The historic parade
Parades have been a regular feature of Gothenburg’s birthday celebrations, and were included in the city’s 300th and 350th anniversaries. Now, as our 400th anniversary approaches, what better way to mark this milestone than with another parade? The historic parade will make its way through the city on June 4, 2021. This kilometre-long celebratory experience will pay tribute to Gothenburg and its inhabitants, the people who have made the city what it is today.
Just as the rest of the world has influenced Gothenburg, so too has Gothenburg influenced the rest of the world. The city and its many inhabitants have left their traces not only here on Earth, but further afield too. What would Rambo have been called, were it not for our own Ramberget hill? What would the Industrial Revolution have achieved without the modern ball bearing? What would pictures of the moon have looked like without the Hasselblad camera, or road safety without Volvo’s revolutionary seatbelts?
Around thirty parade floats will be created in partnership with invited organisations and individuals from Gothenburg, telling the story of the city’s history and its development to date. Nine of these will be illustrated by ten artists, but we need your help with the tenth float. What will the Gothenburg of tomorrow look like? Be part of the process, and help to create a float illustrating the Gothenburg of the future. Send your idea to festtaget2021@goteborg.com or visit Gothenburg Visitor Centre at Kungsportsplatsen, and you’ll have the chance to help design the culmination of the historic parade for Gothenburg’s 400th anniversary.
The ten illustrators
1. THE BLUE WHALE
Illustrator: Jens Langert 55 years, architect and adventurer
On October 29, 1865, a young blue whale male stranded in Askims Bay. It was killed by two fishermen and sold to Director James Dickson for 1500 riksdaler. Then it was towed to Lindholmen’s mechanical workshop to be cut and preserved. On the inside of the whale was a small salon with benches and hand-printed cloth wallpapers. After a major tour in Sweden and Germany, the whale ended up at the Museum of Gothenburg and was later moved to the Gothenburg Natural History Museum for the 300th anniversary in 1923.
2. THE RAMBO APPLE
Illustrator: Alf Jakobsson 12 years, student
Rambo is a green and yellow apple with red streaks. The apple was taken to North America by Peter Rambo from Hisingen. The apple and the farm where it grew were described in detail by Linnaeus apostle, botanist Perh Kalm, who got to know Rambos grandson Peter Rambo during his American stay in 1747–1751. A Rambo apple gave author David Morell inspiration for the name of the protagonist John Rambo, the main role in the novel First Blood, which later became a movie with Sylvester Stallone.
3. INGELA GATHENHIELM, KAPARNA & THE SWEDISH SHIP GÖTHEBORG
Illustrator: Hanna Rönnbäck 37 years, costume designer
During the first part of the 18th century up to King Karl XII’s death in 1718, Gothenburg was the center of a comprehensive hijacking business. The most famous hijacker was Lars Gathenhielm, whose widow took over the business after her husband’s death. Ingela Gathenhielm became a successful hijacking queen. In her armada, Ingela had several pirate ships with legendary pirate captains such as John Norcross and Michel Knie. With the treasures from hijacking, the Swedish East India Company is formed, and they sail to China to bring home the luxury goods at the time; tea and crockery. In September 1745, the ship Götheborg sank outside New Älvsborg Fortress. In 2003, a replica of the ship was launched, once again sailing to China and back.
4. THE HERRING COMES
Illustrator: Linda Spåman 44 years, artist, scenographer and illustrator
During four periods from the 16th to the 20th century, huge amounts of herring have entered Bohuslän, creating situations that can look similar to gold rushes. For many years enormous fortunes have been made on the herring, but then, as soon as it has arrived, the herring disappears again.
5. GOTHENBURG IS ON FIRE
Illustrator: Mikel Nilsson 39 years, artist and illustrator through Göthenburgo
Outbreaks of fire has strongly characterized Gothenburg during its 400-year history. Periodically, almost all the city’s houses have burned to the ground. On October 29, 1998, 63 young people from Gothenburg were killed in the terrible Backa-fire. 214 people were injured, many of them severly.
6. BALL BEARING, CARS, CAMERAS AND PROPELLERS
Illustrator: Ove Andersson 79 years, retired shipyard worker and artist
In the early 1800s, industrialism slowly begins to grow in Gothenburg. The city has cheap workforce, access to raw materials, and a strong entrepreneurial spirit. Gradually, many of the smaller workshops become more skilled and several innovations arise. The modern ball bearing, the Volvo car, the Hasselblad camera, and the propeller are just some of the inventions that have been further developed here.
7. THE MUSIC OF GOTHENBURG
Illustrator: Ada Zalecka 25 years, carpentry and architect student
Music has always been important in Gothenburg. During the golden age of pop music, there was a ferry line between London and Gothenburg. The Beatles, Rolling Stones, and Jimi Hendrix are just a few of all the musicians who visited the clubs in Nordstan before they were discovered. Bands like Tages and The Spotnicks grew popular both in Sweden and internationally. Since then, the success story has continued with bands like Cortex, Soundtrack of Our Lives, The Knife, Laleh, and Håkan Hellström. When Bruce Springsteen played at Ullevi in 1985, the arena was about to collapse because of the intense movements.
8. MOVEMENTS
Illustrators: Camilla Boström 47 years, designer and artist & Jonathan Josefsson 41 years, artist
Much of what we take for granted today we can thank the brave women and men who fought for peace, justice and democracy for. And the fight is still going on. Gothenburg is still characterized by popular movements today. The labor movement, the women’s movement, the sobriety movement and the sports movement have influenced the city to what it is today.
9. THE QUAY OF TEARS
Illustrator: Lui Hopf 44 years, artist
Between 1850 and 1930, over one million Swedes left their homeland to try their luck in America, where in the early 1900s a fifth of the population consisted of Swedes. Almost everyone who emigrated from Sweden left the country from the “Quay of Tears” outside the Customs House, where Casino Cosmopol is located today. During this period, Nordstan was an epicenter for the Swedish wave of emigration. The emigrants bought tickets and supplies, but were often deceived by smart fraudsters.
10. THE PEOPLE´S FLOAT/THE FUTURE OF GOTHENBURG
For the tenth float, we need help from the citizens of Gothenburg. What do you think the city of Gothenburg shall look like tomorrow? Be part of the process and creation of a float illustrating the future Gothenburg. Send your idea to festtaget2021@goteborg.com or visit Gothenburg Visitor Centre at Kungsportsplatsen, and take the chance to be a part of the culmination of the historic parade for Gothenburg’s 400th anniversary.