BJØRN NILSEN: JOURNALIST OG AKTIVIST. MEDIESTREIF

The Norwegian poet, writer and television journalist, Bjørn Nilsen has published a new book about his experience working for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK). After having read his book: " Journalist og aktivist ", I remembered two poems that might
give you a realistic description of his attitude to work, politics, society and to those who have power and about all: His approach to facts and research work and archives. Later on in a new blog I will comment on his interesting book about the conflict between working for a national information corporation and being active politically in Norway.
Do not believe just because
wise men say so.
Do not believe just because
it has always
been that way.
Do not believe just because
others may
believe so
Examine and
experience yourself.

The Buddha ( From Kalama Sutra)

The name of the poet of the second poem is unknown.

Do not follow
where the path may lead
Go instead
where there is no path

And leave a trail.


Bjørn Nilsen(b. 1934-)has written about 19 books.

PARIS 2010:JEAN LEON JAURES

In Montmarte in Paris you find a site, a small cafe, which is very interesting with
reference to terror as a method to put an end to diplomatic talks. I paid a visit
to the cafe some days ago. The French Sosialist leader, Jean Leon Jaures, was assassinated at the cafe in year 1914. Cafe Restaurant Historique is the name of the site. Street: 146 Rue Montmarte. He was killed by a French nationalist called Raul Villain.Why was he killed? Jean Leon Jaures tried to promote an understanding between
France and Germany to prevent the war - The First World War. He failed. To fight for peace is still dangerous and some are killed for making peace. Jean Leon Jaures was
educated at the Lucee Louis-le-Grand in Paris.Later he was lecturing at the University of Toulouse.If you go to Paris, pay a visit to the cafe to remember a man
who did all he could to prevent the war- but invain.

FORGOTTEN AND NOT WANTED: NORWEGIAN FRONTFIGHTERS

What happened to CHRISTIAN SEVERIN ANDRESEN? A Norwegian frontfighter.Age 19. Killed
in Ladzyn, Poland and buried at Vaivara in Estonia.He was born October 27, 1924 and he died August 1, 1944. I do find the information about him confusing: Killed in Poland and buried in Estonia. The book titled : " De som falt " ( Those who were killed) has been up-dated by the author, Eirk Veum and the photo editor, Geir Brenden.The book was published in year 2009. Eirik Veum and Geir Brenden have written
a very interesting book. But I do not find any new information about Christian Severin Andresen in the up-dated version? Why asking the question? After having viewed a television programme about the gravestones at Vaivara in Estonia, I saw his
name on one of the gravestones? Are we talking about the same person? About 12000
young Norwegian men wanted to support the German fight to dominate the world.5500
of them joined the fight and about 852 were killed.The mentioned book contents the history of those who lost the war. Not wanted in Norway and the history of the frontfighters should have been written 60 years ago.I appreciate the history of
the young Norwegian soldiers even if I have problems in understanding the reasons for
the fight.

WALCHEREN 1944 -NORWEGIAN COMMANDOS

I must admit that I agree with friends who are of the opinions that I am
classified as old-fashioned, too conservative, too active in setting up certain standards for my work and actions. Agreed. With reference the novel " Sinners in Summertime (1927) " written by the Norwegian author Sigurd Hoel, John makes this famous statement: " ...Du er en selvbedrager og tilhører som sådan den forrige generasjon..." (...You are self-delusion and belongs to the previous generation...)
Gertrude Stein called the generation after the First World War for " the lost generation " and the statement made her famous worldwide -for your information only.
Back to business , so to speak. My statement is that we have to accept documentaries
made about historical events as important sources for any research work necessary to
be done.I did view a documentary dealing with the famous evacuation of British, French and Allied soldiers at Dunkerque in France year 1940. But I did not know that Norwegian commando soldiers also took part in the battle? To be sure about the matter, I went to pay a visit to The Norwegian Defence Media Centre situated in Oslo
at Akershus Castle. A dvd copy of the film: " Norske commandos på Walcheren "( Norwegian commandos at Walcheren) was presented to me. To my surprise I saw the same shots used in the documentary called " The Battle of Britain ". Yes, I am old
fashioned but I still think we need to keep a certain standard with reference to
sources whether the facts are written documents or films made.The audiovisual archives worldwide need to make better content descriptions of films stored in the archives. In 1940 ,no Norwegian commando soldiers participated in the evacuation. But
the Norwegian soldiers took part in the attack on the island called Walcheren in 1944.But that is another story. For further studies of the battle of Walcheren: Arnfinn Haga: Klar til storm. Med de norske commandos i annen verdenskrig. J.W. Cappelens Forlag A.S. 1984. 180 Pages. Photos. Sources for the book: Public Record Office in London (No 10 Inter Allied Commando. No 5 Troop). The battle of Walcheren is also dealt with in the book: " Armageddon- The Battle of Germany 1944- 45" written by Max Hastings. Sorry, but the author has not included the story of the Norwegian commandos
in his book- only the Canadian soldiers are dealt with at pages 214- 219. Sorry.A review of the book " Klar til storm " was published in the Norwegian local newspaper
" Nordstrand Østre Aker Blad (NØAB)" ,(Nordstrands Blad ),February 13, 1985.

