The National Day of Sweden - June 6
June 6 is the National Day of Sweden (Sveriges Nationaldag) and as a native Swede living in the States this is always cause for celebration at my house! I spend much of my time teaching Swedish language and culture to my students at Learn Swedish Now and this holiday is a great opportunity to share my love of Sweden and everything Swedish with them. In today’s blog I will tell you about the history behind the day and how it is celebrated nowadays.
While in most nations the national day is celebrated in honor of some event that is known and clearly meaningful to its citizens, this is not necessarily the case for Sweden. Perhaps a coincidence, but it might be related to the fact that Sweden has the distinction of enjoying the longest period of peace in the world. The last time the country was in conflict was during the Swedish-Norwegian war of 1814, which ended with Sweden recognizing Norway’s independence. Whatever the reason, very few Swedes seem to have an answer when asked about the origin of our National Day.
As it turns out there are actually two historical events that led to June 6 being chosen as the national day: the coronation of King Gustav Vasa and the adoption of the constitution of 1809. Gustav Vasa, generally considered the father of the nation, became king on June 6, 1523 which marked the end of the Kalmar Union (more about that here) between Denmark, Sweden and Finland. With the coronation Sweden was again independent and unified as one kingdom under Gustav Vasa. The adoption of the constitution of 1809 on June 6 established an executive branch (the King) and a legislative branch (parliament or Riksdag in Swedish). A new instrument of government was adopted in 1974 which removed all political power from the King and left the symbolic duties.
The first celebration of the Swedish National Day can be traced back to an event that took place at Skansen, the famous open-air museum in Stockholm, at their spring celebration on Tuesday, June 6 1893. The event was held in a nationalistic spirit and in the annual report from the museum that year they mentioned the event and the connection to the two events that now represent the national day. The following year one of Sweden’s largest newspapers, Svenska Dagbladet, mentioned that the national day would be celebrated again at Skansen on June 6. It would, however, take 90 more years (!) before Sweden officially established a national day in 1983. And it was not until 1995 that June 6 became an official holiday so that most people would have the day off to actually celebrate the occasion.
So how do the Swedes actually celebrate the national day? Well, if you are in Stockholm you can join large crowds at Skansen which is still a popular spot in this context. Or you can tour the royal castle which forgoes the usual entrance fee on this day. But no matter where you are in Sweden there will be some public event in honor of the national day, often with food, entertainment and plenty of Swedish flags everywhere. You can listen to concerts, try some traditional (and non-traditional) food and drinks, and observe curious expressions of Swedish culture. Another popular way to celebrate is with a barbecue or house party. And for adults, in addition to beer and other standard drinks, you will probably also be offered some herb-infused brännvin (vodka) which should be enjoyed in moderation.
If you want to learn more about Sweden and Swedish culture I have private lessons and group classes that will be customized to your needs. So celebrate your inner Swede, or that of your friends, family and partner this year on June 6! Then sign up for a free trial or consultation below and start your journey to speaking Swedish with confidence.
