Vennskap Lodge 5-622 Sheboygan Falls, Wi 53085 November 2009 Volume 17, Issue 8 Coming Attractions Col. Hans C. Heg Writes From the War “I have been in the Battle several times and seen a great many November 10th men killed, and the Rebels have shot at me too, but if you arc a Vennskap Meeting good girl and Edmund is a good boy, they will not hit me, but I First United Lutheran Church will come home again... 2401 Kohler Mem. Dr. I have got a nice warm tent, and I bought me a light stove yester- Sheboygan day for 5 dollars. I board together with the Doctor and am living Monthly meeting 7 PM well...My tent has been full every day and it is hard work to get a [chance) to write letters..I think we may have a Battle here before long, and if you are good November 15th children, God will let me come Gratulerer home again to you..” Lutefisk Dinner Med Dagen! City Streets Restaurant These words are excerpts from November Sheboygan letters written on the battle- Elliott Marti..(Heritage)...... 5 Social Hour 1 PM field as the commander of Carolyn Bertram...... 5 Dinner at 2 PM Rachael Loritz.(Heritage)...... 7 Wisconsin 115th Division, Kelsey Pflieger.(Heritage)...... 9 Hans Christian Heg, wrote Fred Bruechert...... 10 reassuring notes to his children Ryan Jurgens.(Heritage)...... 13 and wife, even though he was Norma Onsager...... 17 suffering with the Norwegian Dave Dobbe...... 20 Joanne Staalson-Vogt...... 21 battlegroup of Wisconsin. Heg Arthur Thomas...... 22 was later fatally wounded as Matthew Marti.(Heritage)...... 30 he led his Wisconsin soldiers against the Southern rebels in December the War Between The States. Dell Solberg...... 6 His All-Norwegian battlegroup Dolcye Johnson...... 7 was fully comprised of volun- Hayley Solberg..(Heritage)...... 7 teers who fought bravely, led Joyce Loritz...... 8 by a leader who would become Danielle Grotbeck..(Heritage)...... 9 a legend, honored by several Oyvind Hanson...... 11 Megan Solberg (Heritage)...... 14 monuments and statues. Judith Block...... 15 Gordon Olson...... 18 Editor: Dell Solberg Shirley Moen...... 22 223 Hillcrest Ct Sheb Falls, Wi 53085 Dorothy Jurgens...... 31 ([email protected]) Happy Birthday! Fra Presidenten Dick Peterson Forty seven members and guests of our Vennskap Lodge heard a great Civil War presentation by Don and Laurie Shawhan. We always knew of the fighting skills of the Vikings, but now we are aware of the Norwegian and other Scandinavian men and women who served so gallantly during the Civil War. The stories by Don were well received and many questions were asked. The gown worn by Laurie was gorgeous. Thanks Don and Laurie for your program. Our Nominating Committee of Dolly Dickrell, Flare Fredricksen and Ginny Mikkelson presented their list of 2010 Lodge nominees. There is a name for every position. My sincere thanks to the committee and the Lodge members who have accepted the nominations. We will have our election at the Nov. 10 meeting in Sheboygan and look forward to another great year. Mikk had a good idea---that our November meeting should be before our Lutefisk Dinner on the 10th instead of the scheduled 17th. Everyone agreed with that idea. Thanks Mikk---gives us another night for needed planning. Sure do miss our monthly Norwegian lessons. Maybe sometime in the future our ‘celebrity bell ringer’ will show up with another lesson. See you at our November 10 meeting. God Bless! Dick At Our Next Meeting We will discuss simple ways to put your memories down on paper. Do you remember hearing tales about your Norwegian ancestors who braved their way to America? If you don’t preserve these stories, who will? Then, I will read my historical fiction narrative entitled PASSAGE HOME, which is based on facts and handed down stories about my great-grandparents, Johannes Nilsen Bjørlo and Oline Pedersdatter Bakke as they journeyed to America in 1871 from the Nordfjørd, which is in western .