SOME CAME RUNNING

Some came running - I am not thinking about the famous novel written by the American author James Jones or the movie with the same title.The plot is based on the novel. No. I am concerned about a shot of some British soldiers running. They run fast because the shot is taken during a real battle. They run for their lives, so to speak. I do not know where they are running. I do not know the site for the event or the correct year for the event. I see that the soldiers are running from the right side of the picture to the left side. The shot was found in two different documentaries: " The Battle of Britain " and " Elite Forces.Paratroops 1940-1945 ".
I am viewing and evaluating the films as any other source about the Second World War.
Written papers about historical events are objects for critical evaluations by those who want to add the documents to the list of papers used for the report. In the film
" The Battle of Britain " ,the shot is used to show you the fighting before the evacuation at Dunkerque, or " Dunkirk", in France. The year is 1940. Dunkerque is associated with the famous evacuation of British,French and Allied troops in 1940. The same shot is again used in the film:
" Elite Forces. Paratroops 1940-1945 ". But I am not viewing dramatic events close to
Dunkerque in 1940 but viewing a report about Operation Market Garden in September 1944 close to Arnhem in Holland.The film " A Bridge too FAR " is about the Operation Market Garden. The year is 1944. Some British soldiers came running but I do not know the correct site for the running. My approach to the running soldiers is my
concern about the source I am viewing.It is important to trust the source whether it is a written document or a report made by moving images. Do we trust the documentaries as a source when we again and again discover the misuse of shots?
No. We do not reuse papers contenting wrong information when we select facts for a
report to be published.Audiovisual archives need to make sure that facts stored in the catalogues are correct facts.A work to be done.

MEDIA ARCHAEOLOGY IN BERLIN-ARCHIVE DIGGING

David Parratt,Das Bundesarchiv,Tech.Filmberater


From left:Doris Eggert, Das Bundesarchiv,Mica Film: Hilde Kristin Kjøs, Karoline Grindaker Photos:Tedd Urnes
Digging in archives worldwide is a profession performed by dedicated librarians and
researchers.What do they all have in common? A hope to find information forgotten? A wish to rewrite history books due to the facts that you find new facts about a controversial issue? Archive digging is thrilling.My main interest is film,radio and television archives where the visual history of a nation is stored and forgotten.The Norwegian film production company, MICA FILM, asked me to search for Norwegian ladies who had joined the German Red Cross during the Second World War. We all went to Berlin for searching after the wanted shots. Bundesarchiv-Filmarchiv, Berlin was the site we wanted to begin the search. To my surprise, the archive staff let me view all the news at home in Oslo. I got access to the catalogue about the news published before and during the war. A splendid service.In this way I could make a selection of films wanted for viewing later on in Berlin.Bundesarchiv-Filmarchiv in
Berlin was paid a visit. The working team I met did a good job. Viewing old Deutsche Wochenschau to search for subjects not mentioned in the official catalogues are what I call media archaeology making an attempt to find shots that might tell you about events forgotten.It was not easy to find my wanted ladies.No. But you find shots that might change the story you are working on. Most of the shots are reports from the war.Fighting scenes, soldiers,new places, guns,- but suddenly you see shots that differ from all what you have seen and expected: German soldiers collecting flowers to be put on gravestones.Norwegians who left Norway to get work in Germany. Happy people.Smiling Norwegian women on the way to work in Germany knowing that Norway was occupied by Germany.About 400 Norwegian girls joined the German Red Cross.Many of them were killed nursing wounded soldiers from different countries.I also found scenes about Norwegians who wanted to fight for Germany approaching the recruiting office in Oslo.After hours searching and viewing films, I asked about subjects that
I wanted to find more about. Sorry- we have not made a catalogue about all the films.
This means that you need time, money and patience to find the wanted shots. I met
groups of researchers who worked in this way: Viewing and viewing and more viewing of
German news from the Second World War.Bundesarchiv-Filmarchiv is your next stop if you want to do archival digging. My proposal is that the librarians, the historians,
the journalists, the researchers should add information the the catalogue while viewing the films if they know the persons or the events published on the films. A practical,international cooperation among diggers- archive diggers- those happy few
who you might meet visiting audiovisual archives situated in radio companies, film archives and television archives and of course, national archives worldwide.A shot from a film can tell you more than thousand words. When the late President John F.Kennedy on his Inauguration Day in Washington D.C.passed his father, Joe Kennedy. John.F. Kennedy raised up in his car and greeted his farther taking off his top hat.
In some seconds you got the information about who made him the president of United States of America. The scene was shot but forgotten and later on used in a splendid
documentary of John. F. Kennedy. The film tells the history of power and the events.
We have to search more to find Norwegian girls working for the German Red Cross.But a visit to Bundesarchiv-Filmarchiv in Berlin is recommended to all archive diggers.Do not forget thinking of the content of the archives while viewing old Deutsche Wochenschau:The films were made during a time when there was no freedom speech in Germany and no freedom of expression.Anyway the shots of events - not the comments -
can tell you more about what went on in different countries. The content of the national archives worldwide where there is no official policy of freedom of speech and freedom of expression must be evaluated with reference to the lack of freedoms mentioned. The value of the archives is at stake.Anyway - pay the Bundesarchiv-Filmarchiv, Berlin a visit and see for yourself,old digger!

