23 minute read
Feature
The Birth and Growth of
By Peter Berlin
weden’s second largest
Scity is called Göteborg in Swedish and is pronounced Yuhtebory. “Gothenburg” is an example of an exonym – a foreign corruption of a native word or name occasioned by the inability of foreigners to pronounce the original correctly or, in this particular case, for historic reasons.
Gothenburg, or variants thereof, was the name of the first semblance of a city that was established at the mouth of the Göta River in 1604. The founders were primarily maritime folks from the Netherlands, Germany and Scotland, and
they found it easier to wrap their tongues around “Gothenburg” than Göteborg. The Danes burned the city to the ground in 1611, so the Dutch, the Germans, the Scotsmen and a few Swedes had to rebuild it from scratch. According to legend, as the Swedish king was looking for a suitable location for the new city, suddenly a dove fleeing from an eagle landed at his feet, seeking shelter. King Gustavus Adolphus took that as a sign from God that this would be the location of the city, and uttered the immortal words: “Here shall the city lie!”
Gothenburg became Sweden’s trade window to the rest of the world via Göta River, Kattegatt, the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The window was narrow indeed, with the Danish province of Halland to the immediate south and the Norwegian province of Bohuslän to the north – hostile neighbours for the most part. In 1658 the Swedish king had had enough of constant Danish-Norwegian incursions and seized both Halland and Bohuslän. As a result, Gothenburg’s existence became less precarious but remained as cosmopolitan as ever. By the time the city received its royal charter in 1621, the city council had four Swedish, three German, three Dutch, and two Scottish members.
The website of the Gothenburg City Museum (www.Goteborg.com) includes a video which takes you on a virtual tour through Gothenburg 400 years ago. Anybody who has spent time in Amsterdam or Leiden will recognize the strong Dutch influence in the city’s layout, complete with canals, drawbridges, church spires, ornate house façades and an orthogonal grid of paved streets. Some of the fortifications remained from the 1611 city project, and a few exist to this very day.
Stora Hamnen seen from Brunnsparken in the 1850s. Photo © Port of Gothenburg
Building the city on the banks of Göta River made sense, because they offered moorings that shielded the ships from the worst storms of the North Sea. The river drains Lake Vänern, Sweden’s biggest lake which had a merchant fleet in its own right that served the many towns along its shores. The 93 km (58 mi) long river was not yet fully navigable, but in the early 1800s work began to connect Vänern with Gothenburg by building
The Swedish Ship Götheborg. Photo © SOIC.se
locks and canals that allowed ships to bypass the waterfalls. This section was called the Trollhätte Kanal. Subsequently, more canals and locks were constructed further east to allow navigation across Vänern, Vättern and Roxen all the way to the Baltic Sea. That portion of the waterway became known as Göta Kanal. Thanks to this monumental civil engineering project, it is still possible to travel between Gothenburg and Stockholm on private pleasure boats or small but comfortable passenger ships.
During the 1700s, the port of Gothenburg grew steadily in importance. Sweden’s main exports were iron and wood, while silk, tea, furniture, porcelain, precious stones and similar luxury items were brought in from afar. Like certain other European seafaring nations, Sweden had its own East India Company that did much of its business with countries in Asia, most of all China. The company was founded in 1731 and grew to be one of Sweden’s largest trading companies. However, the turn of the century saw a decline in the company’s fortunes, and it closed down in 1813.
In the mid-1800s, tens of thousands of Swedes made their way to Gothenburg as the first step to seeking a new life in the New World. Their arrival gave rise a whole new business sector consisting of hotels, travel agents, and stores selling supplies that the emigrants would need for their onward journey. The flow of emigrants continued well into the 1920s. Driven by poverty, famine, class discrimination and religious repression back home, it is estimated that 1.3 million Swedes left for
Postcard of America liner MS Gripsholm docked in Gothenburg in the 1920s.
America during that period. Put this in the context that the population of Sweden in 1850 was 3.5 million and in 1900 had risen to 5.1 million. In the early part of the 20th century,
Gothenburg had grown to become Sweden’s second largest city after Stockholm. Its maritime tradition inspired the founding of Götaverken which in the 1930s was the world’s biggest shipyard in terms of launched gross tonnage. Gothenburg also provided the right economic climate for the establishment of industrial icons such as SKF and Volvo, the latter being the city’s most important employer even now.
