Forever Friends
I just met a third-generation subscriber at a festival—that is, a subscriber whose grandparents read Nordstjernan in the early 20th century then transferred the readership to the next generation and most recently to the third. The best compliment we’ve received in a long time was when he said he felt Nordstjernan is “... personal, and a companion rather than ‘just’ a commercial entity. It feels as if a friend is arriving in the mail box.”
Thanks Dave, comments such as yours happen to be why so many of us could not imagine a more fulfilling way to pass the day, and night.
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‘Välkommen’
- Regular readers: We are back after our traditional August hiatus.
- Vasa readers: Some of you may be seeing this, America’s only classic Swedish newspaper, for the first time.
Last year we introduced color on our pages. We’re happy to say this, our first issue of fall 2013, also brings something new to the readership: a section dedicated to Vasa Order of America, the largest independent Swedish/Nordic-American organization in the United States. Nordstjernan will include the organization’s quarterly membership news, the Vasa Star, on four occasions throughout the coming year.
We hope the addition and mutual cooperation will be valuable to you all. Don’t hesitate to let us know via editor@nordstjernan.com—if you’ve subscribed for some time, you know we’re always there for you. The Vasa Order is present almost everywhere; whether you’re born Swedish or American, don’t hesitate to become a member—this group is open to new ideas and attitudes—and like many other groups, it needs fresh blood. I’ve not belonged to any organization in Swedish America, so the Vasa membership will be a first; there’s indeed a first time for everything and I will let you know what my first impressions are. /UBM
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Nordstjernan has been a lifeline and a live connection to friends and family, traditions and roots for such a long time—it really takes a full year’s cycle of traditions and news to grasp what we’re truly about. Nordstjernan hasn’t missed one single edition since that day in September 1872 when our first issue hit the streets of select cities along the eastern seaboard. We have since published over 7,000 editions of the newspaper—at first weekly, then later and at present on a twice per month basis, or 22 issues per year with the exception of August.
We all need companions; we all need to belong. Case in point: Vasa Order of America. VOA, as it’s often abbreviated, was founded in 1896 to offer companionship and create a safety net for the early immigrants, as a way to create instant friends, if you will, much like today’s Facebook, but genuinely and in the real world. The Vasa Order is comprised of the Grand Lodge, 19 district lodges, and close to 300 local lodges. Membership is open to anyone “committed to the promotion and advancement of Swedish and Nordic heritage and culture.”
What is in a name?
“You are your name” is one of our stories in this issue (page 12) about how Swedish first names reveal so much more than gender, age or roots. We don’t know why the immigrants of the late 19th century specifically picked the name Vasa for their organization. The name was supposedly proposed since Gustav Vasa, just like George Washington, had been called the father of his country, liberating the Swedes from the Danish King. Also, the Royal Order of Vasa (Kungliga Vasaorden) was a Swedish Royal order of chivalry instituted by King Gustav III in 1772. We can assume that the name was meant to instill reverence for the organization, yet we find the name choice a bit peculiar, especially in light of the underlying social causes for the Swedish mass emigration.
Vasa or Wasa
The name is no doubt closely related to the history of Sweden. After all, the House of Vasa is the historic Royal House of the country.
It should be noted that the name was never used at the time of the first king (Gustav Vasa, who established Swedish sovereignty independent from Denmark), Gustav 1 or Gustav Eriksson, as was his birth name. The name Vasa came later; its origin has been disputed but two aspects are unquestionably facts: Gustav Eriksson’s family has its origins in the village Vasa in Uppland, north of Stockholm, and the symbol on the coat of arms of the family, which came into use in the 15th century, can be—and was—interpreted as a “stormvase” (tied together brush used as a shield in battle while storming a fort or encampment). It is not the only interpretation of the Vasa coat of arms, however; some experts say it’s a decoration for a helmet, while others consider it related to iron armaments.
Be that as it may, the name Vasa or Wasa later became the dynasty’s name, and while the symbol transformed into something that often looks like a sheaf of corn rather than the stormvase of olden times, it is still part of the Swedish National Coat of Arms. The Swedish Coat of Arms (The “Riksvapen”) has since 1818 incorporated the Bernadotte Dynasty’s coat of arms at the center, which holds both the Vasa symbol, the symbol of Ponte Corvo (the first Bernadotte was made Prince of Ponte Corvo by Napoleon prior to his election to Crown Prince of Sweden) with a golden eagle over it and the Big Dipper in gold.
We are what we do
A lot is indeed in a name but even more true is how we are who we are through what we do. Being Swedish may be a bit more than a state of mind. What’s with the little red horse on your desk and why does Blue and Yellow resonate with you just like the Red, White and Blue? Ever get into an argument about the merits of potato sausage or how aquavit is not just flavored vodka ... how lutefisk is just as edible as Swedish fish … whether to use salt or sugar with gröt? And, how singing at the table is actually good manners and keeps things grounded?
We introduce Certified Swede in this issue, a label and title you could be qualified for. We’ll continuously cover the people, stories or bits and pieces we feel are certifiably Swedish, and as always welcome your input as well! We are on a quest to find all the certified Swedes and certified Swedish in the United States. Without question a subject to be continued.
Albert Camus, the African born French philosopher, journalist and Nobel Prize winner for literature in 1957, once said about the season we’re entering: “Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.”
Welcome back after the summer, subscribers, and welcome Vasa members—we at Nordstjernan are happy and proud to be working together.
Ulf Martensson
Editor & Publisher
PS. While on the subject of Vasa: in our next issue we’ll offer a different view of “the occupant” of one of Stockholm’s most visited museums: the 17th century warship Vasa.
Not yet a subscriber? It does take a year to fully grasp our width and depth when it comes to Swedish culture - in and out of America. Check our digital issue here: http://www.qiozk.com/paper/nordstjernan/issue-15-2013 [Nordstjernan Edition 15, Vol. 141 at Qiozk] FREE app and the issue itself is 99¢ (and so worth it!) - best with iTunes or Google Play.
The 'additional cover' constructed for the Vasa 16-page addition to Nordstjernan.
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The Editor & Publisher
Inte som andra bloggar.... this entry will be sometimes in Swedish, sometimes 'på svenska' - Just så händelsrikt är livet som utgivare av Amerikas äldsta och numera enda Svenska tidskrift.
Här ovan poserar jag “on location” kl 6 på morgonen i Minneapolis St. Paul för två år sedan. Henrik Olund tog bilden som förberedelse för en porträttbild av Vice President Walter Mondale. (Det var en bra intervju med en bra person) Jag skriver sällan med byline i Nordstjernan men jag är alltid ansvarig för innehållet, även om jag inte alltid håller med om allt.
(PS. Intervjun med Mondale hittar ni på nordicreach.com DS.) |