Kategori: Memorials

Eidsivathing

The basis for our democracy and in 2022 we celebrate the 1000th anniversary right here at Eidsvoll and Eidsivatinget!

Eidsivatinget was one of four regional settlements that together covered the whole of Norway from the Middle Ages. The task of things was to resolve conflicts in society and to use the law to judge fairly. The size of things varied over the years. At its largest, the Eidsivating includes the five "old" counties of Oppland, Hedmark, Akershus north of Oslo, Buskerud and Øvre Telemark (Numedal).

Eidsivatinget covered the entire Inland and much of Viken at its largest. Its twelve districts were then: Romerike, Ringerike, Land, Hadeland, Tverrdalene (Sigdal, Modum, Krødsherad), Øvre Telemark (with Numedal), Hedmark, Alvdalene (Østerdalen and parts of present-day Sweden (east to Särna)), Gudbrandsdalen, Lom , Lesja and Toten.

Olav 2. Haraldsson established the Eidsivating on Eid 17 June 1022. Eid, today Eidsvoll, had a strategic location as a hub for trade and transport. The waterways i.a. on Vorma and Mjøsa, were the «motorways» of the time, and at Eid there was a large harbor for boat traffic. The hollow road up to Tingvollen – Badebakken – today testifies to the centuries of traffic. At Tingvollen by Eidsvoll church, the meeting was held until about 1619/20. The parliament was held every year for a couple of weeks from Bottolvsmesse on June 17, and the king was usually present.

The establishment of Eidsivatinget in 1022 was of great importance for the development of the area and gave the place an identity that we want to promote.

The legacy of Olav the Holy has been an important factor in how the Norwegian rule of law developed through the Middle Ages and has left lasting traces in our own time. The people's rule of the Lagtings gave the people legislative and judicial power, which even the king had to abide by. It is difficult to imagine what society and everyday life would have been like in Norway without these values ​​and principles. The celebration of Eidsivatinget's millennium anniversary is thus, in addition to a celebration of a historical event, even more an important celebration and reminder of the basis of our legal culture and democracy. Knowledge of the past is important to give us a broader understanding of our societal values ​​today, and what kind of society we want to be a part of.

The paper clip

Bindersteinen is a memorial of Johan Vaaler's contribution to the invention of a variant of the paper clip, a seemingly simple yet essential office tool. Vaaler, a Norwegian inventor, applied for a patent for his version of the paper clip in Germany in 1899, and it was granted two years later.

While his design wasn't the one that became the standard, it still stands as a symbol of innovation. (The paper clip, as we know it today, was already in production and use when Vaaler submitted his patent application)

To honor Vaaler  ​​​​​​(1866-1910) and his invention, the memorial, named Bindersteinen, was created and placed on his family farm in Lierfoss, Aurskog-Høland municipality. This event took place in 1999, exactly 100 years after the original patent application. The project was spearheaded by the Aurskog history team, along with support from the surrounding communities and the Aurskog-Høland municipality.

The artist Arne Lindaas from Rømskog was responsible for designing the Bindersteinen, ensuring that the monument serves as a lasting tribute to Vaaler's legacy. The memorial is accessible to visitors and is signposted from Rv 170, a regional road in the area.

Information from Visit Greater Oslo 

Trandumforest

During the Second World War, executions took place in Trandumskogen in Ullensaker.

173 Norwegians, 15 Russians and 6 Britons were executed and buried in the forest.

136 Norwegians had their death sentences made public. The remaining 37 were executed without trial. The Russians who were shot were prisoners of war who had escaped from a prisoner transport. 5 of the 6 Britons who were executed in Trandum were caught for sabotage attempts at the heavy water plant in Rjukan. There were a total of 18 mass graves in Trandumskogen. Today, the forest is a place of remembrance for those who lost their lives there.

Trandum forest is a national monument. The memorial is made of  Iddefjord granite and conducted by Per Palle Storm. The memorial is written:

"I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM IN THE WAR IN NORWAY 1940 – 1945. Here in the forest Trandum 173 Norwegians, 15 Soviet and 6 Brite executed enemies."

Right behind is a name plate on the executed. 18 grave sites / places of the north of the memorial is marked by numbered stone cross.

Every 17 May morning will be held at the memorial monument.  

 

It is also the remains of a tank training ground, often called the tank firing range.

The course was built by the Germans during the Second World War. The shooting range consists of several large walls in reinforced concrete with openings, without a superstructure.

The walls, up to 10 meters high, stand at intervals of a few meters, and the course ends in a rampart . The track is approx. 300 meters long. The walls were to act as a large silencer for practice shooting, as well as to stop boom shots. Although the walls have some marks from such boom shots, the intention was to shoot through all the openings to hit the embankment at the end. The tank shooting range is accessible to the public, and is located close to the memorial in Trandumskogen, which has been set up in memory of those who were shot here during the war. 

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