Swedish American Genealogist Volume 28 | Number 3 Article 4 9-1-2008 A trip of a lifetime Dee Kleinow Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.augustana.edu/swensonsag Part of the Genealogy Commons, and the Scandinavian Studies Commons Recommended Citation Kleinow, Dee (2008) "A trip of a lifetime," Swedish American Genealogist: Vol. 28 : No. 3 , Article 4. Available at: https://digitalcommons.augustana.edu/swensonsag/vol28/iss3/4 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center at Augustana Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Swedish American Genealogist by an authorized editor of Augustana Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A trip of a lifetime Tracking the ancestral trails throughout Sweden makes many memories forever BY DEE KLEINOW My husband Ray and I have done a toured a little, stayed overnight, then to stay with Helmer and Maine Olofs- fair amount of traveling to different flew on to Copenhagen on the 15th. son, friends who grew up in the same places, but our trip to Sweden this We were met at the airport by my area of Slätthög, Moheda, Berg, Asa, summer tops my list of travels. cousins, Gert-Ove and Anny Nilsson, and Tjureda, as my mother’s father A number of years ago, I was giv- who drove us over the Öresunds and relatives did and have ties to en many old family photos without bridge to Sweden, and their home in southern Minnesota. With Helmer’s names. After sorting, arranging, and Höllviken, which is located in the far knowledge, we drove the back roads, researching them and putting the southwest corner, about a block in- through the village farms, and visited information into a genealogy pro- land from the sea. an old, out-of-the-way local museum, gram, my interest in genealogy and found farm history books, and visited researching all my family lines back In Skåne with the local historians. into Sweden became an addiction. Over the next several days, we went There are no words to really ex- This led to attending many classes, sailing on the Öresund and were plain your feelings while touring the many hours of research in records invited to numerous family reunions family farm sites, visiting the church both here and in Sweden, and many and relatives’ homes in the Malmö, where your emigrant family left hours of research volunteer work. Lund, Höör, and Löberöd area, where from, and touching the baptism font With this knowledge and connecting Swedish coffee, desserts, and deli- where your grandparents or great- with my special Swedish relatives cious meals were served. We were grandparents were baptized. While and friends, a wonderful month-long taken to the family churches, grave in Växjö, we strolled through the old th trip to Sweden was planned. Now a sites, and family farms around Väs- section of town, visited the 11 month sounds long, but with such an terstad, Östraby, Östra Kärrstorp, century cathedral, and the House of exciting, full schedule, it seemed as and Fränninge; visited the old Lund Emigrants where we had coffee with if time flew by. We have been asked Cathedral and watched the medieval a delightful elderly gentleman, Ivan to report on this trip, but we quickly calendar clock announce 12 noon; found we must give just the high- walked the streets of many of the old lights or write a book, so.… historic sea captain towns like Trel- leborg, Ystad, and Simrishamn; The travel plan toured many of the medieval castles We first decided on an overall plan and Viking villages along the Skåne of starting in Skåne; then Kronoberg; western, southern, and eastern Kalmar; Stockholm; Leksand in Da- coasts. There is so much history in larna; back to Stockholm; over to Sweden and this area to talk about, Värmland; relatives in Norway; and but it was time to move on. leave through Oslo. To do this, we chose Icelandic Air to break up our Växjö next! journey. Wednesday, May 21st, we packed our bags, said our tearful goodbyes to my Off we go! cousins in Skåne, and picked up our th We left Minneapolis on May 13 rental car in Malmö and worked our Dee ponders the ancestors and their 2008, arrived in Iceland on the 14th, way to Växjö, where we were invited baptisms. Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 7 Nilsson, one of the first volunteers at the Emigrant Center. We also took a tour of the Emigrant Museum which shows a very interesting dis- play of the emigrants leaving for America and Minnesota. We did not do any research here as we had already done it at home. With so much genealogy research resources available on microfilm or on the Internet, it is much easier, faster, and cheaper. So, do your family research before you plan to travel overseas. To Orrefors and Läckeby It was now May 23rd and time to drive Skokloster, northwest of Stockholm. east, through the region of Vilhelm area. Then over the bridge to the alogy was, of course, the main topic. Moberg and a tour of the Orrefors island of Öland, with its historical After we dropped off our rental car, glass factory which started produc- sites, windmills, and farmland mead- we were off to tour the 17th century tion in 1742. (Yes, we spent a few kro- ows, which was larger in size than royal palace, Drottningholm, King nor here!). we had expected. Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia’s Then on to Läckeby where long country home on the island of Lovön time genealogy friends, Susanne near Stockholm. While here we saw Åkerfeldt, Rune Eriksson, and child- Going north Monday, May 26th, we started our the changing of the guard and en- ren, who have family ties to Minne- joyed our walk through the beauti- sota, were waiting for us. After a nice, journey north along the east coast, through beautiful rocky green rolling ful landscaped grounds. Then we relaxed evening meal, we had a sur- were off to tour the countryside and prise visit from their neighbor, who hills and large farm fields of rapeseed and potatoes in full bloom. We to visit the Lovö parish church, which was a board member of the Kalmar is a very old kyrka with many rune- län Genealogiska Förening. We ex- stopped for a quick shopping trip through IKEA on the northwest side stones around the building and ceme- changed genealogy related items, tery. The next day, we toured the Sko- while listening to the beautiful night- of Stockholm, which was larger than our Minneapolis store. kloster kyrka and slott where Elisa- ingale’s evening song. beth has family ties. This is a pearl Highlights of this area took us to We met Bengt & Elisabeth Thor- sell, editor of the Swedish American among churches in this area, and is the medieval city center of Kalmar, still in use today. Skokloster Castle, which still has part of the city wall; Genealogist and a past guest speak- er at our Swedish Genealogical So- which is right beside the church, is Västerport, the main entrance to the the largest private palace ever built city, located close to the 12th century ciety of Minnesota meeting. She had invited us to their home where gene- (1645) in Sweden. It is a museum of Kalmar slott (castle). It has a terrific artifacts with many of the originals view of the city, ocean, and coastal still intact, including three rooms of a fantastic armory collection, dating to the 1670s era. With so much his- tory, our camera was working over- time. Dalarna next! Then it was off to cousin Annika and Peter Wallenskog’s beautiful historic home for an evening of visiting and relaxation. May 29th found us up early taking the train from Stock- holm to Leksand, Dalarna, where genealogy friend, Stenåke Petersson, met us with a surprise handshake from Leksand Mayor Lars Nygårds. We were off to another wonderful An Öland windmill. Runestone U47 at Lovö. See note. 8 Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 center, on the shore of Lake Mäla- stad, Värmland, where Dr. Fredrik ren, whose history stretches back to Haeffner of SweGGate fame was the 13th century, and past the stately waiting for us. He had planned to give homes in that area. us a tour of the research center We also tried out the subway sys- (Emigrantregistret [The Kinship tem into downtown Stockholm, Center]), but it had closed early in where we bought tickets for a two preparation for Sweden’s national hour boat ride under the bridges and celebration on the 6th. After a nice around many islands of Stockholm. walking and driving tour of the area, We walked past many government he escorted us to Töcksfors and cous- buildings and where the Nobel Prize in Ingrid Andersson’s home, where awards are held; toured the Royal we had been invited to stay for the Palace (built and completed in 1754) next few days. where the royal official entertain- When we visited this area in 1995, ment functions take place; watched I only met two distant cousins. Be- the changing of the Royal Guards; cause my mormor’s lines go back to The House of Genealogy in Leksand. and toured the Stockholm Storkyr- the very beginning in the Töcksmark, Those filefolders in the back are full of kan (cathedral). Jan Eurenius, a staff Östervallskog, and Holmedal church microfiche from the whole of Sweden! member of Genline and a research records, I knew there would be more. three days of visiting, and traveling friend, gave us an interesting driving I was told that I had many relatives through the beautiful country a- tour of the islands north of Stock- waiting to meet us.