Kreuger, Ivar (1880–1932), Swedish entrepreneur and creator of the business that eventually became Swedish Match, which sells tobacco, cigars, matches, and more. His empire collapsed during the Depression at the beginning of the 1930s, during the depression; his death was declared a suicide, but his family and others have maintained that he was murdered.
“Kriminaljournalen”, a now defunct men’s magazine that contained sensationalised stories and some soft-porn images.
“Lansen”, the Saab 32 Lansen, a Swedish military jet aircraft produced during the late 1950s.
Lidköping, small town in southwestern Sweden.
Moberg, Vilhelm (1898–1973), Swedish journalist and author whose best-known books are the four-part “Emigrants” series written in the 1950s, which deals with a southern Swedish family forced by economic circumstance to emigrate to the United States in the mid-nineteenth century. The story inspired a 1971 film starring Max von Sydow and Liv Ullmann.
Mor — an informal and affectionate Swedish word for one’s mother, equivalent to “Mum”.
Norrköping, in east-central Sweden, the closest city to Oskar’s birthplace, about a hundred miles from Stockholm and with easy access to the Baltic Sea via the Bråviken Bay.
Öberg, full name A.B.J.O. Öberg & Son, a business conglomerate established in 1845. Its businesses produced playing cards and printed office products, and after a number of acquisitions, it became part of the Esselte Group in 1985.
Ögonblick — Swedish for “a moment”.
“Outer archipelago” — Oskar’s island seems to have been a part of the Östergötland archipelago, which lies in the Baltic Sea approximately seventy-five miles south of the Bråviken Bay near Norrköping. The archipelago is about three miles offshore at its farthest point.
Palm, August (1849–1922), by trade a tailor, he was a Social Democratic activist and agitator.
Palme, Olof (1927–1986), Swedish politician, leader of the Social Democratic Party, and twice prime minister (1969–76 and 1982–86). He was assassinated in Stockholm in 1986. His murder has never been solved, despite extensive investigations.
Pappa — Swedish for “father,” also a form of address equivalent to “Father” or “Daddy”.
Pehrsson-Bramstorp, Axel (1883–1954), Swedish politician and briefly prime minister (from June to September 1936). Born Axel Pehrsson, he came from a well-to-do farming family and was associated with — and later adopted the name of — the Bramstorp family, whose farm in southern Sweden he acquired.
Radio Nord, a Swedish commercial radio station that broadcast from international waters in the Baltic Sea off Stockholm during the early 1960s.
Sköld, Per Edvin (1891–1972), Swedish Social Democratic politician and government minister.
“Snurran”, — family-oriented radio programme that was broadcast 1953–58 (and briefly in 1962), after which it transferred to Swedish Television.
Social Democratic Party, founded in 1889, it is the oldest and largest political party in Sweden and was in power for extensive periods of time during the twentieth century.
Söderköping, a small town about ten miles southeast of Norrköping. Its historical significance is greater than its current standing — it was the site of two royal coronations.
Söderman, August (1832–1876), Swedish composer of the Romantic period.
“Sons of Labour” (Swedish: “Arbetets söner”). A popular song in the labour movement in Sweden, first sung in the mid-1880s.
Strindberg, Nils (1872–1897), one of three balloonists who died in 1897 while trying to reach the North Pole; see also “Andrée, Salomon August”.
Svensson, Kalle (1925–2000), nicknamed Rio-Kalle, Swedish goalkeeper who played in seventy-three matches for the Swedish national team. His last international match was the 1958 World Cup final against Brazil, which Sweden lost 5–2.
Syndicalism, a radical and significant early twentieth-century European socialist movement, which focused on the local organisation of workers and on strike action.
Tingsten, Herbert (1896–1973), Swedish political scientist and journalist. He was, among other things, the editor of “Dagens Nyheter”, one of Sweden’s two main national daily newspapers, from 1946 to 1959.
Undén, Östen (1886–1974), Swedish professor of civil law and Social Democratic politician and government minister.
von Sydow, Oscar Fredrik (1973–1936), Swedish independent politician, government minister, and, for a brief period in 1921, prime minister.
Wigforss, Ernst (1881–1977), Swedish social democratic politician and government minister.