Amusement Sweden

The Olympic Games in Stockholm ”Sunshine Olympics” After the Olympic Games the nationalistic ideology grew in the country. During the 1800s and the dissolution of the Sweden - Norway Union 1905, the Swedish nationalism strengthened, particularly in the middle class. In the same social class there was also the greatest interest for Swedish sports. The middle class and the politicians thought that success in sports and by arranging the Olympics, Sweden would gain prestige in the world. After a successful application, Sweden arranged the Olympics This OS is called the "Sunshine Olympiad". During this OS many technological innovations was introduced in Athletics such as electric time-keeping and photos at the finish.

In Stockholm, it was also the first time that there were participants from all five continents in the world and that made it for the first time a full international event. A total of 2490 men and 57 women participated. In front of 25,000 spectators the Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf inaugurated the Olympics at the Stockholm Olympic Stadium on July 6. A total of 327,288 people saw the races that took place from 5 May to 27 July.

The lost Japanese In Sweden, probably Marathon remains the competition that they talked mostly about. The race started from the competition arena stadium and went to Sollentuna Church and back again, with the finish at the Stadium. Of the reported 98 runners only 68 started, and exactly half followed through at all. The reason that so few crossed the finish was the extreme heat during the day of the race. A Portuguese runner collapsed due to dehydration and died in hospital the next day. A Japanese contestant broke the race in Sollentuna when he was invited to drink a glass of juice in a villa garden. Then he took the train to Stockholm and went home to Japan without notifying the officials that he had quit the race. He gave rise to the story of "The Japanese who disappeared". Almost 55 years later, he was invited to Stockholm and then ran, symbolically, across the finish line at the Stadium. The final time was, in other words 54 years, 8 months, 6 days, 8 hours, 32 minutes and 20 seconds.

Sport and politics However, there was also some politics involved in these sports events: Finland's participation in the Stockholm Olympics was not easy. Finland was at this time a Grand Duchy under the Russian Czar who first wanted to ban Finland from participation in the games with their own troop. After Sweden mediated Finland was allowed to participate but under the Russian flag. The most obvious remains of the Olympic Games in Stockholm today is the Stadium building, which was built as the main venue for the competitions Inside the stadium competitions such as the shot put, tug of war, spears and time was arranged (photo from

Midsummer Midsummer is Sweden's major summer festival and takes place the Friday of the third week of June each year. We celebrate that the warmth returned and the days are long. In the northern part of Sweden, there is actually no sunset at all during this time of the year. The sun is up in the sky the whole night through. During Midsummer Eve we dress a long pole - Midsummer pole - with leaves and flowers, we bind wreaths, dances around the maypole and eat herring, new potatoes and strawberries with cream and drink beer and aquavit (schnapps). This is a standard menu that has emerged during the 1900s. It is believed that dance around the maypole was originally an ancient fertility festival to honor Summer Solstice and the rod was originally a phallic symbol. Actually, we know very little about ancient midsummer celebrations. It is likely that in some way celebrated the summer solstice, and to guess that the feast had with fertility to do is close at hand. In contrast, we know nothing about how the party really happened. (photo from

Midsummer Midsummer night was associated with love and eroticism and a youth party. One would dance until the sun came up. The Christian world was very critical of the midsummer weekend's festivities because it felt that it was immoral. The actual Maypole probably came to Sweden from Germany sometime during the middle Ages. The word Maypole (which in some places still is called the midsummer pole) is likely to be of German heritage and came from their May Day celebration. In Sweden adapted tradition, however it´s midsummer because it is warmer in June and there's more to dress the pole with. We have not really got any leaves from the trees in early May. When Sweden was mainly a farming community in the 1800s it was believed that the extended midsummer night was a magical night with many supernatural forces of nature at play. Medicinal Plants would be extra powerful and therefore you would collect them during midsummer night. Love Predictions were also common during this night. Until today, it is believed, half in jest, on love magic. Among other things, it is said that if you want to dream about whom you will marry, you shall gather flowers to put under your pillow. The flowers were in the tradition picked in silence – if broken the magic was supposed to be lost.

Music During the 1800s and early 1900s were folk-music common. There were fiddlers on violin, accordion or piano played dance music as the waltz, schottische or polka. Today, playing folk music mainly happens in rural areas.

Music Today, Popular Music is common and Sweden has got several international successes. Eurovision Song Contest is a popular festival. The most famous musicians or music groups are likely ABBA who won in the 1970s and Loreen who won the Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden has won the Eurovision Song Contest 1974, 1984, 1991, 1999 and Since the success of ABBA in the 1970s and Roxette in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Swedish pop has been popular around the world. The amount of Swedish music sold outside Sweden is huge Sweden climbed up to third place among music-exporting countries. Only music from the UK and the US fared better in international competition, a survey showed in One of the explanations for Sweden's international success is that we have since the 1940s had a municipal music school. Many children have got the opportunity to, at a subsidized price, get music lessons and play instruments, sing lead vocals and/or sing in a choir. This music knowledge is then used in forming their own band.