Oslo united in grief as 100,000 take to the streets for memorial march

Oslo came alive with a Rose March of more than 150,000 people last night - united to bring love to a country scarred by hate.

They marched from the suburbs to the city centre, each carrying a single rose to remember the 76 victims of fanatical right-wing mass murderer Anders Breivik.

The mood was one of defiance as well as remembrance as prime minister Jens Stoltenberg told the crowd: "Evil can kill a human, but never defeat a whole people."

Crown Prince Haakon, whose wife Princess Mette-Marit lost her stepbrother in the massacre on Utoya island, declared: "Tonight the streets are filled with love."

One young marcher said: "There's a lot of us, most of our friends are going. We feel what's lost and we're here to show we are here to stand together."

And Amnesty International's Norwegian general secretary John Peder Egenaes said: "It will show that we stand together against everything the terror action on Friday stands for."

Princess Mette-Marit, who was joined by her sister-in-law, Princess Martha Louise, at the rally, could not hide her sorrow at the deaths.

On motorways, cars and lorries pulled on to the hard shoulder as a mark of respect.

Ordinary people at work or in their homes turned off their phones and radios to stand together in grief.

The only sounds in Oslo city centre were seagulls squawking - and a lone dog barking.

Stoltenberg, dressed in black to lead the observance of the silence, was joined by King Harald and Queen Sonja, standing next to a flame on the steps of Oslo University.

Neighbouring countries Denmark and Sweden also joined in the remembrance.

And thousands gathered at Oslo cathedral for a memorial service dedicated to those who died and more than 90 people who were injured in the attacks.

Most of those assembled outside the cathedral stood with their heads bowed throughout the 90-minute service.

Mourners gathered around a sea of candles and floral tributes to the dead and missing.

In many ways, Norway was still in a state of shock yesterday - over the sheer senseless waste of life and the fact that one of their own had turned his murderous rage on the people of the country.

Stoltenberg yesterday told the BBC that the attacks would change his country forever.

But he insisted it would remain "an open Norway, a democratic Norway and a Norway where we take care of each other".

He thanked the international community for their support but said he believed no country could ever fully protect itself from such attacks.

And he said now was the time to look after the wounded and those families who had lost loved ones.

The country cancelled political campaigning for September's elections until mid-August.

In line with the PM's words, much of the focus in Norway has been on the importance of not letting terror acts change such an open society.

Groups on social networking sites have urged people to stand together for peace and confront the hatred with love.

Other pages have demanded the reintroduction of the death penalty - a sign of growing anger and a desire for revenge.

But signs of normality began to return to Oslo yesterday.

Most shops were open and trams were rumbling through the city's streets.

But the flag on the court where mass killer Breivik appeared remained at half-mast.

There, the court officers joined in the minute's silence - just an hour before the man accused of the atrocity arrived.

Norwegian literature

History of Norwegian literature starts with the pagan Eddaic poems and skaldic verse of the 9th and 10th centuries with poets such as Bragi Boddason and Eyvindr skáldaspillir. The arrival of Christianity around the year 1000 brought Norway into contact with European mediaeval learning, hagiography and history writing. Merged with native oral tradition and Icelandic influence this was to flower into an active period of literature production in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. Major works of that period include Historia Norwegiæ, Þiðrekssaga and Konungs skuggsjá.

Little Norwegian literature came out of the period of the Scandinavian Union and the subsequent Dano-Norwegian union (1387—1814), with some notable exceptions such as Petter Dass and Ludvig Holberg. In his play Peer Gynt, Ibsen characterized this period as "Twice two hundred years of darkness/brooded o'er the race of monkeys", although the latter line is not as frequently quoted as the former. During the union with Denmark, written Norwegian was replaced by Danish.

Two major events precipitated a major resurgence in Norwegian literature. In 1811 a Norwegian university was established in Christiania. Seized by the spirit of revolution following the American and French Revolutions, the Norwegians signed their first Constitution in 1814. Soon, the cultural backwater that was Norway brought forth a series of strong authors recognized first in Scandinavia, and then worldwide; among them were Henrik Wergeland, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, Jørgen Moe and Camilla Collett.