Campus Lindholmen of Chalmers University of Technology. Photo © Chalmers University of Technology
Today, Gothenburg is a bustling cultural and commercial centre with few rivals in the rest of Scandinavia. Following big fluctuations in the world economy, the city has sought to reduce its predominant reliance on heavy industries for its prosperity. Banking, finance, pharmaceutical, conference and tourism sectors now contribute
The Göteborg Opera designed by Jan Izikowitz was built in 1994.
to the city’s business growth. Two of Sweden’s most renowned universities – University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology – are found there, not forgetting the internationally acclaimed Gothenburg Opera and the Symphony Orchestra.
Some notable people with connections to Gothenburg who may be familiar to our readers: Alicia Vikander (actress), Ingemar Johansson (boxer, World Heavyweight Champion 1959), Marcus Samuelsson (chef), Wilhelm Stenhammar (composer), Evert Taube (artist, composer, singer), Björn Ulvaeus (ABBA singer-songwriter), and of course NHL players Daniel Alfredsson, Christian Djoos, Loui Eriksson, Carl Klingberg, John Klingberg, and Henrik Lundqvist.
Gothenburg is doing well in international rankings. Forbes has classified the city as the 12th-most inventive city in the world. The Global Destination Sustainability Index has named Gothenburg the world’s most sustainable destination every year since 2016. (The United Nations defines sustainable cities as “those that are dedicated to achieving green, social and economic sustainability.”) In 2019 Gothenburg was selected by the EU as one of the top 2020 European Capitals of Smart Tourism, and in 2020 the EU granted Business Region Göteborg the European Entrepreneurial Region Award 2020.
Maybe none of this would have come to pass, had it not been for a frightened dove that landed at the feet of the King some 400 years ago ...
An exhibition titled The Thing about Gothenburg opens June 4, 2021 at the Museum of Gothenburg. Visitors get to revel in the most beloved, hated and iconic Gothenburg objects and discover new aspects of the city. Accompanied by a chorus of voices from history, the exhibition examines the question: what is really “the thing” about Gothenburg? (See also our interview with Peter Grönberg on page 14.)
Map of
Gothenburg published by
N. P. Pehrsson in 1888.
E X K L U S I V I N T E R V J U M E D P E T E R G R Ö N B E R G
Intervjuad av Peter Berlin
Peter Grönberg. Foto: Anders Thessing
Sedan juni i år är Peter Grönberg VD på Göteborg & Co. Företagets uppgift är att uppmuntra alltfler människor att besöka och slå sig ner i Göteborg genom att samordna expansionen av stadens infrastruktur i form av hotell, restauranger och konferenslokaler. Peter kommer närmast från en tjänst på Volvo Group där han bland annat ansvarat för företagskultur, organisationsutveckling, ledarskap, mångfald och arbetsgivarvarumärke. Han har arbetat många år inom Volvokoncernen och har innehaft ett flertal olika befattningar på ledande nivå. År 2014 blev han utsedd till årets ledarutvecklare av tidningen Chef.
Peter Grönberg är född i Göteborg. Hans pappa kom från Norrland och hans mamma från Mölndal. Pappan tog realexamen och lämnade bondlivet i Norrland för att läsa statsvetenskap i Uppsala. Sedan blev han civilingenjör i Stockholm. 1969 åkte han till Tanzania där han tjänstgjorde på SIDA. ”Så kom han hem och träffade mamma i Göteborg och så bodde vi där ett tag,” berättar Peter. ”Men tack vare pappas fortsatta tjänst inom SIDA blev det så att jag växte upp i Kenya, Tanzania, Etiopien och Saudiarabien fram tills jag var 16. Sedan dess har jag tillbringat stora delar av mitt liv i Göteborg och bor just nu i Örgryte”.
