AN ESSAY ON A BANNED , CONFISCATED AND FORGOTTEN BOOK-CENSORSHIP?
”… Books banned and confiscated are books prohibited by law
or to which free access is not permitted by other means …”
”… Banning of books
is censorship introduced for political, legal, religious, moral or
commercal reasons…”
An essay on an unknown book: ”Marschen till Markajarvi. En
berettelse om svensk frivillige i Finland” written by Ragnar Em. Naess.
The book was published in 1940. The name of the author is
Ragnar Em. Naess.The English title of the book is: ” The March to
Markajarvi.The story about Swedish volunteers in Finland”.
The first edition of the book was published in 1940 by the
Swedish publishing company, Albert Bonniers Førlag 1940. Due to critical
comments about the content of the book, the publisher decided to confiscate the
book already in 1940.
In 2006 the book was published again by the publishing company,
Leander & Ekholm Førlag HB. The book was printed in Spaustuve Spindulys,
Kaunas, Lithuania.
THE LIST OF BOOKS BANNED BY GOVERNMENTS
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia has published a list of
banned books. ” Marschen till Markajarvi” is not on the list. The list contents
only one book banned in Norway: Frithjof Sælen: Snorri the Seal.1941. Satirical
book banned during the German occupation of Norway 1940-45.
THE GOAL
The main goal for the paper is to evaluate the content of an
uknown book which has been confiscated
and published about 66 years after the first publication? The main questions to
be asked are: The main reason for releasing the book in year 1940? What about
the content of the book? Who are the persons described by the author? What
about the authors opinions about the Norwegian soldiers who took part in the
march and in the Winter War 1939-1940?
The questions have to be answered by making a study and
research about the Finnish Winter War by consulting different sources where the
events are reported. 1
THE RESEACH WORK –THE TOOLS
No index, no footnotes, no endnotes, no references, no list
of persons referred to in the book, no list of used sources published, made the research work interesting, time
consuming and challenging.
No official papers, letters, diaries, newspaper reports, and
contemporary accounts dealing with the content of the book have been
presented by the author for further research and evaluation.
The content of the book is the authors personal story and
experience as a soldier in the Winter War of Finland lasting from November 30,
1939 to March 13, 1940. The foreword of the book is written by Lennart Westberg.
He is a co-author of the book: ” Svenskar i krig 1914-1945 ”. He has worked as
police officer. Studies of those Swedish who joined the German Waffen SS has been
done by him. The content of the foreword is a historical report about the
military and political events leading to the war between Finland and Russia.
Information about the author is also given in the the forward: The story of a
professional Swedish criminal who has managed to excape from the prison to
fight for his beloved Finland. When the war was finished Ragnar Em. Naess
returned to the prison to finish the sentence.
At the end of the book two important reports have been added
to the story written by Martin Manson.
1.
A historical report about the conflict between
Finland and Russia with focus on the demands of the Russians towards the
Finnish politicans.
2.
A report about the Swedish volunteer Gøsta Borg
who took part in Winter War. The report contents critical opinions of the
standard of the soldiers, the military strategy and his personal opinions about
the tragic patrolling leading to the killing of two Swedish soldiers.
THE FINNISH-RUSSIAN WINTER WAR OF FINLAND
On November 30, 1939 the Soviet Union invaded Finland. The
political talks between Finnish and Russian politicians had come to an end. The
Finnish government would not accept the demands from Josef Stalin about new
borders between the two countries. The military attack on Finland was condemned
by many countries but few dared to support Finland officially by declaring war
on Soviet Union. The general opinion in many countries was in favour of the
Finnish cause.
The Finnish government decided in December 1939 that
volunteers would be accepted. The
volunteers had to bring with them their own arms and basic military equipments.
The volunteers had to join as organized and trained units chaired by own
officers.
The personal story written by Ragnar Em. Naess deals with
the Swedish volunteers. He joined the Swedish Volunteer Corps ( Svenska
Frivilligkåren) as a private soldier. The Swedish soldiers were stationed on
the Northern part of the front in Salla on February 1940.
Norwegian volunteers were enrolled within the Swedish
Volunteers Corps. About 725 Norwegians participated in the Winter War
supporting the Finnish military units.
This is the background for the report made by Ragnar Em.
