As for the second struggle, however intense both Oskar and Mankell’s longing for revolution - a longing fuelled by their disappointment in what Oskar calls social democracy’s “greatest outrage”, the fact that it “turned socialism into some sort of organisation for unnecessary civil servants to line their pockets at the expense of the workers” - in practice they are both reformers. Yes, Oskar is happy every time there is a revolution somewhere on the globe. And yes, he expects, and wants, “this whole society” to be blown apart (appropriately enough). But his contribution will merely be to “give them all my regards”. Confronted by Sergeant Lindholm at the Nazi rally in Humleg&rden, he does not take action, he can only “imagine himself charging in and jabbing his finger and thumb into the Sergeant’s face”.
Yet one hopes that Mankell would still consider what he wrote in The Rock Blaster “highly relevant”. Because Oskar is Everyman, whether he or the narrator (Is it Mankell? I think not) are right about whether he played a role in bringing about the social changes of the twentieth century. As most of us are. Ordinary people standing in the storm. And that is what makes The Rock Blaster such an engaging book, especially in a world as challenging and bewildering as ours today.
G.G., January 2020
Glossary of Swedish Terms,
People, Places and Organizations
“20 Frågor”, long-running radio programme based on the game Twenty Questions. Panelists have included the author Astrid Lindgren.
A.B.F., Arbetarnas bildningsförbund (“Workers’ Educational Association), which offers its members a wide range of courses, study groups, and seminars.
Algots, Swedish manufacturer of ready-to-wear clothes, which it sold chiefly through the Co-operative Federation. Founded in 1907 by Algot Johansson, it went bankrupt in 1977.
Andrée, Salomon August (1854–1897), attempted to reach the North Pole in a balloon in 1897, together with Knut Frænkel and Nils Strindberg. The expedition failed, and after a number of weeks traveling across the ice, all members of the expedition died.
Axbom, Sven (1926–2006), Swedish footballer born near Norrköping (the city of Oskar’s birth) who played in every Swedish match in the 1958 World Cup.
Bergegren, Hinke (1861–1936), Swedish politician who was an early member of the Social Democratic Party but whose particular views (anarcho-syndicalist, pro — birth control) led to his expulsion from the party and a short prison sentence. He subsequently joined the Communist Party.
“Bombing raids” — given the date (1968), this is likely a reference to the U.S.’s aerial bombardment campaign in Vietnam nicknamed “Operation Rolling Thunder”, which began in March 1965 and ended on November 2, 1968.
Boren, lake in south-central Sweden that forms a part of the Göta Canal (q.v.).
Branting, Hjalmar (1860–1925), Swedish politician. He was a long-serving chairman of the Social Democratic Party and became prime minister three times (notably the first from that party). Joint winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1921.
“Cocktail”, Swedish soft-porn magazine published from the 1940s until the 1970s.
“Dagens Eko” (often referred to by its abbreviated name “Ekot”), the main news programme broadcast by Swedish Radio.
Dahl, Richard (1933–2007), Swedish athlete whose career highlight was his unexpected victory in the high jump at the European Athletics Championships in Stockholm in 1958.
Danielsson, Axel (1863–1899), Swedish left-wing journalist and activist who, together with Hjalmar Branting (q.v.), was convicted of blasphemy for one of his articles.
Domö, Fritiof (1889–1961), Swedish conservative politician, government minister, and leader of the Moderate Party.
Domus, brand name of the department stores operated by the Swedish Cooperative Union between 1956 and 2012.
“El pueblo te defiende” — “The people will defend you”; supporters of Salvador Allende, president of Chile 1970–3, are said to have chanted this phrase as they marched past the presidential palace in Santiago in a demonstration some days before the coup that toppled him and led to his death.
Elfsborg Fortress, also known as Älvsborg Fortress, it originally lay on the Swedish mainland near Göteborg. In the seventeenth century, a new fortress was built on a small island off the Göteborg coast. The eponymous chapbook song that Oskar sings was written by August Wilhelm Thorsson in the 1880s. It is suitably melodramatic and concerns a lonely prisoner in Älvsborg and the death of his lover in a rowboat in the mouth of the Göta River during a nighttime storm right by the fortress.
Engberg, Arthur (1888–1944), Swedish Social Democratic politician and government minister.
Erlander, Tage (1901–1985), Swedish politician, chairman of the Social Democratic Party, and prime minister following the death of Per Albin Hansson (q.v.).
Far — Swedish for “father”.
Farfar — Swedish for a paternal grandfather, literally “father’s father”.
Farsan — informal and affectionate Swedish word for one’s father, equivalent to “Dad” or (when talking to others) “my/the old man”.
“Forum”, current-affairs programme launched on Swedish radio in 1969 and later transferred to Swedish television.
Göta Canal, a 190-km long waterway consisting of canal sections, lakes, and rivers that was constructed 1810–32 to link Göteborg and the Baltic Sea.
Hagberg, Hilding (1899–1993), Swedish communist politician and leader of the Communist Party of Sweden.
Hansson, Per Albin (1885–1946), Swedish politician and chairman of the Social Democratic Party. In 1932, he became the first of the party’s prime ministers during its forty-four-year period in government. He was one of the major influences in the building of a socialist Sweden after the Second World War.
Harstena, Island in the middle of the Baltic Sea that is used as one of the reference locations for the shipping forecasts broadcast by Radio Sweden.
Hermansson, Carl-Henrik “C.-H.” (1917–2016), Swedish communist and politician. He was chairman of the Communist Party (1964–75) and among those responsible for turning it away from Stalinism.
Humlegården, a park and garden in the centre of Stockholm that houses the Swedish Royal Library and a monument to the botanist and zoologist Carl von Linné (Linnaeus).
Hyland, Lennart (1919–1993), Swedish television host and personality best known for the talk show “Hylands hörna” (“Hyland’s corner”), which ran from 1962 to 1983.
Katarina Bangata, street in the Södermalm district of Stockholm, originally intended as a stretch of railway line.
Kilbom, Karl (1885–1961), Swedish socialist politician. He was a member of the Communist Party of Sweden until he was expelled, after which he became an active member of the Social Democratic Party.
King Oskar. King Oscar II of Sweden and Norway (1829–1907, reigned 1872–1907). The king himself always spelled his name with a “c”, but practice varies. On page (185), Oskar says this: “I do have a king’s name but you must admit that it also sounds like thunder” — åska (the Swedish word for thunder) is pronounced almost the same as “Oskar.”