Officers Present: Dick Peterson (President), Nan Webster (Vice President), Mary Ellen Peterson Sons of Norway, Vennskap Lodge (Serving as Secretary) and Social Director). Meeting Minutes: October 20, 2009 Guests in attendance: Bonnie Bur, Two Rivers, 7:00 p.m. First Lutheran Church Don Shawhan, Manitowoc and Bev Lee, Manitowoc Sheboygan. Proceedings: Meeting called to order by Dick Peterson at 7:00 p.m. Secretary’s minutes from last meeting are in by Mary Peterson the last newsletter. Treasurer’s report by Dollie Dickrell. Other Business: It was decided that the November meeting will be held in Sheboygan on November 10 instead of the usual third Tuesday of the month due to the date of the Lutefisk Dinner. Dell spoke on the upcoming Lutefisk Dinner. Sign up sheets were passed around for deserts and helpers Set up helpers to be there at 2 PM on Saturday. Bakery should be there by 12-1 PM the day of the dinner. Wine donations and other types of donations are desired for door prizes. Nominating Committee reported that all offices have been filled for the coming year. A Foundation bucket was sent around to the group for collections. A Barnebirkie letter was read and discussed. Ski for Light letter was read and discussed. Family Bowling Tournament must be planned soon. Discussion was held on the New Member Recruitment that the SON is starting. Open discussion. It was decided that instead of a librarian hauling the books around to meetings, that there will be a place for our books at United First Lutheran Church in Sheboygan. That would eliminate lifting and transporting. Books can be checked out there. Sonia spoke on the Script Program. Contributions from the Script program are given out at Christmas. Cards for Dec. and Christmas should be ordered now. Nan told that the History Channel presented information on the Kensington Rune Stone and that it was not factual, but more for entertainment of the audience. Signe is taking orders for the Norwegian Calanders next month. They are $8.00. Dolsey’s name was drawn for the attendance prize. She was not there. Next month it will be $10.00 Meeting Adjourned. Submitted by Mary Ellen Peterson “A-TEN- HUT!” “PORT-ARMS!” The Civil war, better known as The War Between The States was brought to life in living color, as Don Shawhan, known here as Sgt. Shawhan, shared his soldierly hobby. Don has been reliving the life of a civil war soldier for 18 years as he describes the scene while shouldering his musket and equipment. A famous leader in the war that began in 1861 was a Norwegian immigrant who served as a and brigade commander in the , while fighting against the Southern Rebels. Don shared his knowledge Don Shawhan as “Sgt. Shawhan” of this Wisconsin Norwegian War -hero with us. The 15th Wisconsin was called the Scandinavian Regiment, since its soldiers were almost all immi- grants from Norway, with some from Denmark and . It was the only all Scandinavian regi- ment in the Union Army. On October 8, 1862, Colonel Heg led his regiment into its first action at the . Despite being under fire while being driven back several miles by the enemy, the 15th Wisconsin suffered few casualties and no fatalities. However, one of those hurt was Colonel Heg, who was injured when his horse fell.

Hans Heg,who “became the war hero of the Norwegians, became the personal symbol of their contribution to the preservation of the Union.”

On September 19, 1863, Colonel Heg led his brigade at the Battle of Chickamauga, where he was mortally wounded. Brave Col. Heg, commanding a brigade, "was shot and died the next day." Upon hearing of Heg's death, Rosecrans expressed regret, saying he had intended to promote Heg to brigadier general. As it was, Colonel Heg was the highest-ranked Wisconsin soldier killed in combat during the Civil War. Col H.C. Heg Don’s wife, Laurie, is shown with her “Soldier- husband”, as she models her gown in the typical hoop skirted fashion. Thank you, Don for a very Laurie , a member of our informative and enjoyable lodge, sews and enjoys program! wearing dresses in the style worn in those war- years. ONL Y KIDS PAGE

What could possibly happen in November??

