Historiska svenskar i södra Afrika

Svenske Robert Blomstrand är från Stockholm men bor numera i Johannesburg. Han skrev härom dagen följande väldigt intressanta inlägg i facebookgruppen "Swedish Society of South Africa". Med Roberts nådiga tillstånd publicerar vi texten även här på Sydafrikabloggen. Stort tack, Robert!

Robert Blomstrand

My dad was an historian with the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for many years, specializing in the area of Swedes in Southern Africa.

Unfortunately now the years of maturity are kicking in, and it is affecting his memory. 

I compiled over the years just a handful of the many incredible stories he had to share and thought I would share it with you, followed by some interesting inventions from Swedes that you may or may not have known about.

I really trust that I have compiled this and present this as faithfully and accurately as I can from my father's research. And I just wish I kept more notes...

Swedes in South Africa

- Over 7000 men settled in S.A. Between 17h century and 1902 (end of Boer war). 

- Louis Trichardt (also known as Tregardt at one stage, translated from Trädgård phonetically) founded the well-known town in South Africa

- Anders Stockenström played a fundamental role in establishing Graaff–Reinet

- Olof Berg was ancestor of great Berg family and also owned Groot Constantia. 

- Anders Ohlsson was instrumental in founding the basics of SAB (South African Breweries) with Letterstedt. Who remembers Lion Lager?

- Carl Johnson (with George Irwin) founded I&J. Also started a “little business” with some Zulus with little pull carts which was foundation of Rickshaws. 

- Albert Victor Lindberg (Lindberg Park in Johannesburg named after him) founded the CNA (Central News Agency) who at that stage started publishing The Argus and Cape Times.

- Oskar Wilhelm Alrik Forssman became the largest landowner in South Africa in his day, owning much of the Transvaal, and founded “Scandinavia” just outside of Potchefstroom where he spent much of his life.

- Karl Johan Andersson mapped Victoria Falls before Livingstone’s famous visit there. Whilst Karl never saw the falls himself, he mapped this and sent it to the Royal Academy of Sciences in 1852 based on information gathered from the locals (named Mosi-oa-tunya). David Livingstone’s famous visit to the falls took place in 1855. The map and significance thereof, was discovered in the archives of the Royal Academy of Sciences by historian Christer Blomstrand who specialized on the impact of Swedes in Southern Africa.

And the following are just facts about Swedish inventions that you might find interesting.

Interesting inventions by Swedes:

- GPS (Håkan Lans)

- Skype (co-developed by Niklas Zennström)

- Safety Matches (Gustaf Erk Pasch)

- Telephone headset (Lars Magnus Ericsson 1885)

- Tetra Pak cartons (for milk etc - Eric Wallenberg)

- Adjustable wrench (Johan Petter Johansson)

- Pacemaker (Rune Elmqvist)

- Three-point seatbelt (Nils Bohlin for Volvo who gave invention away to the world for safety)

- The zipper (Gideon Sundbäck)

- Flat screen monitor (Sven Thorbjörn Lagervall)

- Celsius Temperature Scale (Anders Celsius)

- Computer mouse (Håkan Lans)

- Coke bottle (Alexander Samuelsson)

- Dynamite (Alfred Nobel)

- Bluetooth (Nils Rydbeck & Johan Ullman at Ericsson)

- Candy Crush (King)

- Spotify (Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon)

- Ball Bearings (Sven Wingquist)

- The ultra Sound (Hellmuth Hertz with Inge Edler)