"The Other Swedes"
~ Honoring Them and Remembering Them ~ The Smoky Valley Writers ~
Mr. Alf Brorson
~ Promoting Lindsborg ~ Connecting Lindsborg Swedes to Sweden with the "Sweden Letter"
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"Honorary Citizen of Lindsborg"
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~ Honoring Them and Remembering Them ~ The Smoky Valley Writers ~
Mr. Alf Brorson
~ Promoting Lindsborg ~ Connecting Lindsborg Swedes to Sweden with the "Sweden Letter"
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"Honorary Citizen of Lindsborg"
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Mr. Brorson with his wife Maud have been visiting Lindsborg for 30 years, since 1993. During that time, they truly became part of the Lindsborg Lutheran family originating from the Swedish Augustana Lutheran Synod of 1860, of which his father, Rev. Bror Carlsson, so lovingly wrote the 1955 manuscript "Jag Sökte Icke," "I Did Not Seek My Own," that includes the spiritual founder of Lindsborg and of Bethany Lutheran Church, Rev. Olof Olsson, the primary character.
Since that time, Mr. Brorson has been promoting Lindsborg in Sweden. Historian author Bill Carlson (1930-2008) writes of this in the Introduction to his 2010 book, "Lindsborg Then and Lindsborg Now," as follows:
"Swedish resident Alf Brorson of Torsby, Sweden in the province of Värmland has written numerous articles about this subject since his first visit to our community in 1993. A teacher, writer, lecturer, Mr. Brorson has publicized Lindsborg by speaking to many groups in Sweden about our community, plus has had a number of articles about the Smoky Valley in the Sweden and America magazine (formerly known as the Bridge). Mr. Brorson will be making his 17th visit to Lindsborg this coming summer where he was years ago honored by Mayor Don Anderson as an Honorary Citizen of Lindsborg. In Swedish his latest book is Vägen till Lindsborg (The Road to Lindsborg) in 2010 followed by An American Book."
Since that time, Mr. Brorson has been promoting Lindsborg in Sweden. Historian author Bill Carlson (1930-2008) writes of this in the Introduction to his 2010 book, "Lindsborg Then and Lindsborg Now," as follows:
"Swedish resident Alf Brorson of Torsby, Sweden in the province of Värmland has written numerous articles about this subject since his first visit to our community in 1993. A teacher, writer, lecturer, Mr. Brorson has publicized Lindsborg by speaking to many groups in Sweden about our community, plus has had a number of articles about the Smoky Valley in the Sweden and America magazine (formerly known as the Bridge). Mr. Brorson will be making his 17th visit to Lindsborg this coming summer where he was years ago honored by Mayor Don Anderson as an Honorary Citizen of Lindsborg. In Swedish his latest book is Vägen till Lindsborg (The Road to Lindsborg) in 2010 followed by An American Book."
Mr. John Marshall, former owner and editor of the Lindsborg News-Record, continues this recognition of Mr. Brorson on April 21, 2022 from his weekly column in the newspaper's Valley Voice in his article titled, "Foreign Correspondent." He tells us more about Mr. Brorson as Lindsborg's foreign correspondent due to his monthly "Sweden Letter" which has certainly connected Lindsborg Swedes to Sweden since 2008.
He writes, "BRORSON – author, journalist, retired teacher – reports on the conditions of life and culture in Sweden, its connection with Lindsborg and the Smoky Valley, a region deeply influenced by its rich heritage. . . BRORSON writes from his “writer's cabin" near his home in Torsby, a community among the lakes and forests of Värmland province in west-central Sweden. He has studied in Canada and the United States, has traveled extensively and has visited Lindsborg off and on for 30 years. He has written books in English and Swedish, edited magazines and published articles in periodicals across Scandinavia. He started writing occasional articles for the News-Record in the late 1990s. His monthly Sweden letter began in 2008.
". . . Over the years, he has traced the origin and strength of Swedish heritage in Kansas in America, it’s deep influence in the Smoky Valley, it’s endurance in a passion for the arts, for local schools and governing, in the many ways of life in these communities . . ."
He writes, "BRORSON – author, journalist, retired teacher – reports on the conditions of life and culture in Sweden, its connection with Lindsborg and the Smoky Valley, a region deeply influenced by its rich heritage. . . BRORSON writes from his “writer's cabin" near his home in Torsby, a community among the lakes and forests of Värmland province in west-central Sweden. He has studied in Canada and the United States, has traveled extensively and has visited Lindsborg off and on for 30 years. He has written books in English and Swedish, edited magazines and published articles in periodicals across Scandinavia. He started writing occasional articles for the News-Record in the late 1990s. His monthly Sweden letter began in 2008.
". . . Over the years, he has traced the origin and strength of Swedish heritage in Kansas in America, it’s deep influence in the Smoky Valley, it’s endurance in a passion for the arts, for local schools and governing, in the many ways of life in these communities . . ."
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Also, it is important to note that Mr. Brorson acts as a tour guide when delegations of Lindsborg and Bethany College tourists visit the region and city of Värmland and the actual church from where the first citizens of Lindsborg worshipped, the Sunnemo Parish Church, located in Sunnemo, Värmland, Sweden.
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Torsby, Sweden
Home of the "Sweden Letter"
Home of the "Sweden Letter"
Sources: User:daniel78 Torsby.jpg(wikimedia.org)
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"Let Us Remember Them"
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Swedes: TheWayTheyWere
~ restoring lost local histories ~
reconnecting past to present
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All color photography throughout Swedes: The Way They Were is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright © since October 8, 2015 to Current Year
as indicated on main menu sections of
www.swedesthewaytheywere.org. All rights reserved.
"Let Us Remember Them"
* * *
Swedes: TheWayTheyWere
~ restoring lost local histories ~
reconnecting past to present
* * *
All color photography throughout Swedes: The Way They Were is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright © since October 8, 2015 to Current Year
as indicated on main menu sections of
www.swedesthewaytheywere.org. All rights reserved.
