Coscan Magazine 2014/2 Confederation of Scandinavian Societies of Great Britain and Ireland

CoScan Magazine 2014/2 Confederation of Scandinavian Societies of Great Britain and Ireland

Contents:

CoScan and societies 1 Chairman’s message 1 Bill Mead, obituary: Mark Elliott 3 Letter re DFDS to Peter Wright, Vice President 4 The Scottish-Finnish Society: Mikko Ramstedt 5 The Danish Church in London (edited from website) 6 The Scottish Norwegian Society (Glasgow), ‘Bamse’: Ragne Hopkins 8 News in brief Language and culture 10 Guest writer: Richard Jenkins 12 Being Anglo-Nordic: Andrew Linn and Sarah Lund 15 A Finn at Christmas: Eeva-Lisa Pratt 16 Rovaniemi – The hometown of Santa Claus: Eeva-Liisa Pratt 17 The Swedish tomte - a pagan god?: Brita Green 19 Vikings in Ireland: Peter Addyman 21 The runestone in Regent’s Park: Kåre Gade 24 Remembering the war of 1864: Louise Sørensen 27 A Norwegian chest: Brenda Tyler 28 Anna Sophie’s Kitchen: Anna Sophie Strandli 29 From the bookshelf 33 Quiz: Who are we? Travel awards 34 Greenland - not just your everyday school trip!: E and K Houston 35 An internship with the WHO in Copenhagen: Caroline Anderton 37 On the trail of tourists: William Frost Contact details 38 Member Societies 2014 39 Executive Committee 40 Trust Fund Inside back cover: CoScan Patrons

Deadline for contributions to the next Magazine: 1 April 2015 Send to [email protected] Chairman’s message We are sad to report the death of a Eva Robards founder member of CoScan. Bill Mead (1915-2014)

by Mark Elliott Professor William Mead died on 20 July 2014, nine days before his 99th birthday. As one of CoScan’s founders in October 1950, as well as an academic of high dis- tinction and outstanding achievement in the field of Scandinavian studies, he occu- pies a very special place in our memories. This time there will be only a short mes- Bill Mead, then an assistant lecturer at sage from one of us on the Editorial Board. Liverpool University, was Chairman Recently (in early October) I visited a of the recently-formed Liverpool An- meeting at the Devon & Somerset Anglo glo-Scandinavian Society in 1949. He Scandinavian Society. The programme left Liverpool in that year first to spend for the evening was ‘Traditions’ and an academic year in Helsinki working on members presented a range of fascinating matters connected with the resettlement experiences. But we also discussed inter- of Karelians, and then took up a post action with other CoScan organisations. at University College, London (UCL). One of the suggestions from the meet- But his former colleagues in Liverpool ing was that it would be useful if it were asked him to attend and indeed to chair made widely available to others when a the meeting held in the Liverpool offi- society had developed a procedure for something – it could be how to make a successful film evening, or whatever. To some degree, this was done when we published Iain Robertson’s article on the trial and tribulations which York An- glo-Scandinavian Society went through when producing its Christmas song-book (CoScan Magazine 2012/2 p. 16). Therefore, what I would like to stress this time is that advice on ‘how to’and/or ‘how not to’ is valuable!

You can send any contributions to [email protected], or to me.

1 ces of the British Council on 8 October cal Society from 1967 to 1977, and then 1950, from which CoScan developed. Vice-President. His major works include He retained a lively interest in CoScan, An Economic Geography of the Scan- chairing the annual Conferences held in dinavian States and Finland (1957), and London in 1956 and 1963. His memories at the time of his retirement in 1981 he of CoScan’s early days provided valua- published An Historical Geography of ble material to the authors of the histories Scandinavia. After retirement he contrib- of our first 25 years which form a part of uted two chapters to The History of Car- our archives, and at least one authorita- tography, an immense project. His most tive and highly readable article by him recent work, Pehr Kalm – his London (on the Nordkalotten, those parts of Nor- Diary 1748 (Kalm was a favourite disci- way, Sweden and Finland that lie north of ple of Carl Linnaeus), was published in the Arctic Circle) appears in the CoScan 2014. Among his national and academ- Newsletter, for summer 1979. ic distinctions from the Nordic countries But it is as a leading and active mem- were honorary doctorates from Uppsa- ber of two of our member societies, the la, Lund, Helsinki and Turku; he was a Anglo-Finnish and Anglo-Norse Soci- Fellow of the British Academy, of the eties, that Bill Mead will be chiefly -re Finnish Academy of Science and Letters membered within CoScan. He joined and of Det Norske Videnskaps Akademi, the Anglo-Norse Society soon after its and an Honorary Fellow of the LSE. resurrection in 1947, and served on its Those who knew Bill Mead best, pro- Council for 60 years from 1951 to 2011. fessionally and in his Buckinghamshire He was instrumental in the revival of home (he was at school in Aylesbury and the Anglo-Finnish Society after the war, lived in Bucks effectively all his life), becoming Honorary Secretary in 1953 have spoken with extraordinary warmth and serving as Chairman for an equally of him. At student reunions even in re- amazing 30 years from 1966 to 1995. cent years he seemed always to be the His activity in this sphere continued well centre of attention, usually identified by into his nineties, and I recall his contri- waves of laughter from his part of the bution to meetings of the ANS Council; room. He was a great story-teller. He his interventions were invariably calm loved dancing, and is said to have danced and to the point, reflecting the immense down the main street in Reims (French depth and breadth of his own experience. was one of the languages which he spoke His reputation extended far beyond our fluently) in his 90s. Music was- anim own limited horizons. He became Pro- portant part of his life, singing in choirs, fessor of Geography at UCL in 1963 and going to the opera in London and Glyn- headed that department through sixteen debourne, occasionally playing the organ years of major expansion from 1966 to in his local church. No day was complete 1981, remaining afterwards in an active for him without some writing and some role as Emeritus Professor. He was Hon- music. Riding too figured largely; he orary Secretary of the Royal Geographi- broke his ankle in a riding accident at the 2 age of about 90, but is said to have bought I’d like the memory of me his latest horse when he was 92. The to be a happy one. charming, erudite and attractive charac- I’d like to leave an afterglow ter which emerges from these stories is of smiles when life is done. fully consistent with the Bill Mead whom I’d like to leave an echo I had the pleasure of meeting only occa- whispering softly down the ways, sionally and in his later years. It was a of happy times and laughing times privilege to have made his acquaintance, and bright and summer days. and to know that a share in the creation I’d like the tears of those who grieve of CoScan is among the achievements to dry before the sun of so great a man. We mourn his loss. of happy memories that I leave when life is done. (Helen Lowrie Marshall)

Letter from the Department for Transport, 7 July 2014, to our Vice President

Dear Peter Wright in waters designated as Emission Thank you for your letter of 1 June Control Areas (ECAs), which will 2014 to the Prime Minister, concern- apply from 1 January 2015. Within ing the decision by DFDS to close Europe, the only ECAs are the Baltic the passenger ferry service from Sea and the North Sea including the Harwich to Esbjerg on 30 September English Channel. In order to comply 2014. I have been asked to reply to with the 0.10 per cent sulphur limit your query on his behalf. – ship owners can use low-sulphur fuel The Government supports the or an alternative compliance method, limits in MARPOL Annex VI, which such as using exhaust gas cleaning are designed to improve air quality systems or using an alternative fuel and result in consequential benefits like liquefied natural gas. – for public health and for the environ- I have seen the announcement ment. Emissions of sulphur oxides made by DFDS Seaways concerning from land-based sources are already their decision to close the Harwich to tightly controlled, and without the Esbjerg ferry service. The Govern- controls in the revised Annex VI, ment appreciates that this will have emissions from ships are forecast to an impact on passengers who use grow significantly. the route and on the local communi- The new limits include a 0.10 ty. However, it is also clear that the per cent limit for sulphur emissions route has been in decline for a num- 3 ber of years due to other factors than the cost of low sulphur fuel. Accord- Societies ing to their own press release, DFDS states that passenger numbers have fallen from 300,000 to 80,000 per annum, and freight volumes between the UK and Denmark have also declined. The Government is fully engaged in helping industry to comply with the new sulphur requirements. The Shipping Minister, Stephen Ham- mond MP, has chaired two round table meetings for stakeholders from The Scottish Finnish a range of industries – shipping, ports, abatement technology, oil re- Society fining, logistics – to discuss the way forward on sulphur. We are exploring by Mikko Ramstedt the scope for securing EU finance The Scottish Finnish Society (SFS) is the for shipowners and ports who would largest organisation of its kind north of like to invest in using an abatement the border and celebrates its 40th anni- technology or an alternative fuel. versary in 2014 and 2015. Over the past We are also playing an active role in four decades SFS has established a good the European Sustainable Shipping set of traditions based on organised an- Forum which the European Commis- nual events such as Midsummer and the sion has established to help with the Finnish Independence Day. implementation process. Our aim is The society continues to be a vibrant to have a consistent, fair and propor- community of Finns, partners, children tionate enforcement regime across and friends and our main role is to pro- Europe, to ensure that UK industries vide a forum for discussion and network- do not suffer from any competitive ing for the Scottish Finnish community disadvantages. – and to provide a point of focus for shar- In the meantime, the Government ing and celebrating Finnish heritage and is continuing to talk to other Member culture. States, shipowners and maritime The past four decades have also seen industries to encourage compliance a continuous change in the wider socie- and help minimise the burden of ty around us and therefore the needs and shipowners. make-up of our membership. The availa- bility of cheap communication channels Yours sincerely, and nearly universal access to informa- Ian Timpson 4 tion on-line across national boundaries The Danish Church in have meant that there is a less acute need for cultural societies such as ours to act London (ed. from the website) as the cultural outlet for all things Finn- ish and the emphasis is now greater on helping the Scottish Finnish community to preserve, celebrate and share its multi-cultural identity. The difference is subtle but important: SFS is not about Finnish culture but the centre for Scot- tish-Finnish culture. Our members now also include second and third generation descendants of Finns who have not nec- essarily ever lived in Finland. Our membership has stayed steady standing at some 100 members, but our events and activities reach a far wider audience. We made a conscious decision ten years ago not to be an exclusive members’ club but to open all our ac- The Danish Church is a meeting place for any- tivities to anyone and everyone in order body with an interest in keeping in contact with to bring down perceived barriers and to anything Danish. reach out and collaborate with both the transient population such as students, and The Danish Church in London is based members of fellow Scandinavian socie- in the historic building of St Katharine’s, ties and UK wide organisations such as a 200 year-old neo-gothic church in the Finn Guild. We have found this format north-east corner of Regent’s Park. We very beneficial and that it has enabled us are here for all Danes in London and to celebrate our shared Nordic heritage in England: an Evangelical Lutheran church a very natural way. Come along to any conducting services, christenings, confir- one of our events, or take part in the dis- mations, weddings and funerals as in a cussions on-line to find out more! Danish parish church. In 2012 we celebrated 60 years in St Katharine’s; however, there has been a Danish church in London since 1696. The first one was in Wellclose Square but The society’s events calendar is available on our by 1868 this was no longer in use. For website www.scottish-finnish-society.org.uk. many years services were held in one of the Royal Chapels, Marlborough House