Naess in 1940.
FACTS ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ragnar Em. Naess is a Swedish professional criminal who had
escapted from the prision situated in Norrkøping to fight for the Finnish
people. He was born in 1903 in Halsingland. His mother was Swedish and his
father was Norwegian working as preacher. He stayed most of the time in the
city of Stockholm. In 1918 he participated in the civil war of Finland . Only
16 year of age but he wanted to fight
those who supported the communists groups. As a professional criminal he
had to spend many years in different prisons. The book contents his personal
war exprience in Finland.
The author is approaching the war making a critical report
about the daily life of the soldiers. He is a good observer making comments on
the miiltary quality of the Swedish officers. The report reveals some mistakes
made by the officers and about the conditions of the soldiers. What about
himself? Is he a well-trained soldier ready to fight the Russian soldiers? He
is mentally ready to give his life for the cause but he is not a qualified
soldier. He makes mistakes . He let you know that his fighting standard is not
good at all. He fired his gun only twice but not in a fighting situation. An
admirer of the Finnish people and the Finnish nation without speaking Finnish
he is.To get close to a danger is a wish he has. He is not afraid of danger but
is attached to the danger made by Russian soldiers. This is a report made by a
criminal who is a war romanticer. Information about his life is not given by
him in his report. But you understand that he is well educated because he his
writing is good.
NORWEGIAN VOLUNTEERS
The father of the author was a Norwegian preacher.The mother
o f the author was Swedish. What about the attitude of the author to Norwegians
soldiers who he met? The Norwegians soldiers are making a good impression as
skiers and supporters to the Finnish cause. But he has a reluctant attitude to
the Norwegian soldiers revealing a common Swedish lack of interest to
Norwegians. He is an admirer of the Finnish herotic fighting nation and not the
easy going Norwegians who give up too soon facing complicated situations. What
about himself compared to the Norwegians he comments? He behaves as if he is an
important officer or a professional journalist whose work is to correct and to improve
the standard of those he meets and to improve the standard of the Swedish army.
But he is just a private Swedish soldier with experience from different prisons
in Sweden and with experince from criminal groups. Critical comments are made
about the Norwegians soldiers, but he had to admit that some of them are quite
good after all!
” … Patrolling on ski was a daily work.The Norwegians were
evaluated as better skiers than the Swedish soldiers according to Swedish
officers…” wrote the Norwegian soldier, Birger Tidemand-Johannessen in his book
on his personal experience during the Winter War.
The Norwegian government did not allow officers or
under-officers to volunteer for the war in Finland. The main reason for the
decision was to remain neutral at all costs.
The former General Secretary of the Norwegian Labout Pary,
Haakon Lie (1905-2009), initiated in secret military support to the Finnish
army.
NORWEGIANS KILLED DURING THE WAR
The author is not reporting about Norwegian casualities. Two
Norwegian soldiers were killed in action: Arvid Anderssen and Abraham Johan
Christensen.
Arvid Anderssen was born in Oslo, January 26, 1912. He was
working as an asphalt worker.He died on
March 2, 1940 at Markajarvi. His name is to be found on the memorial stone set
up at Markajarvi.
He is buried in Oslo at Vestre Gravlund.
Abraham Johan Christensen was born in Desember 19, 1891 in
the city of Larvik. He is reported as unemployed. He died on March 10, 1940 at
Markajarvi. He is buried in Larvik.
THE FIGHT AGAINST THE RUSSIAN
The war experience of
the author is based on the military life dominated by daily rutines only. He
never takes part in any fighting. He is taking part in patrolling close to the
Russian front. But the attack on the Russian soldiars was cancelled because the
war came to an end. It is very cold. The equiments for winter warfare are not
the standard required by the author who is suffering making an attempt to adopt
himself to the cold weather.
SOLDIERS WHO MADE AN IMPRESSION ON THE AUTHOR
Even if he reveals a negative attitude to Norwegians, he is
reporting in a positive way about some persons who he worked with. Horndahl
(Age: 47) is Norwegian with a background of an adventurer: Cowboy,
globetrotter, football player, whaler ,sailor and soldier. Nordby is a physical
strong man who has worked setting up buildings. Olsen is another man who is
accepted by the critical Swedish author
When Ragnar Naess joined the
Swedish army, he was introduced to Mr. Påhlson who later on was killed in Norway
during the German invasion. But who was Mr. Påhlson?