ESTONIA:VAIVARA-FORGOTTEN NORWEGIAN FRONTFIGHTERS

The Norwegian frontfighters, Roald Kongsbak(1923-1944),Christian Severin Andresen(1919-1944),Andreas K. Skulstad(1919-1944),Leif Elmer Anda(1918-1944)and Ferdinand Bøe-Simonsen(1919-1944)left Norway during the Second World War never to return to Norway. They were all killed in military actions in 1944. The battlefield was Narva.
The young Norwegian boys had decided to join the German army and wanted to fight for a new Europe dominated by Adolf Hitler and Germany. The reasons for doing so differed from person to person. A common goal was the fight against the communist regime of Soviet Union and Joseph Stalin. No return to Norway for the boys. By viewing a television programme made by Estonia Television, I found the names mentioned on the gravestones set up at the Vaivara memorial park close to the city of Narva. Vaivara Parish is a municipality of Ida-Viru County in Northern Estonia.The city of Narva is situated close to the border between Estonia and Russia.About 150 names of lost and killed soldiers are to be found on the gravestones at Vaivara. 75 young Norwegian soldiers were killed in actions during the battle of Narva and Vaivara in year 1944.Volonteer soldiers from Sweden, Denmark,Germany,Holland, Austria,France and Belgium were also stationed at Vaivara.The number of Norwegian soldiers were about 700.The aim was to fight the soldiers of Russia.My interest for the Norwegian soldiers and the names on the gravestones of Vaivara Cemetery Memorial Park is a result of a book review I made
of the Norwegian book titled: " De som falt. Nordmenn som døde i tysk krigstjeneste "
written by Eirik Veum. After having viewed the television programme about the buried
Norwegian soldiers, I began searching among the names mentioned in the book. Archive digging is thrilling.What happened to Christian Severin Andresen who was killed in year 1944? I saw his name on one of the gravestones but the official information about him is that he was killed close to Ladzyn in Polen? Why is he buried at Vaivara in Estonia? The question is asked by me but I do not know the answer.I could not find any photo of Christian Severin Andresen from Oslo, Norway.
Only 19 years of age. SS-Rottenfuhrer i 5. SS-Division Wiking,Regiment Germania,1.kompani.Born: October 27,1924 and died, August 1,1944. It might be that we are dealing with two different persons?To those of you who do not know much about the battle of Narva: About 200.000 soldiers were killed during the fighting.75 dedicated
young Norwegian boys are among the lost soldiers.A memorial park has been set up by
Estonians. None of the forgotten soldiers were welcomed in Norway due to the fact that they all fought against the Norwegian Government situated in London during the war.Anyway this is also Norwegian history whether you like it or not.Why are the gravestones not been moved to Norway?In year 2010 we need correct information about the Second World War and also the facts that might be less positive but true.We should have had better contact with those few who decided to fight a war not popular
among the majority of the population of Norway because it is a part of the history.
We should have asked them all if they knew about The Waivara Concentration and labor camp established in 1943? What happened to the Jews passing through the gates of the camp?If you want information about the battles of Waivara and Narva- Estonian war history and Norway - I recommend reading this book: Egil Ulateig:Veien mot undergangen. Historien om norske frontkjempere, page 275 -" De norske dødsmarkene ".