Chapel, which was partly due to the late We co-administer the ‘Finns in Scotland – Skotlannin Suomalaiset’ group on Facebook. Queen Alexandra being Danish born. 5 During the Second World War and until Bamse – Commemo- 1952, Danish services were held at the Swedish Church in Harcourt Street and at ration and Celebration St Clement Danes. Scottish Norwegian Society When St.Katharine’s became the Dan- (Glasgow) ish Church in London in 1952 it was thoroughly renovated, and the opening was by Ragne Hopkins attended by the late King Frederik and Queen Ingrid on 11 May 1952. We all fell in love with the Sea Dog Bam- Since 1985 St Katharine’s has also se when Angus Whitson and Andrew Orr been functioning as a Seamen’s Church told his story to the Society in March and is today part of the Danish Church – and we read the book. A group of our Abroad/Danish Seamen’s Church. members travelled to Montrose on the Church, language and culture are close- 70th anniversary of his death to celebrate ly linked. Connected to St Katharine’s is the extraordinary life of this big char- the church-hall where our cultural activ- acter of a dog, who had enjoyed a pint, ities take place. It is open every day ex- tra-velled by bus on his own and made cept Mondays. Here you can read Danish sure his fellow crew members were safe. newspapers, and take part in our major He had also won many friends among the festivals such as Christmas Eve, faste- people of Montrose. lavn, and Sankt Hans. Each year there is a bazaar in the church and garden. We of- fer Danish language classes, have a book club, a mothers’ group and a handicraft group. You can also come to concerts with Danish artists, sing Danish songs, watch current Danish films, and participate at lecture evenings or højskole-days. When Denmark plays in an international sport contest you can watch the combat on our large screen, together with other Danes. Many Danish organisations use the church premises for their events. Also food is important: after the Sunday service a homemade Dan- ish lunch is served, and in our shop you can buy Danish delicatessen. Angus Whitson and Andrew Orr presenting Bamse. Photo: Ragne Hopkins

See also the article on the Jelling Stone in London, Angus Whitson and Andrew Orr, Sea Dog Bamse, p 21. paperback published by Birlinn 2009. ISBN 9781841588490 6 On the morning of 21 July [2014] a large number of people had gathered by the statue of Bamse in Montrose harbour to view the programme of events in his honour. The Norwegian naval vessel Aalesund had arrived from Norway and the crew was lined up along with Roy- al Navy representatives and sea cadets. There were prayers by representatives of the Scottish and Norwegian Churches and speeches by the Captain of Aalesund, the Provost of Honningsvåg and the Nor- wegian Consul. The Lord Lieutenant for Angus read a letter from HRH Prince Andrew who had unveiled the statue in 2006. There was a moving ceremony of Vigdis Hafto, who was about five when Bamse left her family to go to War, lay- ing flowers at his feet, a bugler playing Vigdis Hafto with the Provost of Honningsvåg the last post and a piper playing ‘Flow- in Bamse tartan shawl and the Captain of ers of the Forest’ followed by a gun sa- Aalesund. Photo: Ragne Hopkins lute by KNM Aalesund. The crowd was From the Newsletter of the Scottish Norwegian So- entertained by a pipe band, dancers and ciety, September 2014, reprinted with permission. a singer, and it all ended with a parade of about a dozen St Bernard dogs – one being a Bamse look-alike wearing a sai- lor’s hat. We had an interesting conversa- tion with Vigdis, whose playmate Bamse Bamse was a huge St. Bernard once was, and it brought him to life. She dog from Honningsvåg who lived was quite amazed at the impact her dog during the Second World War. He still has. This was a wonderful celebra- was owned by Captain Hafto of the tion to honour a very special dog, but it Norwegian Navy, and went to sea was more than that. It was a symbol of with him on the minesweeper Tho- the true devotion and bond that exists be- rodd. The dog achieved legendary tween dog and man and it was a display status in Montrose, Scotland, where of warm friendship between the people of the Thorodd was stationed, as tales two countries, developed over the centu- of his adventures, courage and ries by their travels across the North Sea, friendliness spread. and particularly during the difficult times of war. Long may these bonds continue! 7 News in brief Finn-Guild In the CoScan Magazine 2014/1 we re- Anglo-Danish Society ported that Ossi Laurila (former Gen- eral Secretary of Finn-Guild, editor of As mentioned in the CoScan Magazine Horisontti and Director of Guild Travel 2014/1 the Anglo-Danish Society’s 90th Ltd) had handed over to Helena Halme anniversary will be celebrated on 3 De- (now the new Development Director). cember 2014 with a Royal Banquet at With consternation and great sadness Drapers’ Hall, the City of London. we have learnt that Ossi died on 10 June The Anglo-Danish Society is great- in Finland. Helena says, ‘Ossi had been ly honoured that Her Majesty Queen with Finn-Guild for over thirteen years Margrethe II of Denmark, the Society’s when he retired at the end of February Royal Patron, and Their Royal Highness- 2014, and was honoured with the Knight es the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester of the Order of the Lion of Finland. He will be present. HRH The Duchess of was a caring, funny and lovely man and Gloucester is Protector of the Society’s will be greatly missed by all those who Scholarship Programme. worked with him and who counted him as a friend’. A memorial service was held at the Anglo-Finnish Society Finnish Church in London on 5 October (AFS) 2014. The same day there was also a foot- ball match in his honour; a celebration of Just two participants short of the maxi- his life followed the game. mum number for our tour of BBC Broad- casting House, on 9 October, we were able to look down on the television news room from a gallery; one of the guides explained how news is gathered and presented. Volunteering AFS members were co- erced into reading a mock news and weather presentations, while the others watched the performance on a monitor. There was also the chance for a larger group to read the script and make sound effects for a radio drama.

8 Swedish Church St Olav's/the Norwegian in London Seamen's Church The 150th Anniversary of Sjømannskirk- On 5 June 2014 Dean Michael Persson, en/the Norwegian Seamen's Church was seven years pastor of the Swedish Church celebrated for three consecutive days, cul- in London, was appointed ‘Chaplain to minating on 19 October with a festivity the Worshipful Right Honourable Lord service and a visit by the Norwegian Am- Mayor of the City of Westminster’ – a bassador Mona Juul who gave a speech. proof that the Swedish Church in Lon- don is working ecumenically and in- dicating the importance of integration. Seamen’s Mission in Michael Persson’s first sermon in West- Norway visits Edinburgh minster Abbey was on 6 July, and the Lord Mayor will participate in the As- by Eva Tyson, Norwegian Scottish sembly Lucia in Westminster Cathedral Association (NSA) on 12 December. Last July about 90 delegates from the Norwegian Seamen’s mission visited most of their churches in Europe. This included a visit to the oldest one, opened 1886 in Edinburgh’s port of Leith. The Mission closed down their work in 1973 and today the church is the Leith School Illustration: Brenda Tyler of Art. NSA in Edinburgh was contacted in York Anglo- connection with this visit, and a programme was put together for the dele- Scandinavian Society gates, when they arrived at the church. (YASS) NSA member Sally Garden, a mez- zo-soprano, gave a recital of well known Norwegian songs and Eva Tyson, also YASS is again organising Lucia proces- NSA member, described what the church sions: one in Bedern Hall as usual and had meant to her both as a student, her one, for the second time, in York Minster. wedding in the church and the christen- Dean Michael Persson will give the ad- ing of her two sons there. dress at the sermon. All are welcome to The delegates thoroughly enjoyed their Lucia in the Minster on Wednesday 17 visit. Their leader has been invited to December at 7.30 pm – no ticket is re- give Tale for dagen at the NSA 17th May quired. 2015 celebration. 9 Language & culture The everyday arts of ‘being Danish’ by Professor Richard Jenkins Guest writer

