in the world. At least last year and according to Britain’s The Mirror. In August 2015 the newspaper listed the top 10 hotel brunches, and the hip meal experience at Norda Bar & Grill in Gothenburg’s stylish Clarion Hotel Post ranked number one in the world. The hotel is in the restored old main post office at Drottningtorget 10, the restaurant run by celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson — his first restaurant in his hometown. The brunch, described by The Mirror as “a gothic and glamorous brunch” is served on Saturdays and Sundays in the early afternoon. It offers a luxurious buffet with a selection of cheeses and charcuterie, with a main course like steak or pancakes, and a wine list that emphasizes special selections from small wineries in Oregon. The des-
sert buffet is loaded with cakes and sweet treats by the award winning pastry chefs chosen by the prince and princess for their wedding on June 13. Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, NV came in second place, in part for its more than 100 types of pastries. Two other American hotel restaurants ranked in the top 10: Number 8 is Marriott Marquis in New York and in ninth place is Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge in Orlando, FL. (We haven’t spotted a renewed attempt by the British paper and only one Scandinavian establishment made it onto Travel & Leisure’s 2016 list of best brunch restaurants: The Marchal at Copenhagen’s Hotel D’Angleterre.) Why brunch and why now? Brunchens Dag, the Day of the Brunch is celebrated in Sweden on Sunday, Sept. 18.
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local events. page 14
More events and list your own, at www.nordstjernan.com-EVENTS
l California
09.18.2016 09:00 AM - 06:00 PM Höstmarknad & Swedish Meatball Contest: The Scandinavian Hostmarknad (Fall market) is where you want to be for the 8th annual Swedish Meatball Contest! Vasa Park Association . folk dancing, cultural entertainment, kubb, reenacting, Scandinavian merchandise to purchase, and specialty foods and drinks. 915-654-8396. lkosvic@ gmail.com. www.vasaparkagoura. com/index.html
10.01.2016 10:00 AM - 04:00 PM Sacramento Scandinavian Festival: Scandinavian food, baked goods and merchandise for sale. Viking reenactors, live music and folk dancing. Scandinavian Festival Association of Sacramento. 916.759.6750. www.facebook. com/SacramentoScandinavianFestival
09.30.2016 05:00 PM - 11.11.2016 10:00 PM A Man Called Ove A film written and Directed by Hannes Holm based on the international best-selling novel by Fredrik Backman opens at Laemmle’s Royal (www.laemmle.com/theaters/1); and in other select places, see listings and a trailer, here: http://www.musicboxfilms.com/a-man-calledove-movies-139.php
l Connecticut
09.17.2016 12:00 PM - 05:00 PM Vasa Park in South Meriden 70th Celebration. 860.563.0040. steinmillerl@gmail.com. Look for Vasa-Park-South-Meriden-Connecticut-Swedish at facebook.com 10.02.2016 12:00 PM - 04:00 PM Swedish Pea Soup and Pancake Dinner including pea soup, pancakes, bread, cheese, soda, coffee and dessert - followed by an auction. $15. CT District #1, VOA, Kronan Lodge #2. 860.563.0040. steinmillerl@gmail.com.
l Florida
Continuously The Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce of Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach promotes trade, commerce and investment opportunities between Sweden, Fort Lauderdale - Palm Beach and members. See www.sacc-sfl.org
l Illinois
09.16.2016 11:00 AM - 09.17.2016 12:00 AM Hejsan – Story & Craft Hour at the museum All ages welcome. 773.728.8111 | www.swedishamericanmuseum.org 09.16.2016 06:00 PM - 08:00 PM Jaerv - Live in Concert The award-winning Swedish quintet, Jaerv, known for their vigorous and heartfelt folk music is performing at the Swedish American Museum. 773-728-8111 | www.swedishamericanmuseum.org
09.17.2016 11:00 AM - 09.17.2016 12:00 AM The Dream of America - Guided Exhibit Tour of the Swedish American Museum’s permanent exhibit. 773-728-8111 | www.swedishamericanmuseum.org 09.18.2016 11:00 AM - 04:00 PM Swedish crystal at its best - Final day of “Målerås Glass: Crystal Art from Master Craftsman Mats Jonasson and Ludvig Löfgren” Exhibit Closing. 09.22.2016 06:00 PM - 11:00 PM Movits! at Bottom Lounge; 312.666.6775. info@ bottomlounge.com. http://bottomlounge.com 09.24.2016 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Genealogy Session: A Family Mystery solved Hear about how PBS’ Genealogy Roadshow unraveled the mysteries around author Gail Lukasik’s family history. www.swedishamericanmuseum.org 09.29.2016 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM Walking Tour of Andersonville. A guided tour led by the Swedish American Museum. Cost is $5 per person. www.swedishamericanmuseum.org
l Massachussetts
09.24.2016 11:00 AM - 03:00 PM Smorgasbord Nordic Food Festival at the Scandinavian Cultural Center: Tasting stations from Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Finland and Norway. Nordic Vendors, live music, guest speakers, kids’ station, family friendly games, a live Viking encampment, and “foodie” fun. 617.795.1914. www.scandicenter.org
l Minnesota
09.24.2016 09:00 PM - 11:30 PM The Swedish hiphop/swing band Movits! will perform at the Cedar Cultural Center. 612-3382674 . info@thecedar.org. www.thecedar.org 06.18.2016 07:00 PM - 10.18.2016 06:00 PM Quilting Art Today, exhibition featuring creations by Swedish and other artists from the traditional to the abstract.American Swedish Institute. 612.871.4907 | www.asimn.org
l New Jersey
09.04.2016 06:00 AM - 09.04.2016 02:00 PM 32nd annual Scandinavian Fest ScanFest ‘16
Continuously Step back in time in historic Bishop Hill. Utopia on the Prairie, then and now. For information call 309-927-3899 or email heritage@bishophill. com. Visit our Website at: www.bishophill.com
l New York
l Indiana
09.24.2016 06:00 PM - 06:45 PM Elsa Nilsson Quartet at Rockwood Music Hall. The band performs Swedish Traditional music as well as original compositions. While Nilsson leads on flute, the band also features Jeff McLaughlin on Guitar, Alex Minier on Bass and Cody Rahn on Drums and Percussion. www.rockwoodmusichall.com / www.elsanilssonmusic.com.
09.16.2016 10:45 PM - 09.17.2016 12:00 PM Swedish Swing and hip-hop Movits! from Sweden at the Lotus Music Festival in Bloomington, Indiana. Two performances, two consecutive nights at 10:45 PM, September 16 and 17.
l Kentucky
09.15.2016 09:00 PM - 11:00 PM Movits! at Zanzabar. http://zanzabarlouisville. ticketfly.com/event/1239143-movits-louisville/ 502-635-9227.
09.16.2016 07:00 PM - 09.16.2016 11:30 PM Crayfish Dinner Dance SACC NY annual crayfish dinner dance at the New York Yacht Club. 212838-5530. info@saccny.org | www.saccny.org
09.27.2016 07:00 PM - 09:00 PM Sneak peek screening of the film ‘A Man Called Ove’ 212–779–3587 | www.scandinaviahouse.org 09.30.2016 05:00 PM - 11.11.2016 10:00 PM A Man Called Ove A film written and Directed by Hannes Holm based on the international bestselling novel by Fredrik Backman opens at the Paris Theatre on 4 W 58th Street (www.theparistheatre. com) and the Angelika Film Center (www.angelikafilmcenter.com).
Välkommen till
l Pennsylvania
09.20.2016 10:30 PM - 09.20.2016 11:30 PM Toddler Time at the American Swedish Museum. 215.389.1776. | www.americanswedish.com
Tisdag 20 september, kl.18.30: Enkel veckomässa i Taizéton, kyrkkaffe serveras. Lördag 24 september, kl.13-15: Familjeträff med lek, sång, fika och kort gudstjänst i Santa Monica.
10.01.2016 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Morton Monument Restoration Ceremony The John Morton Restoration Ceremony will be held at St. Paul’s burial ground, at Welsh Avenue and East 3rd Street in Chester, where the monument is located. Morton, who was of Swedish/ Finnish ancestry, was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Swedish Colonial Society. 301.570.3084 | www.colonialswedes.net
Söndag 25 september kl 11.00
Nordisk gudstjänst Svenska Kyrkan är värd
Söndag 2 oktober kl 10.00 (Observera tiden!)
Gudstjänst med kyrklunch
i Svenska Kyrkan, San Pedro. Lördag 15 oktober, kl.13-15: Spara datumet för Svenska kyrkan stora Fundraiser.
l Wisconsin
10.08.2016 10:00 AM - 06:00 PM Scandinavian Festival of Wisconsin: Scandinavian ethnic food and Scandinavian merchandise for sale. Enjoy the Nordic style music and dancing, the Genealogy Room with specialists, children’s activities, and much more. www. facebook.com/NCOWI/ | 262.366.9152
Dessutom: Körsång, bibelsamtal, filmkvällar och mycket annat. Mer information och senaste nytt om alla våra aktiviteter på vår Facebook- och hemsida!
Svenska kyrkan, Los Angeles 1035 South Beacon Street, San Pedro, CA 90731 Tel. 310-292-7079 • Epost: losangeles@svenskakyrkan.se Hemsida: www.svenskakyrkan.se/losangeles På facebook heter vi “Svenska kyrkan i Los Angeles”
5 East 48th Street, New York, NY 10017 Tel: +1 (212) 832-8443
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local events. page 15
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Subscription Subscription $28 per$30 calendar year. per year Subscribers Subscribers are areinvited invited to to aa genealogical genealogical Workshop Salt Lake Lake workshop in in Salt City City each each autumn. October.
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dashboard. page 16
After spending time on the Great Lakes, Viking ship Harald Hårfagre is heading south.
The Vikings are heading for New York City and arrive at North Cove Marina for the ceremony at 11.30 a.m. See http://www. drakenexpeditionamerica.com for information on deck tours and the exhibition at the Winter Garden.
Kalmar Nyckel at Cape Cod
Another proud ship with Scandinavian ancestry was spotted this sumemr at Cape Cod - the Kalmar Nyckel, Delaware’s seagoing goodwill ambassador. The original Kalmar Nyckel was one of America’s pioneering colonial ships. Its historical significance rivals that of the Mayflower, yet her remarkable story hasn’t been widely told. She sailed from Sweden to the New World in 1638 leaving its passengers to establish the first permanent European settlement in the Delaware Valley, the Colony of New Sweden in present-day Wilmington, Delaware. She made a total of four roundtrip crossings of the Atlantic— more than any other ship of the era. The replica was built by a group of committed citizens to be a continuing witness to the courage and spirit of those individuals who undertook the mid-winter North Atlantic crossing in 1637-1638. Since 1998, the ship has served as an
This summer a statue dedicated to the late great Swedish actress Greta Garbo was installed in the middle of a remote Swedish Forest. Why not in a city square or public building? The thought here was to place the statue, created by Icelandic artist, Jón Leifsson, somewhere where Garbo could be alone and would be allowed to enjoy the tranquility of her homeland. The project was initiated by Fotografiska Museet in Stockholm, and was installed far away from the public’s viewing eyes in the woods west of Lillhärdal. “Considering how shy and reclusive Greta Garbo was, we installed her in a very deserted place, far away from the Garbo, the unforgettable... spotlight – namely deep in a Swedish forest,” wrote Fotografiska Museet in a press release. The statue has been named The Statue of Integrity – Intigritetsstatyn – and was installed via helicopter on July 5. The only thing known about the statue’s actual location is that it rests deep in Härjedalens forest in a place known appropriately as Stockholm.
Swedes are having less sex?
outreach platform for the state of Delaware. For more info, see www.kalmarnyckel.org
While Swedes are often depicted as some of the sexiest and most sexually liberal minded individuals in world, it seems that sexual habits in the Nordic nation might be on the wane. As such, the public health minister (folkhälsoministern) will conduct a study on Swedish sexual behavior. It is felt that a study of this nature, which hasn’t been explored in twenty years, will lend itself to a more effective public health care system enhancing sexual education and
political discourse. “The problem is that when we talk about sex from a political standpoint, we talk mostly about the negative aspects, like rape and sexual harassment,” Health Minister Gabriel Wikström (S) told SVT. Wikström goes on to say that if you do not lift up that which can be positive and pleasurable, it risks becoming a warped image. The study will be completed in 2019.
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WARNING: This product can cause mouth cancer. Nordstjernan, September 15, 2016
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The Viking ship will arrive in New York on September 17 to a grand welcoming ceremony with speeches, interviews and Nordic entertainment. The ship is scheduled to pass the Statue of Liberty around 11 a.m.
Garbo statue unveiled
dashboard. page 17
Stockholm, Sweden
September 18, 1905: Swedish movie star Greta Gustafsson (Garbo) is born in Stockholm’s southern districts, on Söder, to laborer Karl Alfred Gustafsson and homemaker Anna Lovisa. Greta is the third and youngest child (she has two older siblings, brother Sven and sister Alva). The Gustafsons are impoverished and live in a small cold-water only apartment on Blekingegatan number 32. Söder in those days was regarded as the city’s slum, and Garbo later recalled: ”It was eternally gray, those long winter nights. Where we lived, all the houses and apartments looked alike, their ugliness matched by everything surrounding us.” Today, Söder or Södermalm in the south of Stockholm, is considered one of the world’s hippest neighborhoods. Environment
Pittsburgh, PA
The online-based transportation network Uber launched autonomous rides in Pittsburgh late in August. Customers in downtown Pittsburgh have been able to summon self-driving cars from Uber already since the end of August. The online-based transportation network was beating Google to the first regular use of autonomous rides by introducing a handful of modified of – what else? – Volvo XC90 SUVs. The XC90s are supervised by humans in the driver’s seat to begin with but have been outfitted with sensors using cameras, lasers, radar and GPS receivers to make them autonomous. Volvo is expected to deliver 100 modified SUVs to Uber by the end of the year.
