Among Astrid Lindgren's characters, the most popular in Sweden is Pippi Longstocking
Editor of Meduza Alexander Polivanov on the pages of the portal Sweden.ru presented the main myths about Sweden common among our compatriots.
1. "Sweden" is an abbreviation for "Switzerland"
It may seem funny, but this is one of the most enduring hypotheses – both Swiss and Swedes encounter it. Every Swede has at least once answered questions about banks and cuckoo clocks while traveling abroad; every Swiss has heard compliments about ABBA and IKEA. Moreover, the similarity of the names of the two countries was interpreted by some Swedes until the 19th century as meaning that the Swiss actually descended from Scandinavians. Such an interpretation is found, in particular, in the vast work of Erik Gustaf Geijer, "History of the Swedish People." This theory has no scientific basis and lives on only in anecdotes – like the idea that Venice was founded by Slavs because "Venedi" are the ancestors of the ancient Slavs.
In reality, there is no close kinship between these two countries: the word "Switzerland" comes from the canton of "Schwyz," while Sweden, Sverige, is "the kingdom of the Swedes" (svea + rike), an ancient North Germanic tribe.
2. Sweden is very small, and besides Stockholm there is nothing to see
In fact, Sweden is the fifth largest country in Europe, larger than Germany and Great Britain. Yes, Stockholm is the most interesting city in Sweden and all of Scandinavia, but the capital is far from everything. The ancient university cities of Uppsala and Lund, the port city of Gothenburg with its fish market and endless music festivals, Malmö, a metropolis blending Swedish, Danish, and many other cultures – and these cities are not the limit of "the Swedish provinces." There are also, for example, Vänern and Mälaren, some of the largest European lakes, the moving city of Kiruna with its ice hotel and northern lights, ski resorts on the border with Norway, and several archipelagos along the entire coast of Sweden.
And a bonus for fans of "Game of Thrones" – the city of Västerås, which, however, has nothing to do with the series or the book. But it stands on the shore of that same Lake Mälaren and has an impressive 13th-century cathedral.
3. Sweden is too far away
Another geographical myth. The capital of Sweden is closer to Kyiv than Paris, Rome, or London. Moreover, you can reach Stockholm by plane or by exotic means – for example, by ferry from Finland, Estonia, or Latvia.
4. It is cold and dark in Sweden
Indeed, the lowest temperatures in Europe have been recorded in Sweden – and indeed, if you go beyond the Arctic Circle in January, it will be dark. But winter in Stockholm will seem mild – the daylight hours in December are still six hours, but the temperature will be a few degrees higher in winter and exactly the same as at home in summer. This is due to the influence of the Gulf Stream – the warm Atlantic current reaches Scandinavia, preventing the temperature in January and February from staying below zero for long. In southern Sweden, the Gulf Stream is even more dominant.
5. And since it is cold and dark, there are many suicides
The connection between cold climate and long dark nights with the number of suicides per 100,000 population has not been proven; moreover, residents of some warm countries (in the Indian Ocean basin and the Caribbean) are most prone to suicide. Among developed countries, Japan, Finland, and Belgium are ahead of Sweden, and in the overall list of countries with the highest number of suicides, Sweden ranks 46th. For comparison, Russia has 17.9 suicides per 100,000 people, while Sweden has 12.7.
The origin of this myth is partly explained by the fact that Sweden was the first country to keep reliable suicide statistics, unlike more religious countries where suicides were hidden and not discussed.
6. All Swedes look alike – blue-eyed blondes
Like any stereotype about national appearance, this is a great exaggeration. Besides the fact that among the indigenous population there are plenty of brunettes and redheads, Sweden is a multinational country where you can meet people of different skin colors and origins.
According to official statistics, 17% of Sweden's residents have a foreign background. This means they were born abroad; their children born in Sweden are already counted as Swedes. Migration waves to Sweden have been very diverse: from the countries of the former Yugoslavia, Latin America, and the Middle East. And of course, the largest ethnic minority in Sweden is the Finns.
Sweden has one of the longest and most successful experiences in receiving migrants in the modern world: migration is necessary for Sweden's actively developing economy. Without it, Sweden would not have been able to maintain high economic growth rates for decades.
7. Swedes only drive Volvos and listen to ABBA
This perception is somewhat outdated. In the mid-20th century, most Swedes drove Saabs and Volvos, but much has changed since then: Volvo is now owned by the Chinese company Geely, and Swedes themselves are happy to explore a wide variety of cars. In 2016, for the first time in 50 years, the top-selling brand in Sweden was not Volvo but the German Volkswagen Golf. And on Swedish roads, you can find almost any car – from incredibly popular sports cars in summer to the Soviet Niva, which was actively supplied to Scandinavia in the 1970s and 1980s.
As for ABBA, it is a precedent of successful musical export – success that came from abroad. ABBA is known today in every country of the world, their hits are a must-have in any 1970s-80s party playlist, but in Sweden itself, contemporaries took a long look at the overly bright quartet (ABBA was not even invited to the first Eurovision Song Contest in their own country, which the group secured for Sweden with their victory). Only after overwhelming international success did the Swedish public accept the pop band as their own.
ABBA became the first and far from the last face of Swedish music export – Swedish artists, producers, and music services are highly valued on the global music market. According to researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, Sweden is the world leader in hit exports, considering the country's GDP. Which is nice.
8. Carlson is the most famous Swede
Perhaps this is the main myth about Sweden. Every child coming to Stockholm expects to see Carlson everywhere – in city parks, souvenir shops; streets, gardens, or at least national dishes should be named after him. Some Carlson will indeed likely be encountered during a trip: it is the third most common surname in the country. But not every Swede is familiar with the literary Carlson; he is by no means the main fairy-tale character in the country.
