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Concerning the protocols of the Swedish Parliament, especially that of the Foreign Committee,very little was found mentioning the Armenian question. A possible explanation could be the factthat the Swedish Foreign Committee during the investigated period was a closed session and itsdiscussions were kept secret even from the Parliament. Thus, there has not been as muchinformation as one might have wished to find. Nevertheless, the collected information isregarded to be more than sufficient to plot Sweden’s decision making in the issue.1.4.2 Swedish PressDuring the First World War, Swedish press, as those in other countries, dedicated much space tothe war efforts. Among others, a special bureau was created to provide the Swedish countrysidepapers with articles from German press. “About 50 papers were among the receivers, mostlyconservative organs, but also a number of liberal papers.” 109 The fact that so large number ofnewspapers were under German influence should have affected the reporting of events in theallied Turkey. This could explain why the news of the massacres in Armenia was a relatively smallevent in the reports from the fronts. The resources of the Swedish newspapers were not adequatefor them to send out foreign correspondents of their own. This meant that much of the newsconcerning foreign affairs was acquired from foreign news agencies, often colouring theperspective reports. However, up to Hitler’s seizure of power in Germany, the Swedish leadingpublications regarding foreign policy aimed less at influencing public opinion and more atdebating and providing orientation in the predominant international affairs. 110With the eruption of the war, the Swedish press was subjected to external influence of publicopinion. In order to further influence Swedish opinion, Germany secretly purchased the majorityof the shares in the newspapers Aftonbladet and Dagen. Having a total of 92,000 in edition, thismeant that the newspapers equalled the edition of the Entente-friendly Dagens Nyheter and Social-Demokraten. 111 The transaction was made possible by placing a credit at the Wallenberg-owned,Enskilda Banken, whose Chairman and the newly appointed Foreign Minister, was Knut AgathonWallenberg. 112 The Speaker of the First Chamber, Afzelius, criticised the Germanophile attitudein Sweden, by complaining that “one can not open a so-called well-disposed newspaper which isnot more German than Swedish.” 113 Another measure in regard to the war was that “Animportant part of the Swedish total defence became the ‘neutralisation’ of the Swedishopinion.” 114 Already in July 31, 1914, the Foreign Department appealed to the Publicist Club fortheir full neutrality towards the warring parties and avoiding “for them insulting judgements.”Even the representatives of trade and industry approached the press, cautioning them that109 Lundström, Rydén, and Sandlund, 2001, p. 124.110 Lönneroth, 1959, p. 27.111 Hansson, 1991, p. 20.112 Lundström, Rydén, and Sandlund, 2001, p. 124.113 Carlgen, 1967, p. 111.114 Lundström, Rydén, and Sandlund, 2001, p. 124.25