Deacon Recalls His Immigrant Grandmother’s Gumption – and Discovers Her Struggle with Depression While he was growing up in Chicago, Deacon Don Grossnickle loved visiting his grandmother Maja, an immigrant from Sweden, and listening to her stories about her home country’s “enchanting winters, the Christmases, the sleighs, the horses, the beautiful lakes,” he recalled during aContinue reading “Immigrant Great Depression- Depression”
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Swedish Immigrant Adversity: How Did Women Fare?
My grandmother certainly was not the only Swedish woman immigrant who suffered significant difficulties and adversity in making the commitment to come to America and have to make harsh adjustments. The stress and strain my dear Grandma Maja endured as a woman, widow, single mother breadwinner was in my opinion cruel and abusive. She boreContinue reading “Swedish Immigrant Adversity: How Did Women Fare?”
Monstrous Depression Relived: Stacked Deck for Immigrant Survival
Only a few living souls can look backwards at what it was like for those who fought hard to survive the vissicitudes of America’s Great Depression’s crush on the human spirit. Inspiring me my whole life, Grandma Maja’s story has inspired me to take my troubles in stride as hers were monstrous by comparison. StoriesContinue reading “Monstrous Depression Relived: Stacked Deck for Immigrant Survival”
Swedish Family Heirlooms: Genealogy Show and Tell Treasures
My Swedish Grandmother Maja and family have left behind treasures which each tug at heartstrings linked with cherished memories. What are your family heirlooms?, and why do you hold them to be treasures? In 2004, exploring the attic of grandma Maja’s daughter, Linnea, I found a treasure chest almost tossed out with the trash. LinneaContinue reading “Swedish Family Heirlooms: Genealogy Show and Tell Treasures”
Genealogy and Museums Spark Grandma’s Imaginations Come Alive
There is something special, very hard to describe about Swedish Grandmother’s softly expressed intent on sharing customs and traditions with grandchildren. I was fortunate to experience this Swedish nurturing firsthand, and to watch it as my mother was magically transformed into a mentor, teacher, tour guide into the mythical love of ethnic traditions and lore.Continue reading “Genealogy and Museums Spark Grandma’s Imaginations Come Alive”
Swedish Strong and Tough With a Courageous Heart
My Swedish Grandma Maja was one of the strongest and toughest people I have ever met. It takes me a whole book to explain how very strong she was in proving herself as an immigrant. I built my own life celebrating the example of gritty resilience Maja demonstrated. At the very same time, this strongContinue reading “Swedish Strong and Tough With a Courageous Heart”
Chicago Swedes Genealogy & Recollections 1871-1933
The Great Chicago Fire and the demand for builders and construction workers attracted many Swedes from 1871 until 1924 when US curtailed the welcome. Chicago became the home of our Swedish family roots in America. Swedish life for our family began in early 1900 when Albert Källgren emigrated to Chicago from Sollefteå Sweden seeking prosperityContinue reading “Chicago Swedes Genealogy & Recollections 1871-1933”
Swedish Love Letters: Genealogy Tears and Years
In 2004 I found in a dusty attic, my Grandma Maja’s Sweden to America steamer trunk filled with buried treasures. Dozens of photos, artifacts, and more. What a happy shock. Maja and I were reunited as I tenderly examined each special piece of her lifetime memories she left behind. It had been over 30 yearsContinue reading “Swedish Love Letters: Genealogy Tears and Years”
Swedish and Nordic-Scandia Wannabes
There are lots of good reasons to be a Swede these days. Many books come out lately celebrating the ways Nordic-Scandinavian people look at life and choose certain attractive and favorable lifestyle habits. Personally, although I did not directly choose to have Swedish genes and chromosomes, I am very pleased and proud to be aContinue reading “Swedish and Nordic-Scandia Wannabes”
Swedish Immigrant Great Depression Kids- The Fallout
Grandma Maja was one of the finest teachers I have ever met. Her three children , Delores, Peter, and Linnea without a father learned the meaning of a lifestyle philosophy: “a stitch in time saves 9”. The incredibly hard times of America’s Great Depression tested the character of widow Maja and her three Swedish AmericanContinue reading “Swedish Immigrant Great Depression Kids- The Fallout”
Maja's Blessings 