Unless otherwise stated, meetings begin at 7.30 p.m.
in the Norwegian Study Centre,
Harald Fairhair's Building, Innovation Way (towards Science Park,
portacabin on right hand side),
University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD.
Click here
to see past events.
Present season:
PROGRAMME 2010-11
Tuesday 21 September
By 'eck, it's the Vikings! Beck Sinar describes the influence
of Scandinavian languages on Yorkshire dialect.
Wednesday 20 October
Norse gods and godless men.
Ruth Ellison tells of the Viking deities.
Thursday 18 November
How close was Helena Snakenborg to Queen Elizabeth I?
Helena Snakenborg was a Swedish lady at Elizabeth I's court. Brita
Green examines the relationship between the two women.
Friday 10 December
Lucia Celebration Venue: Bedern Hall.
This is our annual Christmas party in traditional Scandinavian style
and includes a Lucia procession, music, carols, dancing and refreshments.
Friends and children are most welcome.
Admission by ticket only.
2011
Thursday 6 January
Happy Birthday, Victor Borge!
John Christmas helps us to celebrate the birthday of the famous
Danish pianist and comic.
Saturday 15 January
Midwinter Walk. Details to be announced.
Tuesday 8 February
Green building in Yorkshire - learning from Scandinavia
with Sally Walker of Native Architects.
Also in February we hope to link with the Viking Festival.
Wednesday 16 March
Monsters, Maiden-kings and more: Medieval Icelandic adventure
sagas with Alaric Hall.
Thursday 28 April
Annual General Meeting and evening of traditional Norwegian
music.
Tuesday 24 May
Scandinavian design. A do-it-yourself evening where members
and friends bring along Scandinavian artefacts and talk about them.
May / June
Midsummer Walk. Details to be announced.
Saturday 25 June
Traditional Sankt Hans Aften with Bonfire and Party. Our traditional
summer celebration. Venue and details to be announced.
Past seasons, from autumn
2002:
PROGRAMME
2002-03
Thursday 17 October
1000 Years of Fishing.
Consul Kurt Christensen talks about the Danish history of fishing
in Grimsby.
Wednesday 13
November
St Brice's Day Massacre -13 November 1002.
Dr Matthew Townend enlightens us about the ethnic cleansing of Danes.
Friday 13 December
Christmas Celebration in traditional Anglo-Scandinavian style.
Music, carols, dancing and refreshments from Scandinavia and the UK.
Friends and children most welcome.
Tickets from the Treasurer. (Venue: Bedern Hall)
Wednesday 15 January
'Ville' against the Establishment.
Dr Phil Holmes talks about the Swedish author Vilhelm Moberg (1898-1973).
(With slides)
2003
Saturday 18
January
Midwinter Walk.
Saturday 22
February, 11am-4pm
Our contribution to the Jorvik Viking Festival: Scandinavian Home
Crafts and Skills.
A smörgåsbord of ideas (no food!), with a rolling programme
of practical demonstrations.
(Venue: ARC, St Saviourgate)
Tuesday 25
February
Geology of Scandinavia - A Rock Show.
You are invited to bring along specimens to this talk by Alan Hall.
Wednesday 12
March
The Riches of Bjørnøya.
A personal account of death and beauty in the High Arctic by Norwegian
adventurer Dag Hagenæs Kjelldahl. (With slides)
Wednesday 9
April
AGM, and launch of our Cookery Book with some culinary samples.
Thursday 15
May
Wilhelm Stenhammar - Sweden's Sibelius?
Richard Crossley deals with a great Swedish composer. (With recorded
music)
Sunday 15 June
Midsummer Walk (Details to be announced)
Saturday 21
June
Traditional Sankt Hans Aften with bonfire and party
PROGRAMME
2003-04
Tuesday 23
September 2003
St Birgitta of Sweden: Her life and legacy over 700 years.
A talk by Dr Bridget Morris.
Wednesday 22
October 2003
"We Ferry you to the Faeroes"
with Danish/Faeroese Pastor Hjørdis Kjærgaard of the
Danish Seaman's Church in Hull.
Thursday 27
November 2003
A workshop on making Scandinavian decorations for the Christmas season.
(Bring your own scissors, pens and rulers). Younger members especially
welcome.
Friday 12 December
2003 (Venue: Bedern Hall).
Christmas Celebration in traditional Anglo-Scandinavian style.
Music, carols, dancing and refreshments from Scandinavia and the UK.
