Norwegian Festival of Literature

The Norwegian Festival of Literature (in Norwegian Norsk Litteraturfestival - Sigrid Undset-dagene) is the biggest literary festival in the Nordic countries taking place in May at Lillehammer every year since 1995. The festival has been named also after the Norwegian author and Nobel laureate Sigrid Undset who lived in Lillehammer between 1919 and her death in 1949

The festival is markedly encompassing all the Nordic countries in its scope and has developed into a popular festival where both writers and people from the book publishing industry, both domestic and foreign, are being present. 2009 had 180 events that were open to all. In addition, numerous courses, seminars and professional meetings are being held.

History

The festival originated from the Nansen Academy's Sigrid Undset seminaries in 1993 and 1994. Oppland county municipality has provided support for the festival since its inception. Since 1999 the Norwegian government also has contributed financially allocating a grant in the annual state budget as an earmarked part of the budget post for the Maihaugen cultural museum in Lillehammer. In 2001 the Norwegian Publishers Association commenced regularly contributing financially. Since 2006 the festival has been classified as a "Junction Festival", which entails a separate item in the State Budget. Artistic directors have been the author Øyvind Berg between 1997 and 2003 and Birgit Hatlehol from 2004 onwards. Festival directors have been Randi Thorsen from 1997 to 2003 and Tone Kolaas from 2003 to 2006. From 2006 Randi Skeie is festival director and Stig Sæterbakken was artistic advisor until October 9, 2008. when Endre Ruset took his place.

The theme for the 2007 festival was infidelity. Among the high points was the main speech by Herta Müller, Sara Stridsberg, the winner of the Nordic Council's Literature Prize and the concerts featuring Antony and the Johnsons.

Past themes

• 1999  – Damned writers
• 2000  – Folly and writers
• 2001  – Power
• 2002  – Myths
• 2003  – Crime and poetry
• 2004  – Europe
• 2005  – Conflict and reconciliation
• 2006  – Staging
• 2007  – Infidelity
• 2008  – Future
• 2009  – Truth

Pegasus is the festival's offering to children and youths. It will continue throughout the year and culminate during the festival.

David Irving controversy in 2008/2009

In October 2008 a controversy erupted over the invitation to controversial historian and Holocaust denier David Irving to speak at the 2009 festival. Several of Norway's most distinguished authors protested the invitation. Leader of the board for the festival, Jesper Holte, defended the invitation by stating that "Our agenda is to invite a lier and a falsifier of history to a festival about truth. And confront him with this". Irving has been invited to discuss his concept of truth "in light of his activity as a writer of historical books and the many accusations he has been exposed to as a consequence of this." Although Irving is introduced in the festival's webpages as "historian and writer" the board chair leader defended the more aggressive language being used to characterize Irving in connection with the controversy that had arisen. Lars Saabye Christensen and Roy Jacobsen were two authors who had threatened to boycott the festival on account of Irving's invitation and Anne B. Ragde stated that Sigrid Undset would have turned around in her grave. As the festival has as its subsidiary name "Sigrid Undset Days", a representative of Undset's family had requested that the name of the Nobel laureate be removed in connection with the festival.^[1][2] Also the Norwegian free speech organization Fritt Ord was critical of letting Irving speak at the festival^[3] and had requested that its logo be removed from the festival.^[4] In addition Edvard Hoem announced that he would not attend the 2009 festival with Irving taking part. Per Edgar Kokkvold, leader of the Norwegian Press Confederation advocated cancelling Irving's invitation.^[5]

In the matter of days after the controversy had started, the invitation was withdrawn. This led to the resignation of Stig Sæterbakken from his position as content director as he was the person who had invited Irving. The head of the festival, Randi Skeie, deplored what had taken place, stating "Everything is fine as long as everyone agrees, but things get more difficult when one doesn't like the views being put forward."^[3] Sæterbakken characterized his colleagues as "damned cowards" arguing that they were walking in lockstep.^[6]

According to editor-in-chief Sven Egil Omdal in Stavanger Aftenblad the opposition to Irving's participation at the festival appears as a concerted effort and Omdal suggests campaign journalism from two of Norway's largest newspapers, Dagbladet and Aftenposten and Norway's public service broadcater NRK.^[7]

David Irving commented that he had not been told that the festival was going to present him as a liar,^[6] and that he was preparing a lecture about the real history of what took place in Norway during World War II, contrary to what official historians have presented. Irving stated that he had thought the Norwegian people to be made of tougher stuff.^[8]

Only days after the cancellation David Irving announced that he would go to Lillehammer during the literature festival and deliver his 2-hour lecture from a hotel room.^[9]

Other cultural festivals in Lillehammer

Other cultural festivals in Lillehammer following the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics are DølaJazz, Vinterspillene and the Amandus Festival, which is a festival for young Norwegian filmmakers.

See also

• Bjørnson Festival

References

1. ^ Rakvaag, Geir (October 7, 2008). "Irving fortsatt invitert" (in Norwegian). Dagsavisen (Oslo). http://www.dagsavisen.no/kultur/article372935.ece. Retrieved October 8, 2008. 
2. ^ Wold Haagensen, Vibecke (October 7, 2008). "Irving invitert som løgner" (in Norwegian). NRK (Hedmark/Oppland). http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/distrikt/hedmark_og_oppland/1.6252043. Retrieved October 8, 2008. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Holocaust denier unwelcome in Norway". UPI. October 9, 2008. http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/10/09/Holocaust_denier_unwelcome_in_Norway/UPI-56301223577740/. Retrieved October 10, 2008. 
4. ^ "Holocaust denial speaker's invitation cancelled". Aftenposten (Oslo, Norway). October 9, 2008. http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article2704141.ece. Retrieved October 10, 2008. 
5. ^ Østrem, Olav (October 9, 2008). "Sæterbakken slår tilbake" (in Norwegian). Klassekampen (Oslo, Norway). http://www.klassekampen.no/55114/article/item/null. Retrieved October 10, 2008. 
6. ^ ^{a b} Olsen, Geir (October 10, 2008). "Retrett mot Davig Irving. Irving:  – De tør ikke møte meg" (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang (Oslo, Norway). http://www.vg.no/rampelys/artikkel.php?artid=528392. Retrieved October 15, 2008. 
7. ^ Omdal, Sven Egil (October 11, 2008). "Ikke fullt så Fritt Ord" (in Norwegian). Stavanger Aftenblad (Stavanger, Norway). http://www.aftenbladet.no/debatt/medieblikk/927176/Ikke_fullt_saa_Fritt_Ord.html. Retrieved October 15, 2008. 
8. ^ Christiansen, Ann (October 9, 2008). "Irving:  – Utsatt for global kampanje" (in Norwegian). Aftenposten (Oslo, Norway). http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/article2703646.ece. Retrieved October 15, 2008. 
9. ^ Wiese, Andreas (October 15, 2008). "David Irving rir igjen" (in Norwegian). Dagbladet (Oslo, Norway). http://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/2008/10/15/550314.html. Retrieved October 15, 2008. 

External links

• Festival homepage (in English)