Skandinaven facts for kids
Skandinaven was a newspaper written in the Norwegian language. It was published in Chicago, Illinois, from 1866 until 1941. It was an important newspaper for Norwegian immigrants living in the United States.
| Format | Magazine |
|---|---|
| Owner(s) | John Anderson, Knud Langeland, and Iver Lawson |
| Founded | 1866 |
| Language | Norwegian |
| Ceased publication | 1941 |
| Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois |
Contents
Starting the Newspaper
Skandinaven was started by three Norwegian immigrants. They were John Anderson, Knud Langeland (who lived from 1813 to 1888), and Iver Lawson (who lived from 1822 to 1872).
The Founders
- John Anderson handled the business side of the newspaper. He made sure it ran smoothly.
- Iver Lawson owned the building where the newspaper was published. He also helped with money.
- Knud Langeland was the first editor of Skandinaven. He was in charge of what went into the paper.
Knud Langeland's Story
Knud Langeland came from a place called Samnanger in Norway. He moved to the United States in 1843. He settled in Wisconsin. In 1849, Knud and his brother-in-law bought a printing press. They used it for another Norwegian newspaper called Nordlyset. This first newspaper stopped publishing in 1851. Later, in 1859, people in Wisconsin elected Langeland to the Wisconsin State Assembly. This meant he helped make laws for the state. He was the editor of Skandinaven until 1881.
Iver Lawson's Story
Iver Lawson was an investor. This means he put money into businesses hoping to make more money. He became rich by buying and selling land in Chicago. He also got involved in city government. In 1864, he became a member of the city council. This group helped run the city. After Iver Lawson passed away in 1872, his son, Victor F. Lawson, took over his father's business. This included his share in Skandinaven. Victor Lawson later became the owner of the Chicago Daily News. This was a very popular newspaper in Chicago.
John Anderson's Story
John Anderson came to Chicago from Norway in 1845. He first worked for the Chicago Tribune newspaper. In 1866, he decided to start his own Norwegian-language newspaper. He bought the list of readers from another newspaper that was struggling. Langeland and Lawson briefly started a different newspaper called Amerika. But in 1873, Skandinaven and Amerika joined together. The new paper was called Skandinaven og Amerika.
How the Newspaper Worked
Starting in the 1870s, Skandinaven also published a magazine. This magazine had interesting articles, stories, and poems. It featured works by Norwegian-American writers. Some of these writers included Hjalmar Hjorth Boyesen and Rasmus B. Anderson.
Success and Growth
Skandinaven became one of the most important and successful newspapers. It was very popular among Scandinavian immigrants. Because the newspaper was so successful, John Anderson was able to build a large publishing business. In 1890, his company became known as the John Anderson Publishing Company.
Later Years
From 1892 to 1911, Nicolai A. Grevstad was the editor of Skandinaven. After 1900, the newspaper started to have fewer readers. This happened because Norwegian immigrants slowly became more like other Americans. They learned English and read English newspapers more. This meant fewer people needed a Norwegian newspaper.
In 1941, another company bought Skandinaven's list of readers. This company wanted to combine the readers with their own Norwegian newspaper. The last issue of Skandinaven was printed on October 31, 1941.
After Skandinaven stopped, Reidar Rye Haugan started a new Norwegian newspaper in Chicago called Viking. He was both the editor and the publisher. Later, in 1958, another journalist named Bertram Jensenius took over Viking. He changed its name to Vinland. He published it until he passed away in 1976.
