Syttende Mai
By Mitch Berg
Today is the 104th anniversary of the Norske Revolusjon – when Norwegian patriots rebelled, casting off the brutal, authoritarian hand of the Swedish monarchy in an epic cataclysm that ended with a titanic battle in the hills outside Oslo, ending in a crushing Norwegian victory that sent the demoraized Swedes into a panicked retreat in the short term, and a social tailspin in the long run.
After the battle, and when the treaty was signed that granted Norway its hard=earned independence, General Olaf Haraldsson proclaimed:
Med allmektige Gud som vitne i dag, jeg sverger før du at fra i dag fram til slutten av tid og norsk skal noensinne baugen ned før en svenske. Det er bare galt
Words we cal all live by? I think we can all agree on this.
So happy birthday, Norway!
OK, OK – other than the dates and the flag picture, nothing in the story above is real. Syttende Mai is really the anniversary of the 1814 adoption of the Norwegian Constitution, which didn’t really make the country independent.
And there was no Norwegian revolution; indeed, Syttende is an exceedingly non-martial holiday.
But we could have kicked Sweden’s butt…
May 17th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
Back in the 60s Dad inherited the family farm in Norfjiord. He disinherited himself. preferring to respect his father’s wish to live here in this New World. I love him for his wise decision.
Thanks, Dad.
May 18th, 2009 at 8:41 am
Did you get your Norwegian flag, Mitch?
Mine was flying. In fact, I went hog wild and flew it on Saturday too.
I fly the American flag on all national holidays. I can give Norway one day a year.
I really do love the place. Even in its smugness.
May 18th, 2009 at 9:22 am
Kerm,
A few weeks ago, I had an email contact with a guy who’s great grandfather bought my father’s mother’s grandfather’s family farm (Graeslivold, in the Tydal) when they moved to America. Apropos not much; interesting to talk to a guy whose last name was the same as my paternal grandma’s maiden name, purely through virtue of a 130-year-old business transaction. Geneology in Norway is fun stuff!
Lars,
Yes. I installed a flagpole early this spring; I fly the Stars and Stripes on American flag holidays, but I have a St. Andrew’s Cross for Tartan Day, and the Norwegian flag for Syttende.
I can live with the smugness; considering 100 years ago they barely had pots to, er, make lutefisk in, they’ve at least partly earned it.
May 18th, 2009 at 10:07 am
I’ve gotten the following link from 2 different people in the last few days: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/business/global/14frugal.html?_r=2&th&emc=th
I think a certain left-leaning relation sent it in order to educate me about the superiority of socialism as an economic system.
Well, maybe, providing you’ve got a big tank of crude oil off your coast, and an unusual amount of self-control in your use of the money. I’ll give them credit for the self-control. The oil came from God.
Come to think of it, the self-control came from God too.