By the late 19th century, in the Golden Age of Norwegian literature, the so-called Great Four emerged: Henrik Ibsen, Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, Alexander Kielland, and Jonas Lie. Bjørnson's "peasant novels", such as "En glad gutt" (A Happy Boy) and "Synnøve Solbakken" are typical of the national romanticism of their day, whereas Kielland's novels and short stories are mostly realistic. Although an important contributor to early Norwegian romantic nationalism (especially the ironic Peer Gynt), Henrik Ibsen's fame rests primarily on his pioneering realistic dramas such The Wild Duck and A Doll's House, many of which caused moral uproar because of their candid portrayals of the middle classes.

In the 20th century, three Norwegian novelists were awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature: Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson in 1903, Knut Hamsun for the book "Markens grøde" ("Growth of the Soil") in 1920, and Sigrid Undset in 1928. Further important contributions to Norwegian literature were made by writers like Dag Solstad, Jon Fosse, Cora Sandel, Olav Duun, Olav H. Hauge, Gunvor Hofmo, Stein Mehren, Kjell Askildsen, Hans Herbjørnsrud, Aksel Sandemose, Bergljot Hobæk Haff, Jostein Gaarder, Erik Fosnes Hansen, Jens Bjørneboe, Kjartan Fløgstad, Lars Saabye Christensen, Johan Borgen, Herbjørg Wassmo, Jan Erik Vold, Rolf Jacobsen, Olaf Bull, Jan Kjærstad, Georg Johannesen, Tarjei Vesaas, Sigurd Hoel, Arnulf Øverland and Johan Falkberget.

Culture of Norway

The unique Norwegian farm culture, sustained to this day, has resulted not only from scarce resources and a harsh climate but also from ancient property laws. In the 18th century, it brought about a strong romantic nationalistic movement, which is still visible in the Norwegian language and media. In the 19th century, Norwegian culture blossomed as efforts continued to achieve an independent identity in the areas of literature, art and music. This continues today in the performing arts and as a result of government support for exhibitions, cultural projects and artwork.

Norway has been, in many regards, an early adopter of women's rights, minority rights, and LGBT rights. For example, in 1990 Norway was the first country to recognize the ILO-convention 169 on indigenous people, and in 1913 become one of the first countries to grant women universal suffrage (without conditions on civil status). It was also the first independent nation to allow women to run for elected office.

In regards to LGBT rights, Norway was the first country in the world to enact an anti-discrimination law protecting the rights of gays and lesbians. In 1993 Norway became the second country to legalize civil union partnerships for same-sex couples, and on January 1, 2009, Norway became the sixth country to grant full marriage equality to same-sex couples.

However, only in 1990 was the Norwegian constitution altered to grant absolute primogeniture to the Norwegian throne, meaning that the eldest child, regardless of gender, takes precedence in the line of succession. This was not done retroactively, meaning that even now the current successor to the throne is not the eldest child to the King, but the eldest son. The Norwegian constitution Article 6 states that “For those born before the year 1990 it shall  be the case that a male shall take precedence over a female.

An ardent promoter of human rights, Norway is home to the annual Oslo Freedom Forum conference, a gathering described by The Economist as “on its way to becoming a human-rights equivalent of the Davos economic forum.

Harald V of Norway

Harald V born 21 February 1937 is the king of Norway. He succeeded to the throne of Norway upon the death of his father Olav V on 17 January 1991. The son of the then-Crown Prince Olav and of Princess Märtha of Sweden, Harald was born at the Crown Prince Residence at Skaugum, Akershus, Norway.

A member of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, originally from Northern Germany, Harald became the first Norwegian-born prince since Olav IV, who was born in 1370. Harald V is the formal head of the Church of Norway and the Norwegian Armed Forces. He has two children, Crown Prince Haakon and Princess Märtha Louise. His grandchildren are Maud Angelica (2003), Leah Isadora 2005, Emma Tallulah 2008, Princess Ingrid Alexandra (2004), and Prince Sverre Magnus 2005.

Harald has two older sisters: Princess Ragnhild of Norway, Mrs. Lorentzen, Ragnhild Alexandra, born Oslo, 9 June 1930, who lives in Brazil, and Princess Astrid of Norway, Mrs. Ferner, (Astrid Maud Ingeborg, born Oslo, 12 February 1932), who lives in Oslo.

He is 8th in line in the line of succession to the headship of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg.

He is the great-grandson of Edward VII of the United Kingdom, and 68th in line to the British throne. He is a paternal second cousin to Elizabeth II and the late Princess Margaret and also a maternal first cousin to Baudouin of Belgium and his successor Albert II of Belgium.

