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The Old Country Newsletter - A Global Manhunt & Swedes in the Civil War
Your Weekly Newsletter from Sweden!
Philip Hannes
January 10, 2025
Good morning!
It’s Friday, January 10.
We at The Old Country are sending our heartfelt thoughts and well-wishes to everyone affected by the devastating wildfires in California. Our hope is that you and your loved ones remain safe and out of harm's way during this difficult time.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Philip & Hannes
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Your Weekly Swede-ish
Attribution: Chemistry World
Harry Nyquist: The Swedish Engineer Who Shaped the Digital World
Did you know that Harry Nyquist, the trailblazing engineer who laid the groundwork for modern communication systems, was born in Sweden? Nyquist came to the world in 1889 in Nilsby, Värmland, and emigrated to the U.S. at the age of 23. A key figure in information theory, his work at Bell Labs contributed to innovations like the Nyquist-Shannon sampling theorem, essential for today’s digital technology. Despite his global impact in electronics and telecommunications, Nyquist stayed connected to his Swedish heritage, blending his Scandinavian roots with a passion for progress that changed how the world communicates.
Statistics you didn’t ask for
Sweden has one of the highest rates of gym memberships in the world, with about 22% of the population holding a membership, according to a 2020 report by RunRepeat. This reflects the country's strong fitness culture, where regular exercise is highly valued. On the other hand, one reason for Sweden's high gym membership rate could be the wellness allowance of up to 4,000 SEK per year, which is tax-free and provided by many employers. This benefit is encouraged by the state to promote a healthy lifestyle. As a result, many people have an active membership but may never actually go to the gym.
Global Manhunt for Swedish TV Personality as Statute of Limitations Looms
Dermot Clemenger, a TV personality famous for judging Sweden’s Let’s Dance (the local version of Dancing with the Stars), is wanted for 31 counts of purchasing sexual services. Authorities are racing against the clock to bring him to justice before key charges expire under the statute of limitations.
Clemenger, who has been linked to sex purchases at Thai massage parlors in Sweden dating back to 2019, has admitted to all but one of the charges. However, his sudden disappearance has complicated efforts to prosecute him. Swedish authorities have issued an international warrant for his arrest, but if Clemenger avoids capture, the first charge will expire as early as January 8, 2025, followed by two more in quick succession.
Prosecutor Per Svensson has emphasized the urgency of the case, describing the situation as “critical” for ensuring Clemenger faces justice. Authorities suspect Clemenger fled abroad in late 2023. Despite global efforts to track him down, his exact whereabouts remain unknown.
Adding to the intrigue, Clemenger’s internet search history hints at premeditated evasion tactics. Searches like “What happens if I refuse to accept service of process?” indicate a calculated plan to dodge prosecution. In September, he filed paperwork to emigrate to Ireland and deregistered from Sweden’s population registry, only to later reverse the decision in October—a move that has raised eyebrows among investigators.
For Clemenger to completely escape prosecution for all 31 charges, he would need to remain in hiding until January 25, 2026. Authorities are working tirelessly to apprehend him before time runs out, but as of now, the case remains a race against the ticking clock.
In other news
🏒 Sweden (Three Crowns) lost the World Junior Championship semifinal in ice hockey against Finland in overtime (3–4). A bronze medal match followed against the Czech Republic. 28 (!) penalty shots were required to separate the teams. And unfortunately, Sweden would go home without a medal.
🔥 The home of the famous Swedish podcaster, Sigge Eklund’s, in Pacific Palisades, California, was completely destroyed by the current wildfires, which have devastated the region, causing extensive damage and fatalities. While the Eklund family and their dog are safe in a Santa Monica hotel, they are focused on recovering from the loss and supporting their children amidst what is expected to be the most expensive wildfire disaster in U.S. history.
🕯 A man in his mid-20s has confessed to the fatal stabbing of a woman in her 60s at a grocery store in Botkyrka, Stockholm, an act described as senseless violence. While there is no known connection between the suspect and the victim, his lawyer attributes the crime to underlying mental health issues.
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.
High Alert as Snowstorm Swept Across Sweden
Attribution: Stefan Nilsson/SJ, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket) activated its national emergency response this week and deployed tracked vehicles during the recent snowstorm that affected large parts of the country.
The severe weather coincided with Epiphany, traditionally a busy travel day at the end of the holiday season.
