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Svea (Worcester, Mass.) 1897-1966 Browse the title

newspaper pageSvea began as an illustrated semi-monthly magazine in Worcester, Massachusetts, publishing its first issue in August 1897. The title refers to the female personification of the Swedish nation, literally meaning "of the Swedes." Worcester was home to a large Swedish community, and Svea was the second major Swedish language paper in that city, along with its competitor Scandinavia. Svea was founded by typographer Karl Swenson, but was quickly taken over by grocer Hans Trulson. The progressive and secular Svea switched to an 8-column weekly format in October 1898.

Svea suffered two fires, each of which totally destroyed its publishing and printing operations. The newspaper survived through the efforts of its business manager, Francis Trulson, son of publisher Hans Trulson. Francis Trulson died in November 1906, followed by Hans Trulson in 1908. Svea Publishing Company was incorporated at Hans Trulson's death to take over ownership of the paper, with all stock in the company held by Trulson's children. Trulson's son Anton H. Trulson served as editor and publisher of Svea as well as manager and head of Svea Publishing Company.

In 1915 Svea claimed a circulation of 19,000, making it one of the largest Swedish language papers east of Chicago. In 1918 Svea purchased Scandinavia and the two merged under the Svea name. Major editors of Svea included Karl G. Fredin, Anders Schön, Gunnar Wickman, Carl Mattson, Henning Nelson, Hjalmar Nilsson, and C.G. Norman. Printing foreman Carl G. Nilson also served as editor at times when there was no regular editor-in-chief. For a time Svea published three editions: a Worcester edition, a Rhode Island edition, and a Boston, Massachusetts, and world edition. By 1959 Svea was the only Swedish language newspaper published in New England and was still owned and managed by the Trulson family. In 1966 Svea merged with Nordstjernan of New York.  The merged paper was titled Nordstjernan-svea until 1991; thereafter it reverted to the Nordstjernan title.

Bibliography

  • Backlund, J. Oscar. A Century of the Swedish American Press. Chicago: Swedish American Newspaper Co., 1952.
  • Beck, Robert N. "Brief History of the Swedes of Worcester." Swedish-American Historical Quarterly, July 1959: 105-117.
  • Beijbom, Ulf. A. "The Swedish Press." The Ethnic Press in the United States, Sally M. Miller (ed.). New York: Greenwood Press, 1987.
  • Nutt, Charles. History of Worcester and its People. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1919.

newspaper pageSvea var från början en illustrerad tidning som utgavs varannan månad i Worcester i Massachusetts. Det första numret gavs ut i augusti 1897. Titeln syftar på den kvinnliga personifieringen av den svenska nationen, och betyder bokstavligen ”av svenskarna”. Worcester hade en stor svensk koloni och Svea var den andra största svenskspråkiga tidningen i staden, tillsammans med konkurrenten Scandinavia. Svea grundades av typografen Karl Swenson, men övertogs snabbt av specerihandlaren Hans Trulson. Den progressiva och sekulära Svea bytte till veckovis utgivning med åttaspaltsformat i oktober 1898.

Svea utsattes för två bränder, som båda totalförstörde utgivnings- och tryckeriverksamheten. Tidningen överlevde tack vare ansträngningarna från verksamhetschefen Francis Trulsons, son till utgivaren Hans Trulson. Francis Trulson dog i november 1906, följd av Hans Trulson 1908. Svea Publishing Company blev efter Hans Trulsons död aktiebolag och alla aktier i företaget gick till Trulsons barn. Trulsons son Anton H. Trulson var redaktör och utgivare för Svea, samt chef för Svea Publishing Company.

1915 hade Svea en utgåva på 19 000, vilket gjorde den till en av de största svenskspråkiga tidningarna öster om Chicago. 1918 köpte Svea tidningen Scandinavia och de båda tidningarna slogs ihop under namnet Svea. Sveas viktigaste redaktörer var Karl G. Fredin, Anders Schön, Gunnar Wickman, Carl Mattson, Henning Nelson, Hjalmar Nilsson och C.G. Norman. Tryckeriförmannen Carl G. Nelson fungerade också som redaktör under de perioder då det inte fanns någon chefredaktör. Under en tid bestod Svea av tre olika utgåvor: en i Worchester, en i Rhode Island och en i Boston i Massachusetts – världsutgåvan. 1959 var Svea den enda svenskspråkiga tidningen som gavs ut i New England och ägdes och styrdes fortfarande av familjen Trulson. 1966 slogs Svea ihop med Nordstjernan i New York.  Den sammanslagna tidningen kallades för Nordstjernan-svea fram till 1991 och återtog därefter namnet Nordstjernan.

Litteraturförteckning

  • Backlund, J. Oscar. A Century of the Swedish American Press. Chicago: Swedish American Newspaper Co., 1952.
  • Beck, Robert N. "Brief History of the Swedes of Worcester." Swedish-American Historical Quarterly, July 1959: 105-117.
  • Beijbom, Ulf. A. "The Swedish Press." The Ethnic Press in the United States, Sally M. Miller (ed.). New York: Greenwood Press, 1987.
  • Nutt, Charles. History of Worcester and its People. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1919.