Culture of Norway

Unique Norwegian farm culture, sustained to this day, has resulted not only from scarce resources and a harsh climate but also from ancient property laws. In the 18th century, it brought about a strong romantic nationalistic movement, which is still visible in the Norwegian language and media. In the 19th century, Norwegian culture blossomed as efforts continued to achieve an independent identity in the areas of literature, art and music. This continues today in the performing arts and as a result of government support for exhibitions, cultural projects and artwork.

Norway is an early adopter of women's rights, minority rights, and LGBT rights. For example, in 1990 Norway was the first country to recognize the ILO-convention 169 about indigenous people, in 1993 Norway became the second country to legalize civil union partnerships for same-sex couples, and on January 1, 2009, Norway became the sixth country to grant full marriage equality to same-sex couples. An ardent promoter of human rights, Norway is home to the annual Oslo Freedom Forum conference, a gathering described by The Economist as “on its way to becoming a human-rights equivalent of the Davos economic forum.

Architecture of Norway

Norway has always had a tradition of building in wood. Indeed, many of today's most interesting new buildings are made of wood, reflecting the strong appeal that this material continues to hold for Norwegian designers and builders.

Norway's conversion to Christianity some 1,000 years ago led to the introduction of stonework architecture, beginning with the construction of Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim.

In the early Middle Ages, stave churches were constructed throughout Norway. Many of them remain to this day and represent Norway’s most important contribution to architectural history. A fine example is The Stave Church at Urnes which is now on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Another notable example of wooden architecture is the Bryggen Wharf in Bergen, consisting of a row of narrow wooden structures along the quayside.

In the 17th century, under the Danish monarchy, cities such as Kongsberg with its Baroque church and Røros with its wooden buildings were established.

After Norway’s union with Denmark was dissolved in 1814, Oslo became the capital. Architect Christian H. Grosch designed the oldest parts of the University of Oslo, the Oslo Stock Exchange, and many other buildings and churches.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the city of Ålesund was rebuilt in the Art Nouveau style. The 1930s, when functionalism dominated, became a strong period for Norwegian architecture, but it is only in recent decades that Norwegian architects have truly achieved international renown. One of the most striking modern buildings in Norway is the Sami Parliament in Kárášjohka designed by Stein Halvorson and Christian Sundby. Its debating chamber is an abstract timber version of a Lavvo, the traditional tent used by the nomadic Sami people.

Art of Norway

Extended period, the Norwegian art scene was dominated by artwork from Germany and Holland as well as by the influence of Copenhagen. It was in the 19th century that a truly Norwegian era began, first with portraits, later with even more impressive landscapes. Johan Christian Dahl (1788–1857), originally from the Dresden school, eventually returned to paint the landscapes of western Norway, defining Norwegian painting for the first time.

Norway’s new-found independence from Denmark encouraged painters to develop their Norwegian identity, especially with landscape painting by artists such as Kitty Kielland, a female painter who studied under Gude; Harriet Backer, 1845–1932, another pioneer among female artists, influenced by impressionism. Frits Thaulow, an impressionist, was influenced by the art scene in Paris as was Christian Krohg, a realist painter, famous for his paintings of prostitutes.

Of particular note is Edvard Munch, a symbolist/expressionist painter who became world famous for The Scream which is said to represent the anxiety of modern man.

Other artists of note include Harald Sohlberg, a neo-romantic painter remembered for his paintings of Røros; and Odd Nerdrum, a figurative painter who maintains his work is not art but kitsch.

Literature of Norway

History of Norwegian literature starts with the pagan Eddaic poems and skaldic verse of the 9th and 10th centuries with poets such as Bragi Boddason and Eyvindr skáldaspillir. The arrival of Christianity around the year 1000 brought Norway into contact with European mediaeval learning, hagiography and history writing. Merged with native oral tradition and Icelandic influence this was to flower into an active period of literature production in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. Major works of that period include Historia Norwegiæ, Þiðrekssaga and Konungs skuggsjá.

Little Norwegian literature came out of the period of the Scandinavian Union and the subsequent Dano-Norwegian union (1387—1814), with some notable exceptions such as Petter Dass and Ludvig Holberg. In his play Peer Gynt, Ibsen characterized this period as "Twice two hundred years of darkness/brooded o'er the race of monkeys", although the latter line is not as frequently quoted as the former. During the union with Denmark, written Norwegian was replaced by Danish.

