"The Other Swedes"
~ Celebrating Them ~
~ The Smoky Valley Writers ~
Mr. Alf Brorson
~ Promoting Lindsborg in Sweden - The "Sweden Letter"
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"Honorary Citizen of Lindsborg"
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NOTE: February 13, 2025, LNR "CLOSURE" article of the "Sweden Letter" below.
~ Celebrating Them ~
~ The Smoky Valley Writers ~
Mr. Alf Brorson
~ Promoting Lindsborg in Sweden - The "Sweden Letter"
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"Honorary Citizen of Lindsborg"
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NOTE: February 13, 2025, LNR "CLOSURE" article of the "Sweden Letter" below.
Mr. Alf 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.
Mr. Bill Carlson (1930-2008), educator, historian and author, 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 & 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. Bill Carlson (1930-2008), educator, historian and author, 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 & 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 titled "Foreign Correspondent," by telling us about Mr. Brorson role as an unofficial foreign correspondent due to his monthly "Sweden Letter" which has been appearing in the newspaper 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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Värmland Tour Guide
Värmland Tour Guide
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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Sweden & America Magazine
20 Years of Articles
Sweden & America Magazine
20 Years of Articles
For 20 years, Mr. Brorson wrote articles for the Sweden & America Magazine* on Kansas Swedish persons and places and, especially Lindsborg. I subscribed to the Magazine between 2011 and 2017. Here were a few of his articles.
3-2011: "Why Would Anyone Like to Go to Kansas?," pages 12-14
4-2011: "70 Years of Svensk Hyllningsfest," page 22
4-2011: "Strong Link in Lindsborgiana Chain (Re. Mr. Bill Carlson and his book on Lindsborg), pages 20-21
2-2012: "The Red Barn Studio" -"Art Museum with Guest Studio and Space for Togetherness," pages 18-19
2-2012: "A Woman of Courage and Vision," (Re. Ms. Karen Humphrey's book on Mrs. Alma Swensson) page 13
3-2012: "Tufve Nilsson Hasselquist" -"Swedish American Founding Father," (An Augustana Founding Father)
pages 14-15
4-2016: The First Swedish Settlement in Kansas, (Re: Olsburg, Kansas) pages 5, 6, ?
1-2017: "Paths Cross, Encounters Arise," page 9
3-2011: "Why Would Anyone Like to Go to Kansas?," pages 12-14
4-2011: "70 Years of Svensk Hyllningsfest," page 22
4-2011: "Strong Link in Lindsborgiana Chain (Re. Mr. Bill Carlson and his book on Lindsborg), pages 20-21
2-2012: "The Red Barn Studio" -"Art Museum with Guest Studio and Space for Togetherness," pages 18-19
2-2012: "A Woman of Courage and Vision," (Re. Ms. Karen Humphrey's book on Mrs. Alma Swensson) page 13
3-2012: "Tufve Nilsson Hasselquist" -"Swedish American Founding Father," (An Augustana Founding Father)
pages 14-15
4-2016: The First Swedish Settlement in Kansas, (Re: Olsburg, Kansas) pages 5, 6, ?
1-2017: "Paths Cross, Encounters Arise," page 9
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*"The Ending of 22 Interesting Years"
of the
Sweden & America Magazine
by editor
Tommy Hellstrom
Page 2
Sweden & America
1-2017
of the
Sweden & America Magazine
by editor
Tommy Hellstrom
Page 2
Sweden & America
1-2017
The Swedish Migration Center was named the Kinship Center, and this magazine was called The Bridge, when I, back in 1995, first became involved in the publication. Two years later, Alf Borson joined the team.
The Kinship Center (later, The Swedish American Center) was founded in 1960 and its task was to create databases of emigrants from Sweden to North America and to be a leading resource for research. The Center began using computer technology early on and became an important player in all major projects to make databases available on CD's and later in the EmiWeb portal on the Internet. Big conferences were organized in partnership with Swedish Council of America and the Center has also played a key role in the celebration of The Swedish American of the Year, an annual award by the Vasa Order of America's two Swedish District Lodges.
An essential task is to publish this magazine, in order to continuously tell the stories about people, events and places of importance in the Swedish American history, as well as the ongoing efforts to preserve and make history come alive. In addition the magazine is an important channel for information about current research projects.
It has been exciting to be part of these activities, which means so much to so many, but for me and Alf Brorson this is the end of the journey. While the Swedish Migration Center is making unexpected major changes in its operations and organization, there is unfortunately no longer room for us to participate in this role. I would therefore like to thank all our readers, and everyone I met in the Swedish American context in Sweden and the USA during the 22 years that I have had the privilege to edit this journal.
The Kinship Center (later, The Swedish American Center) was founded in 1960 and its task was to create databases of emigrants from Sweden to North America and to be a leading resource for research. The Center began using computer technology early on and became an important player in all major projects to make databases available on CD's and later in the EmiWeb portal on the Internet. Big conferences were organized in partnership with Swedish Council of America and the Center has also played a key role in the celebration of The Swedish American of the Year, an annual award by the Vasa Order of America's two Swedish District Lodges.
An essential task is to publish this magazine, in order to continuously tell the stories about people, events and places of importance in the Swedish American history, as well as the ongoing efforts to preserve and make history come alive. In addition the magazine is an important channel for information about current research projects.
It has been exciting to be part of these activities, which means so much to so many, but for me and Alf Brorson this is the end of the journey. While the Swedish Migration Center is making unexpected major changes in its operations and organization, there is unfortunately no longer room for us to participate in this role. I would therefore like to thank all our readers, and everyone I met in the Swedish American context in Sweden and the USA during the 22 years that I have had the privilege to edit this journal.
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Torsby, Sweden
Home of the Brorsons
Home of the "Sweden Letter"
Sources: User:daniel78 Torsby.jpg(wikimedia.org)
February 20, 2025
Lindsborg News-Record
Lindsborg News-Record
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"Let Us Celebrate Them"
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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.
"Let Us Celebrate 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.