Liberals seek 200 million for clean up of the west coast
The liberals (formerly, Folkpartiet) have submitted a proposal requesting SEK 200 million for West Coast beach clean up with the bulk of the funding going to Bohuslän. Money is to be paid out over the course of four years. MP Lars Tysklind (L) tells Göteborgsposten that the Bohuslän coast has been hit hard by debris due to its geographic location and because of the streams which filter into the area. The majority of the trash is in the form of plastics which, of course, harm wildlife, sea, and surrounding beach areas.
Tysklind wants to see more money invested on shoreline cleanup and protection, and believes that the proposal should be seen as a clean environmental measure requiring municipalities to apply for funding via the Marine and Water Authority. The proposal has the support of the Green Party and budget decisions will be reviewed by Parliament in December. Bohuslän is situated on the northernmost part of Sweden’s west coast, bordering to Dalsland, Västergötland, the Skagerrak arm of the North Sea and the county of Østfold
in Norway. The province is named after the Norwegian medieval fortress Båhus, located in Kungsälv. Båhuslen was a Norwegian province from around 1050 until the 1658 Treaty of Roskilde, when also Skåneland (Blekinge, Halland and Skåne) was transferred from Denmark to Sweden. The landscape is dominated by the over 3,000 islands and 5,000 skerries along the coastline.
Bilen kommer aldrig att helt ersätta hästen. Har ni någonsin sett ett monument där en man sitter vid ratten? “The car will never fully replace the horse. Did you ever see a monument with a man behind the wheel?” VICKY ENTERTAINMENT & PJP MANAGEMENT PRESENT
”Brilliant throughout” ”Filled with the greatest dancing and singing” ”It is indeed very good” SWEDISH PRESS QUOTES
Det är inte föroreningar som skadar miljön, det är orenheter i luften och vattnet.
Herr & Fru | Mr. & Mrs.
“It isn’t pollution that’s harming the environment. It’s the impurities in our air and water that are doing it.” - Dan Quayle
Him: “Didn’t you throw Him: “We have storeaway that apple core?” bought apples! Her: “... from our very Her: “Our first own own apple tree!” apple ...”
Him: “What are your plans for it?”
Her: “Just enjoy that it exists.”
‘Name’s days’ of the Swedish Calendar: September 15 Sigrid/Siri
/Kommande två veckors namnsdagar
In New York In Stockholm In Kiruna Lund In Los Angeles
September 15: Sunrise Sunset 6.37 a.m. 7.04 p.m. 6.19 a.m. 7.07 p.m. 6.00 a.m. 7.07 p.m. 6.41 a.m. 7.42 p.m. 6.37 a.m. 6.59 p.m.
September 16 Dag/Daga September 17 Hildegard/Magnhild September 18 Orvar September 19 Fredrika September 20 Elise/Lisa September 21 Matteus September 22 Maurits/Moritz September 23 Tekla/Tea September 24 Gerhard/Gert September 25 Tryggve September 26 Enar/Einar September 27 Dagmar/Rigmor September 28 Lennart/Leonard September 29 Mikael/Mikaela September 30 Helge
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September 15, 2016 Nordstjernan
sports. page 18
Sweden opens bid for 2018 World Cup
Robin Olsen stops a shot from Dutch striker Davy Klaassen during the 1-1 draw between Sweden and Holland September 6 at Friends Arena in Solna, Sweden. Joel Marklund/Bildbyrån Chipp Reid, Sports Editor chipp@nordstjernan.com
A new-look Sweden took the field September 6 for its opening qualifier for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and came away with a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Holland. Janne Andersson took the reins from Erik Hamrén following a dismal Swedish performance at the 2016 European Championships, and he was quick to bring in many of the young players that won the 2015 UEFA Under-21 Championship. Andersson’s changes were not merely cosmetic. Goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson, midfielder Kim Källström and iconic striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic all retired from international play after the Euros. For one day at least, the Swedes only seemed to miss Zlatan. Robin Olsen took over as the starting goalkeeper and put in a man-of-match performance as Andersson employed a defensive game plan in which the Blue and Yellow remained compact, if somewhat disorganized, at times on defense while relying on counter-strikes to create its scoring chances. The Dutch, who came in third at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil but failed to qualify for this year’s European Championship, struggled for long periods against the resolute Swedes. Sweden, which last played in the World Cup in 2006, recalled former Iceland manager Lars Lagerbäck as an advisor to new boss Andersson. Iceland reached the quarterfinals this past summer with a stirring performance at the European Championships in France. Lagerbäck was co-coach of the Swedish team that reached the 2006 World Cup.
Nordstjernan, September 15, 2016
With Wesley Sneijder and Kevin Strootman pulling the strings in midfield for the Dutch, Olsen was called into action early, twice saving smartly from Davy Klaassen. Sweden allowed the Dutch to control possession for much of the first half, seeking to hit them in transition when the opportunity presented itself and took the lead just before halftime. The Swedes howled in vain for a free kick in a good position in the 43rd minute, but the danger was not over for the Dutch as Kevin Strootman then inexplicably gave the ball away to Berg on the edge of the box, and he chipped it over Jeroen Zoet to open the scoring. The Dutch struggled in front of goal throughout but when Olsen could only parry Daryl Janmaat’s shot from distance, Sneijder made no mistake, hammering home the rebound. Netherlands substitute Bas Dost had the ball in the net again in the final minute but the goal was ruled out after the referee spotted him pushing Victor Nilsson Lindelof in the penalty area, and the game finished in a draw. Andersson praised Olsen’s performance after the match. “Robin was our best player today and when we broke down a bit, we were all glad he was so good today.” Sweden plays in Group A of the qualifiers with Bulgaria, Belarus, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
Cash before Cups?
Malmö team captain Markus Rosenberg was none too happy after Malmö FF sold team- and league-leading scorer Vidar Örn Kjartansson to Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv at the close of the European transfer window.
If Icelandic striker had 14 goals in 20 matches for Malmö, and despite being snubbed from the Iceland team that played in the 2016 European Championship, Kjartansson had drawn interest from a number of clubs. Malmö had originally denied being on the cusp of a deal for the Icelander only to announce his transfer on August 30 for 33 million kronor ($3.9 million). The money bolsters the coffers of the club that is already the richest in Sweden and has set records for profit in each of the last two years. After the club announced the deal, Rosenberg was quick and harsh in his criticism of the move. “I have trouble understanding it when we are where we are, when it’s so tight with Norrköping,” Rosenberg said. “There are 10 games left. I do not think his value would go down, rather the opposite. We have put ourselves in a position where, unlike all previous Swedish champions, we do not have to sell. The two years in the Champions League means we should not have been in this position.” Rosenberg said losing Kjartansson could cost Malmö both the Swedish championship and a berth in next year’s Champions League. “Obviously he is important,” Rosenberg said. “He has scored 14 goals. Clearly, the sale makes the squad thinner.” Club sporting director Daniel Andersson defended the sale. “There has been a lot of interest in Vidar all summer. We have many good players in the squad and I am confident we will continue to do well.” Malmö wasn’t the only club selling at the transfer deadline. IFK Göteborg accepted an offer from Bristol City for striker Gustav Engvall. Elfsborg sold midfielder/striker Si-
mon Hedlund to Union Berlin while Kalmar FF accepted an undisclosed amount for striker Marcus Antonsson. IFK Norrköping accepted an offer from Eintracht Braunschweig for striker Christoffer Nyman. Malmö currently leads the standings with 45 points, one better than second-place Norrköping. AIK is third with 37 points and IFK Göteborg fourth with 35.
World Cup of Hockey opens
Sweden will look to grab one last medal for goalie Henrik Lundqvist when it takes to the ice September 18 in the World Cup of Hockey in Toronto. The Tre Kronor face Russia in their opening game, then play Finland September 20 and Team North America, a collection of the top Under-23 players from Canada and the U.S., on September 22. The top two teams from each four-team group advance to the semifinals. The World Cup of Hockey is a joint-effort between the National Hockey League, the NHL Players Association and the International Ice Hockey Federation. Unlike other international tournaments, the teams play under NHL rules on the smaller NHL rink. All the players on each team play in the NHL. Sweden has yet to win the World Cup and last won a major hockey title in 2013 when the Tre Kronor captured the IIHF World Championship. Lundqvist, 34, is widely regarded as the top goalkeeper in the NHL. He has reached the Stanley Cup finals twice with the New York Rangers, only to come out on the losing end both times. The World Cup is likely his last shot at an international trophy.
the vasa star vasastjärnan
summer 2016 Publication of The Vasa Order of America
This summer, many Vasa Vikings counted themselves lucky to see the Draken Harald Hårfagre in various Great Lakes harbors after sailing across the Atlantic Ocean from Norway. /Page 10 Photo from DL Michigan No. 8.
The Grand Master’s Message Lake Michigan No. 8 held its convention in Frankenmuth, Michigan, where the Grand Lodge Executive Board also met earlier that same week for a board meeting. We made this into a road trip, driving all the way from California to Michigan. On our way back home, we stopped in the small town of Gothenburg, Nebraska, once a stop along the Pony Express route, where the riders exchanged horses. The station building, which has been moved to the middle of town, is open for tourists. You may wonder why that was worth mentioning if not for the fact that we also visited Gothenburg, Sweden (my hometown) just a few weeks later. Previously we always took our trips to Sweden in odd years, as both the Swedish Districts hold their conventions then. This year was different; we went for the SwedDear Vasa Brothers and Sisters, Birgitta and I have now all but concluded ish American of the Year (SAY) celebration, this year’s travel, with a visit to District an annual event hosted by the two Swedish Pennsylvania No. 9 in Newbury, Ohio the Districts. The event dates back to 1960, when only one still left on the schedule. Most of the first SAY was awarded. Prior recipients our Vasa travel centers around District Con- count many well-known names including ventions but also includes a few significant astronaut Buzz Aldrin, Supreme Court Justice lodge anniversaries. This year District Lodge William Rehnquist, actress Ann-Margret and
this year’s musician extraordinaire Nils Lofgren, best known for his role as the lead guitarist in Bruce Springsteen’s E-Street Band. Most years the SAY event spans several days and multiple venues, but this year, due to Nils’ very tight schedule, it was confined to a luncheon at Restaurant Swea Hof, at Elite Plaza Hotel, where the band regularly stays during their concert tours in Sweden. (See elsewhere in this issue of Vasa Star for pictures from the event.) A video from the event and an interview with Nils is in the making and will be available later this year. Our long ordeal following the 2009 loss of money to Enrique Villalba’s Ponzi scheme is now closed. At the end of August we reached a settlement in the lawsuit against the futures trading company where Mr. Villalba gambled away the money. With this settlement, we have concluded all legal proceedings, and with it we eliminate any further, potentially long drawn-out appeals with its inherent risk of a possible judgement against us, an outcome that would then have given us nothing. Many thanks to our GLEB Member
Bruce Elfvin for his guidance in identifying appropriate legal counsel, Joel Levin and his law firm Levin & Associates, who specializes in this kind of law case and lead us through the lawsuit and to the final settlement. More information will be available in the next issue of Vasa Star. The next Grand Lodge Convention is now less than two years away and action is required by every District at their next convention. It’s time to elect your Grand Lodge Delegate(s). Delegate information has to be submitted to the Grand Secretary no later than four months prior to the convention. That means the information has to reach GS Joan by the end of February 2018. It is critical that you elect delegates who are willing and able to run for Grand Lodge positions. All GL positions are filled by delegates and current officers. Delegates may run for and be elected to all GLEB positions except to Grand Master and Vice Grand Master, where prior service on the GLEB is required. Some appointed positions, including Grand Lodge Deputy, are sometimes / continued on p5
Updated Guidelines
Vasa 2016 SAY Award
Scholarship Winners
Highlights from GL EB Meeting
Submit information for publication that can help increase membership and participation by promoting upcoming events. / p3
This year’s Swedish American of the Year was honored for his music and efforts to keep a strong bond between Sweden and America / p5
The Grand Lodge Scholarship Committee announces the winners of this year’s College or Vocational School Scholarship Awards. / p6
Important business initiatives and progress was made for the good of the future of the Vasa Order during the annual meeting in Michigan. / p8
archive news » p3 grand lodge news » p4 scholarship application » p7 district lodge news » p9 local lodge news » p11 in memoriam » p15
swedish news » p15
the vasa star / Summer 2016
editor’s Message
issue highlights
I was one of the lucky ones who got to see Draken Harald Hårfagre (cover photo) during her historic voyage that started in Norway in April. When the Viking ship sailed into Chicago’s harbor at Navy Pier on July 27, I felt like I was among kindred spirits as many of us were proudly, obviously of Scandinavian – Viking - descent. A spontaneous “Hurra, hurra, hurra, hurra!” was yelled en masse and a lone voice broke out in what I imagine was an Old Norse song of the sea as the Draken Harald arrived, her singular red silk mast standing out in the parade of tall ships. If you were following the expedition you know it was not all glory and fanfare, however. After a rough trip across ocean waters, a very expensive surprise awaited the sailors in the Great Lakes – they found out they needed to pay for pilotage. The Swedish captain, Björn Ahlander, had some difficult announcements to make, but the persistent Scandinavian
spirit showed in the likes of you and me and the Sons of Norway and many others who took up the task of helping fund the trip, making it possible to sail through the Great Lakes at all. What an expression of pride and ingenuity and generosity. Sounds very Scandinavian. Now the Viking ship is in the Northeast, making its way toward Mystic Seaport in Connecticut where it will spend the winter. If your local lodge has the opportunity to make an event out of visiting the Draken Harald, I highly recommend it. Visit http://www.drakenexpeditionamerica.com/ for more information. It’s obvious from all the information in this issue that many local lodges are trying to take the advice of GM Tore Kellgren to heart: Don’t be boring (read his message that starts on p1)! And please note the updates to the guidelines for submitting articles and photo (p3) about your events. With many thanks to our managing editor, Liza Ekstrand, this formatted information should be very helpful in sharing information and promoting the growth of the Vasa community.