Two major events precipitated a major resurgence in Norwegian literature. In 1811 a Norwegian university was established in Christiania. Seized by the spirit of revolution following the American and French Revolutions, the Norwegians signed their first Constitution in 1814. Soon, the cultural backwater that was Norway brought forth a series of strong authors recognized first in Scandinavia, and then worldwide; among them were Henrik Wergeland, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, Jørgen Moe and Camilla Collett.

By the late 19th century, in the Golden Age of Norwegian literature, the so-called Great Four emerged: Henrik Ibsen, Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, Alexander Kielland, and Jonas Lie. Bjørnson's "peasant novels", such as "En glad gutt" (A Happy Boy) and "Synnøve Solbakken" are typical of the national romanticism of their day, whereas Kielland's novels and short stories are mostly realistic. Although an important contributor to early Norwegian romantic nationalism (especially the ironic Peer Gynt), Henrik Ibsen's fame rests primarily on his pioneering realistic dramas such The Wild Duck and A Doll's House, many of which caused moral uproar because of their candid portrayals of the middle classes.

In the 20th century, three Norwegian novelists were awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature: Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson in 1903, Knut Hamsun for the book "Markens grøde" ("Growth of the Soil") in 1920, and Sigrid Undset in 1928. Further important contributions to Norwegian literature were made by writers like Dag Solstad, Jon Fosse, Cora Sandel, Olav Duun, Olav H. Hauge, Gunvor Hofmo, Stein Mehren, Kjell Askildsen, Hans Herbjørnsrud, Aksel Sandemose, Bergljot Hobæk Haff, Jostein Gaarder, Erik Fosnes Hansen, Jens Bjørneboe, Kjartan Fløgstad, Lars Saabye Christensen, Johan Borgen, Herbjørg Wassmo, Jan Erik Vold, Rolf Jacobsen, Olaf Bull, Jan Kjærstad, Georg Johannesen, Tarjei Vesaas, Sigurd Hoel, Arnulf Øverland and Johan Falkberget.

Languages of Norway

North Germanic Norwegian language has two official written forms, Bokmål and Nynorsk. Both of them are recognized as official languages, in that they are both used in public administration, in schools, churches, and media, but Bokmål is used by the vast majority, about 85–90%. Around 95% of the population speak Norwegian as their native language, although many speak dialects that may differ significantly from the written language. In general, most Norwegian dialects are inter-intelligible, although some may require significant efforts on the part of a listener to understand. Several Uralic Sami languages are spoken and written throughout the country, especially in the north, by the Sami people. Speakers have a right to get education in Sami language no matter where they are living and receive communication from the government in various Sami languages. The Kven minority speak the Uralic Kven language/Finnish. There is advocacy for making Norwegian Sign Language an official Norwegian language.

In the 19th and 20th century, Norwegian language was subject to strong political and cultural controversy, which led to the creation of Nynorsk in the 19th century and to the formation of alternative spelling standards in the 20th century, notably the Riksmål standard, which is more conservative (that is, more similar to Danish) than Bokmål.

Norwegian is similar to the other languages in Scandinavia, Swedish and Danish. All three languages are mutually intelligible and can be, and commonly are, employed in communication between inhabitants of the Scandinavian countries. As a result of the cooperation within the Nordic Council, inhabitants of all Nordic countries, including Iceland and Finland, have the right to communicate with the Norwegian authorities in their own language.

Any Norwegian student who is a child of immigrant parents is encouraged to learn the Norwegian language. The Norwegian government offers language instructional courses for immigrants wishing to obtain Norwegian citizenship. However, immigrants are not required to learn Norwegian in order to gain Norwegian citizenship, nor are their children. From 1 September 2008 an applicant for Norwegian citizenship must also give evidence of proficiency in either the Norwegian or Sami language or give proof of having attended classes in Norwegian for 300 hours, or meet the language requirements for university studies in Norway (which is met by being proficient in one of the Scandinavian languages).

The main foreign language taught in Norwegian elementary school is English. The majority of the population are fluent in English, especially those born after World War II. German, French and Spanish are also commonly taught as a second or, more often, third language. Russian, Japanese, Italian, Latin and rarely Chinese (Mandarin) are available in some schools, mostly in the cities. Traditionally, English, German and French were considered the main foreign languages in Norway. These languages, for instance, had been used on Norwegian passports until the 1990s, and university students have a general right to use these languages when submitting their theses.