An assumption only or a theory?The reason for me to remember Vingåker,Paris and Nairobi

Big-game hunter Denys Finch Hatton
Haverholme Priory.Earl of Winchilsea.The family estate in Lincolnshire
Baroness Karen Blixen.The author of " Out of Africa ".

Lasse Nilsson. Kaisa Komulainen-Nilsson


Let me face you with a private assumption about why I and maybe you do remember some sites, cities, faces, persons and events for years. Three cities are mentioned above:
The Swedish city, Vingåker, the capital of France, Paris and Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. What do the cities have in common? Why do I recall them all too often? My statement is that if you move people who are dedicated in some or another field, they would let you know about their interests, dreams, ambitions wherever they go or settle- I think.If you had been my students I would ask you some questions connected to some words letting you explain to me the importance of the words. Let me make a test. Question one is: Kjesæter and Vingåker and the Second World War? Those Norwegians who left Norway to fight the German occupation of the country, do remember
the name Kjesæter because they all had to be questioned about why they left Norway in spring 1942. The castle Kjesæter is situated close to Vingåker in Sødermanland.Not
all of the refugees had a good reason for leaving the country and some of them were sent by the Germans to spy on the Norwegian soldiers. Many of the young men married the beautiful Swedish girls and many have only good memories from the stay in Vingåker during the war. Due to my age I was not among the refugees. The Norwegians
made Vingåker and the castle Kjesæter know to many in Norway. They came, they stayed
and left and made local history in Vingåker. My assumption might not be too bad. Let
me continue with my lecture about my settlement theory. Two friends of mine have recently also settled in Vingåker.They left the busy life in Stockholm and have decided make it in Nederhult, Vingåker. A splendid and bold decision, I think. Kaisa
Komulainen- Nilsson and Lasse Nilsson have decided to work for the community by being active in local politics representing the party, Venstrepartiet Vingåker.
Several public meetings have already been arranged.Two dedicated persons who have many interests like literature, cooking, gardening, reading, writing and they are not afraid of making mistakes or make it known in public about negative conditions
of the city of Vingåker. Norwegian refugees, Norwegian soldiers and two persons from Stockholm are making Vingåker an interesting site to go to. You are all welcome to Vingåker to study Norwegian military history or visit Nederhult and get splendid food made by the Swedish refugees from Stockholm or you may buy cheap cloths there.
Think about it - next stop Vingåker. Let me move to Paris to make you believe in my settlement theory. As being my student I ask you to connect the following sentences to a city in France: " La Generation perdue " or " The lost generation " or " A rose is a rose is a rose " famous expressions for those of you who do love reading.
Right -it is Paris after the First World War and the maker of the famous words is the American author Gertrude Stein. She was born in Pennsylvania, USA, in 1874 and died in 1946. She loved Paris -like many of us do. She settled in Paris too. Ernest
Hemingway, John Steinbeck, Dos Passos, F. Scott Fitzgerald,Ezra Pound,Sherwood Anderson, Waldo Pierce, Sylvia Beach and T.S. Eliot are writers who met Gertrude Stein in Paris to talk about the secret of writing. They all made Paris know to the world by writing about the city they all loved. Ernest Hemingway wrote a nice book about his memories in Paris:" A Moveable Feast "- or a love declaration to Paris.I
continue to make you believe in my assumption by moving to the city of Nairobi.
Kenya was a British colony and administrated by the British. Why Nairobi? What is so important about Nairobi? The answer is that I try to make you believe in moving educated and qualified people to a site and that they make the site famous for generations due to their activities and work. This time I will ask you about some persons who made Kenya and Nairobi well-known to the whole world. Denys Finch Hatton,Karen Blixen, Beryl Markham (my favorite)and Baron Bror von Blixen-Finecke.
Many books have been written about them all during the time they dominated the public life in Kenya before the Second World War. Movies have been made too about the mentioned persons: " Out of Africa " is the most famous. Karen Blixen published her famous book about her African farm after having left Nairobi and settled in Denmark. Her house in Nairobi is a museum.Beryl Markham was the first woman to earn an aviator's licence in British East Africa. She was the first woman to cross the Atlantic east-to-west solo by plane in 1936. Denys Finch Hatton - educated at Eton and Oxford- a famous hunter, was killed in 1931 in a plane crash. His grave is a tourist site to-day. Baron Bror
von Blixen-Finecke did hunting in Africa with Ernest Hemingway and assisted him in writing about hunting.He also set up a medical group to assist Norway in the fight against Germany and later moved back to Sweden.
My conclusion is that I have hoped to make you believe in moving people to far away sites to make the places well-known to the whole world or if you want to set up a plant anywhere, you need to make people aware of the work you have done.No excuse for being passive and not active, my friends. Good luck. Finally -some photos of
persons mentioned and sites.