Deadlines for The Vasa Star
Where to Submit Material
Fall Deadline » November 15 Winter Deadline » January 15
MAIL TO: vasaeditor@gmail.com
• Picture and article, 200 words or less. • For Letters to the Editor column, 150 words or less. • Please send pictures of good quality in order for them to reproduce well in The Vasa Star. Electronically submitted photos should be scanned in JPEG format at a resolution of 300 dpi. • For submitted lodge articles, please add city and state. Thanks! IN MEMORIAM » Please read instructions on how to send and pay for Obituaries.
amanda olson robison
or Vasa Star PO Box 13331 Milwaukee WI 53213-0331
Winners of this year’s College or Vocational School Scholarship Awards. / p6
Christmas Greetings
Send your lodge or personal Christmas greetings to vasaeditor@gmail.com ‘Vasa Star’ • Box 13331 • Milwaukee WI 53213-0331 Please send no later than November 1. One inch greeting - $10, larger greetings - $25
The Swedish Newspaper in America –––––––––
is proud to be of assistance in presenting The Vasa Star, Vasastjärnan in a new format, in print and digitally. Nordstjernan has been reporting on current events in Swedish America since September, 1872. Kenneth T. Jackson, Professor of History at Columbia University and Editor-in-chief, The Encyclopedia of New York City, said it best: “Over the past century and a half, more newspapers were published in New York than in any other city in the world, in large part because of the huge foreign-born community and the variety of publications that the different ethnic groups spawned. Most had a brief and almost ephemeral life, but Nordstjernan has been remarkable for its long life and high quality. It not only helped Swedish immigrants adjust to life in a new world and a giant city, but it set a standard that other newspapers worked hard to emulate.”
www.nordstjernan.com • 1.800.827.9333 ext. 12 (Call now for a special if you are a Vasa member)
Family Tree Släktutredningar
Remember the Vasa Archives
I am a member of the Vasa Order in Sweden and an expert in Swedish genealogy. Over the years I have helped many Vasa members to find their roots in Sweden. If you want my help to find your Swedish ancestors, please email me for further information: swedengen@telia.com
when you are making a memorial donation Send your donations to: Vasa National Archives PO Box 101, Bishop Hill, IL 61419
Donate to the Education & Scholarship Funds Send your donations to: Vasa Order of America, Joan Graham, Grand Secretary 5838 San Jose Ave., Richmond, CA 94804
page 2
Linde No. 492 is one of many lodges that has already enjoyed Swedish crustaceans. / p13
Midsummer celebration at Vasa Park in Agoura. / p14
the vasa star Summer 2016 Vol. 108, No. 3, Serial 849 Published by The Vasa Order of America www.vasaorder.com HEADQUARTERS Grand Secretary / Joan Graham 5838 San Jose Avenue Richmond, CA 94804 (510) 526 5512 vasajlg@aol.com Grand Master / Tore Kellgren 5971 W. Walbrook Drive San Jose, CA 95129 Phone: (408) 996 1970 | (408) 505 6623 gmtore@kellgren.org Editor / Amanda Olson Robison
Managing Editor / Liza Ekstrand Send articles, photos & memorials to: The Vasa Star PO Box 13331 Milwaukee WI 53213-0331 vasaeditor@gmail.com Circulation Manager / Joan Graham 5838 San Jose Avenue Richmond, CA 94804 (510) 526 5512 circulationvasastar@gmail.com Send address changes and bottom section of application for new members to Joan Graham. Membership Chairman / Bruce Elfvin 3231 E. Overlook Road Cleveland Heights, OH 44118-2434 bruce@ekrtlaw.com Advertising Call 1.800.827.9333, ask for Vasa Star rates vasaeditor@gmail.com
Layout & production: Nordstjernan, Swedish News, Inc.
WWW.VASAORDER.COM
Summer 2016 / the vasa star
ARCHIVE news
Lennart Johansson
– Past Grand Lodge Executive Board Member At-Large 1990-1994 Word has been received that Brother Lennart G. Johansson passed away on March 9, 2016. Lennart and his wife Nancy organized LL Carolina Viking No. 722 in Greensboro, North Carolina, and later joined LL Carl Larsson No. 739 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Lennart served the Vasa Order of America in many capacities. He was elected delegate from the Southeastern Region to the Grand Lodge Convention in 1990, where he was elected to the office of Executive Board Member AtLarge and also served as Grand Lodge Membership Chairman. Lennart’s father had also served as a member of the Grand Lodge Executive Board. Lennart is survived by his wife Nancy, two daughters and three grandchildren.
Elsa Fleetwood Memorial Fund Elsa Fleetwood Memorial Fund was founded in memory of Sister Elsa Fleetwood, who passed away in 1979. She was a member of Mälardrottningen Lodge No. 563 in Stockholm and served as Grand Lodge Youth Director and Grand Lodge Cultural Director in Sweden. It was very important for Sister Elsa to encourage and support exchange between young Vasa members in USA/Canada and Sweden. A member of the Vasa Order of America in Sweden can now apply for an award related to Culture and Youth Exchange in 2018. Next time the award will be granted to a Vasa member in USA/Canada. More information about this award can be found in the Constitution of The Vasa Order of America Article XIV. Ulf Alderlöf
Maureen Bengtsson
G.L MEB – Sweden
Cultural Director – Sweden
Elsa Fleetwoods Minnesfond Minnesfonden instiftades till minne av Syster Elsa Fleetwood, som avled i november 1979. Syster Elsa var medlem i Logen Mälardrottningen nr 563 i Stockholm och var både Storlogekulturledare och Storlogeungdomsledare för Sverige inom Vasa Orden av Amerika. För syster Elsa var det viktigt för vår Orden att upprätthålla och främja ungdomsutbytet mellan USA/Kanada och Sverige. Svensk Vasamedlem kan ansöka om stipendium ur ”Elsa Fleetwoods Minnesfond” för Kultur- och Ungdomsutbyte för 2018. Beloppet är på $1000. Information om fonden och ansökningsförfarandet finns i Konstitutionen för Storlogen Artikel XIV. Välkommen med din ansökan före den 15 april 2017. Frågor om stipendiet kan ställas till: Ulf Alderlöf
Maureen Bengtsson
MSLER-Sverige
Storlogekulturledare-Sverige
WWW.VASAORDER.COM
Hello Vasa Members,
Summer traffic has picked up here at the Vasa National Archives. Last year at this time we had a total of 103 visitors and this year we’ve had 238! It has been a very successful summer and we’re looking forward to continued success. On June 7, we had Hans and Birgitta from Sweden performing Swedish songs in the Archive’s basement. The basement had recently been decorated with various artwork and images from the collection. Special thanks to Judy Middleton for volunteering her time to help clean and hang the images. We had 30 people come to hear the music, some of them traveling an hour for the performance. We discovered we had some issues with the phone lines following a storm in midJune; it took a few days for us to discover the problem. It has since been fixed but we apologize if we missed your call during that time period. At Midsommar, Bishop Hill featured music in the Village Park most of the day. Local Lodge #683 hosted the dancing around the
Maypole and light refreshments that evening. We offered fika at our make-and-take clay sculpture station here at the Archives and my parents made and hung a garland on the sign out front while they visited that weekend. We planned for kubb games in the side yard on August 13-14. That weekend featured a Nordic Market in Bishop Hill, complete with a Viking encampment in the park, and a few people taught the game to passers-by here at the Archives. Sten and Nancy Hult have been tremendous help when they come to visit. They have been pulling weeds, cleaning out the storage shed, greeting visitors and doing just about anything they can. We always look forward to their visits. With our collections, we have finally finished the inventory of the items stored in the basement. The inventory has been added to the database, and now we have begun working on collections stored in the attic. A preliminary look at the boxes in the attic reveals that most of the contents are in fairly decent shape with no serious bug
or mold problems. The new dehumidifier is working! We will be improving storage for paintings and oversized images soon. The Vasa National Archives website has been updated and redesigned. We still have a few pages under construction and hope to have them finished soon. We hope you can take a moment to visit and please send feedback about the site - vasaarchives.org. And be sure to find and like us on Facebook! Just look up the Vasa National Archives and click “Like.” If you have any questions about the collections or the archives, feel free to contact me at VasaArchivist@gmail. com or at 309-927-3898. in truth and unity, Kathy Cuff, CA Vasa Archivist
NEW - Vasa Star – Article & Picture Submission Guidelines
The Vasa Star has great potential for attracting new members to our lodges. The opportunity to submit articles that will emphasize Upcoming Events instead on focusing on past meetings and events will make it possible for members, potential members, other lodge and district members to attend the event or meeting, rather than reading about it after the fact.
Submit articles in a format that ENHANCES FUTURE events.
Our editorial staff at Vasa Star encourages you to submit articles in a format that enhances future events. The events should take place within 60 days after the issue’s deadline or within the next 90-180 days. There is nothing wrong with covering events more than once if possible. For example, if you have a December event for which the deadline is November 15, you could announce it in each issue of the year, then report on it after the event until the following spring. Especially big events such as milestone anniversaries and convention dates can be announced a year or more in advance.
Submit pictures of SUCCESSFUL PAST events, include names for captions.
Submitting pictures should represent past events, with a caption describing the event, and naming the people in the picture. It is not necessary for readers to know if your meeting was on a Saturday or a Thursday, or if it was on the 10th or the 11th of a month - it’s too late to participate. But bragging rights are allowed to make it interesting and fun to share the highlights from successful events. Lodges typically submit 1-2 pictures (you can send more, and we will select the best ones, but we can never guarantee they will all be published). Please submit in jpg-format for best quality. Large, clear hard copy photos can still be mailed to the PO Box.
Memorials
Memorials or obituary formats will only be listed under the “Memoriam” segment. Submit obituaries in electronic format via email if possible and follow the guidelines above for size. It is easier to count words as opposed to guess how much text fits into an “inch” space. Do not include obituaries as part of your lodge news. Occasionally an article inside the publication can feature a person who has gone over and above in contributions or leadership to our organization.This can be discussed with the editorial staff. No photos for this section will be accepted.
Small obituary max. 40-45 words Large Obituary max. 50-120 words
$10.00 $25.00
Deadlines
November 15, 2016 January 15, 2017 April 15, 2017 August 15, 2017
Submit to:
vasaeditor@gmail.com or Vasa Star PO Box 13331 Milwaukee WI 53213-0331
Submitting Photos from Previous Events and Articles of Future Events in preferable electronic format (.jpg) and word documents have the deadlines listed here with their suggested time-frames for covering future events: November 15, 2016 issue promotes events from January 15, 2017–June 15, 2017; January 15, 2017 issue promotes events from March 15, 2017–August 15, 2017; April 15, 2017 issue promotes events from June 15, 2017–October 15, 2017 etc.
Submit ALL information to the email or street address at left. Make checks or money orders payable to Vasa Star (when applicable) and mail to the PO Box. No cash please.
page 3
the vasa star / Summer 2016
grand lodge news Motions to the 2018 Grand Lodge Meeting The Grand Lodge Vasa Order of America will meet for its 39th convention on June 28-July 7, 2018 at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel in Sacramento, CA and it is not too early to start thinking about motions you want to submit. This is when you can present motions for the changes you want to see happen within Vasa. You can find the Constitution on the Vasa website: www. vasaorder.com
Mail your convention motions along with the lodge secretary’s certification to: Joan Graham, Grand Secretary 5838 San Jose Ave. Richmond, CA 94804 and Email motions to: vasajlg@ aol.com
Any individual member, local lodge or district lodge may submit motions to this Grand Lodge meeting. An individual member does not need approval from any local or district officer when submitting a motion to the Grand Lodge. However, the local lodge secretary must certify (including the lodge seal) that the individual submitting the motion is a member in good standing (dues are current.)
