THREE STAGES OF BELARUSIAN – SWEDISH CULTURAL RELATIONS
Andrej Kotljarchuk
(Андрэй Катлярчук)
One thousand years of common history unite Sweden and Belarus. In spite of this, Belarus remains to Sweden the most unknown country in Europe. There are several reasons for this state of affairs, the main being that there was no Belarus on the map of Europe in the early modern era. The country was not sovereign, constituting a province of the Russian Empire and, later, of the Soviet Union. Contacts between Sweden and Belarus have always been unevenly distributed. During the epoch of the Vikings (9th – 10th centuries) as well as in the early modern era (17th – 18th centuries), the Swedes were active on the territory of Belarus. At that time only few Belarusians managed to reach the shore of Sweden.
FIRST STAGE: 9TH – 12TH CENTURIES
Scandinavian penetration of and arrival to Belarus stretched between the 9th and 12th centuries. Within this period the Vikings gained control over the eastern trade routes, out of which the route from the Baltic Sea down the Belarusian river Western Dzwina (Duna in old Swedish) and Dniapro into the Black Sea and Byzantium was the most important. The Belarusian Slavs „Kryvichi” („kryv” means „blood”) and „Drygavichi” („drygva” means „marsh”), who lived in these lands, named new settlers from Sweden „Rus”, borrowing the name from the Finno-Ugric people (Rootsi). The Vikings were also known as „Variagi” (Varangians – merchants), and Svei (from Sweden).
Around 980, two independent Scandinavian kingdoms emerge on the territory of Belarus. These are the Polatsak and Tur duchies. According to a chronicle, the first dukes were Scandinavian. Their names also bear evidence to this. In the land of „Kryvichi”, in Polatsak, Ragvald began to reign; in the land of „Drygavivhi”, the founder of the town Turau was a Viking, Tur (Tor). Tur’s duchy soon became a part Kievan Ruthenia. But the duchy of Polatsak ruled by the Ragwald dynasty remained independent throughout the 10th and 11th centuries, thus becoming the first state in Belarusian history.
Contemporary investigations of the Viking Age do not usually devote much attention to Polatsak, focusing instead on Kiev and Novgorod. Meanwhile, according to the Scandinavian sagas, Rus’ was divided into three parts: Novgorod, Kiev, and Polatsak. Only these towns could boast of the Sofia church – copies of the most significant temple in the Byzantine Empire, functioning also as landmarks of the independent status of the local dukes.
In the 90s of the 19th c., Duke Valdemar of Kiev and Novgorod occupied Polatsak with the support of the Swedish Vikings and destroyed the town (later rebuilt in a different place). Valdemar killed Ragwald and married his daughter Ragnhild.
However, Polatsak regains independence already under the rule of Iziaslau, Ragnhild’s son. The whole 11th century is marked by persistent struggles of Polatsak against Novgorod and Kiev. Strength and independence of Polatsak cannot be unnoticed, thanks to its control of the most important part of the eastern trade route. This gives them access to the Black Sea as well as the Caspian Sea.
The considerable importance of Scandinavian presence in the Polatsak Kingdom in 10th – 12th centuries can be observed on the basis of, apart from the written sources, a whole range of archeological, ethnographic, topographical and linguistic data. Scanadinavian archeological finds are comparable in number to those discovered in Kiev or Novgorod. In fact, one can speak about Swedish, not Scandivnavian objects, as all the items have their analogues in the territory of contemporary Sweden. Scandinavian settlements have also been found along the Dzvina – Dniapro waterway in the basin of the Nioman river, as well as in the region stretching between those two water systems. Apart from that, a huge number of Swedish objects were found in places of permanent Scandinavian colonies in the Polatsak kingdom, namely in Maskavichi and Prudniki.
The archeological potential of these centres differs considerably from what was found in other ancient towns of Belarus, e.g. in Brest, where there had been no Scandinavians. These are the typical Scandinavian objects: various types of weapons (swords, helmets, spears, arrows), jewelery (a pendant with Tur’s ‘hammers’, metal clasps and rings), Scandinavian coins, objects of everyday use (padlocks, small weights, shoes, combs, icebreakers). One of the most significant excavations are runic inscriptions found in Polatsak. Most of them were discovered in Maskavichi near Polatsak – and the number exceeds 80 (!).
Scandinavian traces can be found on many layers of cultural residues in various historical periods; these are the objects deriving both from the male and the female domains. There is little doubt that these things could not belong to Scandinavians, as they display specific style, e.g. the clothes, or they contain images from the Scandinavian mythology, or, finally, have many analogues in ancient Swedish towns.