Friends and children most welcome.
2004
Tuesday 20
January 2004
Halldor Laxness: Icelandic Nobel Prize winning author. A talk by Dr
Ruth Ellison.
Saturday 17January
2004 Midwinter walk.
Thursday 26
February 2004
"Heftig og Begeistret (Cool and Crazy)": The recent and
much celebrated Norwegian film, with English subtitles.
Wednesday 24
March 2004
Danish Golden Age Painting: An extensively illustrated talk by Dr
David Jackson.
We look at the society of Golden Age Denmark as seen through the paintings
of this celebrated period of cultural richness.
Thursday 22
April 2004
The Annual General Meeting with Supper and Songs.
Tuesday 11
May 2004
Poetry evening with Readings, Translations and Discussion.
Saturday 26
June 2004
Midsummer Walk, from Hutton-le-Hole.
Saturday 19
June 2004
Traditional Sankt Hans Aften with bonfire and party.
PROGRAMME
2004-05
Tuesday 21
September
The Faroes threatened.
The islands' amazing history and culture -
and the threat posed by the effects of global warming on the Gulf
Stream.
Illustrated talk by Faroese couple John Dalsgard and Erla Olsen, currently
researchers at York University.
Wednesday 20
October
The Bjørn Lomborg affair
goes global.
Lomborg is Denmark's 'sceptical environmentalist'
denying the existance of the environmental crisis.
Talk by Anglo-Danish Olaf Corry, Visiting Fellow at London School
of Economics.
Thursday
18 November
From stoker to Nobel laureate.
Swedish writer Harry
Martinson's centenary is celebrated this year.
Illustrated talk by Dr Brita Green.
Friday 10 December
Christmas celebration in traditional Anglo-Scandinavian style.
Music, carols, dancing and refreshments. Friends and children most
welcome.
Admission by ticket only
2005
Tuesday
18 January
How Viking was Viking York?
An illustrated talk by Dr Peter Addyman,
the innovator and first director of York
Viking Centre.
Saturday
15 January
Midwinter walk
4-20 February
Jorvik Viking Festival (YASS participation):
Wednesday
16 February
Death and Beauty in the Norwegian Arctic.
Illustrated talk by the Norwegian adventurer Dag Kjelldahl.
Thursday
18 February
A Scandinavian Special.
1.
Wine and wellcome (Chairman Ruth Corry)
2. Danish poetry: Piet Hein (John and Karen Christmas)
3. Two Scandinavian
songs (Susanne Walker)
4. Icelandic spells (Ruth Ellison)
5. An Old Norse tale (Ruth Corry and Ruth Ellison)
6. A first lesson in Swedish (Brita Green and Eva Robards)
7. Norwegian folk music and dancing (guests: Hardanger fiddle group
Glima)
Saturday
19 February
Various handicraft
Thursday 24
February
'The Northern Utopia: British perceptions of
Norway in the 19th century'.
A presentation by Dr Peter Fjågesund and Dr Ruth A. Symes,
the joint authors of this recently published illustrated book.
Wednesday 16
March
The Birth of a Nation.
Professor
Nils Ivar Agøy comes from Norway
to tell
us about the war that was narrowly avoided,
when Norway gained independence
from Sweden in 1905.
Sunday 3 April
afternoon
Visit to Dag Kjelldahl's Sciene Centre at Whitby.
Details to be announced.
Tuesday 19
April
The Annual General Meeting
and a video showing of the famous film Kon Tiki in the light of
time.
English subtiteles, large screen. For members only.
Wednesday 18
May
Scandinavian music - recent releases.
Chris from Banks Music Shop will introduce and play samples.
Saturday 11
June
Midsummer walk in Wensleydale
Saturday 25
June
Traditional Sankt Hans Aften with bonfire and party.
Pictures from the event can be viewed on the photo album page.
PROGRAMME
2005-06
Tuesday 27
September
Maritime History of Scandinavian Emigration
through Liverpool to USA
Dick Midhage, volunteer in Maritime Research at the Albert Dock Museum
in Liverpool
Wednesday 19
October
Fearless
Frithiof of Sognefjord: A Victorian Viking Hero.
Andrew
Wawn, Professor of Anglo-Icelandic Studies at School of English, University
of Leeds
Thursday 17
November
Childhood Games: a
'bring and share' evening
with memories of childhood games from Britain and Scandinavia.
Led by Dr Peter Green
Friday 9
December
Christmas Celebration in
traditional Anglo-Scandinavian style,
including Lucia, music, carols, dancing and refreshments.