Peters intresse för ledarskap och organisationsutveckling väcktes redan när han var ung. ”Jag började spela tennis väldigt tidigt, så jag hade förmånen under alla utlandsåren att spela och tävla mycket i tennis. Blev snart intresserad att bli tennis-coach och ledare. Under tio år jobbade jag som coach parallellt med studierna på Chalmers – det handlade om mellan 15 och 20 timmar i veckan. Därigenom fick jag upp synen för prestation, ledarskap och teknik. Detta är enbart en del av de faktorer som gör en framgånsrik. Det handlar oerhört mycket mer om din inställning till dig själv och förmågan att hantera stress och kunna fokusera på positiva saker. På den tiden, under 90-talet, fanns det ju många mycket duktiga tennisspelare och -ledare i Sverige. Så det var egentligen den ingången som tennistränare under tio år som jag fick upp synen för ledarskap.”
Peter blev chef för tennisskolan på den lilla orten Lindås utanför Göteborg. Tillsammans med några kompisar ledde han ett 50-tal ungdomar. Utöver intresset för ledarskap fick han även upp ögonen för vikten av mångfald och
Den ikoniska Poseidon statyn av Carl Milles vid Götaplatsen i Göteborg. Foto © Rolf Svedjeholm
jämställdhet. Tack vare åren i Afrika fick han se och erfara många kulturer och olika sätt att leva på. ”Framför allt i Saudiarabien fick jag uppleva hur tillvaron kunde te sig i en diktatur när det gäller mänskliga rättigheter, i synnerhet kvinnors rättigheter. Så det var både uppväxten i utlandet och tennisspelandet som öppnade upp mitt intresse. När jag kom ut från Chalmers, så var jag ganska inställd på att jobba med att utveckla organisationer. Jag har alltid varit intresserad av att utnyttja det bästa hos människor inom en organisation. Jag fick mitt första linjechefsjobb redan när jag var 26 år gammal med globalt ansvar för Volvo Lastvagnars utveckling. Jag hade då ett team på 60 personer utplacerade i Brasilien, USA, Frankrike och här i Sverige. Sedan dess har jag jobbat med ledarskap i en massa olika roller.”
Vad är det som gör Göteborg så speciellt? Peters svar: ”Göteborg ligger ju vid havet och är därmed Sveriges port mot världen sedan 400 år tillbaka. Jag tror det ligger i vår DNA att jobba med internationell handel och relationer. Det har satt prägel på staden – ett globalt arbetsliv med omfattande forskning och utveckling.”
Peter fortsätter: ”Sedan tycker jag att staden har gjort en fantastisk resa under de senaste 30 åren. Vi börjar bli väldigt bra på att fungera som kopplingen mellan den traditionella industrin
E X K L U S I V I N T E R V J U M E D P E T E R G R Ö N B E R G
och övergången till tjänsteutveckling. Sedan har vi resan med hållbarhet. Vi är ett metropol i litet format med ett väldigt rikt kulturliv. Det finns fin arkitektur och närhet till ganska orörd natur och rent vatten. Det är en stad där man hittat balansen mellan arbete och fritid. Det ser vi också när man gör de här värdemätningarna mellan dem som besöker staden och oss som lever i den – alla anger liknande värden i form av familjärt och trevlighet.”
Nu står Göteborg inför ett intressant utvecklingssteg. Det kommer att investeras tusen miljarder kronor ($100 bn) fram till 2035, och staden kommer att växa med ungefär 130 000 invånare. Det är ett stort steg, och det grävs och byggs som aldrig förr i staden.
Göteborg har legat på första plats i fyra år på Global Destination Sustainability Index. Indexet har 69 kriterier fördelade på fyra huvudområden: City Environmental Performance, City Social Performance, Supplier Performance och slutligen Destination Management Performance. Så här förklarar Peter utmärkelsen: ”De första två områdena handlar om hur vi hanterar ekologisk och social hållbarhet i staden. Supplier Performance gäller hur bra vi jobbar mot hotellen och restaurangerna. Destination Management Performance innebär i praktiken en utvärdering av hur vi på Göteborg & Co sköter vårt uppdrag. Vi har gjort bra ifrån oss inom alla fyra områdena. Speciellt kan man lyfta fram att vi kommit väldigt långt med att miljöcertifiera alla våra mötesanläggningar. Där ligger vi på 100 procent enligt kriterierna. Inom evenemang och möten så har vi jobbat inte bara miljömässigt utan även med social hållbarhet. Ett exempel är vårt årliga kulturkalas som är tillgängligt och gratis för alla göteborgare. Femtioen
Skansen Kronan. Foto © Per Pixel Petersson/ Göteborg & Co
procent av alla göteborgare besöker det här kalaset varje år. Det ungefär hälften män och hälften kvinnor som infinner sig. Man kan säga att det kommer lika många från Örgryte som från Angered, alltså från mer välbergade och mer utsatta områden. Också när det gäller utbildningsbakgrund ser man en jämn fördelning.”