Sociology professor and anthropologist Richard Jenkins held the Chair in Sociology at the Uni- versity of Sheffield 1995-Sept 2014. ‘Being Danish’ is the comprehensive This is not the place to attempt to result of 20 years of research in summarise all the book’s contents. It is Denmark. a portrait of aspects of everyday life in the small provincial town of Skive, on The first edition of my sociological study the southern shore of Limfjord in Jutland. of life in modern Denmark was published Drawing on observations, interviews and in 2011, by Museum Tusculanum Press the pages of the local newspaper, my fo- in Copenhagen. ‘Being Danish: Para- cus is on the ways in which danskhed is doxes of Identity in Everyday Life’ was created in the course of socialisation and sufficiently well received that it had to everyday life, and what it means to the be reprinted after a few months. Within Danes themselves. Denmark, pretty much everyone liked Among the specific topics I discuss it somewhat, except Dansk Folkeparti are local and regional identity, the royal (and I should have been extremely dis- family, the flagDannebrog , and the ways appointed if they had). A second edition, in which Danes use it, the childcare and bringing the book up to date following education systems, the national church, the election of a centre-left coalition gov- and the impact of immigration. There ernment, appeared in 2012. is even a whole chapter of jokes about Now, at long last, a Danish-language identity. The main field research, a little edition – At Være Dansk: Identitet i Hver- over twelve months in total, was done be- dagslivet – has appeared, incorporating tween 1996 and 1998, but I went back in not only further up-dates, but also rewrit- time as far as the EU referendum of 1992, ten in some ways to make it accessible and continued actively to collect material to a wider readership. Just in time for the until about 2009. Christmas market, the cynics among you Among the questions that I have been might well say. asked most often by Danes is, ‘why Den- 10 mark? It’s not even interesting, is it?’ answer, other than to acknowledge the Apart from the obvious answer – why role of circumstance and random events not Denmark? – it has to be pointed out in research. I was dithering about where that Danes appear to find themselves, to base my study when a friend said that and Denmark, endlessly fascinating. Go he could find me somewhere to live in into any Danish bookshop and you’ll see Skive. So I went. It turned out to be a what I mean. The reception my book re- good choice: I couldn’t have wished for ceived is also a testament to this minor better support and help from the locals. collective solipsism. The metaphor of danskhed as a symbol- Less flippantly, my initial encounters ic canopy or umbrella, under which the with Denmark may help to explain why diversity of individual Danish humanity I found, and still find, Denmark so inter- can co-exist, appears in various places in esting. I first visited in 1991, to speak at the book. It certainly fits the 1992 Dan- a conference in Aarhus. As I entered the ish EU debate. Another consistent theme terminal building at Tirstrup airport, I no- is that ethno-national groups are as eth- ticed a crowd of Danes waving red and no-national groups do, and that part of white flags. At first, I thought that- per what they do is to make and re-make the haps a member of the royal family had cultural content of identification. been on board and I had missed the fact. In the case of ‘the Danes’, a range of But no. My host, who met me, explained shared everyday practices produces and that this was just something Danes do, reproduces their group identity, their to greet a family member returning from sense of danskhed. These practices in- travels abroad. Coming from Northern clude the following, in an approximate, Ireland, where flags are generally waved albeit intuitive, order of significance: in anger, this intrigued me. • speaking Danish; The following year, 1992, I was teach- • socialisation in the børnehave ing at Aarhus at the time of the national and folkeskole system; debate about the Maastricht treaty. Once again, by comparison with Northern Ireland where until then political debate had rarely been polite or sophisticated – this was before the Peace Process got started in earnest – I found the Danish situation both interesting and im- pressive. The next question Danes often ask – why Skive? – is less easy to 11 • the ‘everyday social democracy’ of encroachment of consumerism and glo- interpersonal etiquette; balisation. So in that spirit, may I say • a repertoire of songs in common and a tak to everyone who made the study shared approach to singing them; possible, and to Denmark, for open- • flag customs, particularly those bound ing my eyes to the possibility of a dif- up with family and other festivities; ferent way of life. Absolutely not a • support for, and faith in, powerful perfect way of life – indeed very far state social democracy; from it – but interestingly different. • intermittent participation in, and taken for granted membership of, the national Richard Jenkins, Being Danish: Paradoxes of Iden- Lutheran church; and tity in Everyday Life, published by Museum Tuscu- lanum Press, University of Copenhagen, Copenha- • a relationship to the royal house, gen 2012, 2nd ed. ISBN: 9788763538411. maintained via the media and occasional royal public appearances. Richard Jenkins, At være dansk, Identitet i hverd- Not all Danes have to do all of these things for this process of mutual identification to hang together – I have been to birthday parties without flags, for Being Anglo-Nordic example, and not everyone is interested in royal goings-on – but the reality by Andrew Linn and Sarah Lund, of this process of ethno-national production and reproduction is not to be University of Sheffield doubted. As an interlocking complex of everyday ‘civil enculturation’ it is Between March and August 2014 re- conspicuously significant for children, searchers at the University of Sheffield but also, less obviously, for adults. ran a project to investigate the experience To close, I want to return to ‘every- of ‘Being Anglo-Nordic’. The aim of this day social democracy’, the interpersonal was to encourage ex-pats from the Nordic etiquette that oils the wheels of social countries living in the UK (and indeed interaction in Denmark. In particular, it British ex-pats on the other side of the is worth noting that while it is less than water) to share their thoughts and expe- straightforward to say ‘please’ in Danish, riences of having made that journey. The there are many, many ways to say ‘tak’, project team of Andrew Linn, Sarah Lund and they are mostly non-optional if you and Louise Sørensen were interested in want to observe local standards of polite- any recollections or observations, short ness. or long, positive or negative, relating to ‘Please’ is the politeness of a hierar- the experience of leaving one’s country chical society, such as England. Tak re- of origin and experiencing both the ex- flects a society in which ideals of relative citement and also the surprising culture equality are still powerful, despite the shock of living in a different country. 12 One of the interesting things about Nor- ward journey of the nineteenth century dic immigrants to the UK, in this era in in which so many from across the Nor- which immigration is a challenging and dic countries set off to a new life in the hotly debated topic, is that their immi- promised land of America. That project grant status is barely visible, given how used virtual world technology not only readily they blend in both ethnically and to depict the journey from rural Norway linguistically. So, when immigration is across the North of England to New York at its most straightforward, its least con- City but also to allow the descendants spicuous, are there still challenges in ex- of those migrants to share their family isting across or between cultures? The stories and help enhance the historical Nordic world is the land of sagas – Nor- record. That project was a great suc- dic people are skilled storytellers – so the cess (www.olanordmann.co.uk), but one project team figured that they would get downside of the endeavour was the fact some interesting, thoughtful and inform- that the overwhelming majority of those ative accounts. pioneering emigrants are now of course This project built on an earlier project, dead, and the project had to rely on fam- which was also reported in the pages of ily memories and stories in the hands of the CoScan Magazine 2013/2. The par- subsequent generations. The advantage ent project (‘Ola Nordmann Goes West’) of ‘Being Anglo-Nordic’ however was involved researching the great west- that potential storytellers are alive and

13 well, living out their Anglo-Nordic exist- about being Nordic in the UK that we re- ence day by day. The project used social ceived from contributors – a legacy of the media platforms Facebook and Twitter to project is the abiding network of Nordic connect with Nordics in the UK and Brit- individuals and businesses linked via the ish expats in the Nordic countries. Twit- research account @Anglo_Nordic. The ter in particular proved useful for con- account will remain unmanned now the tacting Nordic people around the UK, as project is over, but Nordic connections far north as the Orkneys and as far south may still develop should users choose as London. to ‘follow’ the account to access the net- The enormous importance of Nordic work created by the project. Links to the identity in the UK for businesses and newspaper articles and web resources individuals swiftly became clear. Ex- posted during the lifetime of the project changes with UK users about connec- also remain accessible. tions to Nordic countries were especially ‘Being Anglo-Nordic’ was only a prevalent around the dates of those na- small-scale project, a pilot project for tions’ national celebrations. It was cer- something more ambitious in the future, tainly valuable for the project to coincide time and resources allowing. It was orig- with a period in which Nordic migrants inally the plan to use a newer form of felt a wish to express their connections virtual world technology (so-called Web- and experiences. Interestingly, ‘Nordic- GL) to showcase the stories in the online ness’ was not confined to first-generation virtual environment of a North Sea ferry migrants and a number of second-gen- (now also a historical artefact, unless Re- eration users joined debate on feelings gina Line live up to their promises), but of heritage and attachment to countries unfortunately resources didn’t allow for they had only ever visited. It was also this. interesting that the outpouring of ‘Nor- In preparing the project and advertis- dicness’ we observed appeared to decline ing it amongst the Anglo-Nordic com- toward the close of the project; searches munity in the UK, the Sheffield-based for keywords and news returned fewer team received invaluable support from and fewer results. A question emerging Eva Robards and CoScan, and also from this project is therefore how visible from the Liverpool International Nordic Nordic immigrants and their identities Community and Mr David Stone, the are at times of less pronounced national Finnish Honorary Consul in Sheffield. feeling. The Nordic community was most vo- cal on Twitter, and so our time and en- ergy were concentrated on exchanges and conversations via that platform. In addition to the archive of Nordic migra- tion narratives – the collection of stories 14 A Finn at Christmas 1. Actually Christmas pudding is good fried with bacon, say on Boxing Day by Eeva-Lisa Pratt morning. Salty and sweet go well together. Eva Robards’s article [in CoScan Maga- 2. Bread and butter pudding is excellent zine 2013/2] ‘A former foreigner’s frus- with bits of Christmas pudding inter- trations’ prompts me to write memories spersed with the slices of bread. from a visit to my future husband’s par- 3. Apple mince turnovers or a rectangular ents at Christmas in 1966. puff pastry spread with mince and sliced I had brought proper bread – rye bread apples on top, a latticed puff pastry on top and herring, and Finn crisps – but these of these. did not go down well with the sweet- 4. Christmas pudding soufflé, as demon- toothed British (my father-in-law was strated by a TV celebrity cook on a Welsh). After a day my mother-in-law Christmas cookery programme. asked me cautiously whether I minded if 5. Fold broken up pudding with softened she gave them to the birds, squirrels and vanilla ice cream and re-freeze. foxes which abounded in the neighbour- hood. Of course I said I did not mind. With season’s greetings and best wishes Instead I was offered hot Christmas for a happy 2015! pudding with brandy butter, Christmas cake at teatime, and then mince pies in the evening. I sighed for relief – mince, at last something savoury – but alas, to my great disappointment, mincemeat turned out to be just as sweet. My father-in-law explained that in America mince pies had meat in, hence the name. But the British omitted it, and perhaps added more dried fruits and peel. I almost felt ill after all these sweet delicacies and after 45 years I still prefer savouries. At Christmas in later years, as a start- er in my own home, I had gravad lax, smoked salmon, herring, but also prawn cocktail (my late father-in-law’s particular favourite), melon, or avocado. I wonder whether one’s taste ever changes. Over the years I learned to adapt mincemeat to enjoy it better. Perhaps my compatriots would like to try the following if mincemeat is not to their taste: 15 Rovaniemi – The official hometown of Santa Claus by Eeva-Liisa Pratt