Friends and children
most welcome.
Venue Bedern Hall.
Pictures from the event can be viewed on the photo album page.
2006
Monday 9 January
The Heroes of Telemark: From Sacred Scenery to Nuclear Nightmare.
Dr Peter Fjågesund,
former Director of Norwegian Study Centre, York University
28 January
Midwinter Walk
Yorkshire Sculpture Park,
meeting 10.15 in the car park on the left hand side of the A637 towards
Huddersfield
just a few hundred meters after leaving junction 38 on the M1.
Wednesday 8
February
Finlandia. The Art of Akseli Gallen-Kallela
An extensively
illustrated talk on the work of Fine Art
Dr David Jackson, History of Art and Cultural Studies, University
of Leeds
16-26 February
Jorvik Viking Festival
YASS
participation
Tuesday 14
March
Anna á Gilsbakka, a woman of no importance?
Ruth
Ellison gives an illustrated talk about the life and influence of
her Icelandic 'foster mother'
Thursday 20
April
AGM followed
by
Breadmaking around Scandinavia - with tasters.
Introduced by Paul Sigsworth/Brita Green
Wednesday 10
May
Duckling to Swan? Hans Christian Andersen,
the Fairytale and the Reality.
Sid
Bradley, Professor Emeritus, University of York and University of
Århus, Denmark
May/June
Midsummer Walk (Details
to be announced)
Saturday 17June
Traditional Sankt Hans Aften with bonfire and party.
Pictures from the event can be viewed on the photo album page.
PROGRAMME
2006-07
Thursday
14 September
Ibsen, you are a liar!
Randi Hilmersen and Vigdis Ellefsrud (Kristelig Gymnasium, Oslo)
mark the 100th anniversary of the death of the playwright Henrik
Ibsen.
Tuesday 17
October
Greenland revisited – an illustrated travelogue.
An account by Alison and Michael Kitchen of their visit to Greenland
in 2004.
Thursday 16
November
YASS goes to Norway - the Travellers' report.
Impressions of Norway, its National Day, and renewed friendship.
Friday 8 December
Venue: Bedern Hall.
Christmas Celebration in traditional Anglo-Scandinavian style, including
Lucia.
Music, carols, dancing and refreshments. Friends and children most
welcome.
Admission by ticket only.
2007
Monday 8 January
Jørgen Jørgensen - the English Dane.
John Christmas, YASS.
Saturday 20
January
Midwinter Walk. (Details to be announced.)
Monday 5 February
The Swede who organised the world.
Carl Linnaeus, 300 years old in 2007. Eva Robards, YASS.
Jorvik Viking Festival. YASS participation:
Thursday
15 February 2007
Viking descendants on the move.
8.15pm, DIG
Some hundred years ago a large part of the Scandinavian peoples
emigrated to the 'large country in the west'.
Join Dick Midhage of York Anglo-Scandinavian Society
to learn how they travelled there, via Hull and Liverpool,
and how it comes that one out of 20 Americans
has Scandinavian background.
Pre-booking: 01904 543403, £2 adult, £1.50 conc.
Sunday
18 February 2007
Scandinavians in action.
A display of traditional crafts, where you can join in and enjoy.
Tuesday 13
March
The Scandinavian connection.
The origins and history of the Yorkshire dialects.
Dr Barrie Rhodes (Yorkshire Dialect Society and Coordinator UK for
The Viking Network).
Thursday 19
April
AGM followed by Quiz with drinks and nibbles.
Thursday 26
April (Changed from Wednesday 2 May)
The British experience of Finland – Sport and National
Pride and Shame: The Case of Finland
Glyn Hughes, University of Jyväskylä, Finland.
Ramble with cultural highlights.
An interesting walk along the quayside, with a handful of historic
places of interest.
The walk would pass by the Baltic and wouldn't be far from the Biscuit
Factory or the Laing.
Saturday 16
June
Midsummer Walk
Saturday 23
June
Traditional Sankt Hans Aften with bonfire and party.
PROGRAMME
2007-08
Tuesday 25 September
The Viking Experience. Meet Dag Kjelldahl (YASS)
- the Viking.
Thursday
18 October
Voices from the Past. From letters and diaries Anne Batchelor
(Family Historian, Leeds)
describes Scottish Dr Laird's visit to Denmark, and other stories.
