Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-08-02
Scandinavian Contributions
To World Civilization

mirable efforts of Longfellow and
ton of lyrics in the northern langu-
tages.
To mention Tegner and Runeberg
as the best known Swedish poets will
hardly invite opposition. Selma Lag
l~erloef, the author Of Jerusalem
"Goesta Behring'S Saga" and numer-
Gus other works which have all been
Translated into English and other Ian
guages, is without a doubt the most
widely known writer of Swedish today.
although Gustaf Jansson and Werner
Won Heidenstam, as well as Gustaf at
Geijerstam, vie with e in fame.
In the Sciences. Y
Scandinavians have always been OF
a doubling, searching trend Of mind.
They have never accepted an asser-
gated and convinced themselves Of
the correctness Of the assertion. They
were doubters and thus became think
ers, and their minds were always Of
the strongly inquiring type.
1t will be enough. for illustration.
to mention a few names which have
become known<t throughout the world.
The Dane, Ole Roemer, was the first
to discove h speed Of light. Tycho
Brahe, the brilliant Swedish Danish
astronomer who, with Kopernikus,
revolutionized the worlds conception
OF astronomical science. is still being
mentioned as one Of the foremost
leaders Of exact thinking. H. N. Abel,
q Norwegian, Is considered one of the
great mathematician of the modern
age because he found certain laws
which are now recognized as funda-i
mental in the same degree as New,
tons discovery of the law Of gravity
was considered fundamental. Mittag-
LETTER. a swede. enjoys a similar
fame.
Although medicine is not as yet
classified as a science, it may be prop
er to mention the fact that several
important achievements have been
recorded among Scandinavian physi-
clans and surgeons. In Sweden,
Retzius and Magnus Huss have at
tanned q fame which has spread be-
yond the borders Of the country. In
Denmark, Niels. Finsen. who found
that sun rays possess healing power
when applied to facial tuberculosis,
made for himself a place among the
foremost surgeons Of the modern
world. Christian Fenger who, to a
certain extent may be said to have
founded the modern American system
of surgery while he lived in Chicago.
was a Dane by birth. The Norwegian
brothers.. Armaur and Claus Hansen,
have become world-famous as sur
geons. Armaur Hansen chiefly be-
cause of his researches in connection
with leprosy. Professor Book, anoth-
er Norwegian, is recognized as one Of
the founders of the sterilization proc
, ess now in vogue in penitentiaries and
insane asylums in many parts of the
world. N s.
Art in the North.
While the rest Of Europe had its
artistic and intellectual renaissance in
an undeveloped group Of nations. It
remained for the nineteenth century
to witness the birth Of northern art.
The greatest name of modern
sculpture is Danish: Berthel Thor
valdsen is by critics considered great
er than even Canova, because he inn
bued classical Greek sculpture with
an entirely new spirit. Gutzon Borg
lum. at present the leading American
sculptor, was born in this country Of
Danish parentage.
Gustav Vigeland and Stephan Sind
ing are probably the best known Nor
wegiant sculptors of the present age,
while Sweden is effectively represent
ed by Carl Miles who owes his artistic
French leaders. Karl .Eldh Is also
mentioned among the foremost swed-
ish '%sculptors Of today.
Norway's contribution to the art OF
{ painting is typiied in the landscape
painting of Christian Dahl. Even
Z more famous thar he were Adolf
) Tiedemand. Hans GUIDE and Fritz
Thaulow whose. vas ornament
many homes in this country. Chris
tian Krohg and Erik Werenskjold as
well as Gerhard Munthe are known to
l connoisseurs throughout the world.
Ec%kersberg, Wilhelm Marstrand,
julius Exner, P. S. Kroyer. Michael
and Anna Anchor, Carl Locher and
Laurits Tuxen are Danish painters
, parts of the world. Emil Carlson, a
distinguished American painter, was
; born in Copenhagen where he receiv-
> ed his first artistic training.
In Swedish painting. Carl LARSON
/ and Anders Zorn are easily the best
l known Bruno Liljefors and
Prince Eugenl are in a measure fam
ticularly SO in the United States
where recent exhibitions of their art
: have revived the interest in contem-
{ porary Swedish painting.
! Music and Singing.
! 1t goes without saying that one of
! the claims to fame of Swedish art lie
based on musical achievements. Jen-
, ny Lind and Christina Nilsson are
! still being mentioned as two of the
greatest singers who have aver lived,
, and Johan Forsell as well as Julia
! Claussen have been. gathering the lau-
) rels Of fame all over Europe and
: America for a number of years.
> Hugo Alfveen and Tor Aulin are
!, composers whose works have been
! presented to large critical audiences in
: the musical centres of the world, and
Jean: Sibelius who. although a Finn
by birth, is generally classified among
the Swedes, is coming to the fore with
a swtftness which is warranted only
|, by the weird and peculiar type of his
; music.
name is easily that Of Edward Grieg.
Johan Svendsen swell known to mus
sic lovers in many lands, and Haitian
Kterulf has become famous as the I'M