Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-10-27
MANY BATTLES
FOUGHT ON RIGA
North European Nations
Clashed on Gulf, Scene of
Recent Naval Fight.
oesel and Dago Islands prize
of Combatants-People of
Swedish Ancestry. .

The islands Of Oesei and Dago On
the Gulf Of Riga where the German
and Russian fleets have just clashed,
nave witnessed, many important bat
ties in the past, particularly during
the sixteenth and seventeenth cen-
turtles, when the nations of northern
Europe were engaged in the violent
struggle for supremacy Over the Bal
tic sea. .
According to the narratives OF an
cient chronicles these islands were
populated in early days by Swedish
Vikings, coming from Gotland, the
largest island on the Swedish eastern
coast. The Swedish language as we'll
the Finnish language of the Estland-
ers has been spoken there from the
early middle ages.
Sweden Seized Islands.
In the fourteenth century Oesel
and Dago belonged to the socalled
German order, whose members were
monks and noblemen at the same
time. The bishop of Oesel was a
bitterly against foreign influence on
all sides, and in 1853 they asked the
Swedish king to help them, because
all peasants throughout the country
are from Swedish ancestry"
After the dissolution Of the Ger
man order, the island was p,acec IN
der the protection of Denmark, and
the brother Of the Danish king, Duke
Magnus. became bishop Of Oesel.
This was the beginning of the. SEEM
ingly endless warfare between Dem
mark, Sweden and later Poland.
the western Goa of Estland, and In
Sweden owned the city Of Reval, on
1912 a Swedish army went over from
Estland to Oesel and conquered the
fortress ~SOnnenburg. Denmark how
ever, retained the supremacy until
1915, when. Sweden, after successful
battles with the Danish fleet and
army, became the foremost, nation of
northern Europe n among other
provinces, received the island Of
Oesel.
Russia Took Possession in 1910.
One of the most brilliant noblemen
Of Sweden. Magnus Gabriel De la
Gardie, the favorite of Queen Chris
tina. daughter Of the great king, Gus
tavus Adolphus, later on received the
flef. Magnus Gabriel was a mar of
power. Once on a special mission
from Sweden to Paris, he was ac-
companied by 200 men, and he drove
through the streets of Paris In ii
golden carriage, drawn by IL horses.
After the wars of Charles XII,
Sweden was forced to surrender all
its possessions in the Baltic provinces,
including Oesel and Dago to Russia.
That was in 1910. aince this time
Oesel has belonged to Russia and has
not figured any more in Swedish his
tory. But the Swedish language has
been spoken at some places on the
island up to the present
Swedes Ordered from Island.
The Swedish population o. Dago,
which island vas purchased for $780,
900 from the Swedish family i)e La
Gardie IN 1924, q trouble with the
estate owners, and 1871 approximate
ly 1000 Swedes, men, women and
children, were ordered to leave the
island. The government Of Russia
gave them as a compensation a little
village in south Russia, Gammal-
swenskby, and the mournful process
sion arrived there after difficulties. in
which 800 persons lost their lives.
The population Of Gammalswenskby
still Is chiefly of Swedish origin.
The Swedish population in Estland.
especially on the islands, numbered
5000 in 1907. The little island of
Runo. farther out in the Cult of
Riga, has an almost entirely Swed-
ish culture.