The Old Country Newsletter – Vasalopp & Vildsvin

Your Weekly Swede-ish

Mary Anderson

Mary Anderson, born Maria Sofia Magnusdotter, dedicated her life to advancing women’s rights.

At sixteen, Mary emigrated from Lidköping to the United States in 1888, where a tough life awaited her. She worked as a dishwasher and in factories, enduring harsh conditions where accidents were common. Anderson helped organize strikes to fight for better working environments, but her primary goal was equal rights for men and women.

Thanks to her dedication, she was elected president of the female shoe workers' union in Illinois. She also became a leading advocate for women’s right to vote, which was finally introduced in the U.S. in 1919.

The following year, she became the head of the Women’s Bureau within the Department of Labor, making her the first female worker to hold a federal leadership position. Under her leadership, the bureau collected statistics to persuade American labor unions to push for higher wages for women.

After 25 years in the role, she had served under five presidents — from Woodrow Wilson in 1920 to Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944. After retiring, she continued to fight for equal pay for equal work until her death in 1964.

Alvar Myhlback Becomes Youngest Vasaloppet Winner

On Sunday, the world’s oldest and largest long-distance ski race, Vasaloppet, took place. The race is based on part of the route that Swedish King Gustav Vasa took when he fled from Mora to Sälen to escape King Christian II of Denmark (known in Sweden as "Kristian the Tyrant") during the winter of 1520–1521 — a journey he is said to have made on skis.

In a thrilling final stretch of the 56-mile race, 18-year-old Alvar Myhlback crossed the finish line first out of the day’s 15,800 participants, claiming the title of the youngest winner in Vasaloppet history. He broke the previous record held by Ernst Alm, who was 22 years old when he won the inaugural race in 1922.

“I can die happy now,” the 18-year-old told Swedish television SVT after finishing the race. “It was dramatic until the very end.” With just a few kilometers left, ten skiers were still in the leading group. But in the final stretch, Myhlback surged ahead from behind, securing victory in the iconic race and receiving the traditional victory wreath, presented by the “dalakulla” at the finish line.

“I’ve never felt better in my entire life, it’s completely unbelievable. It just doesn’t seem real,” he told SVT. Myhlback made his Vasaloppet debut in 2023, receiving a special exemption to compete at just 16 years old. He impressed the skiing world by finishing eighth. The following year, he placed third.

“It’s insane. It’s a life goal, and to achieve it at 18 years old... I’ve never had better skis in my life. From start to finish... they were incredible,” Myhlback added.

“It’s amazing, and he does it so brilliantly,” said SVT expert commentator Anders Blomquist. Myhlback received widespread praise in SVT’s broadcast after crossing the finish line.

“He’s making history — this guy is from another planet,” Blomquist said.

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.

Homeowners on the countryside struggling with wild boar tearing up their gardens might want to consider an unexpected solution—storing urine.

As wild boar activity spikes between January and April, when most piglets are born, desperate mothers searching for food are venturing into residential areas, particularly in places like Storvreta, north of Uppsala.

This time of year also sees young male boars leaving their herds, making them bolder and less cautious than their seasoned counterparts. The result? More frequent and destructive visits to private yards.

While there are several ways to keep the grunting intruders at bay, some experts suggest using human urine as a deterrent—an unconventional but reportedly effective trick to mark territory and discourage unwanted guests. It might not be glamorous, but for those tired of waking up to a torn-up lawn, it could be worth a shot.

Watch the clip via the link, if you are able, to learn more about this rather unorthodox strategy—because when it comes to keeping wild boar away, sometimes you just have to take the p***.