The correct name was:Pål Svantesson Montgomery Påhlson. He
was educated from the famous Swedish boarding school Lundsberg. Lundsbergs
boarding school is a Swedish boarding school located in the Parish of Storfors
north of Kristinehavn in Varmland, Sweden.
Prince Bertil, Prince Gustaf Adolf
and Count Carl Gustav von Rosen (1909-1977) are on the list of famous pupils of
the school. Carl Gustav von Rosen participated also in the Winter War.
Pål Svantesson Montgomery Påhlson(1914-1940) was the son of
the owner of Rottneros manor. He was a concript furir that is a Swedish
military rank above corporal and below sergeant.
The Swedish Second-Lieutenant ( furir) Pål Svantesson Montgomery Påhlson had joined the
Swedish Volunteer Corps . The author had arrived Torneå to enlist in the
Swedish forces. The meeting between the two was a nice one. The author seems to
know Pål Svantesson Montgomery Påhlson .
But no further information is given about the man.
SVEN OLOF LINDHOLM AND SVENSK SOCIALISTISK SAMLING(SSS)
In 1987 the former
head of the ” Nationalsocialistiske parti, Svensk socialistisk samling(SSS)”,
Sven Olof Lindholm (1903-98) informed in
an interview that Pål Svantesson Montgomery Påhlson was a member of the party .
He had asked the party for permission to fight in Norway in 1940 supporting the
Norwegians against the German soldiers. Pål Svantesson Montgomery Påhlson was
killed on May 13, 1940 in action attacking
German soldiers at Næverfjell in
the Northern part of Norway during the battle of Narvik.
He is also making comments on many of the Swedish officers: Second-
Lieutenant Jervant, army priest Cnattingius, Lieutenant-Colonel Tamm, Lieutenant
Kolthoff , Lieutenant- Colonel Magnus Dyrssen
,Master- Sergeant Andersson , Lieutenant Sahlen and Lieutenant Wernstedt.
THE MAIN REASON FOR BANNING OF THE BOOK IN 1940
Ragnar Em. Naess took part in patrulling close the the
Russian forces. One of the Swedish soldiers was wounded during the observation
of the Russian forces. The head of the patrul was Lieutenant Mercer Wernstedt.
He ordered the soldiers to return while he was staying with the wounded soldier
whose name was Winløf. Two shots were heard by the soldiers. The rumour about
the event was that Wernstedt had killed the wounded soldier and then shot
himself. In 1940 the story was not accepted by the famliy of Wernstedt or the publishing company. Carl-Fredrik Palmstierna published in his
memoirs the same statement about the
tragic incident leading to the killing of two Swedish soldiers.
Ragnar Em. Naess had
to accept the official version of the incident later on to get his book
published.
REACTIONS AMONG THE SOLDIERS TO THE PEACE TREATY BETWEEN FINLAND
AND RUSSIA
Bitterness, shame and
contempt are words used by the author making an attempt to describe the
feelings of his own and the feelings of his friends after having received the
official statement of the end of the war. He expressed contempt towards those
young men in Sweden who did not enlisted in the Swedish army of volunteers to
fight for the freedom of his beloved Finland. They are conceited. The Swedish
youth showed an comfortable attitude to
the tragic situation of a small country whose life as a nation was at stake.
THE PEACE TREATY AND THE REACTIONS TO THE END OF THE WAR
AMONG SCANDINAVIAN VOLUNTEERS .
Different sources have been consulted about the final peace
treaty between the fighting countries. How was the atmoshere and the feelings
at the end of the war expressed by those
who wanted to fight? It was not a happy situation for the author or to many of
the foreign volunteers. The Danish volunteer Tage Ellinger describes the
situation in his book, ” Den forundelige krig”, that people were crying
receiving the information about the peace treaty. People were shocked and
paralysed. The Norwegian volunteer, Per Imerslund, was disappoited for not
having fought the Russians. The disappoitment of the author for not having
fought was not only an expression of him . On the other hand they might be
happy for not attacking the Russian forces because the Russian had far more
soldiers ready for action than the Swedish and the Norwegian volunteers.
