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American Swedish Historical Museum Vol. 38, No. 1 Spring 2019 Navigating the Nordic Way Björn Kjellström’s motto, printed onto his (at the time part of Sweden) held the first business card, was: “Magnetism has civilian competitions near Oslo in 1897. shaped my life.” While not the inventor of Its early spread to the broader public orienteering itself, Björn was the co-inventor was enabled by Swedish and Norwegian of the modern compass and likely the industrialization, railroads, and land person most responsible for the sport’s surveying. Such surveys, in conjunction global spread. We might even say that Björn with inexpensive printing technology such Kjellström has shaped our appreciation for as lithography and subsequent tourist magnetism as much as it shaped him. maps, encouraged the availability of maps for public use. Orienteering had developed from Swedish military exercises in the late 1800s. These Today, orienteering is a sport requiring use practices taught soldiers to navigate terrain of map and compass to navigate an outdoor only with their map and compass, which at course. While variations of orienteering the time were mounted into wooden boxes. might involve skis, bicycles, or wheelchairs, Among the first-known orienteering its typical competitions are on foot and “Magnetism has competitions were those held in May 1893 scored so the orienteer with the fastest time shaped my life.” by the Stockholm city garrison. Norway wins. Despite the sport’s early popularity Björn Kjellström continued on page 2 Connecting Cultures and Community Navigating the Nordic Way continued from front cover Note from in the Nordic region, its global spread was the magnetic needle. By submerging the halted by the compass’s limitations. While magnetic needle in a clear liquid (often a the Director early orienteers used protractors with their clear oil or ethyl alcohol), the time needed compasses to navigate, the difficulty of for it to stabilize was reduced from about I’ve been thinking a lot lately about using both tools alongside a map meant thirty seconds to only four. The liquid also exploration and all of the forms that it that precise navigation in the field was formed a buffer against exterior shocks takes. The Vikings, famous as explorers, challenging. Additionally, the magnetic and vibrations—necessary to orienteers seem to have been motivated by a combi- nation of thirst for adventure and hunger needles within these “dry” (not liquid-filled) in the field. Tillander and Kjellström’s for conquest and resources. These have compasses could take about 30 seconds innovations were vital in improving the been traditional motivations for many to stabilize. In a timed sport where a few accuracy of field compasses, reducing explorers over the centuries who have left degrees might take one miles off-course, orienteering’s complexity, and increasing the familiar in search of new lands. these issues frustrated attempts to popu- the sport’s competitive viability. larize the sport amongst amateurs. Today we might find that opportunities With these innovations the Kjellström for exploring undiscovered places in the brothers and Gunnar Tillander formed world are limited. Just recently I was their company, Silva, in 1932. Silva was with a friend and occasionally a topic instrumental in popularizing orienteering of conversation initiated a deep dive of among amateurs, and by 1934, a quarter- exploration for him, albeit on his phone million Swedes were active in the sport. and with the aid of a powerful search engine. His thirst for more and more Outside of civilian use, Silva’s new field information made me realize that he compasses were put to the test in Finland’s was a digital explorer. But exploring on Winter War and the Nazi occupation a device is very two-dimensional and of Norway. Finnish officers credited sometimes modern explorers need orienteering with having strengthened to be inspired to leave their comfort Finnish defenses against the Soviet Union in zone, as well. 1939 and 1940. A few years later, Norwegian resistance fighters utilized orienteering For over a decade the museum has been and Silva’s liquid-filled compass to combat introducing Philadelphia’s children to the Nazi soldiers and assist Norwegian Swedish sport of orienteering through our civilians escaping to Sweden. Björn school programs, and we are thrilled to be The solution came through collaboration Kjellström himself fought for the Finns and, presenting it to a broader public through the exhibition Outdoor Adventures: between the three Kjellström brothers— with his first wife, a Norwegian, provided a Navigating the Nordic Way. For centu- Björn, Arvid and Alvar—and inventor Gunnar safe-house to refugees from Norway. ries, explorers and seafarers have used Tillander. Orienteering