My conviction is that the relations between the Swedish Vikings and the Belarusian Slavs were on the overall peaceful. The lack of any notes about raids in contemporary chronicles can be an evidence of their peaceful coexistence. Control over the international trade route was the best way to ensure stability. Scandinavians created a state, the Polatsak Kingdom, whose internal policy was generally peaceful.
What were the advantages of the ancient Swedes’ for the Old Belarusian culture?
First and foremost, the centres of the ancient trade route, developed by Scandinavians, became rich and prosperous towns, notably Polatsak. In fact, it would be very difficult to envisage the development of the Polatsak state, especially its juridical system (Ruskaia Prauda), without the Scandinavians. Scandinavian influence is evident in the later Old Belarusian law documents of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
Swedes also brought to Belarus advanced technologies of iron welding and jewelry making. It is not coincidental, then, that, after the Scandinavians had departed in 13th c., these regions faced rapid regression. The Dzwina trade route, founded by Scandinavians, functioned until the end of 19th c. The Germans, who replaced Scandinavians in 13th c., adopted the whole Swedish terminology.
Scandinavians also played an important role in christening Belarus. Archeological excavations of Swedish sites store the first in Belarus objects of the Christian cult (crosses and candles). The Viking Tur christened the population of his territory. Ragnhild founded the first monastery in Belarus and was herself considered a local saint.
It must be during that period that the Belarusian language incorporated about 50 Scandinavian words, 90% of which belong to the domain of trade and state organization. This is an exemplary list:
Handal’ (Bel.) – handel (Sw)
Birka
Bagor – batgarr
Buda – bod
Bur – borr
Bezman – besman
Marmur – marmor
Pieniazi – pengar
Sygnet – sigill
Gosc’ – gast
Vandrawac’ – wandra
Kruk – krok
Drot – trad
Skarb – skatt
Kofta – kofta
Rada – rad
Drabant – drabant
Hrydz – hird
T(s)vun – tun
Marshalk – marshalk
And so on…
This vocabulary can say something about the specific character of the Old Belarusian – Swedish contacts. About 11 Scandinavian toponyms got fixed in the Belarusian lands – lake Svieulivy (from Sviei and Livy), lake Rahniedz, town Rahniedzina, the river Sven’, Svienski cloister and so on.
Belarusian folklore retained legends about Svei, Vikings, Tur, Ragvald and Ragnhild. Scandinavian names: Rogvalad – Ragvald, Rahnieda – Ragnhild – can be also found in the modern dictionary of Belarusian names. Swedes, in turn, borrowed the name Svatenpolk (changed into Svante since 16th c.).
An independent observer, Constantin, the emperor of Byzantium, wrote in his chronicle About Nations, that the Vikings and their subjects Belarusian Slavs („their tributaries whose names were ‘Kryviteini’”) had settle peaceful and mutually profitable relations. In spring and summer, during „big water”, (when the system of passage of the Eastern route functioned), Scandinavians traveled on trade to distant countries. Slavs would supply the ships for these ventures.
In autumn and winter Scandinavians were back and levied tribute on the local population. The tax was called in Slavonic „polyudje”, and in the Old Swedish „hyra”. This light tribute included honey, wax, and skins, in due time objects of international trade.
SECOND STAGE: EARLY MODERN TIMES
Between 14th and 18th centuries Belarus was an integral part of the European civilization, stretching on the eastern borders of Europe.
All Belarusian lands were included into the Grand Duchy if Lithuania (abbreviated as GDL). It was in the GDL proper where the Belarusian nation was formed. The official and literary language was old Belarusian. The Belarusian nobility frequently held important state posts. Belarusian merchants from Polatsak, Mahileu, and Vitebsk were engaged in a large-scale international trade, also via Riga and Sweden.
The first publication in the GDL history was issued in Vilnia in 1522 – 25. It was the Bible, translated into the Old Belarusian by the humanist Frantsisk Skaryna. In 1562, the Protestant Simon Budny published Luther’s Cathechism in Belarusian. The very name „Belarus” did not exist then – the country was called Lithuania. Historically, then, Lithuania was a joint Lithuanian-Belarusian state. Nowadays, the difference between the historical Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Lithuanian Republic is unknown to Swedes. However, Swedish early modern scholars understood the difference quite well. The bishop from Linkoping, Juhan Botvidius, wrote in his work (beginning of 17th c.): „Slavonic is the common language for Croatians, Bohemians, Dalmatians, Poles, Lithuanians (it means Belarusians), Moscovitians, Russians (Ukrainians)”.
Unlike the Catholic Poland, the state authority in GDL belonged to Protestants at the end of 16th and at the beginning of 17th century. The Belarusian Lutheran church, established in the middle of 16th c., exists until now. It was during that period that Belarus and Lithuania entered the sphere of active Swedish political penetration. Between 1622 – 1710, Belarusian lands in GDL share the border with Sweden roughly along the contemporary border between Latvia and Belarus.