Emellertid har COVID-19 ställt till det ordentligt. ”Pandemin har påverkat hela besöksnäringen på ett drakoniskt sätt,” menar Peter. ”Det handlar främst om flyg och kryssningar. Pandemin påverkar hotellen, restaurangerna, konferenserna, kultur och idrott. Hela ekosystemet har lidit av att vi inte har kunnat träffas och resa. Många andra industrier som t.ex. Volvo har upplevt en nedgång på kanske 10 procent i omsättningen. När det gäller vårt ekosystem, så föll omsättningen med hela 90 procent över en natt i mars 2020. Det internationella resandet är ju egentligen helt borta. De besökare som finns kommer mestadels från Sverige. Som företag strävade vi från början efter att försöka få en överskådlig bild av hur pandemin påverkat näringen och att hjälpa näringen. Det var inte så lätt att orientera sig om vad som kom från kommunen, regionen och staten. Utmaningen nu är att utröna hur vi kan få besökare och de som arbetar hemifrån tillbaka in i staden. Så vårt uppdrag är nu ännu mer relevant än någonsin.”
Det bor många utlänningar i Göteborg. Näringslivet och forskningen i staden är väldigt globaliserade. Man har en lång tradition där storföretag som exempelvis Astra Zeneca, SKF och akademiska institutioner konkurrerar på en internationell marknad både om kunderna och om yrkeskompetens. Just nu är nämare 100 000 personer verksamma inom utlandsägda företag i Göteborg – dubbelt så många som för 20 år sedan. Antalet expats har också ökat. Enbart organisationen Expats in Gothenburg har 17 000 medlemmar i dagsläget. Det görs stora satsningar för att utveckla den medico-tekniska sektorn, samtidigt som man ställer om bilindustrin för att producera elektriska och självstyrande fordon. ”När det gäller förbindelser med Nordamerika, så är USA vår fjärde största utlandsmarknad uppmätt i form av antal övernattningar på hotell i Göteborg,” berättar Peter. ”De tre allra största är Norge, Danmark och Tyskland. Den amerikanska marknaden av besökare är den som växt snabbast de senaste åren. USA är också den största exportmarknaden för näringslivet i Göteborg. Det finns över 200 USA-ägda företag i vår region. Kontakterna med Kanada är inte lika intensiva, och man skulle önska att det bleve fler. Svenskar och kanadensare har mycket gemensamt när det gäller världsåskådning, närhet till naturen och inom sporten.”
Summary in English: Peter Grönberg discovered his knack for leadership as a young tennis player. Growing up in Africa, he also became aware of the meaning of human rights. In his role as CEO of Göteborg & Co, he is in charge of promoting tourism, conferences and settlement in Gothenburg, especially these days when COVID-19 is wreaking havoc in the hospitality sector.
Roy Andersson,
Global Swedes
Roy Andersson – Swedish film director, screenwriter, film producer and commercial filmmaker
Roy Andersson. Photo © Fred Scott
Roy Andersson, 77, is considered one of Europe’s most distinguished living film directors. Andersson has made several internationally acclaimed movies, including feature films ”En kärlekshistoria” (A Swedish Love Story), ”Sånger från andra våningen” (Songs from the Second Floor), ”Du levande” (You, the Living), ”En duva satt på en gren och funderade på tillvaron” (A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence) and most recently ”Om det oändliga” (About Endlessness). Swedish Press spoke to the Gothenburg native about his hometown, recent achievements and upcoming holiday plans.
