Scandinavism (Danish:skandinavisme;Norwegian:skandinavisme;Swedish:skandinavism), also calledScandinavianism[1] orpan-Scandinavianism,[2] is an ideology that supports various degrees of cooperation among theScandinavian countries.[3] Scandinavism comprises the literary, linguistic and cultural movement that focuses on promoting a shared Scandinavian past, a shared cultural heritage, a commonScandinavian mythology and acommon language or dialect continuum (from the common ancestor language ofOld Norse) and which led to the formation of joint periodicals and societies in support of Scandinavian literature and languages.[4] The movement was most popular amongDanes andSwedes.[3]
According to historianSverre Bagge, prior to the formation of state-like kingdoms, Scandinavia wasculturally and linguistically homogeneous.[5]
Pan-Scandinavianism as a modern movement originated in the 19th century,[1] but the movement had already begun spreading a century earlier in circles of literature and science.[6] The Pan-Scandinavian movement paralleled the unification movements ofGermany andItaly.[7] As opposed to the German and Italian counterparts, the Scandinavian state-building project was not successful and is no longer pursued.[2][7] It was at its height in the mid-19th century and supported the idea ofScandinavian unity.[8][1]
The movement was initiated by Danish and Swedish university students in the 1840s, with a base inScania.[9] In the beginning, the political establishments in the two countries, including theabsolute monarchChristian VIII andCharles XIV John with his "one man government", were suspicious of the movement.[9] The movement was a significant force from 1846 to 1864, however the movement eventually dwindled and only had strong support among theSwedish-speaking population of Finland.[1][10]
The collapse of Pan-Scandinavianism came in 1864 when theSecond Schleswig-Holstein War broke out.King Charles XV of Sweden (who was also King Charles IV of Norway), who reigned from 1859 until his death in 1872, in spite of championing Pan-Scandinivianism, failed to helpDenmark in the war.[11]
AuthorHans Christian Andersen became an adherent of Scandinavism after a visit to Sweden in 1837, and committed himself to writing a poem that would convey the relatedness of Swedes, Danes andNorwegians.[12] It was in July 1839, during a visit to the island ofFunen in Denmark, that Andersen first wrote the text of his poem,Jeg er en Skandinav ("I am a Scandinavian").[12] Andersen composed the poem to capture "the beauty of the Nordic spirit, the way the three sister nations have gradually grown together", as part of a Scandinavian national anthem.[12] ComposerOtto Lindblad set the poem to music, and the composition was published in January 1840. Its popularity peaked in 1845, after which it was seldom sung.[12]
In 1923, theClara Lachmann Foundation was established with the goal of promoting Scandinavian unity through culture.[13][14]
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