SMHI (Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute) issued warnings for snow and strong winds, with the most severe warnings impacting northwestern and southwestern Svealand, as well as Dalsland. These areas experienced up to 30-40 cm of snowfall accompanied by strong winds, creating hazardous road conditions.
In Central Sweden, the combination of snow, wind, and temperature fluctuations caused icy roads, despite extensive efforts with snowplows and de-icing vehicles.
In northern Sweden, temperatures dropped as low as -30°C (-22°F) in some areas, making travel particularly challenging. Vehicles breaking down or trains stopping left some travelers stranded for extended periods in extreme cold.
Word of the week
Tre Kronor [Tray Kroh-nor]
Legacy Lanterns – shedding light on the stories of the past
"The current situation in the North American republic". Published by Fäderneslandet on 1861-05-15
Swedes in the American Civil War, Part 2
Last week, we could read about how the American Civil War was on the verge of breaking out and how Swedes in the United States viewed the two opposing sides. In this week's newsletter, we look deeper into the experiences of Swedes in the war in the new country.
When the war erupted, the quotas were quickly filled as the war spread a wave of patriotic fervor throughout the country, which also swept up the Swedish emigrants. When "the honorable old Abraham" called, many Swedes hurried to recruitment offices to enlist in the volunteer units being formed.
Exactly how many Swedes fought in the war is uncertain, but it is estimated that approximately three thousand enlisted on the Union side and a few hundred on the Confederate side.
Most Swedes ended up serving in regular Union regiments, but some units were formed that consisted predominantly of Swedes. For instance, in Illinois, two Swedish infantry companies and a Swedish artillery battery were established.
Scandinavian Companies
In Minnesota, there were mixed Scandinavian companies, and in both Chicago and New York, there were Swedish military groups called the Svea Guards and the Svea Garde, respectively.
These blue-and-yellow units were created partly because various Swedish immigrant communities came together or when a particularly driven Swedish association or representative established their own unit.
One example of the latter is the artillery battery in Illinois founded by a certain Axel Silfversparre, born in Strängnäs in 1834. Due to his noble lineage and unique life story, Silfversparre stood out among the Swedish emigrants. Before emigrating to the U.S., he had been an officer in the Svea Artillery Regiment in Sweden. In his new homeland, he, along with a colleague, established an artillery battery in Chicago, recruiting soldiers through advertisements in the newspaper Hemlandet.
Axel Silfversparre
Silfversparre’s battery experienced its first fire during the Battle of Shiloh in the spring of 1862 and remained active until the end of the war. However, the founder himself would not remain with the battery for long.
Shortly after Shiloh, he was court-martialed at the request of his subordinates. It was alleged that Silfversparre had opened the soldiers' mail to ensure they were not writing anything unfavorable about him and that he had also been intoxicated during the battle.
The Swede was acquitted of these charges, but a short time later, he was brought to court again. This time, none other than the famous Union General William T. Sherman accused Silfversparre of mismanaging the battery's horses.
Despite the general himself testifying during the court-martial, Axel Silfversparre was once again acquitted of the charges.
Silfversparre had, in any case, now fallen out of favor with Sherman, who chose to station the Swede in a small garrison far behind the front lines. This was a position he soon grew tired of, and he resigned from the army.
Weary of military life, he attempted a career as a merchant and began speculating in cotton. This venture also ended abruptly when he was captured by Confederate soldiers during a business trip outside Memphis in 1863.
Suspected of being a spy, he was sent to the Libby Prison camp outside the Confederate capital of Richmond. After five months of captivity, he managed to escape dressed in a stolen Confederate uniform. By pretending to be a lost Englishman, he boarded a ship and eventually made his way back to the North. For Silfversparre, the war was thus over.
Defend the new North
The Union Army still needed more volunteers for the war that continued to rage, and the Swedish-language press assisted in this recruitment effort.
The newspapers sought various ways to entice Swedes to enlist, and certain arguments were frequently repeated. Among other things, they spoke of a patriotic duty to defend the "adoptive country" and a religious duty to combat slavery.
Additionally, they referred to the idea that Swedes had the same blood in their veins as the soldiers of old, who fought under warrior kings such as Gustav II Adolf och Karl XII. Thus, they also invoked a duty to uphold an ancient warrior spirit from "the old North."