Among Astrid Lindgren's characters, the most popular in Sweden is Pippi Longstocking. The stories about the strongest girl in the world are the best-selling book in Swedish history; by the beginning of the 21st century, six million copies had been sold within Sweden. Given that the country's population is ten million, it is no exaggeration to say that the Pippi book is in every Swedish family.
Tourist map of Sweden
And it is Pippi's villa that occupies a central place in Junibacken, the museum of fairy-tale characters by Lindgren and other Scandinavian writers in central Stockholm. So before heading there, it is better to read something about Pippi and other characters by the Swedish writer: Emil of Lönneberga, Madicken and Pims, Ronia the Robber's Daughter.
9. Swedes have ceased to be a superpower
Indeed, after the Great Northern War with Russia in the early 18th century, Sweden's pan-European significance diminished, and after the Napoleonic era, Swedes completely abandoned any wars. Since then, Sweden has not fought for over 200 years, maintaining neutrality during both World Wars. The life and well-being of its own citizens is an unquestionable state priority.
Do Swedes long for the times when Viking ships were the main force in Europe? Or for the 16th century, when Swedish fortresses were located in the modern Baltics? The answer to this question is well formulated in the book "Poltava" by historian Peter Englund, translated into Russian: one country won in 1709 and became a superpower, the other lost and began building a welfare society.
Today, Swedes are much prouder of leading positions in rankings of GDP per capita, gender equality, and low social stratification than of past military successes. Living in the present, caring for loved ones, seeing tangible achievements of their own generation around them, rather than victories and defeats of distant ancestors – such is modern Sweden.
10. Swedes built a "correct USSR"
This frequently encountered reasoning is based primarily on the fact that Social Democrats were in power in Sweden for most of the 20th century. Nevertheless, Swedish socialists have little in common with Soviet communists. In Sweden under the Social Democrats, a multi-party system, free media, and open borders were preserved, and the largest companies were not nationalized. The Social Democrats themselves operated under political competition, and sometimes had to form coalition governments with other parties.
Even the very idea of a "welfare state" is directly opposite to Soviet ideas: in Sweden and other Nordic countries, the function of the state is to create conditions for the realization of the rights and freedoms of each individual, to support and protect the individual person.
11. In Sweden, they'll take your child at the slightest thing
In 1979, Sweden became the first country in the world to legally ban any physical punishment of children. A slap to a child on the street can be a reason for police to arrive, and more serious blows can lead to criminal charges. However, the idea that children are often taken from families and sent to orphanages is a myth not supported by statistics. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe wrote in 2015 that in Sweden, the state takes about 0.8% of children into care, a figure on par with Austria, Spain, Switzerland, and Canada; this can only happen in cases of extremely unfavorable family situations. For comparison, in France, Germany, Finland, and Russia, this figure can be twice as high.
Orphanages in the sense we understand do not exist in Sweden at all: parents who would abandon their child are something like UFOs for Sweden.
12. Sweden is a country of sexual promiscuity...
Everyone knows the phrase "Swedish family" (outdated English equivalent: Swedish sin), but where it comes from is not entirely clear. In any case, it is common specifically in the Russian language. In Swedish, there is no such concept.
What Sweden really has is the desacralization of sex: from a very early age, children are not told that they were found in a cabbage patch or brought by storks. First, it's simply not good to lie to children. Second, learning about one's body is a natural process, and there's no point in making it a secret. "Does size matter? Is masturbation dangerous?" – such questions are included, for example, in the annotation of a book for boys about the structure of the genitals, which is recommended for children aged 9-12. The book "How I Came into the World" by Katerina Janusz has been translated into Russian – it can be read to children as young as four. The awareness of the right to control one's own body and respect for that right, in relation to others, is part of Swedish individualism.
13. ...And gay propaganda among minors
The concept of gay propaganda does not exist in Sweden, neither among minors nor among adults – because there is no scientific evidence that anyone can be persuaded to become gay or lesbian. In the same children's books, it is said that a family can consist of a mom and a dad, or two dads or two moms – and that is normal.
Every year, Stockholm hosts one of the largest European Pride parades, attended by tens of thousands of people, including politicians, athletes, writers, police officers, military personnel, teachers – in short, everyone, regardless of sexual orientation.
14. Every restaurant in Sweden has a smorgasbord
Like "Swedish family," "Swedish table" (smorgasbord) has firmly entered the Russian language, although in other countries (primarily in Sweden itself) this phrase would hardly be understood. The very idea of arranging cold appetizers, hot dishes, and desserts so that anyone can approach and choose what they like best does originate from Scandinavia, but the Swedes are not responsible for the further development of the buffet system.
15. All Swedish sports are hockey and Ibrahimovic
There is hardly a person in Sweden who does not know Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but in fact, Swedes are excellent not only at football and hockey but also, say, tennis, regularly winning gold medals at the Winter Olympics in cross-country skiing, curling, and alpine skiing, and at the Summer Olympics in swimming and athletics. There are sports that are not the most popular in the world, in which Swedes are outright favorites – for example, bandy and floorball. And finally, it should not be forgotten that in all team sports there are women's teams, and in Sweden they usually perform excellently. For example, in the FIFA women's ranking, the Swedish women are currently ninth, and this is their most modest result – usually they are in the top five strongest national teams.
According to statistics, approximately every fifth Swede is a member of some sports club, and about half the population actively engages in sports – even if it is not high-performance sport but ordinary physical exercise.