Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-08-02
(By G. S. Strandvold, Herald Stan
Writer.)

.(By g.. s. Strandvold, Herald Stan
Writer.)
AS a direct result Of the present
discussion Of conditions in Scandi-
.navia the question has been asked:
What are the contributions of the
three northern countries to the civ-
ilization of the world? Do the rec
ords warrant the assertion that Scan
|dinavians are among the leading In
tellectuals of continental Europe? Is
1t possible to predict. on the basis Of
past achievements, the future exist
|ence Of Scandinavia as a cultural fac
tor of the first Importance?
To answer such queries in detail
would require the space of an entire
book. SO, for obvious reasons, 1t is
possible here to give only an outline
indication Of the accomplishments of
Scandinavia past and present.
Scandians in History.
The name and the deed Of every
rersonage in northern history cannot
be included in this brief review, and
for this reason the mere mention OF
certain few names must sufice. BY
wildly re-create images Of those
others whose names today must be
passed by in silence.
You cannot Judge men Of historical
significance solely on the strength OF
their importance to their own country.
The viewpoint must be that Of the
world in general. In days Of yore the
kings were the leaders Of the nations.
but only a few of them played a lead
versal history. Canute the Great of
Denmark became king of England
and the greater part Of northern
Europe. Olaf, the sanity king Of the
Norsemen, gathered the petty prov
inces Of his country into n nation,
and Gustaf Vasa. succeeded by Gustaf
Adolph and Charles XII, placed Swe-
den Importantly on the map Of the
world. Queen Margaret, who united
the three countries, will always re-
main in a conspicuous niche of the
worlds gallery of great and construc-
tive individuals although her work
soon after her death was rendered in
effective,
The Statesmen OF the North.
In the earliest times kings and
diplomats. But It was comparatively
soon realized that the government, as
represented by one person. must
needs reckon with the support of
some strong individual outside the
immediate court circle. Oxenstierna
in Sweden, Griffenfeld in Denmark.
and, in recent times, Nicholson in
Norway are some typical representa-
tives of the constructive statesmen of
Scandinavia. There have been a great
many others, but their significance
was rather more limited to the history
Of their own particular country than
to that of the world. Sanity and lib
eralism may be said to be the chief
traits of Scandina~a diplomacy. II
was extremely radicSLcnd sell
dom conservative enough to be CLASH
fed as re~actionary.
Scandinavian statesmen were schol-
ars who early in their lives had come
into contact with the best minds OF
Europe. They had studied at the
great British and continental universe.
ties, were we'll versed in the history OF
Europe and may be said to have ap-
piled philosophy to the art of states.
manship.
Northern Literature.
In the field of literature scandi.
navians have made more contributions
to the worlds civilization than ir
probably any other field.
Norway gave to the world the Edds
poems. the Snorre Sturleson Helms
kringla which is nov being assidu
ously studied at American universe
ties. Holberg, 1.-THE Moliere of tn,
north" was a Norwegian by birth,
Dane by education and a cosmopoli
tan by taste. He was the father o
dramatic art in Scandinavia and o
late years there have been signifcan
Holberg REVEALS in Russia, German,
and in this country. The great name
of Norwegian literature are, o
course. Henrik Ibsen and Bjoern
stJerne Bjoernson, while Jonas Ii,
and Knut Hamsun are gradually be
coming known to the outside worl,
because of their candid and .virile art
Saxo Grammaticus, one Of the mos
scholarly of the men of the middl
ages in Europe, was a Dane and hi
one work, the chronicle of Denmark
written in Latin, is one Of the CLASH
gems of the cultured world. Danisl
literature was, however, rather un
productive until the beginning of tn,
nineteenth century when Adam Och
i~enschlaeger, who was crowned witt
laurels as "the king Of Scandinavian
poets" wrote his undying poems an,
dramas built on the history Of tn,
north. Many of his works are nov
being read in German, French, Rus
sian and English. N. F. S. Grundtyil
has also attained a certain degree O
world fame but the great internationa
name of creative Danish literature i
the ialry tale teller, Hans Christian
Andersen. whose name is a househol,
word to every child in the world.
or late years Georg Brandes, VIII,
as a literary critic is placed besid
sainte-Beuve and Hippolyte Taine
has won q fame which Is limited b,
no geographical borders. His work
on the European literature of tn
~nineteenth century, as we'll as hi
masterpiece, William Shakespeare
reveal a critical insight into huma,
nature and spiritual values which ha
been rivalled only in his later work
on Goethe and Voltaire.
Among modern fiction writer's. ]
= Jacobsen and, quite recently, Mar
tin Andersen-Neksoe. have won
world wide public. The poets Of tn,
north are rarely capable Of reachin,
fame outside Scandinavia because i
1t almost impossible, despite the ad
!