swaying gently in the breeze. The Finn- ish name Revontulet (fires of the fox) I wanted to go back to Finnish Lapland comes from an old belief that a fox run- because from September 1967 to June ning across the fells sweeps its tail on the 1968 I taught English in the Lyceum snow, sending sparks up into the sky. The in Sodankylä, about 200 km. north of Inuits believe the dead souls play foot- Rovaniemi. I also wanted to see how ball with the skulls of walruses. Asians many days I would need to show the believe they will live happily for the rest place to my daughter’s family with two of their lives if they have seen the North- boys of seven and five (the answer was ern Lights – and there are many Asian that for young children and child-mind- visitors to Rovaniemi and the whole of ed adults only two full days are needed). Lapland. Rovaniemi’s Santa village, with a photo Santa Village is almost 10 km from taken with Father Christmas, is a must; it town, and has shops of all kinds, cafés is a magical place. So too is the Arktikum and restaurants. Small children can have museum, which covers all matters arc- a reindeer sleigh ride, with two animals tic – northern history, changing climate, wearing beautiful harnesses on the shoul- present day nature and fauna, Sami cul- ders and directed by reins. Adults go on ture, social and environmental changes. It safaris deeper into the forest, and can also is also a centre for science and research. have husky or motorised ski trips. Midwinter days are short. The sun The name Rovaniemi means ‘promon- pops up above the horizon in December, tory’, and the town lies between the Oulu but daylight is brief. Just before Christ- and Kemi rivers, where they join to flow mas the twilight turns ink-blue – it is a into Salmi-Järvi lake. The town was de- truly magical moment. In the Sami lan- stroyed completely by the retreating Ger- guage the darkness is called kaamos. mans at the end of World War II. It might The Northern Lights, a show of shining have been a blessing in disguise as the green, yellow and red, are on display in bad housing went and the famous Finnish Rovaniemi every night between Septem- architect/artist Alvar Aalto (died 1976) ber and April. They are best seen on cold designed a modern city in the shape of clear nights, and especially in a year with reindeer antlers (only seen from the air plenty of sunspots. From childhood I re- in snow-free conditions). The present member the dancing diaphanous curtains population is 60,000. Aalto’s library has 16 windows that capture the light in all an- gles. The Lappia-talo theatre, concert Finnish companies Lappset Group and congress hall, in white and blue, has and Santa Park are exporting their an undulating roof to harmonise with know-how in Christmas experience the hilly landscape. Another spectacu- design to China. The theme park lar work by Urpo Kärri is his Christmas will open in Chengdu in June 2016. Reindeer sculpture at the airport, with eight reindeer taking an immense leap to- Santa Park as the official home of wards the sky; and the Brothers in Arms Santa in Rovaniemi in Finnish Chain-staue, made by Bengt Lissegårdh Lapland will continue as before. in 1964 – this is a memorial to the Swed- ish and Norwegian volunteers who www.santapark.com; www.goodnewsfinland. fought for Finland during the Winter War in 1939-40.

The Reindeer of Christmas Land, sculpture by Urpo Kärri

The Swedish tomte - a pagan god? by Brita Green

Could our homely tomte really be a de- and when people moved into a new scendant of the Roman house-gods, or in- place they asked the god to keep away deed have even more ancient ancestors? misfortune, to make the family pros- In Rigveda, one of the oldest documents perous, and to give them a long life. of any Indo-European language, written Move on a millennium or more, and in Sanskrit and dating from sometime further west, and you find the Romans' between 1700 and 1100 BC, there is talk lares and penates, mentioned in Lat- of groups of gods and spirits who lived in writings and painted on the walls of in the earth. Each place had its own god, Pompeii. The penates were thought to 17 reside in the food store, and were main- of the 19th century, and then they came ly in charge of the food supply but also about because of the wave of interest in of the general welfare of the household. folklore and fairytales that spread across After meals they were given a small plate Europe in the first half of the century, and of food and drink. The lares had their al- of which the Brothers Grimm and Hans tar placed at the boundary of the property Andersen were a part. The tomte's ap- and were originally responsible for the pearance varied from illustrator to illus- plot of land, but they also looked after the trator. He could be a grown man with or house itself and its inhabitants. without a beard or more like a dwarf, he Another millennium or more later, and could be an old man or a young boy. He further north, we find the Swedish tomte. could look happy or melancholy or cross. Whether he is descended from his Hin- Two people above all have given us du and Roman counterparts, or belief in our present-day view of what the tomte him developed independently, there are should look and be like – and of his as- certainly similarities. The tomte's main sociation with Christmas: the artist Jenny duty was to look after the property and Nyström (1854-1946) and the writer Vik- its inhabitants, but as his name implies, tor Rydberg (1828-95). Rydberg wrote a like the Sanskrit gods and the Roman la- story called Little Vigg’s Adventures on res, he was definitely linked to the plot of Christmas Eve (1871), in which Vigg land: the Swedish word for plot is tomt. accompanies a vätte, a little old man Like the penates, he was offered gifts with a long beard and a face full of wrin- of food. In the 14th century, St Birgitta kles, who is travelling around the farms warned against the belief in tompta gu- asking the resident tomtar about con- dhi, the ‘plot gods’: ‘Do not give your ditions at their farms and distributing tithes to the tompta gudhom, not of your Christmas presents according to merit. cattle or swine, nor of your bread, wine Rydberg also wrote a very well-known or other drinks, nor of other things.’ Dur- poem, Tomten (1881), which is about a ing the following centuries, when belief philosophical tomte who has seen gen- in the supernatural lived on side by side erations come and go at his farm and with Christian beliefs, the talk was ad- wonders where they all come from and mittedly no longer of a ‘plot god’ but in- where they go. It is set in winter and, stead a ‘plot man’: tomtagubbe, tomtkarl, even though there is no mention of tomtvätte, tomtebisse. The shorter form Christmas, it is now a favourite poem tomte was first recorded in 1781. Despite for reciting at school Christmas parties. the Church's efforts to stamp out belief in Jenny Nyström illustrated both the pagan gods, the idea of having your own story and the poem, and she went on private house-spirit was comforting, and to produce a very large number of people hung on to it. tomte illustrations, mostly for Christ- So what did the tomtar look like? There mas magazines, which became very are no pictures of them until the middle popular in Sweden from about 1890. 18 At around the same time, and influenced Vikings in Ireland: The by American Santa traditions, tomten began to take on the task of delivering battle of Clontarf 1014 the Christmas presents and became jul- tomten. Jenny Nyström’s tomtar are still by Peter Addyman seen today on calendars, Christmas cards and posters. Some of them look just like Father Christmas – but where he came For Scandinavians who live in Ireland from is another story altogether. 2014 was a year to remember. It was the 1000th anniversary of the Battle of Clon- Main source: Ulla Ehrensvärd, Den svenska tomten tarf when, according to early Irish histo- (1979) rians, the Irish Christian High King Brian Boru drove the Vikings out of Ireland – and consequently became an Irish folk hero. The National Museum in Dublin com- memorated the event in a special exhibition (April to December 2014) which brought together fact and fiction and just about every object that could in any way illustrate what went on in that apparent- ly fateful year – and gave a balanced account, rather different from the traditional one, of what may actually have happened. Clontarf, now a suburb of modern Dub- lin, lies about five miles north east of Vi- king Dublin whose remains were uncov- ered during the 1970s in vast excavations in the modern city centre. The battle took place on Good Friday, 23 April 1014, but its precise site has never been found. Much of what we know about it comes from an Irish source ‘The War of the Irish with the Foreigners’ written two generations later at the court of Brian’s great grandson and thus potentially possibly not entirely unbiased. A Jenny Nyström on a cover of a Christmas Dublin at the time was ruled by the King magazine. Sihtric Silkbeard (silkiskeggi) whose father was Olaf Sihtricsson, first Christian king of Viking Dublin, but whose moth-