This was the period of largely intensified contacts between Sweden and Belarus. The „Swedish” Riga played an important role in the development of the Belarusian economy of the 17th century. Belarusian merchants traded honey, fur-skins, skins (fells) along Dzwina to Riga. Metal goods, copper, faience, the „Swedish marble” („Szvedzki marmur was used for building churches) were imported from Sweden. There was even a Belarusian church in Riga, the church of St. Mikolai. The monks from Polatsak went on a yearly pilgrimage to Riga. All this shows that Swedes and Belarusians knew each other pretty well.
It is accidental, then, that the Belarusian merchants supported the alliance of GDL and Sweden. In 1655 they helped establish a contrast between the governor of Livonia Magnus De La Gardie and the Chancellor of GDL Jan Radziwill. After the Kiejdan Union, the merchants supported the Swedish king Charles X Gustaf financially. A famous artist, Konrad Gotke, Swedish by origin, worked in Belarus in 17th century. Another Swede, a Catholic immigrant Gregorius Borastus studied in the Vilnia Jesuit Academy in 1600 – 1604 and became a prominent poet and Latin scholar, the author of poems devoted to Belarusian nobles, like the most famous political personage of the old Belarus – the Chancellor of GDL Leu Sapieha.
In 1626, the Swede Andreas Boreus prepared one of the best maps of Belarus and Lithuania of the time.
Students of the Swedish Dorpat University (Tartu University) defended theses in the history of GDL, e.g. in 1642 „The History of Poland and Lithuania”, in Latin, was published by Johannes Petrejus from Smoland.
After the Great Northern War several Swedish soldiers settled down in Belarus. On of the descendants became the burgomaster (mayor) of Vitsiebsk (Kazimir Shved), and another – Frantsisk Oshtarp – amassed fortune of the richest landowner.
About 20 diaries written by Swedish officers in 1702 – 1708 were preserved in Belarus, and all of them are a valuable source of knowledge about the country at the beginning of the 18th century.
„The Swedish Theme” was popular in modern Belarusian literature in 17th – 19th centuries. The most famous were works by Simieon Polatski, Jan Alieshkouski, Trafim Surta, Nikadzim Musnitski, Vincent Dunin-Martsinkiewich and others.
Alherd Abuthovich’s poem „The Ballad about Charles XII” presents a romantic image of the Swedish king. The poem was written in 1863 – 64, during the Belarusian revolt against tsarist Russia, under the leadership of Kastus’ Kalinouski. The author of the poem was also taking part in the uprising. In the author’s vision, the defeat of Charles XIIth near Poltava buried Belarusian hopes for freedom and independence.
Swedes left many remarkable traces in the Belarusian folklore. I have managed to collect about a hundred stories, legends, and proverbs about Swedes, mainly of the period of the Great Northern war. The legends store names of over a hundred „Swedish places”.
A common image of the „Swede-magic” is also widely spread. In the legends the Swedish soldiers often miraculously find bread buried in soil (in reality they might know the laws of thermodynamics, as there is no dew where the „bread holes” are, because of the process of apportionment of heat), they also know the Belarusian language and have no problem with draining reservoirs.
Many legends about Swedish hoards are skilfully embellished with the theme of witchcraft. Some of them reach back to 19th century, and they often feature the nobles. Other remarkable legends are those about king Charles XII. In one of them the king, significantly, turns out to be the guarantor of justice. Witnessing the barbaric attitude to the Orthodox icons – the road is paved with them and the king’s horse refuses to tread – Charles ordered his subjects to bring the icons to the church and the Swedish soldiers guilty of sacrilege were duly executed. The oral tradition stores a whole range of descriptions of king Charles XII. One of the legends is quite uncanny for that matter, as it prophesies the king’s future death in Norway long before his arrival there.
A separate category is made up of stories about Swedish soldiers who stayed to live in Belarus. The inhabitants of two villages up till today consider themselves the descendants of Swedes.
I have gathered nine popular proverbs coined on the basis of some rememberance of the Swedes. There are several of them:
n In the times of old Swede (long ago);
n The Russians are from there, the Swedes are from there, there is no way to hide from big trouble (Great Northern War);
n As soon as the Swedes came, water in the lake Dvarchanskaie disappeared (the theme of magic);
n The Swede lost his boots and trousers in the battle of Liasnaia, near Rudnia he dropped his cap (the Swedish defeated at the Liasnaia battle 28.09.1708);
n Barefooted like Swede (ca. 1000 Swedish soldiers tried to reach the Swedish Livonia after the Liasnaia battle. They marched without food across the territories burnt out by the Russian forces);
n As the Swede at Poltava (absolute unluckiness).