was hardly new to compasses to navigate in places where the Kjellströms—they had competed on After the sar, Björn immigrated to the wayfinding is difficult, such as in the skis as children and had recently started a United States to spread orienteering and forest and on the ocean! In the early business selling used compasses and ski Silva. While Björn sought to spread 1900s, Björn Kjellström made the process equipment. But their breakthrough came orienteering in America, his arrival did not of finding true north much easier with in 1928 when Tillander approached the mark the sport’s first appearance in the his liquid-filled compass. This compass brothers with his prototype for a compass United States. America’s first orienteering has become a staple for Boy Scouts and incorporating both protractor and compass competitions had already been organized by hikers as they explore the world around into a single instrument. The design, familiar Finnish army officer, Lt. Piltti Heiskanen in them. We hope that this exhibition and the to us today, mounted a rotating compass 1941 at Dartmouth College (called Tiedust brand new map of FDR Park will spark the desire in all of our visitors to get outside onto a clear plastic baseplate that allowed by students, an Anglicization of the Finnish and explore new places, including the for accurate navigation when placed over name for orienteering, Tiedustelujuoksue). museum’s beautiful surroundings. a map. Tillander’s invention simplified the An accomplished skier and orienteer, orienteer’s toolkit while making navigation Heiskanen took charge of Dartmouth’s even more precise. military skiing program (well-situated in the mountains of New Hampshire) in 1941 One Kjellström brother, Björn, supple- as the United States prepared for World mented Tillander’s compass with his own War Two. Tracey Beck invention: a liquid damping chamber for continued on page 7 2 WinterSpring 2012-13 2019 || Vol.Vol. 30,38, No.No. 41 An Interview with Swedish Orienteering Champion, Emma Johansson Recently, curator Trevor Brandt had the EJ: Yes so now I’ve retired from the highest opportunity to speak with Swedish levels of competitions. But when you are orienteering champion Emma Johansson, at the top levels you do the basic training at home – the physical and technical giving us a glimpse into the contemporary training. But when you’re preparing for world of orienteering (text edited for a special championship or specific clarity). competition then you would want to go there more than once because all terrains TB: Let’s start by talking about some of look a little bit different so it is not the same. your successes in orienteering. I know Even in Sweden there is a huge difference. you’ve competed in recent championships. If you are in the south in Skåne, they have birch trees so it is very open. If you’re on the EJ: Yes that’s correct. I won the bronze coast it is hilly and there are many details. medal in middle distance and bronze in So, of course, if you go to south Europe it relay [at the 2015 World Orienteering is far different than if you go to the east. Championship in Scotland]. And then last So you have to go there at least some weeks year - or 2017 rather- I won the gold medal before to prepare for the specific terrain. in relay. But mostly, of course, most top-level athletes are working or studying on the side. TB: Are these competitions only in Sweden There isn’t really much money in the sport or are they around the world? so of course you’ll want to stay and train Emma Johansson at home. So in Scandinavia there are really EJ: Well they are mostly in Europe, but there good training opportunities in local clubs. have also been world championships in the US and Australia. But, again, they’re mostly TB: Great. And I know that orienteering is TB: And it’s great that Sweden is so varied in Europe. In 2015 they were in Scotland taught to Swedish schoolchildren. Is that so that there are many different types of and in 2017 they were in Estonia. how you started? courses. I’m curious about what it’s like to run through them. Do you have a particular TB: Wow. It does seem, though, that EJ: Yes – it is, how do you say? – on the memory of your favorite course? orienteering is really most popular in the schedule for school sports. All children Nordic region. learn it a little bit in school. But if you start EJ: If I would pick my favorite—I would say to compete, then it is mostly because your a course in Sweden called Höga Kusten. EJ: Yes, that is where the origin of the sport family was already in the sport or you go to It is up north, on the east coast. It is really is. It’s where it started and it’s where the the local club. demanding physically and technically, and biggest amount of orienteers are today.
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