If you need a copy of the Con- Joanie Graham stitution or the Local Lodge Ritual, send an in Canada email to GS Joanie at vasajlg@aol.com for Local Lodge Ritual — $2 + postage = send an electronic copy (pdf.) a check for $3.36 in U.S./$4.71 in Canada
Please use the format provided here when writing your motions. This will ensure a consistent appearance for the many motions to be considered. Please do not use the words “Whereas” or “Be It Resolved” or the motion will be returned to you for proper formatting. If you submit more than one motion, please put one motion per form to avoid confusion. All motions must be typed or printed clearly so that no errors in interpretation or intent will be made. All signatures are required, along with the appropriate lodge seal. A paper copy must be received by the due date of March 1, 2018. An emailed copy of the motion would be appreciated but does not replace the paper copy with signatures and lodge seal. Email a copy of your motion/s to: vasajlg@aol. com. When making a motion that involves finances, please show the probable cost along with the motion. Remember that constitutions and bylaws use the words “shall” or “will” not the words “can,” “should” or “could.” Recommendations included in any GL Officer’s or Archives Board Member’s report involving a constitutional change must follow these rules. Please refer to your Constitution for Grand Lodge Amendments (Article XVII) concerning motions to change the Constitution. You may submit your motions as early as you want. ALL MOTIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE GS BEFORE MARCH 1, 2018. Process: Motions will be numbered in the order in which they are received. Motions are not voted on based on order received but are assigned to delegate committees for discussion and then presented by the committee to the full Grand Lodge for vote. All Vasa members may attend the Grand Lodge meeting. While you will not have voice or vote, you may pass along your opinions to your district’s delegate at any time outside of the meeting. page 4
For a paper copy, send your order and a check payable to Vasa Order to: Vice Grand Secretary Lee-Ann Anderson Hurtubise, 350 Kenyon Ave., East Greenwich, RI 02818. Constitution for Grand Lodge, District Lodge, Local Lodge (all three in one document) — $2 + postage = send a check for $3.78 in U.S./$5.12
Both — $4 + postage = send a check for $6.20 in U.S./$7.54 in Canada Again, all motions must be received by the GS before March 1, 2018. In truth and unity Joanie Graham, Grand Secretary
Deadline for submission - March 1, 2018 SAMPLE FORMAT #1 – Motions Not Affecting Constitution ________________Lodge, No. _____, Vasa Order of America, at its regular meeting on ________________, 20___, voted to submit the following motion: VOTED: That____________________________________________________________ MOTIVATION: ___________________________________________________________ ______________________________________ Signature of Chairman (or District Master) (Lodge or District Seal) ______________________________________ Signature of Secretary (or District Secretary) ______________________________________ (Date) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SAMPLE FORMAT #2 – Constitutional Changes _________________Lodge, No. _____, Vasa Order of America, at it regular meeting on _________________, 20___, voted to submit the following motion: To change the Constitution for __________________ Lodge: Present Article ______, Section ______, Par. ______ Page _____ now reads:..………………………...……. [state section as it now reads] MOTION is presented to CHANGE Article ______, Section _____, Par, _______ to read: ………………… [State section exactly as it will be written should the requested change pass] MOTIVATION: ___________________________________________________________ ______________________________________ Signature of Chairman (or District Master) (Lodge or District Seal) ______________________________________ Signature of Secretary (or District Secretary) ______________________________________ (Date) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SAMPLE FORMAT #3 – Motions made by Individual Members NOTE: Motions submitted by individuals must include the format described below together with Sample Format 1 – motions not affecting the Constitution, or Sample Format 2 – Constitutional Changes, above. I, __________, a member in good standing of ________________Lodge, No.______, submit the following motion: [Format as indicated above] ______________________________________ (Signature) ______________________________________ (Typed Name) ______________________________________ (Address, City, State, Zip) Date: ________________________________ This is to certify that _____________________________is a member in good standing in ____________Lodge, No. _______ as of this date. ______________________________________ (Signature of Secretary) (Lodge or District Seal) ______________________________________ (Date of signature)
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grand lodge news
Summer 2016 / the vasa star
Swedish American of the Year 2016
Nils prominently displaying his SAY Award.
The Swedish American of the Year (SAY) award ceremony was this year held June 26 at Restaurant Swea Hof in Göteborg. The recipient of the award is guitarist extraordinaire Nils Lofgren, best known for his role as the lead guitarist in Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band. Lofgren, 65, is a professional musician, an outstanding recording artist in rock music, a songwriter and a multi-instrumentalist. He is also devoted to his Swedish heritage and keeps in contact with his Swedish relatives. He is Swedish on his father’s side; his paternal grandfather emigrated from Värmland, Sweden to the state of Oregon in 1911. Lofgren was born in Chicago and raised in Bethesda, Maryland, where at age 5 he began playing classical accordion. After
Youtube Link: youtube.com/nordstjernan
Nils Lofgren plays “Idas Sommarvisa”
10 years he switched focus to rock music, members including chairman developing his skills on the guitar and piano. of the SAY Committee PDM Catherine He was already a professional musician at Bringselius-Nilsson, DM Connie Grön and GM Tore Kellgren. Also present was the age 17. Lofgren’s recording career began in the entire E Street Band, the governor of Kroearly 1970s when he toured with his own nobergs Län Kristina Alsér and vice speaker band Grin as well as with Neil Young and of the City Council of Växjö Åsa Karlsson Crazy Horse. His first of many solo albums Björkmarker. After the presentation, Nils was released in 1975, and in 1984 he began surprised us all with a great rendition of playing with Bruce Springsteen and the E “Idas sommarvisa” on the accordion. The Swedish American of the Year is Street Band and was with them for the next 32 years. Lofgren was inducted into the awarded to devoted Swedish Americans Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 and working on perpetuating the Swedish culreleased a 45th anniversary recording the tural heritage in America and for keeping same year. He now lives in Arizona with and strengthening the bond between the two counties. Since its inception in 1960, it has his wife and family. Present at the award ceremony were many been awarded to many prominent Swedish Swedish relatives and musicians, and Vasa Americans from all walks of life.
Dear Friends,
Nils surprising us all playing “Idas Sommarvisa” on the accordion. From left: First Lady of Vasa Birgitta, Nils, his wife Amy and Grand Master Tore. Left: The choir Svea entertained throughout the event, here posing with Nils and Amy.
Last year, your Swedish-American of the Year (SAY) award gave me a true lift as an artist and has opened up many more opportunities for me. As you know, SAY awards are given to Swedish Americans working to keep the Swedish cultural heritage strong in America and in strengthening the bond between the two countries. I’ve continued to do my best in that and now I’m writing to ask your help in supporting my new album project, which has become possible with thanks to you. I’m excited about my fourth album, which I’m working on funding right now. You can learn more about it, my music and videos on my campaign page at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/iva-the-fourth-album-music Thank you for being a part of this and my journey to success! Emily Tepe
Swedish American of the Year 2015
Nils showing off his copy of the Vasa Centennial Book.
The Grand Master’s Message (continued from page 1) filled by Delegates as well. While this is not mandated, the incoming Grand Master, who makes these appointments, will get to know the delegates pretty well during the convention. The Vasa Centennial Book tells the story of the Vasa Order of America from the institution in Connecticut in 1896 and all the way through its 100th year in 1996. You will find stories from every District Lodge and from many Local Lodges. We have some of these high quality books
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available at a bargain price of $20 each, including shipping in the U.S. For delivery to Canada or Sweden, the price is $50 to cover shipping. This is your opportunity to get one of these keepsake books. For delivery in the USA or Canada send your check $20 (USA) or $50 US (Canada) payable to VOA GG #12 to GS Joan Graham, 5838 San Jose Avenue, Richmond, CA 94804, with a note saying you want a Centennial Book. We will send it to the address on the check unless noted to send to a different address. For delivery in Sweden, please contact Charlotte Börjesson for method of payment. Charlotte is the Swedish board member of the Vasa Archives and can be reached at charlotte.borjesson@telia.com. She
is also happy to take pre-orders at SEK 200:for delivery next year. All funds raised will go to support the next Grand Lodge Convention. The Education Stamp is being printed as I write. By the time you read this, you should have received your letter and a sheet of stamps. It has been a good fundraiser for many years and I am convinced it will continue to be so. I urge you to donate to continue supporting our scholarship programs. MEMBERSHIP CONTINUES TO BE OUR NUMBER ONE CHALLENGE. Your Lodge should have a Membership Chairman, though this is not the only person in charge of membership retention and recruitment – YOU ALL ARE! By retaining your members and
getting new members, your Lodge can grow and thrive. For this to happen, an interesting Lodge Meeting is essential. Make your meetings worth attending! The competition for your current and prospective members’ time is stiff. You need to have food at your meetings and put on programs that your members don’t want to miss. Cultural Leaders, work with your Lodge members. It is every member’s job to make the meetings attractive to current and future members. ONE new member is all I ask from each one of you. Keep your current members! Don’t be boring! in truth and unity, tore kellgren,grand master
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grand lodge news
the vasa star / Summer 2016
Winners of the 2016 ScholarshipS The Grand Lodge is pleased to announce the winners of this year’s College or Vocational School Scholarship Awards.
KELSEY INGERSON Lodge Tucson No. 691 DL Arizona No. 21
JEANETTE COMSTOCK Tegner Lodge No. 224 DL Pacific Northwest No. 13
ASHLEY LEBLANC Linde Lodge No. 492 DL Lake Michigan No. 8
MARK BJORKNER Sveaborg Lodge No. 446 Frithiof Lodge No. 63 DL New Jersey No. 6
Winner of Grand Lodge Scholarship - $1,500 Winner of Edith Gauch/Klinglof ScholWinner of Ellis Hillner Scholarship Ashley is currently enrolled in Valparaiso arship - $2,500 $1,500 University, Valparaiso IN where she is ma- Winner of Grand Lodge Scholarship Kelsey has been accepted to attend UniJeanette is attending University of Wis- joring in Electrical Engineering. Ashley has - $1,500 versity of Arizona and State University of consin School of Medicine and Public been a Vasa member since 2009 and was a Mark is currently attending County ColArizona, studying Engineering. Health, pursuing an MD. She graduated member of Skansen Children’s Club. lege of Morris studying Engineering and She has been a Vasa member since 2012 from University of Montana with a BA in She is also President of Scandinavian will transfer to New York Maritime College and was a member of the Children’s Club. Human Biology. Klubb of Linde, an organization on campus majoring in Electrical Engineering. Upon Kelsey has been very active in school and She has been a Vasa member since 2008 that promotes Nordic culture. graduation he will receive a BEE degree, a Vasa activities while maintaining a GPA and active attending lodge events since a license as a Merchant Marine Officer and an of 4.0. toddler performing both dance and piano. Officers Commission in the Navy. He has Outside of Vasa, Jeanette has held various been a member of Vasa since 2013 and has leadership positions in Community Outheld different lodge offices. This year Mark reach. was a Delegate to the District Convention.
LYNNEA DEN HARTOG Lodge Evening Star No. 426 DL Pacific Southwest No. 15
HEIDI ABRAHAMSEN Olympic Lodge No. 235 DL New York No. 4
KATARINA PRASSO Olympic Lodge No. 235 DL New York No. 4
Winner of Bo & Sigrid Bjorling Scholarship - $1,500 KODY SPABERG Katarina attends Loyola University in New Evening Star Lodge No. 426 Winner of District Lodge No. 8 ScholarDL Pacific Southwest No. 15 Winner of Grand Lodge Scholarship Orleans studying Music Therapy and wants to continue education towards a graduate ship - $1,000 - $1,500 Lynnea is currently attending Western New Winner of Irma and Knute Carlson Heidi attends H Frank Carey High School degree in Music Therapy and/or psychology. England University, Springfield, MA major- in Franklin Square, New York and upon She joined Barnklubben Elsa Rix No. 1 in Scholarship - $1,500 ing in Arts and Entertainment Management. graduating will attend New York Institute 2000 and when 14, became a Vasa member. Kody is currently attending California Upon Graduation she will work for the of Technology majoring in Interior Design. She has participated in many Nordic events State University, Fullerton studying MeHuman Resources Department for an Arts She is a member of the National Honor including Sweden Day, Midsummer in chanical Engineering. His long term goal and Entertainment firm. Society and Art Honor Society. She joined Battery Park City and local lodge/District upon graduation is to do Engineering Design Her Vasa days started back in 2004 with Barnklubben Elsa Rix No. 1 in 2001 (age 3) events. She is a very talented vocalist, plays and Testing. the Morning Star Children’s Club No. 172, and when 14, became a Vasa member. She the violin and viola. He has been a member of Vasa since 2011 and she was Lucia in 2008. and participates in local events. participated in many Nordic events including Sweden Day, Midsummer in Battery Park City and local lodge/District events. Heidi was elected as Captain of the track EMILY PEARSON team by her coach and peers. As Captain, Nordik Folk Lodge No. 761 Heidi did a tremendous job of motivating DL Lake Michigan No. 8 her teammates and leading by example in all that she does. Winner of Gladys & Russell Birtwistle Scholarship - $1,500 Emily is currently attending Purdue University, Calumet, studying Human Resource The Grand Lodge is pleased to announce this year’s Sjölunden Language Management. She has been a Vasa member Camp awards. Bertha Kalm Sjölunden Language Camp Awards were awarded to: since 2009. Emily was a very active member Anna Benson, DL #12; Sophia Martinez, Annika Herron, DL #8 and Kevin Shoeof Nordikids No. 208 and continues to assist DL #21; Jonas Spaberg, DL #15, Claire maker, DL #9. with the club while holding an office in the Custer, DL #9; Melissa Pearson, DL #8, local lodge. page 6
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grand lodge news
Summer 2016 / the vasa star
VASA SCHOLARSHIPS TO SWEDISH LANGUAGE CAMP The Grand Lodge Executive Board will award up to five Sjölunden Scholarships to qualified applicants from the U.S. and Canada. Eligibility Applicant must be between 12 and 18 years of age as of April 1, 2017. Applicant, parent/guardian or grandparent must be a member of the Vasa Order of America for at least two years prior to April 2017.
