Friends and Foes in Scandinavia

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One 19th-century development in Scandinavia was that Swedish, Danish and Norwegian historians could at last get together for a chat without coming to blows, and in this spirit Swedish and Danish university students took advantage of the atrocious winter of 1828, when the Sound again froze over, to walk across the ice, meet in the middle and improvise odes to Scandinavia solidarity.


If this was the reminiscent of Magnus Barelegs and company at Konghelle, the dream was again upset by events in Norway, where the union with Sweden was in trouble. Norway strengthened its border fortifications, and Sweden had its army on alert before a compromise was worked out.

Flags of Sweden and Norway in 1899, after the removal of the union mark from the Norwegian merchant flag. Plate published by the foreign ministry of the united kingdoms to announce the recent change. Note the dark blue color and the correct proportions of the union mark in Swedish flags.(Source: Wikipedia)
Flags of Sweden and Norway in 1899, after the removal of the union mark from the Norwegian merchant flag. Plate published by the foreign ministry of the united kingdoms to announce the recent change. Note the dark blue color and the correct proportions of the union mark in Swedish flags.(Source: Wikipedia)

The union dissolved in 1905, following a plebiscite that voted overwhelmingly in favor of Norwegian independence.

Norway opted for a monarchy rather than a republic, and went shopping for a new king. Scandinavia braced itself for the 20th century.

Friends and Foes in Scandinavia, written by Admin