WARNING:THE AIR BATTLE SCENES IN THIS MOVIE PICTURE WERE PHOTOGRAPHED IN ACTUAL COMBAT

The film " Twelve O'Clock High " was made in 1949 and released in 1950. The opening prologues of the movie are interesting information with reference to the use of real shots in movies: " ...The air battle scenes in this motion picture were photographed in actual combat by members of the United States Air Force and the German Luftwaffe...". So far the warning at the very beginning of the film. The main issues dealt with in the movie are the psychological effects on war and its soldiers. Military leadership and management under extreme stress are important issues too. How far can you put press on a man before you break him down? We are viewing the story about the American 918 Bomb Group stationed in England during WWII. The year is1942. The bomb group is conducting daylight bombing over Germany and occupied Europe.
The B-17 bombers are not escorted by fighter planes. The famous actor Gregory Peck is
portraying general Frank Armstrong who approved of Peck's portrayal of him. The general is a chainsmoker. Gregory Peck is smoking cigarettes no pipe or cigars.
To those of you who are searching for love and war in movies: No love affairs in this movie.Only statements of how to run a group of men who are fed up with the war and the stress and the tough military leadership. Are you interested in crash landing scenes, take a look at this film. The American B-17 bomber which is crash landing on the airstrip, is real action made by the stunt pilot, Paul Mantz.The air battles shots were cut together from authentic WWII footage. The American pilots are talking about the German fighter plane, Focke Wulf, but the close shots of the planes
are made of Messerschmitt 109. The 918 Bomb Group is the story of the 306th Bomb Group. The casuality rate is high: 287 men flew to England in 1942 and only 87 survived. "Teach with movies " has recommended the film for classroom education. The U.S. Navy is also using the film as an example of leadership styles. The film has also been used for leadership training in civilian non-military seminars. Anyway be aware of the real shots of air battles - the planes are shot down!

THE RESEARCH LIBRARIANS OUT OF WORK? 1806 PAGES OF RESEARCH WORK NOT MAKING USE OF THE LIBRARIAN

The famous journalists and author like Jack London, Ernest Hemingway and Stig Larsson
did it all: Worn themselves out working. Dedicated men. A lot of courage and knowledge about the society. Men I admire. After having finished reading the last book of the Millenium trilogy written by Stig Larsson - The Girl who kicked the Hornet's Nest - I could not help thinking about the short life of the three mentioned authors. None of them are making any reference to an active use of research librarians. All work had to be done by themselves searching in the field
for facts to be presented in the books. Stig Larsson has written 1806 pages of fascinating and thrilling research work in all three books about Lisbeth Salander and
Mikael Blomkvist. So far none of the two main figures are asking for assistance at a
public library or let professional research librarians do the work. Lisbeth Salander
is getting her information as a hacker searching emails to persons without permission. Do I see a new attitude to the work of journalists? Are the librarians too modest in fighting for the profession called librarianship? My answer is: Yes, they are too polite and nice and service minded to protest against the journalists
occupation of the work of librarians. Due to the new technology called digitalization, any can get access to the information difficult to get some years ago. Research work is done by the television and the radio journalists in radio and television companies where you make file searching. The journalists working for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) have made a public issue of the work of evaluating the sources for the reports. Forgotten are the professional librarians who
could do the work evaluating whether the facts are correct or not. Worn out all of them: Jack London, Ernest Hemingway and Stig Larsson. Jack London did not commit suicide but used too much drugs to write. Ernest Hemingway and Jack London were hard drinking persons. Ernest Hemingway could not write any more when he shot himself - worn out making an attempt to do all the work. Stig Larsson passed away in 2004 without any warning. Worn out. He produced 1806 pages of thrilling literature making
three recommended books: " The Girl with the Dragon Tattou, The Girl who played with fire and The Girl who kicked the Hornets' Nest ". What went wrong concerning the work of making radio and television programmes? The new thinking of who is of importance to make the programme: The jounalists. We are the most important for the
production not the cameraman, the librarians, the clerks, the caretakers, the painters and so on. The list of professions to make a television programme is a long one. The journalists are active persons. Not modest like the librarians. For a long time we all joined the same union due to the fact that we all are making the programmes. The solidarity did not last. Correct information is important for any television producer and evaluation of the facts have to be done by somebody.
Let the librarians do the work for you journalists and reminding you about my favorite writers and their life: Jack London, Ernest Hemingway and Stig Larsson.
Take care and cooperate with one of the oldest professions: Librarianship.