ANNIKA SPABERG Evening Star Lodge No. 426 DL Pacific Southwest No. 15 Winner of Oscar & Mildred Larson Scholarship - $1,500 Annika will be attending Colorado State University, studying Psychology. She has been a member since 2011. Participating for many years in the Children’s Club, Lucia, Folk Dancing, Viking Village and has attended Sjolunden Language Camp.
Requirements Award winner is expected to provide: A. Evidence of health/accident insurance and a statement absolving the Vasa Order of America of any liability, B. A letter of recommendation from a current teacher and the latest records of grades, C. A brief essay on “WHY I SHOULD BE CHOSEN TO GO TO THE SJÖLUNDEN SWEDISH CAMP,” D. A letter, bearing the Local Lodge Seal, verifying that applicant, parent/guardian or grandparent has been a member for at least two years prior to April 1, 2017, E. Other comments that will assist in selecting the winners. Awards The Vasa Order of America will pay the basic tuition (around $2,035) for the two-week 2017 Summer Program and will reimburse travel expenses up to $600 against submitted receipts. All other costs will be borne by the recipient. Date of Camp: http://www.concordialanguagevillages.org/youth-languages/swedish-language-village Additional information and the scholarship application is available on the Vasa web site: www.vasaorder.com. Deadline for application is a postmark date of February 10, 2017. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
The Grand Lodge 2017 Scholarship and Essay Contest The Grand Lodge of the Vasa Order of America offers the following to students attending or planning to attend institutions of higher education. Applicants for the above scholarships must have become a Vasa member prior to February 15, 2016. Applications are available at the Vasa website (www.vasaorder.com) until January 15, 2017.
JENNIFER PEARSON Nordikfolk Lodge No. 761 DL Lake Michigan No. 8 Winner of Einar & Edith Nilsson Scholarship - $1,500 Jennifer is currently attending Purdue University, Calumet, studying Business and Marketing. She has been a Vasa member since 2011. Jennifer was a very active member of Nordikids No. 208 and continues to assist with the club while holding an office in the local lodge.
Family Tree Släktutredningar I am a member of the Vasa Order in Sweden and an expert in Swedish genealogy. Over the years I have helped many Vasa members to find their roots in Sweden. If you want my help to find your Swedish ancestors, please email me for further information.
swedengen@telia.com
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To be eligible, the following items must be postmarked no later than February 15, 2017 to be considered. 1. Completed application with enclosures MUST be postmarked no later than February 15, 2017. 2. Complete “OFFICIAL” transcripts of grades through the first half of the senior year for high school students or fall semester of current academic year for college students. 3. Current passport style photo (on photo quality paper, preferably 2”x3”). 4. A letter of recommendation from applicant’s Local Lodge with date of initiation. 5. Letters of recommendation from two personal references dated 2017. 6. A letter of reference from your Dean, Principal, Teacher or Counselor, dated 2017. 7. An original, typed essay, not to exceed 1,000 words. Cannot have been submitted in prior years.
Please put in one envelope if possible. Choose and essay subject from the following list:
1. What do you consider to be role youth can and should play in Vasa. 2. If you have visited a Nordic Country, what was the most impressive element of your visit and why? 3. Explain the differences in Nordic music written by Sibelius, Kalle Jularbo and ABBA and which best suits you. 4. How would you describe a Nordic folk costume to someone? When and where are the costumes most used today? 5. Describe the various economies of the Nordic countries and compare their success. 6. Within the Nordic countries, choose what is a most popular tourist attraction, and provide your thoughts on its appeal. 7. What Nordic invention appeals to you in being most important to mankind and why have you selected this? AWARDS ARE PAYABLE TO the institution in which the student is enrolled or accepted for enrollment. To qualify for the College or Vocational School Scholarship, a student needs to be enrolled in an accredited vocational school or institution of higher learning taking no less than six (6) credits per semester or eight (8) credits per quarter in the academic year immediately following the award. In extraordinary circumstances, on petition to the Grand Lodge Scholarship Committee, payment may be postponed for a period not to exceed two years.
Art Bjorkner Vice Grand Master 31 Vasa Dr. Hackettstown, NJ 07840 Phone: (973) 426-0776
For questions email: vgm@vasaorder.org page 7
grand lodge news
the vasa star / Summer 2016
Vasa Order Grand Lodge Membership Initiative During the recent Grand Lodge Executive Board (GLEB) meetings in Frankenmuth, Michigan, the GLEB discussed membership in the Order, which continues on its relentless slide. All members of the Order are members of District Lodges and Local Lodges as well as the Grand Lodge. All officers of the Grand Lodge and members of the GLEB are in agreement that members become more connected to the Order, as a whole, when the connection to a local lodge is strong. This overall connection in the Order is only made stronger when LLs and DLs see and feel their connection to the Grand Lodge. The Grand Lodge, whether officers or members of the GLEB, must make the effort to
strengthen these connections from long-term (2014 through 2017) at the GL Convention members to the newest initiate. In a simple- in 2018. The DL that places second will mexpression membership succeeds or fails receive $300. The winning DL will have its at the local lodge and Vasa Club levels. The name engraved on a membership cup to be Grand Lodge is pleased to announce a contest on permanent display at the Vasa National that will focus on two levels: Local Lodge Archives in Bishop Hill, Illinois until the next membership and District Lodge membership. GL in session. It is the intent of the GLEB that this membership contest will take place each The contest: The Grand Lodge will present Grand Lodge term going forward. to the DL Delegate a cash award of $400 to be given to the Local Lodge that has the highest We wish each DL and LL well in competing net increase in membership during the GL and adding members. This is intentionally usTerm, which began in 2014 and goes through ing the GL term as the measure, as the GLEB the end of 2017. The LL that places second is firmly convinced that it is not sufficient to will receive $200. A cash award of $500 will merely initiating new members without also be present to the DL that has the highest net retaining them by involving them in their LL increase in membership during the GL Term to keep them. Over the years members of the
GLEB have observed that new members are initiated in sufficient numbers for the Order to keep its membership numbers constant or growing, but the growth and survival of the Order depends on engaging and keeping new members. Good luck, godspeed and may we all find a way to increase our membership by the end of 2017. bruce elfvin gleb midwest region, and gl membership chairman
Highlights of Grand Lodge Executive Board Meeting – May 2016 Highlights of Grand Lodge Executive Board Meeting – May 2016
announcement will appear in this issue of Vasa Star.
The Grand Lodge Executive Board met in Frankenmuth Michigan on May 9-12, 2016. Three members attended via Skype, due to family obligations (GS Joanie Graham, MEB-Canada Fae Doty, and MEB-Sweden Ulf Alderlöf.) Many thanks to Carl Hurtubise, District Secretary for DL Rhode Island #3 and husband of the Vice Grand Secretary Lee-Ann Anderson Hurtubise, for stepping in to take minutes of the meeting due to GS Joanie’s off-site attendance. Here are highlights of the meeting.
5. The Time Share in San Clemente CA, which was donated to the Grand Lodge by Sister Jackie Ahlen in 2005, has been deeded back to the San Clemente Inn/VRI and is no longer owned by the Grand Lodge.
1. MEB-Sweden Ulf Alderlöf reported two deaths on the DL Södra Sverige Executive Board – VDM Gunilla Broddesson, and DLH and Past GL Executive Board Member Bertil Ericsson. 2. GM Tore reported that a new lodge has been instituted in DL PSW #15, LL Kern River #763 in Bakersfield, CA, on December 30, 2015.
6. Taking to heart the opinions expressed at the Grand Lodge Convention in New York (2014) that meetings need to be less formal, the Grand Lodge Executive Board Constitution/Ritual Committee was charged with presenting motions to the next Convention (2018) including many affecting the Constitution and the Local Lodge Ritual. Twenty-three motions have been written, so far, to answer this plea for a friendlier and more open format for lodge meetings. Work on this will continue at our next meeting in 2017.
7. The Board voted to help support the production of a video of the Swedish American of the Year (SAY) ceremonies in June 2016. The Grand Lodge requested that a copy of this video be made available for viewing in the US 3. VGM Art Bjorkner, reporting as the GL and Canada. Any Vasa member may nominate Membership Chairman, announced that 11 a person to be awarded the Swedish American college scholarships have been awarded, in- of the Year. The nominee does not have to be cluding the Ellis Hilner scholarship, the Edith a member of the Vasa Order. Gaugh/Klinglof scholarship, the DL Lake Michigan No. 8 Grand Lodge scholarship, 8. The Jewelry and Printed Material Order the Gladys & Russell Birtwistle scholarship, Form will be updated to reflect the current the Einar & Edith Nilsson scholarship, the Bo supply available. All “pins” will now be & Sigrid Bjorling scholarship, the Oscar & fastened by a “tack” since most “pins” are too Mildred Larson scholarship, the Irma & Knute small to handle easily. The larger “jewels” will Carlson scholarship, plus three Grand Lodge continue to have the pin fastener. scholarships. In addition, seven scholarships have been awarded for Sjölunden Swedish 9. Upgrading the Vasa web site continues to Language Village summer two-week pro- be discussed. gram. See the announcement of the winners elsewhere in this issue. 10. A small number of lodges are refusing 4. The Elsa Fleetwood Cultural and Youth to submit their Yearly Reports and send in Exchange Program will be restarted and an their annual dues. Possible solutions were
1st row, l-r: Ingegerd Alderlöf, GM Tore and First Lady Birgitta; 2nd row, l-r: GLEB Sweden Ulf Alderlöf, Vice Grand Secretary Le-Anne Andersson Hurtubise, Vice GM Art Bjorkner, Nancy Bjorkner, Grand Secretary Joanie Graham; 3rd: GLEB Midwestern Region Bruce Elfvin, Carl Hurtubise, Inger Hanright, GLEB Canada Fae Doty; 4th: GLEB Western Region Jeff Klein, GLEB Eastern Region John (Jack) Hanright, Lee Doty. (Grand Treasurer Keith Hanlon is missing in this photo from the GL EB Meeting fall, 2015)
discussed and a motion was written to present at the 2018 convention to resolve this issue.