Tell us about your childhood.
I was born and raised in Gothenburg in a working-class family. I am the eldest of four sons. Our childhood was spent with our parents in two parts of the city. At first we lived in Nordstaden, which is a district in central Gothenburg north of Stora Hamnkanalen and part of Gothenburg’s original urban area. My parents moved there after my father was offered work as a property manager in the district. His work benefits included free housing, so our family moved into one of the property apartments. The area we lived in was quite shabby, so when I was five years old we decided to leave Nordstaden. From there we moved to Hisingen, an island belonging to the municipality of Gothenburg and Västra Götaland County.
When did you become interested in film?
When I was a young boy I wanted to be an author. But that changed as I enjoyed watching movies, especially a 1945 Swedish children’s movie called “Barnen från Frostmofjället.” My interest in film grew most strongly in the 70’s. I watched European cinema from that decade, especially French and Italian films. My favorite Italian film is “The Bicycle Thief” by Italian director and actor Vittorio De Sica. I am also a big fan of Spanish-Mexican filmmaker Luis Buñuel who worked in France, Spain and Mexico. These were serious filmmakers and I wanted to become like them.
Where did you study?
After graduating from “latinlinjen” at Hvitfeldtska läroverket (The Hvitfeldt High School) in central Gothenburg in 1963 I studied at the University of Lund. In 1967 I applied and was admitted to Filminstitutets filmskola (later Dramatiska Institutet, or University College of Film, Radio, Television and Theatre) in Stockholm. Filminstitutets filmskola was the only film college in Sweden at that time and I managed to get in on the first try. One could not apply to the film school until the age of 24 so I had to wait and, in the meantime, completed university studies in literary history and philosophy.
What’s your connection to Gothenburg today?
I live and have my film studio in Stockholm. My main connection to Gothenburg today is that I have family there. One of my brothers sadly passed away a few years ago, but I still have two brothers living in Gothenburg. I haven’t been to the city for a while, but I enjoy visiting Gothenburg and my brothers.
Global Swedes
... a Swedish Film Giant
What’s the most important quality in a film director?
Total accuracy! Financing a film is costly and one cannot be careless in the process. I do not care for carelessness. If you are not going to give it 100 percent, you may just as well not do it.
What other film directors inspire you in your work?
I like Swedish directors Ruben Östlund and Gabriela Pichler, as well as the American film director and screenwriter Jim Jarmusch. I really enjoyed Jarmusch’s movie “Stranger Than Paradise” and am mainly inspired by his sense of humor. I am also inspired by Czech directors Giro Menzel and Milos Forman. The everyday comedy in their films inspires me. I find inspiration in paintings and art. I enjoy the works of Spanish romantic painter and printmaker Francisco Goya. Images inspire me.
Sweden has had great success internationally in culture, music and film. You are a part of that. How do you view your work?
When I meet with reporters abroad they call me and my film style unique. They feel that there is something special about my movies. It makes me stand out.
In which other areas do you think Sweden has excelled most globally, especially in North America?
We have distinguished ourselves through our policy of solidarity, and I am proud of that. Unfortunately, I feel that it is weathering a bit now. But overall, Sweden is not lagging behind. Rather the opposite!
How do you think the image of Sweden is changing and developing internationally (particularly in North America)?
Sweden in the past was introspective and very provincial. Today, we are considered modern and new because our horizons have widened.
What is your latest film?
“Om det oändliga”, which I directed and scripted. It premiered in September 2019 at the Venice Film Festival.
How would you describe the film?
“Om det oändliga” moves between the present and the past and depicts historical figures such as Adolf Hitler and Ivan the Terrible. The loose structure was inspired by “Tusen och en natt” (Arabian Nights). The plot is carried by a fairy who also acts as a narrator. The film reminds us of the fragility and beauty of our existence and, with that in mind, of our need to maintain that endless treasure and pass it on. I would like to describe the film as a “film-poem”. It’s a poetic film, visual with little dialogue. And, pretty funny!