HISTORY ON THE WALL. NO I, 2010

"... Stones only ...", said the the well-educated videotape technician working for The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK).A veteran in the field of television production, transmissions and videotapes. " ... stones are the only reliable solution for long term preservation of information - all other materials are fading away whether you like it or not...", said the videotape veteran smiling while making this provocative joke during a lunch in Nrk. We were talking about how to estimate a lifetime for old two inch and one inch tapes. The statement was answered with laughter from all of us listening to the old man and his opinions. He is right in one way: All videotapes where the history of the moving images of a nation is stored , are fading away or the content is not there any more after many years of storage. But the dates - the dates and years for the final end of the tapes - are still a matter for evaluations among experts. We do not know the date for the funeral of the tapes.No. We only know that the end will come some day. The recordings of radio and television productions and movies and papers have this in common: There is no eternal life for any of the products.How to take care of the history of any nation
with reference to my statement? The answer is easy to give: You have to make new copies of the productions. Not once, but again and again and again and again. We are talking about an ever lasting work without any pause. Sorry. Sorry to tell all of you who have defended budget cuts ,wiping of tapes and setting up a selection policy
to make one department happy: The department for budget planning. Budget planning without interest for the products made by the institutions for television and radio
productions."... stones only .." - if you wish to read your history in 4000 years from now on. Right, old man. So, I have set up a new plan for the aim of my walking in cities and sites where I know events of history. I look at the walls of the buildings and I look up to the roof of the buildings. Then I use my video camera making shots of the buildings and the information put on the walls.I searched
the facts, the names and the events published on signs put on the wall. Interesting
studies, my friends. I learned a lot about forgotten persons and events.Let me take you to La Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico City. Last year I attended an interesting seminar in Mexico City: Cuarto seminario internacional de Archivos Sonoros y Audiovisuales.
The title of the seminar: La salvaguarda del patrimonio sonoro y audiovisual: un reto mundial. Fonoteca Nacional de Mexico was responsible for the arrangement. A splendid work was done by Fonoteca Nacional.The seminar took place in an old and nice building. Outside the building on the wall I saw a memorial sign contenting information about a famous Mexican poet: Octavio Paz. I must admit that I was too preoccupied with my different activities connected to the seminar that I was not sure
about the man. I knew I had heard about him, but the seminar took all my time. Then
I studied the sign better and then I woke up, so to speak. Octavio Paz had lived in the house. Octavio Paz Lozano was born March 31,1914 and died April 19, 1998. He was a Mexican writer, poet,diplomat and the winner of the 1990 Nobel Prize for Literature. Octavio Paz was introduced to literature through the influence of his grandfather's library contenting classic Mexican and European literature. His father was an active supporter of the Revolution against the Diaz regime. In year 1937Octavio Paz attended the Second International Writers Congress in Defense of Culture in Spain during the civil war showing his solidarity with the Republican side and against fascism. In October 1965 he resigned from the diplomatic corps in protest of the Mexican government's repression of students who were fighting for democracy in the country. In 1990 during the aftermath of the fall of the Berlin wall Octavio Paz
he took part in open talks about the the collapse of communism. Writing, political work,personal engagements, travellings. A life of activities like his family who supported Emiliano Zapata and had to live in exile after the assassination of Zapata.
"... There can be no society without poetry, but society can never be realized as poetry, it is never poetic. Sometimes the two terms seek to break apart. They cannot..." - so far Octavio Paz Lozano who was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature in 1990. The history on the wall on a nice building in Mexico City facing the busy traffic made me interesting in reading about the man and his work and his life.