19 er was Gormlaith, daughter of the native in Ireland, and enables one to envis- king of Leinster. Sihtric, himself thus age much more clearly in one’s mind’s partly Irish, survived Clontarf and con- eye this iconic event in Irish history. tinued to rule in Dublin until 1036, some 22 years after the battle, and continued to promote its growth and influence. Brian Boru died in 1014 as a consequence of the conflict. Clontarf 1014 at the National Museum attempts to give some account of early 11th century culture in Ireland in both its Clontarf 1014: Brian Boru and the Battle native and Viking contexts, and to set the for Dublin. National Museum of Ireland, battle, the details of which are not neces- April-December 2014 sarily incorrect, against what is known of contemporary military practices. www.museum.ie/en/exhibition/ The show includes a splendid panoply clontarf-1014.aspx of weapons covering a wide range of what was available in Ireland in 1014. Swords feature largely, but there is a remarkable Presentations and re-enactments of the series of fighting axes, complete with Battle of Clontarf can be found on their cherry wood shafts, from the recent Youtube. discovery in a sunken boat beneath the waters of Lough Corrib, County Galway. Unusual, too, were contemporary bows, surviving because of the remarkable pre- servative capacities of the bogs in which they were found, and a display of various types of iron arrow heads and spears with different specific military functions. Objects associated with Sihtric are easy enough to find. He instituted a fine quality silver coinage in Dublin from which his visage shines out. For Brian Boru the problem is more difficult but Clontarf 1014 has one object indisputably associated with him, a metal plate with part of an inscription, perhaps from a reliquary or shrine, from Liathmore, County Tip- Sihtric Silk Beard Viking Penny silver perary, which exhorts us to pray for him. More generally, though, the show gives a vivid impression of contemporary culture 20 The Runestone in that Harald ‘made the Danes Christian’. The stone’s primary motif is crucified Regent’s Park Christ and it has often been called Den- mark’s birth certificate because it marks by Kåre Gade the country’s official transition from pa- When ‘Vikings: Life and Legend’ opened ganism to Christianity. at the British Museum, one of the attrac- The replica outside St Katharine’s tions for visitors was a replica of the was made at Nationalmuseet in Copen- Great Jelling Stone. However, few peo- hagen and originates from an exhibition ple probably know that another exact of Danish art treasures through the ages copy of this stone is permanently located at the Victoria and Albert Museum in outside the Danish Church. 1948, where it was displayed outside the The full-size replica of the Great Jell-

ing Stone can be found in the garden out- main entrance. It is not only of historical side St Katharine’s in Regent’s Park. The significance, but is also, with its beauti- stone is a cast of the original rune stone ful ornaments, a prestigious example of which, as the name implies, is in Jelling. tenth-century Mammen craftsmen style It was erected by King Harald ‘Bluetooth’ [the name comes from a small, deco- around 965 in honour of his parents, rated axe-head from a ca 970 AD grave Gorm and Thyra, and as a monument to in Mammen, Denmark; ed. note]. In an Harald’s achievements as king. The rune article in the magazine Lokalhistorie inscription tells us amongst other things fra Sydøstjylland 2010, archaeologist 21 Anne Pedersen and conservator Susanne less windswept spot. Finally, the replica Trudsø explain how the stone ended up outside the Danish Church in Yorba Lin- outside St Katharine’s: da, Los Angeles, was originally a pres- ‘Nationalmuseet did not want the 11 ent from JAKA (Jyske Andelsslagteriers -ton stone returned to them after the ex- Konservesfabrik) to ØK-Plumrose. hibition ended because they already had On another note, the Jelling Stone a replica in the museum’s Palace Garden. outside St Katharine’s attracts a certain It was therefore stored at the museum in group of Londoners. Every day men London, until it resurfaced some years lat- – and a few women – on scooters with er and then, thanks to civil engineer Ak- clipboards attached are seen entering St sel Møller’s intervention and agreement Katharine’s Precinct only to look around from Nationalmuseet, was moved to the with a confused look on their faces. They Danish Church in London – an appropri- are aspiring Black Cab drivers who, to ate location for a replica of “Denmark’s obtain the coveted licence, must memo- birth certificate”. It was subsequently rise the locations of London’s most im- repainted and unveiled by the patron of portant attractions – including, of course, the Church, Danish ambassador Vincens the Jelling Stone. De Steensen-Leth, at the Church’s annual meeting in March 1955. The experts at From St Katharine’s, the Danish Church in London – the Danish Church Magazine, 1 February 2014; the time were in disagreement, but Ak- translated by Louise Sørensen and printed with sel Møller himself was convinced that he permission. had identified the colours which, with a high probability, had been available during the Viking Age – white, red, yellow and black. It is, however, possible that other colours were available at the time as demonstrated on other copies of the rune stone.’ In their article, the researchers note that there are several replicas of the Great Jell- ing Stone around the world. In fact, copies of the world’s possibly most famous

runestone can be found in Frihedens Answers to the quiz on page 33:

Stationscenter in Vidor (a suburb of Co- books. Moomin

penhagen), on Vognmagervej in Viborg, the for famous most author, strip comic

and outside Denmark at the large church and illustrator painter, novelist, Finnish

of St. Ouen in Rouen and in Utrecht’s Jansson, Tove and 1947; in jonen’

Cathedral Square. The plastic replica ekspedis ‘Kon-Tiki for particular in

outside the Danish Embassy in Tokyo notable Heyerdahl, Thor adventurer used to get blown out into the street by and ethnographer Norwegian the wind until the embassy moved it to a 22 From whc.unesco.org: Jelling was a Royal manor in the The stones are strongly identified- 10th century, during the reign of with the creation of Denmark as a Gorm and his son Harald Bluetooth. nation state and both of them feature The Jelling burial mounds and one of the earliest records of the name one of the runic stones are striking ‘Danmark’ (in the form of accusative examples of pagan Nordic culture, tanmaurk on the large stone, and gen- while the other runic stone and the itive tanmarkar on the small stone). church illustrate the Christianisation The text on the large stone reads of the Danish people towards the ‘King Harald bade this monument be middle of the 10th century. They are made in memory of Gorm his father on the UNESCO’s list of Heritage and Thyra his mother, that Harald who sites since 1994. won for himself all Denmark and Nor- In 2008 experts from UNESCO way and made the Danes Christians’. found that the stones in Jelling need- The inscription on the small stone ed protection from further weather reads ‘King Gorm made this mon- damage. They are now covered by a ument to his wife Thyra, Denmark’s glass casing which keeps them at a ornament’. fixed temperature and humidity.

Did you know that Bluetooth technology, used everywhere in mobile phones and comput ers for wireless communication, is named after Answers to the quiz on page 33: the Danish king Harald Blue tooth ‘due to his communications skills in bringing warring factions together’.

King Harald’s runestone 23 After the war of 1864 Danish Remembering the territory had been reduced by 40% war of 1864 and the population by a third. Such a dramatic loss is bound to impact national consciousness on a major by Louise Sørensen scale. The events of 1864 shaped modern Denmark for better and for worse.

2014 has been the year when we remem- most other European powers. (This is a bered the onset of the First World War a very simplistic view and reading more century ago. But for Danes and others, about the background elsewhere is defi- this has also been the year to commem- nitely recommended.) Events such as the orate another important war: the Second Battle of Copenhagen in 1807 and the Schleswig War, often simply known loss of Norway in 1814 were among the as Krigen i 1864 (‘The War of 1864’) most severe blows to the nation. which took place 150 years ago. The absolute monarch made decisions The anniversary has been celebrated that left Denmark in an incredibly vul- across Denmark, most notably perhaps nerable position politically and econom- with the premiere of DR television’s big ically (had defaulted on its foreign debt budget drama series, ‘1864’, written and in 1808). But, despite this, the Danish directed by Ole Bornedal (due to air on people did not turn against King Frederik BBC4 later this year). More traditional VI and genuinely believed that he had his acts of remembrance have taken place country and his people’s best interests at at Dybbøl Banke in Southern Jutland heart. The majority of those people were where the decisive battle of the war took peasants, and their devotion and tradi- place. And in Copenhagen, Tøjhusmu- tional values were celebrated by the in- seet (‘The Royal Danish Arsenal Mu- tellectual elite in the new movement of seum’) has featured an exhibition with Nationalromantikken. the purpose of reinterpreting the war as Over the next three decades, moderate a new beginning, rather than an abrupt reforms were introduced and internal- end to centuries of Danish power and ly the country seemed to be recovering. influence abroad. However, some believed that the King’s 1864 is important in Danish histo- power should be curbed and they final- ry because it marked the culmination ly succeeded in 1849 when a constitu- of half a century of steady Danish de- tional monarchy was introduced. When cline. The seeds had been sown in the the First Schleswig War, ongoing at the early 1800s when Denmark found itself time the constitution was signed, was in an unfortunate coalition with Napole- won in 1851, many thought that Den- on Bonaparte and therefore at odds with mark’s return to its golden age was not 24 far off. Once the small issue of what to do and felt that it was their historic right to with the duchies of Holstein, Schleswig be in a German union. In light of this, and Lauenburg – the cause of the recent the agreement reached in 1852 – that the conflict – was resolved, then everything duchies became independent entities in would be alright. a personal union with the Danish king – Both Denmark and Prussia felt that was unlikely to last. the duchies belonged to them. Histori- In March 1863, the Danish government cally, Schleswig and Holstein had been declared its intention to annex Schleswig. under Danish rule since Viking times, The final blow to the 1852 agreement while Lauenburg had been acquired came in November that same year when as part of the Treaty of Kiel in 1814. the new King Christian IX (Frederik VII Three solutions to the problem seemed had died the same month) signed the possible: full inclusion in the Danish November Constitution, ratifying those Kingdom, membership of the German intentions. The King had protested and Federation, or independence. Supporters warned that this would end in war, but of the Danish Eider Policy were in favour angry nationalist sentiment among the of liberating Danish Schleswig from Ger- population and riots in Copenhagen had many, but a large element of the duchy’s put the government under so much pres- population was increasingly nationalist sure that they beseeched him to sign.

