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A Little in English
Hurrah - for what?
On the meaning of the Syttende Mai celebration
Syttende Mai is Constitution Day - the Constitution that was ratified by the National Assembly at Eidsvoll in 1814, and has through some changes seen us through to today. As a symbol the Constitution represents also two great themes, national independence and political freedom - democracy and the rights of citizenship. Norwegian patriotism of the 1800s tied these two aspects together as the idea "Norwegian freedom." Later on this concept of freedom took on new meanings, for example international peace work.
Syttende Mai is also a family day, but the difference from all other Norwegian holidays is first and foremost this: it is the only day the most important events take place out in the public space rather than in the four walls of the home.
Syttende Mai has become a day for the children, even though it was not originally. The children's parades became a big success from 1870 on, and have become the most popular event on Syttende Mai. And with the children in the city center, many other things follow: ice cream, soda and sausages.
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Litt på norsk
Hurra - for hva?
Om innholdet I 17. mai-feiringa
17. mai er Grunnlovsdagen - Grunnloven som ble vedtatt av Riksforsamlingen på Eidsvoll i 1814 og som med diverse endringer har fulgt oss til i dag. Som symbol representerer Grunnloven også to andre store temaer, den nasjonale selvstendigheten, og den politiske friheten - demokratiet og borgerrettighetene. I norsk 1800-tallspatriotisme, blir de to aspektene samlet i forestillingen om "den norske friheten". Seinere har frihetsbegrepet fått nye betydninger, for eksempel internasjonalt fredsarbeid.
17. mai er også en familiedag, men til forskjell fra alle andre norske festdager ikke først og fremst det: Det er den ene dagen da det meste og det viktigste foregår ute i det offentlige istedenfor enn innenfor hjemmets fire vegger. 17. mai har blitt en dag for barna, selv om det var ikke det i utgangspunktet. Barnetogene ble en stor suksess fra 1870 og framover, og har vært det mest populærte innslaget på 17 mai. Og med barna i sentrum følger isen, brusen og pølsene.
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didn't think Oskar was sincere about their relationship so she broke it off. He was heartbroken. One day as he walked along the bank of the River Nid, he stopped at a bridge ("den gamle bybro" - the old city bridge) and there composed this famous song, "Nidelven". When his beloved heard him sing the song, she knew that he was indeed sincere and agreed to accept his proposal of marriage.
Oskar Haddø was part of a group of five Norwegian underground resistance fighters called the mil org. They were captured and executed by the German Gestapo in November of 1943. At the time, Oskar's wife was expecting their first child. Not far from Nidaros Domkirke (cathedral), a monument of a mother holding a child in her arms was erected in their memory. The monument was built following the war, in memory of Haddø and many other resistance fighters, all of whom are buried in the same grave in the cathedral cemetery.
As interpreted by Bjørn Hagen
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