JOSEPH KAZICKAS: ODYSSEY OF HOPE

The story of a Lithuanian immigrant's escape from communism to freedom in America and the return to his beloved homeland.
"... always pursue the maximum possible outcome in a situation ...". The statement is made by the former member of the resistance movement in Lithuania during the Second World War, a refugee in Germany, an immigrant to United States of America, a former academic and above all, a dedicated fighter for the independence of Lithuania:
Dr. Joseph P. Kazickas. The spirit in working was needed to manage what he has done
in business, in politics, and to assist in making the occupied country Lithuania a free country. He has met the all, the American Presidents: Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, Gerald R. Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald W. Reagan, George Herbert Walker Bush, William J. Clinton and George W. Bush.
All of them were told about the situation of his beloved country. The aim of the contacts were to make the country independent from the occupation made by the Soviet Union. A man of patience he is who has had this dream for so many years. The book : " Odyssey of Hope " is a personal report of his life. It is the story of a man
who never forgot the most important aim of his work: To make Lithuania a free country. He could have been a remote academic in USA or a selfish businessman with limited interests making more money for the rich. No. He was qualified for being a good businessman making many personal contacts with people working for the America government. He succeed in combining business matters with a sense of social responsibility missing to-day among those who are responsible for the development of finance of USA the last years. To make it possible to change the economic system in
Lithuania - transferring the economy of Lithuania from centralized planning to a free market system - he hired two experts from USA: Howard University Professor Lawrence Summers and Professor Andrei Shleifer from the University of Chicago. A splendid action. My question is: Why are we not doing this more often asking teachers
working for the elite universities to make the world better setting up plans for countries who are not doing well for the time being and so we all could join the programme improving the life standard for many poor people? A challenge to the castles of knowledge: The elite universities. Joseph Kazickas knew how it was to be poor. He knew very well how to live in fear in an occupied country. Access to education was the key to his progress. In year 1941 he received BA in Economics from the university of Vilnius, Lithuania. Thesis: " Collectivization of he Lithuanian Agriculture " and in 1951, Ph.D. from Yale University Graduate School. Thesis: " Sovietization of the Czechoslovakian Economy ". But he left the academic world to make it private business- and that is also an interesting story. Read the book and you will learn how hard he worked. You learn a lot by reading the book about how to communicate the men with different political opinions never to forget the main aim of making the contacts: Making a better life for the people of Lithuania. " ...always pursue the maximum possible outcome in a situation ..." but
you must add: It is time consuming and the cost is a problem. But the wish to make
a change to support millions of people - it is worth the cost and the work - so far
Dr. Joseph P. Kazickas - Business Leader and a philanthropist with office in New York
and Vilnius. Nice to read that a Norwegian is mentioned assisting setting up private companies in the country: Tore Bu is working for the Coca Cola Company.
By reading the personal report - " Odyssey of Hope " I understand the political problems of Lithuania and the problems of Latvia and Estonia too. I found the book in book shop in Vilnius last year during the annual conference of The Baltic Audiovisual Archival Council (BAAC). I searched for a book contenting positive attitudes to the development of the Baltic countries due to the many negative reports published the last ten years of my work for the audiovisual archives of the countries. A good book - I do recommend the book.

MART LAAR: DER VERGESSENE KRIEG. DIE BEWAFFNETE WIDERSTANDSBEWEGUNG IN ESTLAND 1944-1956

Mart Laar has written a book about the forgotten and secret war in Estonia during the Second World War. I got the book which is written in German, at the one of the seminars set up by The Baltic Audiovisual Archival Council (BAAC). It is a well-written book about a tragic history of Estonia. The country was occupied by both the
Russians and the Germans and then again by the Russians. Few of us know that Estonians also join the Finnish Army to fight the Russians. The soldiers were called the " Finnish Boys ". The choice was not easy for those who wanted to fight for an independent Estonia. The German Army recruited many soldiers. The alternative was to join the Finnish Army. During the Winter War (1939-40)some Estonians had joined the Finnish Army to fight the Russians. In 1943 men from Estonia went to Finland. About 1.973 Estonians enlisted in the new Infantry Regiment 200. The regiment was known as " Finnish boys " or " soomepoisid ". The resistance movement against the last Russian occupation was set up in the forests of Estonia. When the war was close to an end, many hoped that it was was possible to make the country free again. But the fight for independence was not finished in 1945. The forest brothers went on fighting hoping that the Western countries would make it possible to
rebuild an independent Estonia. No. The fight went on for years and many of the Estonian leaders were killed in actions. A photo is published by August Sabbe who went on living in the forest to 1978. Russian soldiers and secret agents went on fighting the " Forest brothers " called " criminals " and many had no choice anymore
than to fight to the bitter end and got killed by the Russian soldiers. A tragic war
and a war forgotten by the countries who won the WWII.