The war was one of the first to be documented through photography, and the picture of the mill at Dybbøl shot to pieces became a lasting memory. Image credit: ‘Dybbøl Mølle sønderskudt, 19. april 1864’. Danish State Archives, Wikimedia Commons [CC-BY-SA-2.0]. 25 In December, a strongly dissatisfied days later, although sporadic fighting German Federation retaliated by oc- continued until Denmark officially asked cupying Holstein and Lauenburg. The for a truce in late July. build-up to war had begun. Over the After the war of 1864, a new border next few months, the Danish army was was established at Kongeåen, just south mobilised at the ancient fortifications of Kolding. (The border was moved to at Dannevirke south of Schleswig. where it is today after the referendum in War was finally declared by the Ger- 1920 which returned the North of Schle- man Federation, whose major powers swig to Denmark.) Danish territory had were Prussia and Austria, on 31 January been reduced by 40% and the population 1864. The Danish army was ill-prepared by a third. Such a dramatic loss is bound and on 4 February it was decided that to impact national consciousness on a Dannevirke would not provide sufficient major scale. The events of 1864 shaped fortification. Overnight the troops were modern Denmark for better and for worse. moved back to more northern positions The remainder of the 19th century at Dybbøl, Fredericia and Kolding. This saw the emergence of strong co-oper- was a blow to the strong nationalist sen- ative movements, and financially the timent that was flooding the country be- country recovered quite quickly. But in cause Denmark was now perceived to the Danish psyche, the sense of being a be wide open to attack. A few days later minor, inferior country in Europe took a Austria declared itself willing to enter a lot longer to overcome and, according to truce, but Denmark declined. Hostilities many commentators, it is only now – 150 now escalated and Kolding, Vejle and years later – that the shadow of 1864 is Fredericia were occupied over the next finally lifting. couple of months. The final battle at Dybbøl Banke started with bombardments of the Danish strongholds on 15 March 1864. By the time April came round, the attacks were relentless and the senior army command made an urgent plea to the government to withdraw from Dybbøl. This was denied. Early in the morning on 18 April, more than 40,000 Prussian soldiers attacked Dybbøl. The Danish army, a quarter of the size, was overwhelmed and retreated to the island of Als, but too late. Just 10 hours later at 2 pm, the Danes had been defeated and thousands of soldiers had died (the exact numbers are not known). Peace negotiations began in London two 26 A Norwegian chest by Brenda Tyler

A family heirloom of which I am very fond is a Norwegian bridal chest. These chests are now considered by Norwegian law to be of such historic value and interest that they may not be exported, but this one came to our family sometime between 1880 and 1914, and how it came to their highly respectable intellectual cir- us is a little piece of Anglo-Scandinavian cle for other girls eager to come. In the history. meantime Philip had continued to visit My great grandfather, Philip Wick- Jondal and other villages, each summer – steed, born in 1844, was a minister of always with at least one son or daughter religion whose congregation encouraged (and later grandchild) – and must have him to take a good summer break from innocently admired the decorated brid- his writing and lecture tours as well as al chests that were such a special item from his chapel duties. He sometimes of furniture in every house. They were went to Italy, the Netherlands, or Swit- made for, or inherited by, every girl so zerland – always adding new languages that she could gradually fill it with hand- to the Latin and Greek learned at school sewn sheets, duvet covers, table-cloths, – but the place that soon became his nightdresses…. against her marriage day, spiritual home from home was the Har- when she would take it with her to her danger Fjord in Norway. new home. You can see what is coming. He first accompanied his friend Estlin One time when the new maid was met Carpenter there in about 1887, and soon – we do not know if at Newcastle, Har- he became owner of a Hardanger færing wich, or London – she had brought one (small rowing and sailing boat). In the of these chests as a present for her hosts. villages dotted around the shores of Har- This story has another Anglo-Scan- danger Fjord there was precious little em- dinavian twist. One of the later girls, ployment for young unmarried women, who joined the Wicksteeds when they and it did not take too much persuasion had moved from London to an old man- for one of the daughters of a householder or house in a village on the Berkshire with whom Philip had struck up a warm Downs, fell in love with the village baker friendship, to bravely travel to England and they married and, I'm told, supplied to be maid in the Wicksteed household many children to keep up numbers in the for a year. village school. When she returned, she had no dif- ficulty in finding a replacement, and the Wicksteeds even found places amongst 27 Anna Sophie’s Kitchen by Anna Sophie Strandli Photo: Eivind Griffith Brænde brine, cover and leave for 24 hours In 1814, while the in the refrigerator. Men at Eidsvoll 4. Serve the pickled salmon with were busy pickled vegetables, horseradish developing the sauce and flat bread (or similar such Norwegian Constitution, the kitchen as Matzos). Garnish with dill. staff was hard at work. The 112 deputies had to be served lunch and Pickled Vegetables a three course dinner every day for Peel and cut vegetables into thin six weeks without electricity or slices. Use: carrots, white turnips running water in the kitchen. Typical and red onions. Place vegetables in a dishes would be: pickled salmon, jar and pour over hot brine (same pickled vegetables, eggs and herring recipe as for the salmon). Cover and on rye bread, flat bread and whey leave to pickle overnight. with cumin seeds, pâtés of pork and Horseradish Sauce liver, pies, meat or pea soup, braised Whisk together sour cream and veal, karmenade (beef patties), grated horseradish. Season with salt lemon tart, spice cake and bread and a few drops of lemon juice. pudding. Breakfast consisted of cold dishes, beer, dram and Madeira.

Pickled Salmon

Braised Breast of Veal 1. Bring vinegar, sugar, water and 1. Peel and cut the vegetables into spices to a boil. Use: 1 cup vinegar fairly large pieces. Use: 2 brown 7%, 1 cup sugar, 2 cups water, 1 bay onions, 3 carrots and 3 parsnips. leaf, 2 cloves, 1 star anise and 10 2. Season the meat well with salt and whole peppercorns. Simmer until the pepper. Use: 1.5 kilo breast of veal. sugar is dissolved. Leave to cool. 3. Melt a good dollop of butter in a 2. Sprinkle coarse salt over the hot iron pan and brown the meat on salmon fillet (about 500 grams of all sides (if the meat has a fatty side salmon serves four) and wait 20-30 this should be fried first and then minutes before rinsing off the salt. turned once the fat has a nice brown Pat the fish dry with kitchen paper. colour). Sprinkle with two 3. Cut the salmon into pieces and tablespoons of white flour, add the place in a jar. Pour over the cold vegetables and, if you wish, garlic. 28 Pour over around 1 litre of good beef stock. The stock should just cover the From the bookshelf meat. Add 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, 2 bay leaves and 3-4 slices of lemon. Cov- er with a tight lid and bring to a boil. Place the casserole in the oven at 150 °C for about 2 ½ hours or until the meat is completely tender. You may want to lower the temperature and leave for longer. 5. If desired, you can lift out the meat and vegetables and reduce the liquid in the pan to make a sauce. Adjust the taste Little ones by Kari Suomalainen with salt and pepper and thicken with a spoon of cornstarch dissolved in a little cold water. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of By Finland's most famous political car- cold butter. toonist, Little Ones is a highly collectible 6. Cut the meat into thin slices and serve portfolio of his delightful artwork of ba- with the vegetables, boiled or roast bies and toddlers. With pencil sketches, potatoes, sauce, or just the good juices cartoons and soft watercolours, which are from the pan. at once immediate and intimate in style, Bread Pudding small wonders are captured: from a ba- 1. Grease an oven- by's first hair to a toddler's walk in the proof dish with grass dressed as nature intended. Kari's butter. Cut 6 slices masterful strokes portray the incidents of day-old bread, of every day seen both through a child's or Christmas cake eyes and a parent's loving gaze. All ex- with raisins, into quisitely capture the first innocent days cubes and add to of childhood. the greased dish. 2. Whisk together 3 dl cream, 2 dl milk, Pikku Publishing September 2014; 2 eggs + 3 egg yolks, 100 g sugar, seeds available from the Finnish Church and from 1 vanilla bean, a pinch of cinna- Finn-Guild’s offices (in addition to ordi- mon, 1 cup raisins (soaked in dark rum nary outlets). ISBN 978-0-9928050-2-9. or fruit juice), the zest of one orange and one lemon. Pour into the mould Pikku Publishing is run by Elena and leave for a few minutes to allow the Sapsford (aka Elena Mannion), bread to soak up the mixture. a member of the Anglo-Finnish 3. Sprinkle with brown sugar and bake at Society. 180° C for about 30 minutes. Serve hot with cold vanilla sauce. 29 Westermarck. Occasional Paper No. 44 of Silk for the Vikings (Ancient Textiles) the Royal Anthropological Institute (ed. by Marianne Vedeler. David Shankland) Beginning with a presentation of the silk Edward Westermarck, who was a found- finds in the Oseberg burial, the richest er member of Anglo-Finnish Society, Viking burial find ever discovered, the was a remarkable man, but one who has other silk finds from high status graves received little credit for the significant in Scandinavia are discussed along with part he played in the creation of modern an introduction to the techniques used to anthropology. He spanned two worlds: produce raw silk and fabrics. Later chap- the comparative anthropological endeav- ters concentrate on trade and exchange, ours of the 19th century, and the estab- considering the role of silk items both lishment of social anthropology at the as trade objects and precious gifts, and LSE, in which he played a major role. in the light of coin finds. The main trade In this volume, Westermarck's place routes of silk to Scandinavia along the in anthropology is discussed, along with Russian rivers, and comparable Russian detailed descriptions of his very active finds are described and the production academic life in Finland and in Britain, and regulation of silk in Persia, early Is- whilst other chapters consider his equally lamic production areas and the Byzantine pioneering writings in morals and ethics. Empire are discussed. The final chapter Westermarck's own writings are fea- considers silk as a social factor in various tured by way of illustration of his ide- contexts in Viking societies compared to as, including his LSE inaugural lecture, the Christian west. his Huxley lecture, and a hitherto un- Marianne Vedeler is an Associate Pro- published paper on ritual and survivals. fessor at the Department of Archaeology, Sean Kingston Publishing (published University of Oslo. in association with the Anglo-Finnish Published by Oxbow Books (Series: Society) March 2014. ISBN-13: 978- Ancient Textiles Series, Volume: 15) 1907774317 ISBN-10: 1907774319. April 2014. ISBN 9781782972150. 30 Barndrottningen Filippa och hennes värld. A new book by Eivor Marti- nus (guest writer in CoScan Magazine 2012/2) tells the story of an English prin- Scandinavian Baking by Trine Hahne- cess who, at the age of 12, became Queen mann. of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Al- ready married by proxy to Erik of Pomer- 100 authentic, triple-tested Scandinavi- ania, Princess Philippa/Filippa arrived in an recipes with a modern twist, shot on her new country in October 1406. location in Scandinavia. Both Midsum- Filippa became an influential Queen mer and Christmas festivities are built with considerable political influence, around the making of cakes, cookies and acting as regent during her husband’s ab- breads of all sorts, and the baking cele- sences abroad. She was a benefactor of brations of both seasons are included in St Birgitta’s monastery at Vadstena and the book. persuaded her brother, Henry V, to build The book is suffused with hygge, a Syon Abbey, outside London. Danish word that has no English equiva- She became a popular figure in Scan- lent but means cosiness, or relaxing with dinavia in her time, but today she is vir- friends over good food and drink. tually forgotten. With the help of contem- Trine lives in Copenhagen with her porary documents, Eivor Martinus paints husband and works part-time in London. a portrait of this energetic young Queen Quadrille Publishing Ltd Sept 2014. – she was only 35 when she died – and ISBN-13 9781849493796. describes the turbulent times she lived in, the country she left and the country she came to. The book is in Swedish, but a translation into English is planned. Published by Carlsson Bokförlag Sep- tember 2014. ISBN 978 91 7331 663 7. 31 Recent translations of Norwegian fiction:

