Learn all about Gustavus Adolphus' Day
Now Playing: Lesson Audio
Get this lesson’s key vocab, their translations and pronunciations. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
| Hello, and welcome to the Culture Class- Holidays in Sweden Series at SwedishPod101.com. In this series, we’re exploring the traditions behind Swedish holidays and observances. I’m Eric, and you're listening to Season 1, Lesson 18, Gustavus Adolphus' Day. In Swedish, it’s called Gustav Adolfsdagen. |
| Gustavus Adolphus' Day is a flag day that is celebrated on November 6 each year all over Sweden. |
| In this lesson, you will learn about who Gustav Adolf was and why Swedish people celebrate him. |
| Now, before we get into more detail, do you know the answer to this question- |
| Gustav Adolf built a large ship that sank on its first trip. Do you know what the ship was called? |
| If you don't already know, you’ll find out a bit later. Keep listening. |
| Gustav Adolf’s Day is celebrated on November 6 in honour of King Gustav Adolf II who died on this date in 1632, during the Battle of Lützen, or Slaget vid Lützen. His death occurred on November 6, according to the Julian calendar, but according to the Gregorian calendar, the actual date was November 16. The Gregorian calendar was not used in Sweden up until 1753, so the first date was kept. Gustav Adolf is known as the king who founded the Swedish empire, or Sveriges stormaktsvälde. |
| This day has been celebrated since the early 1800s and is still popular in Gothenburg, or Göteborg, as Gustav Adolf was the man who founded that town. In Uppsala, or Uppsala, they also celebrate the day with enthusiasm, since the University of Uppsala keeps alive the tradition of Gustav Adolf medals, or Gustaf Adolf-medaljer. |
| People usually celebrate it by eating Gustav Adolf cake, or Gustaf Adolfsbakelse. Special Gustav Adolf pastry was originally baked by the pastry shop Bräutigams in Gothenburg in 1906. You can recognize it from its square shape and the king’s medallion made out of chocolate. |
| The Gustav Adolf cake is not only available in one shape, but there are many different versions made by different makers. In 2003, a radio program launched a contest to renew the Gustav Adolf special pastry cake. But the cake that won, which had a red top made of raspberry, elderberry, blackcurrant and was decorated with chocolate, never really became popular. |
| The people who celebrate the day the most are those who live in Gothenburg. Those who celebrate the day the least are the people living in the Skane area, because it was Gustav Adolf who led the looting and crusade against Skane back when it was a part of Denmark. |
| Now it's time to answer our quiz question- |
| Gustav Adolf built a large ship that sank on its first trip. Do you know what the ship was called? |
| The ship was called Vasa. It was one of the world’s largest and heaviest warships, or krigsfartyg, when it was built. The ship has been preserved at the Vasa Museum in Stockholm. |
| How did you find this lesson? Did you learn anything interesting? |
| Had you heard of Gustav Adolf before? |
| Leave us a comment letting us know at SwedishPod101.com. And we'll see you in the next lesson! |
Comments
Hide