Lodge Convention. The quadrennial meeting will be held in Sacramento, California on June 28-July 7, 2018 at the Double Tree by Hilton 11. Supplies stored by PGM Eric Johnson Hotel, 2001 Point West Way, in Sacramento, must be moved because he is closing his busi- CA. San Francisco and Bay Area hotels were ness. Some will be relocated, others (the 100th found to be extremely expensive. Sacramento Anniversary/Centennial book and songbooks) offers many interesting opportunities for tours will be sold to benefit the 2018 Grand Lodge and is close enough to the Bay Area for the Convention Host Committee Fund, some will popular tourist locations. Sacramento has an be sent to the Archives, and the rest disposed international airport just north of the city. of. The Grand Lodge deeply appreciates the willingness of PGM Eric to store these supIf you have any questions about these, or plies for over 20 years, at no charge. any other topics relating to the Grand Lodge, please contact your regional Executive Board 12. The Education Fund Stamp fundraising Member, the Grand Master or Grand Secretary. campaign will be continued this year. GM Submitted by Joanie Graham Tore shared the design for this year’s stamp. Grand Secretary 13. GM Tore gave an update on the plans by DL Golden Gate #12 for the 2018 Grand
Do you have a question for the Grand Lodge? Ever wonder why or how or when…? Send your questions about anything Vasa-related to vasajlg@aol.com and then watch for the FAQ Column in The Vasa Star. page 8
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Summer 2016 / the vasa star
DISTRICT lodge news Connecticut No. 1 Midsummer, Scholarship Awards Connecticut District Lodge No. 1 celebrated Midsummer at the beautiful Vasa Park in South Meriden on Sunday, June 26. It was a glorious sunny day with local Vasa families and friends who came together to enjoy Swedish delicacies and dancing to catchy tunes on the accordion. Accordion player Wivan Sundman, a stalwart supporter of Swedish music and singing in the Northeast and unofficial World Champ on both Swedish meatballs and kanelbullar (cinnamon buns), was often joined by LL Diana Birger Jarl’s Gordon Reimer on strings. The musicians, the Majstång and the afternoon’s award ceremony became Music by Wivan Sundman and Gordon Reimer. a celebration to remember. Two scholarships were awarded; Veronika Petkovich received the Vasa Park Award and Christopher Martensson received the Ivar Erikson Award. Veronika lives in East Haddam, Connecticut and is the daughter of Andria Alex of East Haddam and Christopher Petkovich of Colchester. She is also the granddaughter of Barbara J. Alex of Windsor, longtime member and past chairman of Vasa’s Karl XII Lodge #103. A 2016 graduate of Nathan Hale-Ray High School, Veronika has been co-captain of the volleyball team and helped lead the team to winning the Class S Shoreline Championship for the first time in the school’s history. She currently works at The 2016 Ivar Erikson Award recipient Christopher Martensson DL 1 scholarship award recipients Veronika Petkovich, member of LL Karl XII, who the Goodspeed Opera House and is deciding 2016 flanked by District Master DL 1 Linda Steinmiller, left and Vice received the Vasa Park Award and Christopher Martensson, who received the Ivar Erikson between two colleges where she will pursue Award with Vice District Master MaryAnn O’Leary. District Master MaryAnn O’Leary, right. a liberal arts education before specializing. Christopher is a 2016 graduate of Center from Lund, and Mette Barslund Martensson, River Rowing, MVR, and with a silver in the at Lehigh University, PA for his advanced for Global Studies, Brian McMahon High who grew up in Sweden with Danish im- pair class at the Club Nationals, several DI studies and looks forward to four years of the School in Norwalk. He is a member of migrant parents. After having been a varsity schools wanted to recruit him for his rowing accelerated program and rowing on a club LL Diana Birger Jarl and is the son of Ulf rower since middle school and topping off his prowess. Christopher instead chose the CSB level for his university. Barslund Martensson, a naturalized Swede career as team captain of his team at Norwalk (Computer Science and Business) program submitted by linda steinmiller
Minnesota No. 7 Biennial Convention The Biennial Convention of Minnesota absence of District Master Kendra Nielsen. District No. 7 was held at the Roseville District Cultural Leader Donna Mae Jensen Masonic Center on April 23, 2016. It was gave a report on how our Lodges strive to a time to greet everyone, especially our maintain their Swedish heritage. District members from Gota Lejon Lodge No. 251 Historian Kari Dietrich Sifferle brought Two Harbors, MN. Vice District Master An- newsletters from many years past with tonio Spargo conducted the meeting in the articles highlighted for us to remember and
enjoy. We installed officers, and following pleasure. It was a very pleasant ending to the business meeting a memorial service a wonderful day with Vasa friends. Thank was held. As each of the nine names were you to the Spargo siblings, who have grown read a white carnation was placed in a up in Vasa, Antonio (fiddle), Annika (fiddle) vase. We concluded the day’s events with and Tom (guitar) for entertaining us. a delicious meal, during which lively Scandinavian music was played for our listening submitted by eunice dietrich
Christmas Greetings Send your lodge or personal Christmas greetings to vasaeditor@gmail.com
‘Vasa Star’ PO Box 13331 Milwaukee WI 53213-0331 One inch greeting - $10 Larger greetings - $25
Submit your greeting no later than Nov. 1 Minnesota District No. 7 members gathered for the meal concluding their Biennial Convention
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district LODGE NEWS
the vasa star / Summer 2016
Lake Michigan No. 8
We had the honor of seeing the now so famous Viking ship, Draken Harald Hårfagre, which sailed from Norway across the Atlantic via Iceland, Greenland, Canada and then in ports around Lake Michigan. When arriving into the Great Lakes the crew found themselves needing to follow U.S. regulations to use a pilot while sailing in the waters of the Great Lakes. This was very costly and resulted in a shorter trip with fewer stops than scheduled in the harbors of each of the Great Lakes. We know many of our members from DL No. 8 had the opportunity to see the ship in Bay City, MI, Chicago, IL or Green Bay, WI and tour it, talk to the crew and hear the story of how they lived and managed during their historic journey. It was an amazing expedition for these sailors in the largest replica Viking ship of modern times. submitted by liza ekstrand
Draken Harald Hårfagre with the Tall Ships and Largest Rubber Ducky in Green Bay. / Inset: Jacqueline Moline with the Viking ship in the background.
Pacific Northwest No. 13
Spring Executive Board Meeting in Spokane, WA, the Lilac City
North Star Lodge No. 145 hosted the Spring ExeNorth Star Lodge No. 145 hosted the Spring Executive Board meeting in Spokane, WA. Chairman, Steve Matthews and Secretary, Jeri Gannon-Matthews were instrumental in providing a guided van tour of the Spokane area after the Spring Executive Board Meeting. Sharon Highland, a North Star member was our skillful driver and tour guide. She provided an excellent summary of the history of Spokane and other important facts. It was a fun and a relaxing way for our officers and members to end their weekend in Spokane. The picturesque Japanese Garden made an ideal stopping place and the perfect backdrop for a group picture as our tour came to an end. submitted by carol mcginley
(Pictured from left to right) Carol DeSau, Ass’t Secretary; Michael Berg, Secretary; Per Flygare, Youth Supervisor; Daga-Karin Lindquist, EBM 2; Jeff Klein, PDM/GLEBM; Christa Svensson, Vice District Master; Jim McGinley, District Master; Alana Brandstrom, Cultural Leader; Barrett Monsaas, Trustee; Alice Iverson, GLH; Steve Matthews, Auditor; Jeri Gannon-Matthews, Membership Chairman; John Erikson, Scholarship Chairman; J. Allen Isaacson, Auditor; Judy Rust, Treasurer/GLD.
Pacific Southwest No. 15
Nishinomiya Japanese Garden was one of many stops enjoyed along the route of a personal guided van tour of Spokane provided by North Star Lodge No. 145.( Pictured from left to right) Barrett Monsaas, Per Flygare, Judy Rust, Jeff Klein, Jeri Gannon-Matthews, Jim McGinley, Steve Matthews, Alice Iverson, Carol McGinley, Alana Brandstrom.
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Back in March, happy Vasa members congregated at Skandia Lodge No. 247 in Pasadena for the District Lodge’s 4th annual Easter lunch, during which people made their own “Påskris” with branches and colored feathers and enjoyed the great company of friends, a glass of wine and a threecourse lunch. The Easter Hat Parade followed the luncheon. Most guests took part and Uno Kasperson won first prize with a very silly homemade creation, Valerie Larson won second prize with a classy spring hat and Eleonora Easter Hat contest winner Uno Kasperson (center) with runners up Valerie Larson Nyren won third prize with a simple (left) and Eleonora Nyren but genius brown paper bag. a lunch buffet were also available. From the stage Members of DLPSW No. 15 officially greeted came music, some short speeches and a program by spring on May 1 at Vasa Park in Agoura Hills. The some Vikings who spoke about their lives. It was District Lodge is in charge of this event, which is a successful day. The park was again invaded by backed by Vasa Park Association, and the day was Scandinavians on June 26 when Swedish American perfect for picnicking. Some of the braver Vikings Central Association celebrated a wonderful Midsumenjoyed the pool, a bounce house, and rock wall mer; and on Sept. 18 the Annual Autumnfest and while others checked out the cars in what is now the Marknad will be at Vasa Park. yearly car show. A waffle breakfast, a kaffe stuga and submitted by nel solt
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Summer 2016 / the vasa star
LOCAL LODGE news
Thule Lodge honors members with summer birthdays (L-R): John Sipos, Carol Schermerhorn, Florence Swanson, Allie Linnea Nelson Withers, Edwin Sandberg and Tom Eckberg.
The inspiring talk by Brian Andersson, above, was followed by a delicious serving of open-faced sandwiches.
Thule No. 127
jamestown/bemus point, ny / In May, the and a good time had by all. In August, the annual Memorial Service was conducted by annual corn and hot dog roast included Vice Chairman Susan W. Sipos and Chaplain other entertaining activities; and lectures, Diane K. Shaw. Thule Lodge meetings are storytelling and special meals are continunew haven, ct / At the May meeting, Vasa man who named his farm Emmaus, which held in the summer on Thursday evenings, ously being held at the lodge, located at 4123 member and Bronx, NY resident Brian An- according to the New Testament is where and refreshments are always provided by Pancake Hill Road in Bemus Point. Visitors dersson joined us for a presentation on Jo- Jesus appeared before two of his followers members. In June those having a summer are always welcome - if you are in our area, nas Bronck. Brian described his experiences after his resurrection. Brian discussed the birthday were honored with a special deco- stop and visit. “God dag” to all. growing up and learning of his own Scandi- tracing of Jonas Bronck’s origins in Sävsjö rated cake of Swedish colors. In July, the submitted by john sipos navian ancestry after which he discussed his Municipality in Jönköping County, Sweden annual Scandinavian Folk Festival featured lodge historian efforts to trace the records of Jonas Bronck, and then took questions from the audience. much music, dancing, the Maypole, food an immigrant to New Amsterdam who Many thanks to Brian for this interesting received a grant of about 600 acres along presentation. what is now known as the Bronx River. Bronck, who died in 1643, was a religious submitted by paul ljunggren
Birger Jarl No. 3
IT’S A GREAT DAY TO BE A SWEDE!!! SEPTEMBER 17, 2016 Join DL CT #1 as we celebrate the
70th ANNIVERSARY OF CONNECTICUT VASA PARK
358 Main Street, Meriden, CT Park Opens 11:30 A.M. Noon to 7 Entertainment by Smörgåsbandet Barnklubben Elsa Rix Children’s Dance Group
Crayfish party attended by some Tegner Lodge No. 149 members (L-R): Richard Orlando, Kathryn Hughes, Diane Eatherly, David Bilyeu, Ann Tennis and Marie-Ann Hill.
Tegnér No. 149 oakland, ca / We heard a report in April by Kathryn Hughes about Swedes in California before the Gold Rush and a report in May by Marilyn Crawford about the Swedes in Humboldt County. Short reports about the Dist.12 Convention in Visalia were given by delegates, and the four of them were lucky winners of raffle prizes! Salads made up the meal for our May meeting and a Swedish movie, Force Majeure, was shown. In July many members attended the Tri-Lodge Pic-
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nic at Roberts Park where Framåt Lodge was the happy winner of the Kubb Tournament - so they took home the Dalahäst Trophy. There was no meeting in August but five members enjoyed the Crayfish Feast at Nordic House in Berkeley, sponsored by Fylgia Lodge No. 119 of San Francisco. The setting was beautiful, crayfish were plentiful, and “a good time was had by all.” submitted by ann tennis
Snacks and beverages 12:30 – 4:30 P.M. (beer, wine, soft drinks—cash bar) Admission and Catered Buffet 5:00 P.M. $25.00 (reservations required) General Admission and snacks, no buffet: $10.00 (Pay at the entrance)
Name(s)_______________________________ Lodge_________________________________ Phone or email _________________________ # Dinners ____ Amount Enclosed $_________ Make Checks payable to Vasa Order of America Return to Marta Sylvan by September 8, 2016 Marta Sylvan, 175 Mill Pond Rd. Unit 326, Hamden CT 06514
Space to camp available—no hookups page 11
local LODGE NEWS
the vasa star / Summer 2016
Fylgia No. 119
san francisco, ca / In June, Fylgia and Vasa District 12 celebrated the second annual International Aquavit Competition at Sveadal! Bob Olson won again for the most traditional. In May the cooking class was making gravad lax and June taught a class with no-mayo potato salad and herring. This was in preparation for the Midsommer Picnic that is an all-day feast with activities at Sveadal. August marked our annual Crayfest Festival in Berkeley.
submitted by dianne dahlberg Left: Group photo, Sweden Day at Sveadal.
Tegnér No. 224 missoula, mt / Our regular, once-a-month meetings include a potluck dinner. As members have visited several different countries and enjoyed their food, those recipes have been brought back and tried on our members, resulting in many pleasurable experiences. After the dinners, pictures and videos from their travels are shared. Our lodge lost two of its long time members recently, Otto Benson and Gordon Swanson. The lodge has celebrated Midsummer at the Benson Farm for 40 years, and Gordon was a 60-year member of Vasa who held various offices in the lodge. Both men are missed. We were honored to have District Master Jim McGinley and his wife Carol visit us during our Midsummer celebration, where he presented the Grand Lodge Scholarship to Jeanette Comstock, who is away at school, but her sister Kristen accepted it for her.
Jim McGinley - District Master at our Midsummer at Bensons’ farms
Left: Gordon Swanson, Past District Master Dist 13.