I Refuse (Jeg Nekter), by Per Petterson, trans. Don Bartlett (published Harvill Orkney by Howie Firth. & Secker October 2014, ISBN 978- 1846557811); novel by the author of Out Howie Firth explains: ‘The publishers Stealing Horses. ‘Per Petterson’s out- wanted it to be the definitive book on standing new novel is broader in scope Orkney, covering all aspects, and they than many of his previous novels, but as have produced it in a high-quality format, powerful and moving as anything he has with many photographs of the islands. written.’ Several chapters are about Norse Orkney, with a lot of new information, and I have also put forward a new picture of the Norse settlement of Orkney and indeed of the role of Vikings.’ Howie Firth has written, broadcast and lectured on his native Orkney for more than thirty years. He has been involved with all aspects of Orkney life, from community development to research. In 2003 he was awarded an MBE for his services to popular science. The Blue Room (Like sant som jeg er vir- Robert Hale Publishers 31 Oct 2013. kelig), by Hanne Ørstavik, trans. Deborah ISBN: 9780709071082 Dawkin (published Peirene Press June 2014, ISBN 978-1908670151); novel, reviewed in the Guardian 17 June 2014. ‘A corker, written by someone with real literary and psychological intelligence.’ 32 Who are we? We would both have been 100 this year.

1. In 1947 I wanted to test a theory, and 1. I had my first exhibition in 1943. that made me world-famous. 2. My books have been translated into 2. I wrote a book about it which was 45 languages. translated into 67 languages. It was called "Niki Jenkins took speed" - well, 3. Here is a topical extract from one of not really: that is an anagram of its title my books: ‘In Sweden people stuff their in the original language. own sausages and make candles... and all mothers sew presents at night. On Christmas Eve they all become Lucias, 3. Surprisingly, I was terrified of water with a great wreath with lots of candles and did not learn to swim until I was 22. in it on their heads.’

4. I died in Italy, aged 87. 4. I died in the city I was born in, aged very nearly 87. 5. My first name begins with a T. 5. My first name also begins with a T. (Answers on p 22)

33 CoScan Trust Fund Travel reports 2013 Greenland - not just your everyday school trip! by Emma and Katie Houston (edited)

In the summer of last year our group of Photo: Katie Houston eleven pupils and two teachers set off for Greenland. We departed Scotland on the studied by people at Stirling University 15th of July. We had to change the lo- when we returned. Others went into their cation of our expedition because of the own ‘Eppendorf’ tubes with some water risk of polar bears, so we didn’t get to to travel home as live specimens. They meet other young people as we originally are particularly interesting (explains Ka- planned, but it was still good. We took a tie) because the sex ratios of the seed flight from Edinburgh Airport to Keflavik bugs are very unusual. There are next to Airport in Iceland and spent a couple of no male seed bugs compared to female. days in Reykjavik doing some sightsee- Emma continues: I went swimming ing; we saw geysers and hot rivers. Then in the glacial river and fjord a couple we took a plane from Reykjavik airport of times - it was freezing, but I wanted to Narsarsuaq, a small village which to say I’d done it. One of my favourite mainly consists of the airport! It was then things was walking on the glacier; we a long boat journey to Nanortalik where used crampons, which was a new expe- we got to stay overnight in a place called rience and we were wearing harnesses so Hotel Tupilak. I’m not convinced it was we were all tied together in case some- ever a hotel, but at least it wasn’t a tent! one fell. Our teacher taught us how to Then it was another long boat journey up do river crossings one evening. I really Tasermiut fjord to our base camp. enjoyed that - the river was really strong During our time in Greenland we even though it was small, and I almost walked on glaciers, saw an arctic hare fell over. and a humpback whale, and undertook We had a half way party in Greenland various scientific experiments. The work where we did lots of team games and col- on seed bugs was my favourite (says lected firewood for a bonfire, we cooked Emma): we collected them in ‘pooters’, fish on it and the teachers brought cake, but sometimes they were hard to find. we played Pictionary quite a few times Some of the bugs went into ethanol to be and came to the conclusion the girls were best! 34 Katie says: One of my favourite parts of When we returned to Nanortalik we the trip was fishing. We caught Arctic bought lots of food (cookies!) and char and I even learnt to gut them, which bought some souvenirs in the little tour- was fun. One of the worst things on the ist shop. When we were back in Reykja- trip was the flies. I have never seen so vik we camped at the city campsite and many flies swarming around me before walked in to the shops a couple of times. and I hope I won’t again! It was even Our teachers took us out to dinner at a worse when I lost my midge net! burger restaurant - REAL FOOD! The The girls agree about the food: the sisters also agree that the expedition dried expedition food was not the best. was an amazing experience - ‘it wasn’t But they liked most of the main meals, just your everyday school trip!’ especially the curries.

An internship with the World Health Organisation in Copen- hagen by Caroline Anderton