The Norwegian soldier , Per Imerslund, was known in Norway for
his positive attitude to the German National Socialist Party. The story of his life
is written by Terje Emberland and Bernt Rougthvedt: Det ariske idol.Forfatteren,
eventyreren og nazisten Per Imerslund. 2004.
”…My first reaction was an immense feeling of happiness…” was
the reacion of the Norwegian volunteer Max Manus. No political thinking or
reflection were expressed by the later
Norwegian war hero and resistance fighter, Max Manus. Only a personal relief
that the fight was ended. He had been stationed close to the Russian front to
observe the movements of the enemy. No
more shots, no more shells from the Russian. He was happy. But the feeling of
happiness did not last long when he got the news that Norway was attacked by
German forces without any fighting from the Norwegian military forces. He was
shocked, depressed and angry.
Leif Larsen-” Shetland- Larsen ”- was another Norwegian who
was taking part in the fighting. Few Norwegian soldiers were involved in
personal fighting with the Russian soldiers. He was happy that the shelling was
ended but he did believe in the news that the war was finished. No political
statements are made by Leif Larsen receiving the news about the end of the war.
He went back to Norway together with Max Manus to fight the Germans.
Birger Tidemand-Johannessen took part in the fighting too.He
reported that he felt happy getting the information of the peace treaty. In his
was diary he wrote that the atmosphere was gloomy . No political comments on
the situation are made.
The reaction to the
peace treaty made by Pål Svantesson Montgomery Påhlson was as negative as the
author.He forwarded a letter to his father contenting that he was ashamed on
behalf of Sweden. He wanted to be Finnish.
Source: Kaare Gulbrandsen: Gull og grønne skoger. J. W. Eides Forlag. 1958. Page 278- 290.
THE NUMBER OF CASUALITIES OF THE FIGHTING FORCES
Russia: About 270 000 soldiers killed, 300 000
wounded, 5000 prisoners of war, 300-400 aircrafts destroyed and about 2300
tanks were reported damaged.
Finland: 26 000 Finnish soldiers are reported killed,39
800 soldiers wounded and 1000 soldiers were taken as prisoners of war.
The Swedish Volunteer Corps (SFK), Svenska frivilligkåren:
33 soldiers killed, 50 wounded and 130 got frostbites.
CONCLUSION
Books, movies, essays, reports , documentaries which have
been banned , confiscated , burned or censored, have been an interest of mine.
Approaching the reasons for the treatments of the books must be done with a
close research on the content of the banned books or the movies. What was the
main reason for the censorship or the
final banning of the book? In this case we are reading a book based on personal
experience during a conflict of war. Life and death are at stake. Besides we
get to know that the author is a criminal on run! The story makes you think of
a fictional thrilling movie produced to be transmitted during Eastern time in
Scandinavia But the reader is presented a story told by a man whose background
is a new story to be told. Facts about the content have to be investigated to
be sure that this is not a fictional story but a story known by others.
If you are approaching
television programmes ,radio programmes and old books where few facts are given
you, the work you have to do is very time consuming but thrilling. We call the
work media archeaology. No index, no information about persons described , no
list of sources evaluated and a feeling that the work might be a wast of time.
The work of this confiscated but republished book was
approached with the same attitude as needed for the work in any audiovisual
archives worldwide. Media archeaology is a fascinated work.
It was too much work to make a report about all the men
mentioned in the book.
A special focus has been put on the information presented about the Norwegian
soldiers who have written about the Winter War and some famous Swedish persons who
were dedicated to the war in Finland.
Finally: The devil is in the details.On page 179 the text of
the photo is not correct. Sorry. Gøsta Borg is not carrying a maschine gun but
a Finnish sub-maschine gun: Suomi model 1931.
The list of books banned by governments is not updated. What
about books banned for some years and published later on due to critical
comments of the hidden policy of censorship?
After the Second World War the famous Norwegian officer and
resistance fighter, Oliver H. langeland, wrote two books contenting about the official
treatment of persons and groups that had supported the German occupation of
Norway from 1940 – 45. The books were confiscated but published many years
after the war. An attempt to introduce a hidden and unofficial censorship in
the democratic society of Norway? The books are not to be found on the list of
books banned.
Norwegian soldiers on ski.
Finnish soldiers in action.