In 2014, you became the first Swede to win the Golden Lion at the Film Festival in Venice with the film “En duva satt på en gren och funderade på tillvaron.” Last year you competed with the film “Om det oändliga” and won the Silver Lion for best direction. What have these prestigious awards meant to you?
Receiving these prizes is a great honor. They are great confirmations and boosts of energy. I am proud of my films and happy that I have had the strength to make them. It is also easier to seek finance when you are recognized for your movies.
Speaking of awards – you recently received the 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual Odessa International Film Festival. Congratulations!
Thank you! The festival has one of the largest audiences in Eastern Europe, and the Lifetime Achievement Award is honorary. I am very happy and satisfied with it.
What’s next?
I long to write! I’ll most likely work on fragmentary reflections on life.
What are you doing for Christmas?
I am being interviewed by another 12 journalists before the holidays. Once those interviews are completed I will take some time off. My partner Anne-Marie lives in Lund, Skåne in Southern Sweden, so that’s most likely where we will be celebrating.
Interviewed by Sofie Kinnefors
Welcome to Gunnebo House and Gardens
Gunnebo House – The True Story Behind a Fairytale
By Peter Berlin
Once upon a time in Gothenburg there was a very wealthy merchant named John Hall. He and his family lived in one of the city’s most palatial edifices. In 1782 John Hall hired the city architect to design and build a 25-room mansion on the outskirts of Gothenburg as a summer residence. It was made of wood instead of traditional masonry. The project, which he named Gunnebo House, included an orangerie, a hermitage, several outbuildings, a formal English garden with a big fountain, and a kitchen garden. This may sound like a fairytale, but it is actually a true story. Sadly, the story does not end well.
In the mid-18th century, John Hall was probably Gothenburg’s richest citizen. He owned the trading company John Hall & Co and made his fortune dealing mainly in wood, wrought iron, and oil extracted from herring. His architect, Carl Wilhelm Carlberg, had travelled abroad to seek inspiration, as was the custom in those days among artistically inclined people with deep pockets or affluent sponsors. He was particularly inspired by the Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio whose style he borrowed when designing Gunnebo House and its gardens. It took nearly 20 years to complete the entire property, although the family was able to move in after 14 years.
Aerial view of Gunnebo House & Gardens. Photo: Sofia Kvistborn/Gunnebo Slott och Trädgårdar
The salon. Photo: Peter Kvarnström/Gunnebo Slott och Trädgårdar
Family time at Gunnebo House. Photo: Happy Visuals/Göteborg & Co
Photo: Jonas Ingman/Gunnebo Slott och Trädgårdar
Unfortunately, John Hall died in 1802, around the same time that Gunnebo House was completed, so he didn’t have much opportunity to enjoy his summer residence. His son John Hall Jr inherited both John Hall & Co and Gunnebo House. He was an odd character who knew several languages but spoke very little. He never shaved or went to the barber, so his face was almost entirely covered with hair. His mind and heart were in the fine arts rather than in the harsh world of business. His income dwindled while his debts grew. In a desperate attempt to service his debts, he sold most of the furniture and fittings at Gunnebo House, but that did not stave off his creditors who eventually laid claim to the property itself. John Hall Jr challenged the forfeiture in court – a case which he eventually won, but the legal fees drained away whatever capital he had left. In 1807 his company was declared bankrupt, his wife divorced him in 1809 and he died a pauper in 1830, leaving no heirs.
Wedding at Gunnebo House. Photo: Gunnebo Slott och Trädgårdar
During the 19th and 20th centuries, Gunnebo House changed hands several times. Some of the new owners modified the property, while others neglected it to varying degrees. The magnificent orangerie was pulled down. Eventually the house became derelict. In 1949 it was taken over by Mölndal Municipality. An ambitious restoration followed and continues to this day. Some of the original furniture which John Hall Jr had sold off was recovered, while other pieces were remanufactured.
Gunnebo House has had many prominent visitors, including King Gustav III, King Gustav V, the Venezuelan revolutionary Francisco de Miranda, and US President George W Bush. Nowadays, Gunnebo House is a museum open to the public. There is a restaurant, bakery, gift shop, party rooms and conference facilities. Every summer, an open-air theatre is held in the gardens. Read more on www.gunneboslott.se.