Wednesday
14 November
How Norwegian was Grieg? Alan Hall and Iain Robertson (YASS)
outline traits in the life and music of Edvard Grieg (1843 -1907).
Saturday
8 December Venue: Bedern Hall.
Christmas Celebration in traditional Anglo-Scandinavian style,
including Lucia. Music, carols, dancing and refreshments.
Friends and children most welcome. Admission by ticket only.
2008
Tuesday 8 January
To Iceland We Went. Jonathan Tapp (Teacher, York Steiner
School)
talks about his class trip to Iceland.
Saturday
19 January
Midwinter Walk (out of Hovingham)
Wednesday
13 February
Finland in My Mind. English Steven Alger and Finnish Pirjo
MacTurner
compare experiences of Finland over 25 years.
14 February
Jorvik Viking Festival.
YASS participation.
Thursday
13 March
Rites of Spring. Easter traditions (member participation).
Tuesday 15
April
AGM followed by Guess What! and food.
Wednesday
14 May
Divine Glass. Dr David O'Connor (The University of Manchester)
talks about
Medieval stained glass in Sweden, focussing on Gotland's Gothic
glass.
May/June
Midsummer Walk (in Coverdale)
Saturday
21 June
Traditional Sankt Hans Aften with Bonfire and Party.
Tuesday 30 September
Edvard Munch
Professor David Jackson informs us about the famous Norwegian
painter.
Thursday 23 October
Ralph Gershom Collingwood was an English artist who painted scenes
from the Icelandic Sagas. Matthew Townend tells us more.
Wednesday 19 November
The Science of Colours, Pigments and Anders Zorn.
An intruiging title for a talk by mathematician, theoretical
physicist and oil painter
Professor Malcolm Ludvigsen.
Saturday 6 December
Christmas Celebration at Bedern Hall in traditional Scandinavian
style\
with music, carols, dancing and (not least!) refreshments. Friends
and children most welcome.
Admission by ticket only.
Programme 2009-2010
Thursday 15 January
The Wasa is Sweden's equivalent of the Mary Rose.
Dick Midhage tells its fascinating story.
Saturday 17 January
Winter walk.
An
approximately 4 miles walk, out of Helmsley.
Linking with the Yorvik Viking Festival and York's City Screen
cinema in February
Thursday 18 February
Keith Withall explains Dogme films.
Sunday 22 February
(City Screen, Coney Street,York)
The award winning Danish film Italian for Beginners,
a romantic comedy set in Denmark
and made according to the principles of Dogme 95
(preceded by a short introduction)
Thursday 19 March
The Stockholm Environment Institute
Presentation by Johan Kuylenstierna
Wednesday 22 April
Annual General Meeting with food and music
Tuesday 12 May
Evening of Folk Tales, scary and otherwise, with membership
participation
May/June Midsummer walk
Saturday 20 June
Traditional Sankt Hans celebration with bonfire and party
Thursday 24 September
Boy to Border Pastor.
Steen Tygesen from the Danish church in Hull
tells the remarkable story of how he came to occupy his present
position.
Tuesday 20 October
Arne Næss, Philosopher of the Environment.
A discussion between our chairman and environmental philosopher
Chris Belshaw
on the founder of the Deep Ecology movement.
Wednesday 18 November
Making Christmas Decorations.
A practical session led by Ruth Corry and Brenda Tyler.
Come and save money on this year's Christmas decorations.
Saturday 12 December Venue: Bedern Hall.
Christmas Celebration in traditional Anglo-Scandinavian style.
Includes Lucia procession, music, carols, dancing and refreshments.
Friends and children most welcome. Admission by ticket only.
2010
Saturday 16 January
Midwinter Walk. (Details to be announced.)
Saturday 30 January
Fiftieth birthday dinner at the Tithe Barn, Upper Poppleton.
Come and celebrate the founding of YASS exactly fifty years ago
today!
Guest of honour is COSCAN chairman, Mark Elliott.
18 - 22 February (Details to be announced.)
We link with the Jorvik Viking Festival.
Thursday 18 March
Aerial Archaeology.
Peter Horne tells us about his fascinating work.
Wednesday 21 April
Annual General Meeting and Finnish evening.
Tuesday 18 May
'Escape from St. Thomas' with Dag Kjelldahl.
Come and hear this unusual tale from the life of our master
story-teller
May/June
Midsummer Walk. (Details to be announced.)
Saturday 19 June
Traditional Sankt Hans Aften with Bonfire and Party.
(Venue and details to be announced.)