MART LAAR: ESTONIA IN WORLD WAR II

COMMENTS TO THE SMALL BOOK, A PHOTO, A NORWEGIAN SOLDIER AND THE ESTONIA IN WWII

Bergum was his name. Thorvald Sandli Bergum.Age: Nineteen years of age. The year is 1944.The date is February 26. The Norwegian SS-Sturmann Thorvald is killed in action fighting the Russian soldiers. The Norwegian soldier is unknown to me. No photo of the young soldier has been published. I do not know his face. But three photos of his destroyed grave at Kreenholm close to Narva in Estonia have I seen. After having read the book about Estonia and the Second World War, written by Mart Laar, I returned to page 36 to study a photo of destroyed graves. I knew I had seen the photo in one or another book. "... German Army Soldiers'graves and corpses. Narva front,February 1944...". The text is put above the photo to tell you about the content of the photo. Three graves are shown. The grave in the middle of the three is the destroyed grave to the young Norwegian soldier, Thorvald Bergum. He was killed at Vaivara, Estonia and he was a soldier in 11. SS-Division Nordland, 23. SS-Panzergrenadier-regiment Norge(Norway),company six. Information about him is published in the book: " De som falt. Nordmenn drept i tysk krigstjensete ", NRK Aktivum.2009. The book is written by the Norwegian NRK jounalist Eirik Veum in close coopertion with Geir Brenden.I have written a review of the book and I remembered the photo mentioned. The photo is also published in Eirik Veum's book on page 251.
But the text about the content of the photo differ. Soldiers from 11.SS-Division Nordland are buried at Kreenholm close to Narva where also the Headquarter for the
11.SS-Division Nordland and 23. SS-Panzergrenadierregiment Norge is situated. It is
not a nice picture and a view is not recommended for those of you whose nerves are not in shape for unpleasant impressions.But I recalled having seen the photo in another book? Correct. I attended a seminar in Oslo some years ago dealing with the problems of those who had sided with the German occupants of Norway 1940-44. The seminar was was a good one chaired by professor Hans Fredrik Dahl. I met two interesting persons at the seminar: Geir Brenden and Fredrik Jensen. Geir Brenden is
a photo collector. He has a private collection of pictures taken by Norwegians
fighting for the Germans. Many of the pictures are taken during the fight in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Fredrik Jensen from Oslo had volunteered for Regiment
Nordland but came to the division Das Reich. He won the highest German military decoration during the war: The German Cross in gold. After having being wounded, he
completed the officer-school in Bad Tølz, Germany.I asked him about the reason for risking his life fighting on the Eastern from knowing that Norway was allied to the Russians. "... The reason was his anti-communist attitude and the fear of the Russian
regime... and I was wounded more five times fighting the communists " he told me.
For his age he looked well and he is still defending his choice. Anyway I bought a
book at the seminar from Geir Brenden: " Nordmenn på Østfronten.Deres egen historie i
bilder " by Egil Ulateig and Geir Brenden. At page 110 I found the wanted picture.
The same photo published in the book: " Estonia in world war II " and also published
in the book." De som falt. Nordmenn drept i tysk krigstjeneste. ". The English text
explaining the content: "... The graveyard of Division Nordland on the island Kreenholm by Narva. The losses in the course of a few days were so grate that the dead were waiting in queue to be buried. Many Norwegians were buried here. The Russians destroyed the graveyard when they took Narva...". So far this book. A history not wanted and forgotten by many Norwegians after the war but still a part of the history of the Second world war written by those who lost the war.
But let us return to the small but important book written by Mart Laar. 71 pages of
military history of Estonia. A history of a country who was occupied by the Russians
and later on by the Germans. The Estonia population had to make a choice. Many sided with the Russians and many joined the German Army and a third front was established too to fight for the independence of Estonia. The fight for a free Estonia has not been talked about after the war. For many Estonians the fight was not ended in 1945.
The guerrilla warfare in Estonian forests and marshes continued for more than a decade. The country was occupied by the USSR. The story of Estonia is a dramatic and a tragic story. Some figures about the situation: About 30 000 were killed in battles. About 80 000 people fled abroad. Estonia became independent in 1991.
In 1974, the late Norwegian politician, Haakon Lie, wrote a book about the Norwegian Communist Party and the German-Russian agreement of 1939-41. The small book is written by a man who never trusted the Russians and the history of the Baltic countries are a topic for the book too. The title of the book is: " Hvem kan vi stole på? En dokumentasjon om Norges Kommunistiske Parti under den tysk-russiske alliansen 1939-1941 " .
Mart Laar (b.1960) is an Estonian statesman, historian and a founding member of the
Foundation for the Investigation of Communist Crimes. He was the Prime Minister of Estonia from 1992 to 1994 and from 1999 to 2002.

The book about Estonia and the WWII was given me during the conference of The Baltic
Audiovisual Archival Council(BAAC) in Tartu, Estonia, 2008.