Children…

The “new Germany” as seen from Sweden
For generations, Sweden enjoyed close cultural, economic,
political and scientific ties with Germany, so
it was only natural that many Swedes closely followed
developments in Hitler’s Germany. Some were
appalled, while others admired and approved of the
rapid changes. Swedish diplomats carefully monitored
developments. In September 1935, a Swedish diplomat
in Berlin reported on Nazi school policy to the Prime
and Foreign Ministers in Stockholm: “It is becoming
obvious in this respect, just as in many others, that Herr
Hitler strives with unyielding consistency in one area
after the other to implement the guidelines drawn up
in his book Mein Kampf.”
Most criticism of Nazi Germany came from either
the labour movement or liberal circles. By and large,
the right wing was also sceptical. One of the most
prominent critics was Torgny Segerstedt, editor of the
daily Göteborgs Handels- och Sjöfartstidning. As early as
3 February 1933, he commented on the appointment
of Hitler as German Reich Chancellor: “Forcing international
political affairs and the international press to
deal with that fellow is unforgivable. Herr Hitler is an
insult.” During the war, Segerstedt continued to criticise
Sweden for its passivity towards Nazism and Nazi
crimes, something that annoyed not only German leaders,
but also many Swedes. They accused him of risking
Sweden’s “peace and neutrality”.
During the 1930s, many Swedes’ admiration for
Nazi Germany grew, as did their fear. In various ways,
the Nazis made considerable efforts to influence Swedish
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public opinion.They cultivated a “dream of the North” as
a “racial” paradise, hoping that the Swedes would be their
natural allies.Additionally, many Swedes were increasingly
impressed by the propaganda of “Germany’s rebuilding
efforts”. Even if the persecution of Jews made some
people uncomfortable, there existed a widespread understanding
that Germany had a particular “Jewish question”
requiring a “solution”. Leading members of the Swedish
Academy, such as Sven Hedin and Fredrik Böök, urged
Swedes to support the “New Germany”.They considered
a strong Germany led by Hitler beneficial for Sweden.
Even those doubting Hitler’s goals and methods
feared that Soviet Bolshevism was even more threatening.They
regarded Germany’s rearmament as protection
from the “threat from the East”. This attitude affected
their ability, as well as their inclination, to recognise Nazi
Germany’s darker sides. Once war began in 1939, Sweden’s
sensitive political and geographical position meant
that there was limited scope for criticism to be voiced,
particularly during the period 1940-1942. Formed in
December 1939, Sweden’s new coalition government
for a long time struck an uneven balance between considerations
for the freedom of the press, and the fear of
annoying Germany by allowing criticism. In March 1942,
as many as 17 newspapers were confiscated on the orders
of KG Westman, Minister of Justice, after publishing testimonies
of torture in Norwegian prisons. Despite such
obstacles some Swedes refused to remain silent, continuing
to warn society about Nazi Germany and Nazism.
The fear of Communism
There was a common conception in Sweden that Russia was the
“traditional enemy”. The Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, followed
by the formation of the Soviet Union in 1922, gave rise both
to increasing alarm and growing hope among many Europeans.
Initially, the organisation behind the above poster, the National
Youth League of Sweden (SNU), was an independent youth
organisation attached to the Conservative Party. But in 1934, it
reconstituted itself into a separate party, the National League of
Sweden. The party combined conservative, racist and antisemitic
ideas with a demand for the abolition of democracy and the reorganisation
of society according to “corporatist” principles. During
the Second World War, the party, whose members were primarily
from social elites, supported Nazi Germany.