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The Old Country Newsletter – Summer, HIMARS & Disney
Your Weekly Newsletter from Sweden
Philip Gustavsson
June 14, 2024
Good morning!
It’s Friday, June 14th. I would like to begin this e-mail by thanking you for the response to last week's newsletter. To read that some of you were touched by the story of how I walked in the footsteps of an American relative in Ann Arbor really made my day.
The newsletter this week contains stories that range from Swedish-American military exercises on Gotland, to celebrity radio programs, to the results from the EU election that was held last week.
I hope you’ll enjoy the read, and, as always, have a wonderful weekend!
Philip
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Take care of your life! Take care of it! Don't waste it! Because now is your time on earth!
My personal favorite book-series of all time is The Emigrants, by the Swedish author Vilhelm Moberg. Through the four books in the series, we get to follow the triumphs and tribulations of early Swedish immigrants in America. In the first book, "The Emigrants," we meet Karl Oskar, Kristina Nilsson, their three children, and eleven others who set out from Småland in 1850, seeking a better life away from poverty, religious persecution, and social injustice.
By clicking here, you can learn more about the books and order a copy for yourself. Beyond getting your hands on an incredible book, it is also a great way to show support for this newsletter, as a few cents of each sale will help support our work.
Statistics you didn’t ask for
Approximately 1.3 million Swedes emigrated to the United States between 1850 and 1920. This number represents about one-third of the Swedish population at the time.
While it is difficult to know for certain, historical studies suggest that a significant proportion of emigrants were families, including children. It is estimated that about 20-25% of the total emigrants were children under the age of 16.
To imagine what a child feels when having to move across the globe is difficult when you haven’t been through it yourself. But I would assume that the feeling is similar regardless of if that child lived in 1868 or 2024.
Sommar i P1 – Meet the Summer Hosts of 2024
Sveriges Radio's beloved summer program "Sommar i P1" has been a staple on the airwaves since 1959. The program features a broadcast of approximately one hour each day during the summer months, featuring one famous individual telling their story. This year, the lineup includes comedian Johanna Nordström, circus director Trolle Rohdin, and soccer player Zecira Musovic among others.
Johanna Nordström plans to speak about loss and friendship. "I'm so nervous. I'll be talking to someone I miss very much," she shared during Sveriges Radio's presentation of this year's hosts. The 28-year-old Nordström, who co-hosts the popular podcast "Ursäkta" with comedian Edvin Törnblom, will be joined by fellow podcast star and author Sigge Eklund.
Other notable speakers include artist Little Jinder, defense expert Joakim Paasikivi, and former Prime Minister Carl Bildt (M). Beloved actor and director Lasse Åberg returns for his fourth appearance on the program, hinting at a mysterious yet entertaining topic. "Of course, there's performance anxiety – you have to entertain," Åberg remarked.
Former EU Minister Birgitta Ohlsson will discuss her battle with cancer, while Cecilia Uddén, Sveriges Radio's Middle East correspondent for three decades, will reflect on the war in Gaza. "It's the worst thing I've experienced, but I'll share more than just the misery; there are so many people I've met with other stories," Uddén said.
Making her debut on "Sommar i P1" is 27-year-old influencer and entrepreneur Matilda Djerf, celebrated for her fashion brand Djerf Avenue and listed on Forbes’ "30 under 30."
The audience-voted host, 21-year-old Alva Sparrevik, will take to the airwaves on July 17. She will speak about the tragic murder of her younger brother Lucas, who was beaten to death in the summer of 2023 after defending a friend. "I hope my story about my brother will make a difference. I want people to carry a part of Lucas with them – his warmth and courage," Sparrevik said.
If you would like to listen to the daily programs, follow the link below to get yourself a subscription to NordVPN.
In other news
🌳 Clothing maker Gina Tricot is under scrutiny after alleged misleading sustainability advertising. Influencer Bianca Ingrosso promoted Gina Tricot's initiative to sponsor a forest, with the company spending 80,000 SEK on 503 trees, but investing significantly more in her marketing efforts. Despite being presented as "Gina Tricot Forest," the 17,600-tree plantation is collectively owned by 150 individuals and over 20 companies, with Gina Tricot owning only a small fraction.
🚀 The U.S. Marine Corps conducted live rocket artillery exercises in the Stockholm archipelago, using the HIMARS system capable of targeting large parts of the Baltic region. This demonstration, part of the annual Baltops exercise, involved firing at a sea target and aims to enhance NATO's deterrence capabilities, with the potential to defend areas like Gotland from significant distances.