Otto Benson - Midsummer was celebrated at his farm for 40 years.
submitted by rick swanson
Svea No. 253
Members attending the May Meeting of Brahe No. 245.
and then doubled our numbers with 13 folks at our August meeting. First we enjoyed a delicious smörgåsbord with corn boil, then rockford, il / We met in our Vasa Park in Charlotte Tollin reported on the finances and May, where only eight members were in atwe proceeded with our business meeting tendance. Chairman Gary Johnson conductand discussion of a tentative, pending sale ed the meeting during which Roy Ylitalo, of Vasa Park. It was noted that long time Park Board, reported on the proposed sale members Berit Livingston and John Nelson of Vasa Park. We continue to meet and had a recently died. Our next meeting is at 2 p.m. discussion about having a Herring Breakfast on Sept. 25 at Rockford’s Vasa Park. on a Sunday at Rockford Stockholm Inn Restaurant where they serve fried herring submitted by dennis g. eksten, … but no action was taken. We met in June assisted by gunnel d stewart
Brahe No. 245
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indianapolis, in / In May, Hannah Lind- bers. After the July break, we reconvened on gren and her father Jim Lindgren told the Aug. 7 for a kräftskiva - thanks to all who immigration story of their family dating came out and prepared the hall, brought back four generations and how each genera- food and visitors (hurrah!) and participated tion has maintained relationships and visits to make this a fun event! Many thanks to with family members in Sweden. Several hostesses, officers and all who participated of our members also attended the District in our summer events. Convention in Frankenmuth, MI in May, and others met for a Swedish National Day submitted by james hook luncheon on June 4. We celebrated Midsommar at the renovated Latvian Center on June 19, a beautiful day. There was wonderful participation in decorating the majstång, dancing and bringing delicious cuisine. Congratulations as well to the Swanson and Escalante families who were re- Members dancing near the majstång at Midsummer. inducted as mem-
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local LODGE NEWS
Summer 2016 / the vasa star
Framåt No. 405
Sveaborg No. 449
el cerrito, ca / The three East Bay lodges (Tegner No. 149/Oakland, Framåt No. 405/ El Cerrito, and Sveaborg No. 449/Concord) co-host the annual Tri-Lodge Picnic in the beautiful redwood grove at Roberts Park. This year the picnic was on July 23 and was hosted by Framåt Lodge. Many Vasa members from the three lodges as well as others in northern California enjoyed the beautiful redwood trees, the chance to visit with friends from other lodges and share the picnic lunch. Some musical members brought along their instruments and played together for the enjoyment of everyone. The highlight of the day was the annual kubb tournament, with the winner becoming the holder of the perpetual trophy – a dalahäst with the names of the winning lodge listed thereon. This year “Team Framåt” won the trophy, with team members Diane Maynard, Charlotte Bergh and Mimi Holtermann becoming the first to knock down the king. There was great excitement in Framåt Lodge because it had been eight years since our last win.
concord, ca / Our Vasa Order of America member, Baxter Swaffar, was awarded Honorary Life Membership by the District. He was initiated into membership in Sveaborg Lodge on September 14, 1956, after his marriage to Marlene Berg; 60 years ago he became a Vasa member extraordinaire! Soon he was also active in the DL Golden Gate No. 12, becoming District Master 1980-1981. He served as Grand Lodge Deputy, was twice elected Grand Lodge Delegate and was recipient of the Grand Lodge Distinguished Service Medal. In 1984 the District Executive Board decided to host the Grand Lodge Convention and appointed Baxter Swaffar chairman of the convention committee, reportedly producing one of the best Grand Lodge conventions ever held. Baxter and his wife Marlene moved to the Reno area but maintained continuous membership in Sveaborg Lodge. Baxter, who died April 15, 2016, three days before his 81st birthday, is deeply missed. We have been blessed by Baxter, who was “Swedish by marriage,” and all our non-Nordic members who serve Vasa with heart and soul.
submitted by joanie graham
Linde No. 492
milwaukee, wi / We had a great turn-out at April’s Norwegian Torsk Dinner, and together with other Scandinavian organizations we had a wonderful Midsommar at Old World Wisconsin. Our first fall event was Kräftskiva, with 40 guests including DM Nancy and her husband PDM Sten Hult, and visitors from Austin Lodge. Following GM Tore Kellgren’s advice, we have food at every event. Now we are planning a road trip to Minneapolis and the American Swedish Institute, with a drive back via Lindström, MN on September 16-18. Our annual fundraiser at Scandinavian
Kubb winning team: Diane Maynard, Charlotte Bergh and Mimi Holtermann. Photo: Tore Kellgren
submitted by evelyn ternstrom
Festival (Nordic Council) is on October 8. On November 12, members Allan Stenmark and Brent Erickson will do a presentation of their recent Sweden trips, especially sharing information about their river cruise adventures on the Göta Kanal. In December we will have a Christmas lunch on December 4, and our annual Lucia program on December 18. Save the date for June 17, 2017 for Linde’s 90th Anniversary Celebration! Contact 262.366.9152 or lekstrand@wi.rr.com for information if you’d like to visit/join us - we always welcome everyone. submitted by liza ekstrand
Crayfish food Torsk Dinner with about 30 Linde members
Phoenix No. 677
Kubb match with Debbie Renaud (Austin Lodge), Elaine Johnson sitting, Rudy and Karin Konrad and Elizabeth Krill.
Lunch meeting with the following (L-R): Allan and Linda Stenmark, Elaine Johnson, Rolf Ekstrand, Ray Shoberg and friend Julie, Jan Kamholtz, Marge Gruel and Darlene Backman.
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phoenix, az / Our first meeting during the second half of the lodge year is on Sept. 24, at our usual location in Burns Hall, Shepherd of the Valley Church. The featured program will be “History of the Vasa and Swedish Flags.” On Oct. 22, we will be 677 members at the April Luncheon (L to R): “Visiting Stockholm,” if only with a de- Phoenix Lillian More, June Ostrom, Karen Artus, Fred Artus lightful narrative and pictures of the lovely and Penelope Anderson. city. On Nov. 5 at 10 a.m.-2 p.m., our Jul Bazaar at Shepherd of the Valley will take sharing a meal. These occasions continue place. Everyone always enjoys the Vasa throughout the year, and only once did we cookie walk and Swedish pea soup lunch. cancel a lunch due to extreme temperatures, In addition to us Swedes, Finns and Friends, a switch from snow cancellations possible Sons of Norway, World Wide Norwegians in other parts of the country! Visitors are and other Scandinavians will be joining us. always welcome! We also host a monthly luncheon at one of the many restaurants in the Valley. It gives submitted by romy solomonson members a delightful outing to enjoy while
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local lodge news
the vasa star / Summer 2016
Bishop Hill No. 683
bishop hill, il / A chilly Valborg was held in April, but Tom Cleveland, and Sten and Nancy Hult from the Archives helped out. The bonfire was lit to chase away the winter, we heard “The Boy in the Birch Bark Basket” and a program on pottery. In June, Midsommar was celebrated and the park was full of music, flowers and people. Musical groups played throughout the day, and we decorated and danced around the Maypole. People come from near and far to celebrate. Ernie Sandquist from Rockford and his son Eric were our accordion players for the dancing, and this year Katie Anderson and her son Jack led the singing for the dances. At the end of the dancing everyone joined hands and gave one big HURRAH! that summer had come and lunch was served.
submitted by jeff anderson
Generous members of Norden No. 684 have prepared a check for the Grand Lodge Convention in 2018.
and ribbons and they entertained us with their singing and dancing. In June Norden voted to send the VASA Grand Lodge Disfresno, ca / We hosted VASA’s successful trict No. 12 $500.00 to support 2018’s 39th 101st District Convention in April at WyndQuadrennial Grand Lodge Convention conham in Visalia. In May we celebrated Valference at the DoubleTree in Sacramento. borgsmassoafton “Welcome Spring,” where Everyone has been anticipating our annual Lennart Kulberg played the accordion and Crayfish and Salmon Dinner in August and we sang Swedish songs, and enjoyed a smorour 48th Annual Anniversary Luncheon at gasbord in our hosts’ beautiful backyard. At the Cattlemen’s restaurant in Selma, Calithe Kingsburg, California Swedish Festival, fornia on September 3. our lodge was invited to participate by Ted and June Hess. Our Children’s Dance Group submitted by clyda dehn helped decorate the Maypole with flowers
Norden No. 684
In April we held the event Valborg with a bonfire to chase away the winter ...
The Children’s Dance Group of Norden No. 684 are decorating the Maypole.
... PDM Tom Cleveland helped cook hot dogs.
Kern River No. 763 bakersfield, ca / What a beautiful Midsummer celebration at Vasa Park in Agoura! It was a very warm day as the Midsummer Pole was raised. We had two Kern River Lodge officers participating in the Midsummer Court: Natalie Mikkelsen represented Nordic Lodge as the Midsummer Queen; and Rebecca Mikkelsen represented Golden Valley Lodge as Miss Svea; representing Midsummer with Jillian Elder, Skandia Lodge was Jillian Elder as Miss Natalie Mikkelsen, Rebecca Columbia. Mikkelsen. Every year our Vasa children look forward to camping with their VikingVillage friends at Vasa Park and have fun swim- more popular with Vasa parents/ ming, horseback riding, zip lining, etc. For grandparents to encourage their five days they sleep in tents, learn Swedish, children to be exposed to and do crafts, play games, sing Swedish songs learn about their Scandinavian and more. Ann Heinstedt of Golden Valley background. started VikingVillage at Vasa Park in Agoura 11 years ago. Every summer it has become submitted by laila jensen
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In June, the classic Midsommar celebration at Bishop Hill Park and at the Colony School.
Kayla Santana, Jennifer Dewey.
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Summer 2016 / the vasa star
Swedish news
Ritualgrupp möte från vänster: FDO Rolf Öhgren, FDM Einar Savolainen Grön, FDM Åke Mellnert, DM Connie Grön and FDM Olle Wickström.
Södra och Norra Sverige No. 19, 20 Ritualgrupp i Ljungby, Juni 2016 Att ladda inför kommande semester kan man göra på olika sätt. Vår DM Connie Grön kallade DL19:s och DL 20:s Ritualgrupp till ett möte för samordning av ritualer och ceremonier i de båda distrikten i Sverige inom Vasa Orden av Amerika. Från Södra distriktet nr 20 deltog FDM Åke Mellnert och FDM Olle Wickström, vilka bokat lokal, logi och förtäring på Hotell Terraza i Ljungby, deras ordinarie samlingslokal för sitt distrikts alla möten. Från Norra distriktet nr 19, deltog DM Connie Grön, FDM Einar Savolainen Grön och FDO Rolf Öhgren. Målet för mötet var att gå igenom alla ritualer och ceremonier
och komma överens om ett gemensamt förhållningssätt. Hur ska vi göra för att förkorta genomförandetiden av ceremonierna men ändå behålla den högtidliga och värdiga formen? Installation av tjänstemän, reception av nya medlemmar och gästloge diskuterades med hjälp av skisser och olika praktiska försök. Argumenten dissekerades och vägdes på guldvåg, men alla var inriktade på att komma överens och resultatet av deras arbete kommer sedan att kunna upplevas av oss alla på våra logemöten i de båda distrikten. När det gällde reception av nya medlemmar hade gruppen två förslag och kallade på oss medföljare
för att titta på en praktisk övning av dem och komma med synpunkter. Från klockan 14 på fredag till kl 12 på söndag, med avbrott för mat och kaffe, var det koncentrerat arbete som gällde, men stämningen var god och många skratt hördes från konferenslokalen. Vi medlemmar är tacksamma för att det finns de som lägger ner själ, hjärta och tid för att vår Orden ska utvecklas och leva vidare. text och foto by greta öhgren
100th Anniversary 1896 – 1996 History of the Vasa Order Order this ‘coffee-table book’ quality historical review of the Vasa Order of America soon. Supply is limited. Proceeds will benefit the 2018 Grand Lodge Host Committee Fund Send a check, payable to VOA, $20 (USA) or $50 (Canada) to Joan Graham, GS 5838 San Jose Ave. Richmond, CA 94804
in memoriam Memorial Notices should be mailed with check or money order to The Vasa Star, PO Box 13331, Milwaukee, WI 53213-0331.Email: vasaeditor@gmail. com. The fee is $8 for one column inch. Longer obituaries will be charged a flat fee of $25.00. All notices must be typed and in a format similar to what you see here. No newspaper clippings If you submitted an Obituary and it is not listed here, please resubmit to be included in the following issue..
ILLINOIS
CLARICE JOHNSON, Moline, IL. Born 8-27-1934, died 7-31-2016. Clarice joined Nobel Lodge No. 288 in 1998 and served as trustee, auditor, chairman, and Vice Chair until the last few months of her life. She was a wonderful friend and helper and is survived by daughters Julie Holt and Pamela Morris and their families. MASSACHUSSETTS
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Carol, a daughter and son, and a stepTHOMAS KEAN III. Born 9-28NORTH CAROLINA daughter, step-son and step-grandson. 1947, died 5-8-2016. Tom was a Tom joined Drott Lodge in 2010. supportive member of Vinland Lodge of Cape Cod, No. 703. He was an LENNART JOHANSSON. Our Army veteran of the Vietnam War and brother Lennart G. Johansson died OHIO (KANSAS) worked as a lineman/cable repairman on March 9, 2016. Lennart and his for Nynex Telephone. He is survived wife Nancy organized LL Carolina ALBERT “AL” KNUD JENSEN, by his wife Dorothy, daughter Kier- Viking No 722 in Greensboro and 90, died on 3-3-2016. A member of later joined LL Carl Larsson No. Nobel-Monitor No. 130 in Ohio since stin and granddaughter Thea. 739 in Raleigh. He served the Vasa 1987. He was born in Ohio but ended Order of America in many capacities. his days in Kansas. He was a veteran MONTANA He was a delegate from the South- of WWII, serving in the U.S. Navy. GORDON E. SWANSON, 94, of eastern region to the Grand Lodge He was a loving husband and father, Missoula, died 3-23-2016. He was Convention in 1990 where he was leaving daughters, grand- and greatDM of PNW No. 13 in 1972-74, and elected to the office of Executive grandchildren behind. was a 67-year member of Tegner Board Member At-Large and also No. 224. He was a WWII veteran served as Grand Lodge Membership PENNSYLVANIA and POW. He had a 43-year career Chairman. Lennart is survived by his with Missoula Mercantile as a sales wife Nancy, two daughters and three LINDA MARGIT JOSEFSSON clerk and manager. Gordon was ac- grandchildren. SMITH, PDM of DL Pennsylvania tive in many church and community No. 9, died on 6-16-2016 at age 71. activities and was a loving father and Thomas B. Whitley, 85, died She was born in Philadelphia and grandfather. He is survived by his on June 18, 2015. Friendly and enthu- was a proud first-generation Swedwife Ina, three children, four grand- siastic, he lived life to the fullest. He ish American, an active member children, three great-grandchildren had a professional career in real estate of Oscars Borg No. 172 for many law and management, then 15 years years. While attending Frankford and sister-in-law. as a tour guide. Survived by his wife, High School, she met the love of her
life, the late Dale Smith and shared nearly 50 years of marriage until 2013. Linda resided in Doylestown, and as member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church she enjoyed singing in the choir. Linda loved her friends and family, devoted to her sons Erik (Dina) and Bryan (Liz), grandchildren and step-grandchildren.