In 2013 I received a Travel Award from ratory work for an international confer- the Confederation of Scandinavian So- ence on Violence against Women, which cieties of Great Britain and Ireland to then took place on the 25th and 26th No- complete a six week internship with the vember in Vienna last year. World Health Organisation (WHO) Re- The WHO is the authority responsible gional Office for Europe in Copenhagen, for public health within the United Na- Denmark. I was a final year medical stu- tions. WHO/Europe is located in Øster- dent and this internship was to be com- bro, Copenhagen. It is one of six regional pleted as my medical elective. I was both offices around the world. The building delighted and surprised to be offered the is designed in the shape of a hand. My position, as I was aware of how compet- office was located on level 3, finger 5, itive the placements are, and my applica- overlooking the harbour where ships to tion showed limited formal public health Oslo regularly come and go. I was lucky experience. However, I swiftly accepted to find an apartment close to the office the internship. I was to be working with and enjoyed cycling to and from work the Health and Gender team doing prepa- every day. 35 My work at WHO was varied, but was document was distributed to conference split mainly into two areas: helping with attendees in the days before, to give them the general organisation of the confer- an idea of themes and ideas which would ence and writing a background document be raised in Vienna. for it. The conference was a collabora- One hugely enjoyable part of my tion between three organisations: WHO/ elective was the social opportunities Europe, the City of Vienna and the Eu- that WHO provided. There was a large ropean Institute for Gender Equality group of UN interns from all over the (EIGE) based in Lithuania. Before my world. Regular outings such as the run- arrival, communications between the ning group and weekly karaoke helped three stakeholders had been complicated, us bond tightly as a group, enabling close resulting in misunderstandings and slow friendships to form in a short space of organisation. Therefore, my role was to time. This was important as we were only act as the ‘go between’: all communica- permitted to discuss WHO matters with tions about the conference went through fellow WHO colleagues, so any support me, via email or telephone, and I organ- had to come from the intern group itself. ised what was happening in each coun- Lastly, a very important aspect of my try and communicated it clearly back to internship was the opportunity to live in keep everyone on the same page. I also and fully experience another European had the responsibility of writing the 12 city. I have travelled widely in the last session briefs for the conference. This few years, but I rarely tend to stay in involved attending teleconferences with one place longer than a few days. Stay- the organisers and acting as the scribe to ing for six weeks allowed me to really compile a document on each conference get to know the city, make close friends session: four plenaries and eight parallel and settle into my work. By the end of sessions. These briefs were a large part of my stay I felt like a local and was sad to my work and needed continuous updat- leave a city I felt I had got to know and ing as sessions were changed or speakers love as much as Leeds. were added or removed. I also was able to make my own recommendations if I felt they were appropriate, such as sug- CoScan travel grants gesting speakers or finding relevant back- are awarded once a year to people ground documents. My role also included aged between 15 and 25 who are writing the invitation list and invitation planning a journey of an educational letters for the conference, which includ- nature to Scandinavia. ed representatives from each WHO/Eu- rope Member State and also academics Further information from Brita Green and professionals in the field. Alongside or John Christmas (see page 40). this work I was continually writing the Deadline for applications: conference background document; the 31 March 2015. piece of work I am most proud of. This 36 ed regions of culture and history, they are On the Trail of Tourists linked through that culture and history. So it is with the tourist trail from Britain to Norway. I began to wonder how Nor- by William Frost way was perceived by these nineteenth century travellers. Do they compare Nor- Thanks to the decision of the CoScan way with Britain? The answer is yes, they scholarship committee to consider travel most certainly do. However, as many of grants for mature students, I was able to the travellers arrived in the land of the take advantage of the opportunity to visit midnight sun via Germany, Denmark and Denmark to carry out a week of intense Sweden, Norway was seen in relation not archival research at The Royal Library, only to Britain, but to the other countries Copenhagen, and a week of research visited on the itinerary, and so it was that based in the State and University Library, to understand nineteenth century per- Aarhus. ceptions of Norway, I chose to explore Currently in the second year of a col- perceptions of Denmark. The many liter- laborative doctoral degree with the The ary outpourings published in increasing British Library and The University of number by British tourists on return from Sheffield, my research considers the ex- their trips to Norway can reveal as much periences of British tourists in Norway about Norway in relating what the coun- in the nineteenth century and how they try was perceived not to be. influenced the development of an -inde My time in Denmark provided little pendent Norwegian state. time for exploring contemporary Scan- So, why a research trip to Denmark, dinavia; however, in immersing myself you might well ask. Perhaps my back- in the archives and exploring British im- ground can help explain while highlight- pressions of Denmark and Norway from ing the importance and benefit of the in- the nineteenth century, I have amassed terdisciplinary and trans-national nature much research material and, perhaps of Scandinavian Studies. more importantly on a personal level, With a BA in Scandinavian Studies gained a better understanding of the re- from University of East Anglia and an lationship between Britain and Scandi- MLitt in Orkney and Shetland Stud- navia in a historical context which, I am ies from the Centre for Nordic Studies, sure we can all agree, is at the heart of University of the Highlands and Islands, CoScan. I have been fortunate to receive a thoroughly interdisciplinary education that Donations, please not only provides the ability to look out- to the Trust Fund treasurer: side the confines of any one specialised John Christmas discipline but also trains students to put 22 Hobgate, York YO24 4HF. the Nordic region in context; rather than Cheques made out to seeing the nations of the north as isolat- CoScan Trust Fund. 37 Member Societies 2014

Anglo-Danish Society – [email protected] www.anglo-danishsociety.org.uk Anglo-Finnish Society – [email protected] www.anglofinnishsociety.org.uk Anglo-Norse Society – [email protected]/[email protected] www.anglo-norse.org.uk Anglo-Scandinavian Society of Newcastle – [email protected] www.newcastleangloscan.org Anglo Swedish Society – [email protected] www.angloswedishsociety.org.uk Danish Church in London – [email protected] – www.danskekirke.org Danish Cultural Institute – [email protected] – www.dancult.co.uk Danish Seamen’s Church in Hull – [email protected] – www.danishchurchhull.co.uk Danish YWCA, London – [email protected] – www.kfuk.co.uk Devon & Somerset Anglo Scandinavian Society – [email protected] www.angloscan.org.uk Finn-Guild – [email protected] – www.finn-guild.org Finnish Church in London – [email protected] www.finnishchurch.org.uk Grieg Society UK – [email protected] – www.griegsociety.co.uk Hampshire Anglo-Scandinavian Society (HASS) – [email protected] www.hass.org.uk Hertfordshire Anglo-Scandinavian Society – [email protected] www.hertsscandinavian.co.uk Irish Scandinavian Club – [email protected] www.members.upc.ie/dorte.eriksen Manchester Swedish Language Meetup Group – [email protected] www.meetup.com/Manchester-Swedish-Language-Meetup-Group Midlands Scandinavians – [email protected] Nordic Horizons – [email protected] – www.nordichorizons.org Northants Anglo-Scandinavian Society – [email protected] Norwegian Church in London – [email protected] www.sjomannskirken.no/london Norwegian Scottish Association – [email protected]/[email protected] www.norwegian-scottish.org.uk Orkney Norway Friendship Association – [email protected] www.orkneycommunities.co.uk/onfa Scandinavian Klubb of Lincolnshire (SKOL) – [email protected] www.skol.org.uk 38 Scottish-Finnish Society – [email protected] www.scottish-finnish-society.org.uk Scottish Norwegian Society (Glasgow) – [email protected] www.norwegiansocietyglasgow.co.uk Scottish-Swedish Society – [email protected] www.scottishswedish.org Shetland Norwegian Friendship Society – [email protected] www.communitydirectory.shetland.gov.uk/shetland-norwegian-friendship- society-i380.html Swedish Church in London – [email protected] www.svenskakyrkan.se/london University of Sheffield Centre for Nordic Studies – [email protected] www.nordic-studies.group.shef.ac.uk/home.html York Anglo-Scandinavian Society (YASS) – [email protected] www.yorkangloscan.org.uk Honorary members: Finnish-British Society (from 2003) – www.finnbrit.fi Nordmanns-Forbundet (from 2004) – www.norseman.no

CoScan Executive Committee

President: Mark Elliott, CMG, Wheelwright Cottage, High Lorton, Cockermouth, Cumbria CA13 9UQ, [email protected] Vice President: Peter Wright, OBE, JP, B.Sc, FRSA, 5 The Heights, Carline Road, Lincoln LN1 1JP Chairman: Dr Eva Robards, Shrubbery Cottage, Nun Monkton, York YO26 8EW, [email protected] Treasurer: Manja Ronne, 6 Baker Street, Gayton, Northants. NN7 3EZ, [email protected] Secretary: Lise Hodgson, 11a Herbert Grove, Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS1 2AT, [email protected] Membership Secretary: Peter Campbell, 8 Sandyloch Drive, Lerwick ZE1 0SR, Shetland, [email protected] Youth and International: Helena M S Schmidt, Gustavsgate 1, 0351 Oslo, Norway, [email protected] 39 CoScan Executive Committee cont. Tony Bray, 14 Ridge Avenue, Marple Cheshire SK6 7HJ, [email protected] Wendy Howell, 10 Exeter Way, London, SE14 6LL, [email protected] Kari Moss Wright, 5 The Heights, Carline Road, Lincoln LN1 1JP, [email protected] Norman Pike, FCA, Barna House, Church Lane, Bradley, Grimsby DN37 OAE, [email protected]. Anna Sophie Strandli, Industrigaten 40, 0357 Oslo, Norway,[email protected] Alfhild Wellborne, 7 Bath Terrace, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 1UH, [email protected] CoScan Trust Fund

Trust Fund Chairman: Dr Brita Green, 103 Long Ridge Lane, Nether Poppleton, York, YO26 6LW, [email protected] Trust Fund Treasurer: John Christmas, 22 Hobgate, York YO24 4HF, [email protected] Tony Bray, 14 Ridge Avenue, Marple Cheshire SK6 7HJ, [email protected] Alfhild Wellborne, 7 Bath Terrace, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 1UH, [email protected]

Frozen lake near Stockholm. Photo: Joseph Malone (Travel award recipent 2013)

40 CoScan Patrons

Their Excellencies, The Ambassadors of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden

Scandinavian Embassies in the UK – press, culture and information

Denmark: Lone Britt Christensen, Cultural Attaché, 55 Sloane Street, London SW1X 9SR, Tel: +44(0)20 7333 0200, [email protected], www.denmark.org.uk

Finland: Pirjo Pellinen, Cultural Affairs Officer, 38 Chesham Place, London SW1X 8HW, Tel: +44(0)20 7838 6200, [email protected], www.finemb.org.uk

Iceland: Petrina Bachmann, Attaché, 2A Hans Street, London SW1X 0JE, Tel: +44(0)20 7259 3999, [email protected], www.iceland.is/uk

Norway: Eva M Vincent, Head of Press, Information and Cultural Affairs 25 Bel- grave Square, London SW1X 8QD, Tel: +44 (0)20 75915500, [email protected], www.norway.org.uk

Sweden: Ellen Wettmark, Counsellor Cultural Affairs, 11 Montagu Place, London W1H 2AL, Tel: +44(0)20 7917 6400, [email protected] www.swedenabroad.com/london Linking and supporting Scandinavian Societies since 1950

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CoScan Magazine

Editorial Board: Peter Addyman, Mark Elliott, Brita Green (chairing meetings), Eva Robards, Iain Robertson, Anna Sophie Strandli, Louise Sørensen, Alfhild Wellborne Printed by: Inc Dot Printing, York Front cover photo: Uwe Sleytr

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