In 1846 a monograph „Letter about Sweden”, discussing the Belarusian-Swedish contacts, was published. The author, a historian Iaustakh Tyshkievich had visited Sweden and founded the first museum in Belarus.
THE THIRD STAGE – SINCE 1991
The restoration of Belarusian sovereignty in 1991 (remember the Polatsak Kingdom, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and the Belarusian Democratic Republic of 1918), stimulated the renewal of Belarusian-Swedish contacts. It is to be regretted, though, that the political changes in Belarus in 1995 – 1996 limited all these contacts to the official level of the „people’s democracy”.
Sweden hosts now the Vitryssland society; its leader Maria Sorderberg represents the Belarusian culture and problems in Sweden. Belarus, in turn, hosts the Kollegium society, located in Pinsk. Two Belarusian interpreters Valer Bujval and Liavon Barshcheuski translate modern Swedish literature into Belarusian, while Kajsa Oberg Lindsten translates modern Belarusian poetry into Swedish.
In 1997, Barbara Tornquist-Plewa (the Lund University) completed the first academic monograph about Belarus in the Swedish language. Kjell Albin Abrahamson published in 1999 a book about Belarus, which gained a remarkable degree of popularity among Swedish readers. Sven Gustavsson from the Uppsala University has published a number of articles about the Belarusian language, culture and literature in Swedish scholarly journals. Swedish archives and libraries store lots of items of great interest to Belarusian scholars. The collection of old Belarusian books Carolina Rediviva contains more copies than the analogous collection in the National Library of Belarus. Riksarkivet, in turn, stores archives of important documents.
Today’s Belarus is overwhelmed by a range of problems:
n Non-democratic state regime
n Aftermath of Chernobyl (70% of radioactive pollution was emitted onto the territory of Belarus)
n Waning of the Belarusian language (the number of schools with Belarusian as the language of schooling has recently decreased from 64% to 10%)
Belarusian intelligentsia (still decimated after Stalinist repressions which resulted in extermination of 90% of the Belarusian writers and scientists) undertakes all possible attempts to resolve these problems so as to avoid social upheavals.
The civil society of Belarus would greatly contribute from Sweden’s help and support. Stability of the Baltic region cannot be secured without an improvement in Belarusian situation. Finally, bearing in mind common history and Belarus’ geographical location (its two main rivers flow into the Baltic Sea), we can but hope for the development of co-operation between our countries and people.
РЭЗЮМЭ
Эсэ прысьвечана гісторыі беларуска-швэдзкіх кантактаў. Аўтар падкрэсьлівае, што з часоў Вікінгаў да сяньня гэтыя сувязі застаюцца асымэтрычнымі. Швэды былі вельмі актыўнымі ў Беларусі, але толькі некаторыя Беларусы дасягалі берагоў Швэцыі.
Менавіта Вікінгі заснавалі першыя, гістарычна вядомыя, дзяржавы ў Беларусі. Былі імі валадары Рагвалод і Тур. Такія імёны даволі папулярныя ў Швэдаў па сяньняшні час. Толькі на Полаччыне знойдзена каля сотні рунічных надпісаў. У беларускай мове заўважаецца цэлы пласт скандынаўскіх словаў, якія маюць гандлёвы і дзяржаўны характар. Вікінгі далі высокія ўзоры кавальскага майстэрства. Старабеларускае права, у тым ліку і літоўскія статуты, фармавалася пад выразным уплывам скандынаваў, пачынаючы ад „Руськай правды” (назва „Русь” – старашвэдзкая).
Вяршыняй беларуска-швэдзкіх стасункаў была Кейданская Вунія, усталяваная ў 1655 годзе. Тады наша Вялікае Княства Літоўскае ўвайшло ў саюз са Швэдзкім Каралеўствам. У тую пару ў Беларусі пражывала шмат швэдзкіх інтэлектуалістаў (напр. Барастус, паэт-лацініст, які пісаў панэгірыкі ў гонар Крыштафа Радзівіла).
Швэдзкія матывы відаць не толькі ў беларускай літаратуры, але і ў фальклёры, народных легэндах. Прымаўкі: „За дзедам Швэдам”, „Каша з Швэдамі”, „Босы як Швэд”.
Акупацыя Беларусі Расейскай Імпэрыяй накінула нам назву „негістарычных народаў”. Беларусы зьнікаюць з культурнай мапы Эўропы. Цяпер, намаганьнямі швэдзкіх і беларускіх інтэлектуалістаў, аднаўляюцца сувязі, узаемныя кантакты. Зусім абыякава адносіцца да іх Рэспубліка Беларусь, будучы не беларускім дзяржаўным утварэньнем, але расейскай калёніяй.
ANDREJ KOTLJARCHUK – historian, doctor of philosophy at the Baltic and East European Graduate School in the University College of South Stockholm.
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