This is a Scandinavian calendar stick, engraved Let’s check our primstav. with images instead of numbers or runes.. Most images are of important church events. Allehelgensdag or helgemesse ( All Saints Day) Nov 1 In memory of all saints and martyrs.

Then, there’s Mortensmesse St. Martin was Bishop of Tours, France ( St. Martin’s Day) Nov 11 approx from 371-400. His sign was a goose. The custom of serving goose for mortensmesse dinner became common in the upper-levels of society of Scandinavia. The breastbone of the goose was used to predict the winter. If the bone had white specks, there would be snow. Brown specks meant a cold winter with little snow. If clear, the winter would be hard! Nov 23th was Klemetsmesse (Clement’s Mass) In memory of Clement I, Bishop of Rome, said to have died in 102. St. Clement was the third successor to St. Peter. He is remembered for a long letter written in the year 95 reprimanding the church at Corinth for its jealousies and quarrels. He was martyred by being thrown into the sea with an anchor around his neck. On this day all ships were to lie at anchor.

Karimesse ( St. Catherine’s Day) Nov 25th In memory of the martyr of Alexanderia, killed in 305. This is a time to The symbol is unclear, start spinning. “Nice weather on this day means nice church candles!” perhaps a wool carder. People In Telemark, this day was called Kari vaskar ( Kari, the washer) because took St. Catherine’s symbol people used to wash clothes around this time for Christmas. to be a spinning wheel and she was often known as Catherine converted to Christianity through a vision and denounced King “Catherine, with the Maxentius for persecuting Christians. Thrown into prison, she converted spinning wheel. “ Maxentius’s wife and many of his soldiers before she was executed.

November 26th My favorite day? Happy Thanksgiving! November 27th! Mørketiden NOVEMBER....The Murky Time!!

Darkness from end of Sept lasting until March at the North Pole! November until January in Trømso and Vardo..

Bad News!

In Tromso, Norway, 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, this period of darkness is called mørketida. From mid-November to mid-January, the sun does not rise above the horizon. In fact, from August until mid November, residents can count on losing 10 to 15 minutes of light each day. This can be a very difficult time for some northern residents. Losing the sun’s rising and falling rhythm causes confusion to people accustomed to “morning” and “evening”.

Good News! When Mother Nature turns down the sunlight, she sometimes switches on another light! Aurora Boralis which is Latin and translates into “the red dawn of the north.” This is a phenomenon that occurs in winter, and just north of the northern Arctic Circle and south of the southern polar circle. The display usually begins in the late afternoon or in the evening and continues with varying intensity often far into the night.

These colorful light displays are caused by a combination of solar winds and the earth`s magnetic field. The solar wind is a constant stream of electric particles from the sun. The solar winds rush along the earth`s magnetic field, compressing it and drawing it out into a tail while generating electric currents and energy fields in the areas around the earth. They can be all the colors of the rainbow from blue through green and yellow to red.

Sometimes, when our winter nights are crispy cold, even we here in Wisconsin, can view the spectacular displays of the Aurora Borealis, better known as The Northern Lights. TABLE FOR 200! COME AND GET IT!

Get Prepared for another great meal!

LUTEFISK! LEFSE! MEATBALLS!

Getting better and better!

Your table is ready!

NOV 15th 2 PM This is the event our friends have been waiting for! We expect a full house, as usual. Our fifteenth Annual Lutefisk Dinner will begin with a social hour at 1 PM with an cash-bar, followed by Dinner at 2PM at City Streets Sheboygan. Ticket sales have been brisk and everyone can expect full plates of Scandinavian delicacies, as usual with door prizes and chances to win valuable items. Check to see if your friends have received their ticket applications. We’ll try to squeeze them in! This is our major fund-raiser. Let’s make it a huge success!