⚽ In early January, renowned Swedish football coach Sven-Göran Eriksson revealed he has cancer, with a prognosis of "at best a year." In a documentary by SVT, Eriksson discusses how he copes by staying busy and avoiding dwelling on the future, emphasizing the importance of living in the present.
Would you like to feel closer to Sweden? A perfect way to do that would be to have a look at Swedish broadcasts; either current or past. SVT Play is an online streaming service provided by Sveriges Television (SVT), the Swedish national public television broadcaster.
To watch it, one has to be in Sweden – or have access to a VPN provider that can connect to a remote server located in Sweden. Like NordVPN, which sponsors this segment of the newsletter.
By using NordVPN, you can access what SVT Play has to offer – including current news, documentaries about emigrants, live broadcasts from nature-events, and much more – by simply connecting to a server in Sweden. Follow the link here to get 74 % off for your first two years and three months (!) of usage. By doing so, you also help support the distribution of this newsletter.
Sweden’s EU Election 2024: The Results are in!
The results of the 2024 EU elections are in, and all Swedish parties have managed to keep their seats in the European Parliament. Beforehand, many thought that right-wing and extreme right-wing parties would make strong advancements throughout Europe. And while this was true in Germany and France, Sweden’s results looked different.
The biggest winner? The Left Party, snagging an additional seat. Meanwhile, the Sweden Democrats faced a surprising setback, marking the first time they've lost ground in a national election since entering the Riksdag in 2010.
Despite holding onto their three seats, the Sweden Democrats fell short of their ambitious goal to become the second-largest party, securing just 13.2% of the vote. This is notably lower compared to their like-minded counterparts across Europe who saw significant gains.
The Social Democrats led the pack with 24.9% of the votes, a slight increase from the 2019 EU elections. The Moderates came in second with 17.6%, while the Green Party surprised many by overtaking the Sweden Democrats for third place with 13.8%.
The Left Party made the biggest leap, increasing by 4.1 percentage points to finish at 10.9%. On the flip side, both the Centre Party and the Christian Democrats saw declines, ending at 7.3% and 5.7%, respectively. The Centre Party retained its two seats, but the Christian Democrats lost one of their two seats.
The newly formed Folklistan, led by Jan Emanuel and Sara Skyttedal, failed to secure a seat, with the "other" category, which includes Folklistan, garnering only 2.2% of the votes.
Voter turnout was at 50.7%, down from 55% in the 2019 EU elections.
Word of the week
VALRESULTAT [VAHL-reh-sool-TAHT]
The Life of Gustaf Tenggren: From Sweden to Disney Magic
Perhaps the name in the headline is new to you. I must admit that it was to me. But while Gustaf Tenggren’s name or image might have been unknown to you, some of his life’s work probably wasn’t. Because who among us has not enjoyed – or at least seen images from – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs or Pinocchio?
Gustaf Tenggren was born on November 3, 1896, in Magra, Västergötland, Sweden. The second-youngest of seven children, Gustaf grew up in a family of painters—his father, Aron, and grandfather, Johan, both worked in the trade. In 1898, the family moved to Gothenburg in search of better opportunities. Gustaf’s father left for the U.S. soon after, leaving the family to fend for themselves. Despite this, young Gustaf spent summers in Magra with his grandfather, experiences that would shape his artistic future.
By age eleven, Gustaf was contributing to the family income, working as a runner boy and an apprentice at a lithographer's shop. His talent didn’t go unnoticed; in 1910, a scholarship allowed him to attend the School for Arts and Crafts in Gothenburg while still holding a day job. By 1914, he earned another scholarship to Valand’s Art School, leading to his first illustration and portrait commissions.
In 1918, Gustaf was chosen to succeed John Bauer in illustrating the beloved Swedish folklore series "Bland Tomtar och Troll." The same year, he married Anna Peterson. In 1920, the couple emigrated to the United States, settling first in Cleveland, then moving to New York City. The 1920s saw Gustaf’s career flourish, culminating in a move to upstate New York during the Great Depression. Here, he and his second wife, Mollie Froberg, lived a rustic life until returning to NYC in 1935.
That year, Gustaf joined Walt Disney Studios as an Art Director for "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." His work influenced key scenes in the film, as well as other classics like "Pinocchio," "Bambi," and "Fantasia." After leaving Disney in 1939, Gustaf developed his own book projects, creating the popular "Tenggren books" and collaborating with The Golden Press on bestsellers like "The Poky Little Puppy."
Gustaf and Mollie spent their later years in Maine, in a home filled with Swedish antiques. Gustaf passed away from lung cancer on April 6, 1970. Mollie lived until 1984, ensuring Gustaf’s legacy by donating his works to the University of Minnesota, where they now reside in the Kerlan Collection, one of the world’s premier centers for children's literature research.