Family Tree Släktutredningar I am a member of the Vasa Order in Sweden and an expert in Swedish genealogy. Over the years I have helped many Vasa members to find their roots in Sweden. If you want my help to find your Swedish ancestors, please email me for further information: swedengen@telia.com
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the vasa star / Summer 2016
Swedish news Höganäs No. 634
höganäs , sweden /Till årets Sverige Amerikamöte samlades ett 40tal Vasamedlemmar, gästande Ordenssyskon var vår DD Br Rolf Hansson och BrittMarie Elvirson från LL Nybyggarna nr 698. O Sy Birgit Olsson öppnade mötet enligt ritual, gäster infördes och därefter utförde Ceremonimästarna och bitr. Ceremonimästarna en stilfull fanparad. Prologen till fanorna lästes av Kaplan Sy Elisabeth Henriksson. O Sy Birgit tackade för en väl utförd ceremoni och tackade också Br Leif Larsson för god hjälp med träningen inför fanparaden. Br Ola Sandberg redogjorde för årets Vasagolf och berättade att Sy Elisabeth Henriksson vann hela tävlingen och fick dessutom pris för deltävlingen att komma närmast mittlinjen. Eftersom samma loge inte får anordna Vasagolfen två år i rad, kommer den uppgiften att gå till Logen Kärnan nr 608 som blev tvåa i tävlingen. KL Br Hans Bogren berättade om Årets Svenskamerikan, Nils
Lofgren, och om festligheterna kring hans dansen tog vid fylldes golvet snabbt med utnämning, då hela ensemblen runt Bruce dansglada Vasasyskon och fortsatte så Springsteen deltog för att hylla Nils. LH under resten av kvällen, med kort avbrott Br LarsOlof Strufve gav oss en intressant för lottdragning, och när vi skiljdes åt var redogörelse från utvandringen från Höganäs alla överens om att vi som vanligt haft en och om alla de som åkte till Worchester fantastisk Vasakväll. för att arbeta med John Jeppson vid Nor- submitted by berit & hans bogren thonverken. Den vackra ljussläckningsceremonin genomfördes varefter O Sy Birgit avslutade mötet och önskade alla en skön och avkopplande sommar varefter VO Sy Inger Bengtsson återgäldade. Till sprittande toner från Mats Nilssons enmansorkester intog alla sina platser vid de festfina borden. O Sy Birgit hälsade välkomna till bords och VO Sy Inger utbringade kvällens första skål och ett fyrfaldigt leve för HM Konungen. Kungssången sjöngs och därefter serverades kokt lax med tillbehör, glass med jordgubbar Gäster införes. och vispgrädde och alla lät sig väl smaka. DM Br KarlAxel Bengtsson tackade för den goda maten och borden bröts. När
Deltagarna vid vårutflykten i maj månad.
En högtidlig fanparad
The Grand Master’s Message (Swedish) kära vasasyskon, Birgitta och jag har nu nästan rest färdigt för året. Vi har bara Distrikt Pennsylvania No. 9 i Newbury, Ohio kvar på schemat. Våra Vasaresor är mestadels för att besöka distriktsmöten men vi har också varit med på några logejubileer. I år höll Distriktslogen Lake Michigan No. 8 sitt möte i Frankenmuth, MI, där SLER höll sitt möte tidigare samma vecka. Vi gjorde denna resan till en ”roadtrip”, dvs vi körde hela vägen från Kalifornien till Michigan. På vägen tillbaka hem stannade vi i den lilla staden Göteborg i Nebraska (Ja, den heter egentligen Gothenburg och är den enda staden i världen utanför Sverige med det namnet). Den var en gång ett stopp för ponnyexpressen, där ryttarna bytte hästar. Stallbyggnaden har flyttats
page 16
in mitt i staden och är numera en turistattraktion. Nu undrar du kanske varför detta var värt att nämna, och vore det inte för att vi besökte min hemstad Göteborg några veckor senare, hade det nog inte varit det. Nu till vårt besök i Sverige. Tidigare har vi alltid rest till Sverige udda år, när de svenska distrikten håller sina möten. I år åkte vi för att vara med och fira Årets Svenskamerikan (ÅSA) - en tradition som ni säkert vet började redan 1960. Många välkända svenskamerikaner har tidigare erhållit utmärkelsen, inklusive astronauten Buzz Aldrin, justitierådet William Rehnquist (Amerikanska HD), skådespelerskan Ann-Margret och i år den framstående musikern Nils Lofgren. Nils ärkanske mest känd som led-gitarristen i Bruce Springs-
teens E-Street Band. I år, på grund av den tid Nils var tillgänglig, var ceremonierna avsevärt mycket kortare än vanligt, och bestod av en lunch på restaurangen Swea Hof, på Elite Plaza Hotel, där bandet regelbundet bor under konsertturnéer i Sverige. Bilder från evenemanget finns på annan plats i detta nummer av Vasastjärnan. En video från händelsen och en intervju med Nils kommer att distribueras senare i år. Vår långa pärs efter Mr. Enrique Villalba förskingrade vår stipendiefond 2009 är nu över. Förra veckan nådde vi förlikning efter domslutet mot det företag där Mr. Villalba spelade bort pengarna. Med detta avtal, harvi avslutat alla rättsliga förfaranden och därmed eliminerat ytterligare, potentiellt långa, utdragna, överklaganden som hade medfört risk förett möjligt slutgiltigt domslut emot oss, ett resultat som då inte skulle ha gett oss någonting. Stort tack till vår SLER medlem Bruce Elfvin, förhans vägledning i att identifiera lämpliga juridiska rådgivare, Joel Levin och hans advokatbyrå Levin & Associates, som specialiserar sig på denna typ av ärenden, för att leda oss genom rättegången och till den slutliga förlikningen. Mer information kommer att finnas i nästa nummer av Vasastjärnan. Det ärnu mindre än två årtill nästa Storlogemöte och alla distrikt måste därför välja sin storlogedelegat vid nästa möte. Information om delegaten måste vara storlogesekreteraren tillhanda senast fyra månader före mötet. Detta innebär att informationen måste nå GS Joan senast i slutet på februari 2018. Det är viktigt att ni väljer delegater som ärvilliga och kapabla att ta en storelogetjänst. Endast delegateroch sittande storlogetjänstemän är valbara. Delegater kan väljas till alla tjänster utom Vice Stormästare och Stormästare eftersom dessa positioner kräver tidigare tjänst inom ER. Vissa andra tjänster inklusive storlogedeputerad kan också tillsättas från delegaterna. Dessa tjänster tillsätts av den inkommande stormästaren, som under mötestiden lär känna alla delegater ganska väl. Vasas 100-årsbok innehåller Vasa Orden av Amerikas historia från grundandet i Connecticut
1896 och fram till 1996. Här hittar du berättelser från alla distriktsloger och från många lokalloger. Vi har några av dessa vackra böcker till salu till fyndpriset $20, inklusive frakt i USA. För leverans till Kanada eller Sverige är priset $50 för att täcka de höga frakt kostnaderna. Här är din möjlighet att äga en av dessa praktfulla souvenirböcker. För leverans i USA eller Kanada skicka din check $20 (USA) eller $50US (Kanada), utställd till VOA GG No. 12, till GS Joan Graham, 5838 San Jose Avenue, Richmond, CA 94804, med en anteckning om att du vill ha en ”Centennial book”. Vi kommer skicka boken till adressen på checken om ingen annan adress anges. För leverans i Sverige, kontakta gärna Charlotte Börjesson för betalningsmetoden. Charlotte tar också gärna upp förhandsbeställningar för leverans nästa år. Priset blir då kr 200:-. Alla insamlade medel går till stöd för nästa storlogemöte. Årets brevmärke trycks just i skrivande stund. När du läser detta, bör du redan ha fått ditt ark med brevmärken. Det har varit en bra fundraiser i många åroch jag ärövertygad om att det kommer att fortsätta att vara så. Jag uppmanareratt donera för att fortsätta stödja våra program. MEDLEMSKAP FORTSÄTTER ATT VARA VÅR STÖRSTA UTMANING. Din loge har en medlemsvårdskommitté, men det är inte de enda som ansvarar för medlemsvård och rekrytering – ni är alla ansvariga! Genom att behålla nuvarande medlemmar och få in nya medlemmar, kommer logen att växa. För att detta ska hända, är ett intressant logemöte viktigt. Gör mötet attraktivt! Konkurrensen om nuvarande och blivande medlemmars tid är hård. Ni måste ha mat på era möten och erbjuda ett program som medlemmarna inte vill missa. Kulturledare, arbeta med era logemedlemmar. Det är alla medlemmars jobb att göra varje möte attraktivt för både nuvarande och framtida medlemmar. EN ny medlem är allt jag ber om från var och en av er. Behåll nuvarande medlemmar! Var inte tråkiga! i sanning och enighet, tore kellgren, grand master
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35 feature. page 19
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Swimmer Sara Sjöström secured Sweden’s first gold and the first Olympice gold ever for a Swedish female swimmer when she won the 100-meter butterfly.
The Olympic Summer Games All of the Nordic nations competed and competed well throughout the games and brought home a total of 31 medals. The 2016 Olympic Games are over. Denmark came home with 15 medals; two golds, in women’s 50 meter freestyle swimming and the top medal for the men’s handball team; Sweden 11 medals, two golds, in women’s 100 meter butterfly and in women’s cross-country mountain bike. Norway, more of a winter sports nation, secured 4 medals, all of them bronze, in rowing, handball and wrestling; Finland one medal, a bronze in boxing and, while ROLF LASSGÅRD BAHAR PARSBASED ONFILIP BERG IDA ENGVOLLDIRECTORCHATARI N A LARSSON TOBI A S ALMBORG BÖRJE LUNDBERG KLAS WI L JERGÅRD SI M ON EDENROTH POYAN KARI M I JOHAN WILINE DERBERG STEFAN GÖDIGustafsdottir CKE Iceland’s Eyglo did really well OF MAKE PRODUCTION SCRIPT HANNES HOLM THE NOVEL BY FREDRIK BACKMAN PHOTOGRAPHY GÖRAN HALLBERG FSF DESIGN JAN-OLOF ÅGREN COSTUMES CAMILLA OLAI-LINDBLOM UP EVA VON BAHR AND LOVE LARSON PRODUCER KAROLI N A HEI M BURG in the women’s 200 meter backstroke the ORIGINAL EXECUTIVE EDITOR FREDRIK MORHEDEN MUSIC GAUTE STORAAS PRODUCERS FREDRIK WIKSTRÖM NICASTRO AND MICHAEL HJORTH PRODUCERS ANNICA BELLANDER RUNE AND NICKLAS WIKSTRÖM NICASTRO DIRECTOR HANNES nation leftHOLM Rio without a medal. secured Swe& TV FOND AND NORSKASarah FILMINSTISjöström TUTET TRE VÄNNER PRODUKTION PRODUCTION INWITHCO FILM I VÄST SVT NORDISK FILM NORDSVENSK FILMUNDERHÅLLNING FANTEFILM FIKSJON A/S SUPPORT FROMWITH SVENSKA FILMINSTITUTET NORDISK FILM Swimmer den’s first gold in Rio, winning in the THEMATIC CONTENT, 100-meter butterfly. It was Sweden’s first SOME DISTURBING IMAGES, AND LANGUAGE ever Olympic gold medal in women’s READ THE WASHINGTON SQUARE PRESS PAPERBACK swimming and Sjöström’s first, of any MUSICBOXFILMS.COM @MUSICBOXFILMS color, in what is her third Games. Swedish cyclist Emma Johansson had earlier the S T A R T S F R I D A Y, S E P T E M B E R 3 0 I N N E W Y O R K , same day taken silver in the women’s 137LOS ANGELES, CHICAGO, MINNEAPOLIS & SEATTLE k road race. This was Johansson’s second VISIT MUSICBOXFILMS.COM/OVE FOR A THEATER NEAR YOU Olympic silver, having previously finished second at the Beijing Games in 2008. Sarah BASED ON THE WORLDWIDE BESTSELLER BY FREDRIK BACKMAN Sjöström then took silver in the women’s
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200m freestyle final. The gold went to Katie Ledecky of the U.S., bronze to Australian Emma McKeon. Later in the week Sjöström secured Sweden’s fourth medal by taking bronze in the women’s 100 meter freestyle. Marcus Svensson took silver in skeet. Henrik Stenson a silver in golf.
Sweden’s medals:
GOLD - Sarah Sjöström, 100-meter butterfly GOLD - Jenny Rissveds, mountain bike SILVER - The Swedish women’s soccer team SILVER - Sarah Sjöström, 200-meter freestyle SILVER - Henrik Stenson, golf SILVER - Emma Johansson, bicycle road race SILVER - Marcus Svensson, skeet SILVER - Peter Fredricson, equestrian BRONZE - Sarah Sjöström,100 meter freestyle BRONZE - Jenny Fransson, wrestling 69 kilo division BRONZE - Sofia Mattsson, wrestling 53 kilo division. Next Summer Olympics will be in Tokyo 2020.
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