NOVEMBER 15TH...... CITY STREETS SHEBOYGAN DINNER AT 2 PM Questions and Reservations...... Dell Solberg (920) 467-8134 e-mail [email protected] A Minnesota newspaper article tells what the Church Basement Ladies are up to now. If you saw their first long-running show, you’ll prob- ably be interested in reading this. Thanks to Judy Block for sharing. “Next up for the Church Basement Ladies is a Christmas show, Away in a Basement, set to open November 5 at the Plymouth Play- house. This show will take the ladies back to 1959, when they are preparing the familiar bags of Christmas candy, cigar box nativity scenes, and sheet-and-bathrobe costumes for the annual pageant. There will of course be a long discussion about which girl in the congregation is worthy to wear the blue percale sheet and play Mary.” The article goes on to say that while the play is still being written, 60% of the tickets for the 125 shows have already been sold. ThanksgivingThanksgiving TriviaTrivia 1. Was the real Plymouth Rock cracked? T or F (True - it cracked during the Revolutionary War while being pried from it’s location to be put on a pedestal.) 2. Which department store was the first to hold a Thanksgiving parade? Montgomery Ward In the 1990s Norway’s Fish Information Board pro- J.C. Penney’s duced this promotional sign to hang in a window. It was Gimbel’s about 19” x 13” and printed in orange and black. Macy’s Loosely translated it says, “Lutefisk lovers last longer!” (Gimbel’s in Philadelphia in 1920) 3. What was the original name for the Pilgrims? Anne & Fred have landed! Their new address: Fred & Anne Bruechert Puritans 600 Mitchell Avenue Cowboys Wisconsin Veterans Home Settlers King, WI 54946 (Puritans - they wanted to purify Church of England) A glimpse at life in Sweden...

With an abundance of forests, Sweden has the material for carving right at hand. In earlier days an amazing number of household items were carved out of wood. On winter evenings men would carve such things as bowls from hollowed out pieces of root, kegs, cheese and butter molds, bins for flour and salt, boxes and chests for storage and kalasbyttor, which are vessels for carrying food to a wedding or fu- neral. When attending a funeral (you still attend funerals in Sweden by invitation only) or a wedding, it was customary for guests to bring food for the meal. It was a matter of pride to bring it in an elaborately carved bowl or box. and there was silent viewing among the guests to see how one’s own vessel compared with the others. So if your husband’s work didn’t measure up... Think about that Marvin. And the best country to live in is ...

Norway tops U.N. quality-of-life list A Letter from Sven.... while Niger finishes last I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty BANGKOK - Norway enjoys the world's highest uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The quality of life, while Niger suffers the lowest, a phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid! U.N. agency has reported, as it released a ranking Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde that highlights the wide disparities in well-being Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the between rich and poor countries. ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The annual Human Development Index, unveiled The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll in Bangkok by the United Nations Development raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the Program, takes into account life expectancy, huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, literacy, school enrollment and per capita gross but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig, huh? domestic product in 182 countries ( reprinted by request) A child born in Niger can expect to live to just over 50 years, which is 30 years less than a child born in Norway. The United States was listed 13th. Oh, No! Lena went into work one morning crying her eyes out. Her boss asked sympathetically, "What's the matter?" Lena replies, "Early this morning I got a phone call saying that my mother had passed away and I feel terrible.” The boss, feeling sorry for her, says, "Why don't you go home for the day? Take the day off to relax and rest." "Thanks” she replied, “but I'd be better off here. I need to keep my mind off it and I have a better chance of doing that Happy Thanksgiving! here." The boss agrees and allows her to work usual. A couple of hours pass and the boss decides to check on Lena. He looks out from his office and sees her crying hysterically. "What's so bad now? Are you gonna be okay?" he asks. "No!" exclaims Lena. "I just received a horrible call from my sister. Her mother just died, too.” (Thanks, Terry) The Mission of Sons of Norway is to promote, preserve and cherish a lasting appreciation of the heritage and Computerwise.... culture of Norway and other Nordic countries,while growing soundly as a fraternal benefit vennskapnews.blogspot.com is our link to the society offering maximum latest local news on the web. benefits to its members. Latest announcements.. Check it out! Save it as a “favorite” or “bookmark.”