Sons of Norway

The Sons of Norway Elvedal Lodge December gathering will celebrate a Scandinavian Christmas at Dec. 12 at Hotel Mead. Julefest will begin at 4 p.m. with cocktails followed by a 5 p.m. dinner featuring Torsk (poached cod), roast loin of pork, mashed potatoes, vegetables, tossed salad, cucumber and dill salad, cole slaw, herring, rolls, beverage, lefse and bread pudding with brandy sauce. The program is the Lincoln High School Chamber Orchestra led by Ginger Martin followed by the Santa Lucia processional with Miss Wisconsin Rapids Lindsay Lobner and youth club as attendants. Reservations are necessary. Cost is $22 for non-members, $19 members, and $8.25 for children ages 3 to 11. Call Carol Bender, 424-5074, by Sunday. Vietnam Veterans In December, Vietnam Veterans of America again will collect nonperishable goods such as canned fruits, meats and vegetables. We will also donate $100 to the food pantry. 

You can also drop off items at Don Schillinger's, house, 850 14th St. S., before Thursday. In November, we donated $200 to VA Hospital at King and the PTSD unit at Tomah VA hospital. The color guard will participate in the Nekoosa Christmas parade and Pearl Harbor Day Ceremony on Monday at the VFW in Wisconsin Rapids. The chapter thanked all the veterans for their participation in this year Veterans Day activities. Our next meeting is at 7 p.m. Thursday at The BAR. 

For additional information on the Vietnam Veterans of America, call Gary at 325-6881. Business & Professional Women Wisconsin Rapids Business & Professional Women will meet Thursday at Hotel Mead. The meeting begins promptly at 6 p.m. and ends at or before 8 p.m. December's meeting will feature a holiday gift exchange among members. Fellowship and a great meal will be top priority. The meeting is open to any working woman in the area. Dinner is $12 and non-member attendees need to call Deb at 424-1892 (leave a message) by noon Monday to reserve a place. Items for club news are limited to 150 or fewer words. Source: wisconsinrapidstribune.com/

About Norway

In May 2010, Norway will be the proud host of the Eurovision Song Contest. Having hosted Europe's favourite TV-show twice before, in 1986 and 1996, and the Olympic Winter Games in 1994, NRK has the expertise to organise a wonderful show for the whole of Europe! The basics Norway is one of the Nordic countries with a population of 4,660,539 happy people. It is bordered by the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea and Barents Sea in the West, Russia, Finland and Sweden in the East, and the Skagerrak (an arm of the North Sea) in the south. Most of the country consists of mountains and plateaus. Forests are found almost as far north as Nordkapp (the North Cape). Summers are remarkably mild for the latitude, while winters are long and very cold, often with plenty of snow. History A number of small Norwegian communities were gradually organised into larger regions in the 9th century, and around the year 900 King Harald Fairhair (Harald Hårfagre) unified the realm and became its first supreme ruler. In the Middle Ages Vikings from Norway settled in England, France, Ireland and Iceland. Norway and Denmark subsequently formed one kingdom from 1380 to 1814 when, in the wake of the Napoleonic wars, Norway was united with Sweden, adopting a modern constitution in the process. I 1905 Norway and Sweden went their separate ways peacefully and Norway has been independent since. Modern Norway Norway is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government. The monarchy holds a strong position in Norway, and the present monarch, King Harald V, enjoys great popularity. The country is of great socio-economic equality with a high standard of living and a homogeneous population. Apart from Oslo and adjacent suburbs, there are no metropolitan cities in Norway. Norwegians usually live in small communities with well developed road, air and ferry communication. Did you know? The sea along the coast is rich in natural resources like oil and fish; Norwegian per capita income ranks among the world's highest; Norway is now the world's leading producer of salmon; North of the Arctic Circle, the sun does not set between the middle of May and end of July; conversely the sun does not rise between the middle of November and the end of January; More than 30 stave churches are well preserved and open to the public at the original cite of building, or at the folk museums in Oslo and Lillehammer: Norway if very known for its beautiful fjords; Skiing originated in Norway. Words like ski and slalom are Norwegian. Ski jumping and slalom competition started in the county of Telemark. The 1994 Olympic Winter Games were held in Lillehammer; NRK hosted the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2004; According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, Norwegians read more than any other population in the world, spending an average of 500 kroner a year per capita on books! Famous Norwegian people include the playwriter Henrik Ibsen, the composer Edvard Grieg and the band A-ha whose leadman Morten Harket was the host of the 1996 Eurovision Song Contest; Norway has rejected joining the European Union twice, in referendums in 1972 and 1994. Source: eurovision.tv/