Published: Less than 30 min ago
1 of 5 Photo: Henrik Montgomery/TT
They came to celebrate a century of news and image history at Fotografiska in Stockholm. About eighty of the country’s over-100s relived their own lives via the images – and the fact that there is war again in Europe is worrying.
– I recognize the anxiety experienced during the Second World War, says Britt Wrang, who was himself a young adult when the Second World War broke out.
From images of natural disasters, acts of terrorism and war to depictions of moon landings, sporting feats and royal weddings. At Fotografiska in Stockholm, visitors can experience a journey through time through the last 100 years’ small and large news events in the 300 images from TT Nyhetsbyrån’s enormous archive that are shown in the exhibition “News Flash – a century of news”.
During the past week, the 2,700 people in the country who have themselves experienced the last century were also invited to the opening of the exhibition.
Britt Wrang is one of all the 100-plus people who made it to Fotografiska on this sunny autumn day. The 101-year-old, who comes from Österåker outside Stockholm, also has a personal connection to the image that depicts the historic May Day in 1945, when the news of the end of World War II reached Stockholm.
– When the news came that there was finally peace, we all got time off right away. I went down towards Kungsgatan – and there people were throwing paper from all the windows. It just rained down paper – it was like snow, she says and continues:
– It was a fantastic feeling. It cannot be described – I can only say that it was wonderful.
Another of the close to 80 who accepted was Marianne Nystedt, dressed in national costume for the day, who traveled to Stockholm from her hometown of Strängnäs in the company of her daughter.
In front of the exhibition’s photographs of the events that shaped our common history, more personal memories are also recalled – and the 101-year-old remembers his matriculation degree over 80 years ago.
– In 1941 I was one of five girls who graduated from Strängnäs. I attended the Latin section, where both boys and girls attended, and was one of the first female students, she says.
Toini Wennerholm, who was born in 1921 in northern Finland, is accompanied by his daughter to botanize among the many photographs. In 1947, the 101-year-old took the boat from Finland across the Baltic Sea – and soon met love in Sweden.
– I came here on a Wednesday and on Saturday I went with three girls to Gröna Lund. And there I met my husband, who was a real Stockholm guy. It was love immediately and in 1948 we got married in the Finnish church, she says.
During her many years of professional life, Toini Wennerholm worked, among other things, at Sturebadet in Stockholm – where she once met one of all the people who now hang among the portraits on Fotografiska’s walls.
– I met the little prince – meaning our current king Carl XVI Gustaf – who came there to learn to swim as a six-year-old. At the time, there was a machine in the corridor at Sturebadet where you could buy juice – and one day the little prince came up to me and said: “Aunt, can I get 25 öre to buy juice?” He was told by his missus, but he was just a child, she says.
Over the years, Toini Wennerholm has also had a daughter and four grandchildren – and the fact that a war is now once again raging in Europe worries her.
– I get scared when young boys are shot. Then I think of my grandchildren – it’s so nasty, she says and continues:
– For my own part, I have always been able to manage myself – and I don’t dare think about the fact that I have reached the age of 101. But I think I will live to see the grandchildren grow up.
Britt Wrang also thinks about the ongoing war in Europe and today’s uncertain world situation reminds her of previous dark periods in our modern history.
– I recognize the anxiety you experienced during the Second World War, but then you were young and didn’t think along the same lines as you do now. Now that I have children and grandchildren, I wonder what they will experience, she says and continues:
– The Second World War was taking place at a distance from us – but as it is now, you don’t know what might happen. The war has come closer.
Facts
“News Flash – A Century in News Events”
At the exhibition “News flash – a century of news” at Fotografiska in Stockholm, between October 21 and February 12, 2023, 300 images from the century’s most notable events taken from the archives of the TT News Agency will be shown.
Among other things, there are pictures depicting the fight for women’s suffrage, from the Second World War, moon landings, sporting feats and natural disasters.
The exhibition is organized to celebrate TT News Agency’s 100th anniversary.
To celebrate the opening, all the country’s 100-year-olds were invited to a premiere party. Just over 2,700 people were invited and close to 80 came to the event.
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