Washington Lodge Website

 Version 3.3   March 4, 2024 

March Lodge Meeting  - Experiencing Norway

Saturday, March 16—Hybrid Meeting  

Doors open 5 PM, Potluck 6 PM, Presentation 7 PM  

Norway House 3846 Meredith Dr.  Fairfax, VA 22030 (Directions)  

A journey to Norway offers a profound and transformative experience. We're delighted to feature a group of members who recently embarked on this adventure. Their diverse encounters included visiting museums, observing wildlife, encountering a Blue Whale, hiking on Jan Mayen Island, and travelling to the Russian Border.

During the discussion, they'll share insights into the intricacies of trip planning and how those plans unfolded. Additionally, they'll highlight several underappreciated travel treasures. Expect a visual treat with captivating images showcasing the breathtaking Norwegian landscape, coupled with practical tips to enhance your upcoming visit.

You will find out about the '?' in the Bergan? Sign pictured in above photograph.

In honor of the award of the Nobel Prize in literature to Jon Fosse, we have added a page to the reading circle website with articles by Christine Meloni on Fosse and his work.     

Click to check out the Jon Fosse Page

 Language Classes Resume 

The lodge offers beginning, intermediate and advanced Norwegian language classes every Thursday evening at Norway House. Our instructor is Anne-Grethe Phillips, a native Norwegian speaker with many years of experience as a certified Norwegian/English teacher. See page 9 of the January Newsletter.

The Assistant by Kjell Ola Dahl 

Reading Circle, Tuesday, April 16, 7:30 pm, Zoom Only

The Reading Circle will meet at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16, to discuss Kjell Ola Dahl's The Assistant. According to a review on Amazon, "Both a fascinating portrait of Oslo's interwar years, with Nazis secretly on Norwegian soil and militant socialists readying workers for war, The Assistant is also a stunningly sophisticated, tension-packed thriller - the darkest of hard-boiled Nordic Noir - from one of Norway's most acclaimed crime writers." If you plan to attend, contact Christine (Reading@NorwayDC.org) for the Zoom link. 

Central Iowa Norwegians 
Saturday, March 23, 3:00 pm, Zoom Only

The Genealogy Interest Group will  feature Arlen Twedt,  a retired educator and local historian whose great great grandparents helped begin one of two central Iowa Norwegian  settlements in 1855 and 1856. Twedt began researching his family’s  history in 1977, and in 1995 he started the Central Iowa Norwegian  Project to collect information for writing a history of the first 50 years of  Norwegian immigrant settlement in a four-county region.  He is the author of The Central Iowa Norwegians, a three-volume history  completed in 2020. Twedt will discuss how central Iowa became the  state’s third most popular Norwegian immigrant settlement and will share  how learning the local history of the region helped him better understand the lives of his ancestors.  The book is available on Amazon. 

To receive the Zoom link email genealogy@NorwayDC.org.  

Check out the revamped GIG website with videos of several past meetings and a GIG calendar through  May. 

https://sites.google.com/view/norwegian-genealogy/norwegian-genealogy-home-page  

For more information contact Joel Myklebust, Genealogy Interest Group Co-chair genealogy@NorwayDC.org.

Norwegian History Roundtable
Norwegian War Sailors  
Sunday, March 17, 3 pm, Zoom Only  

The often-overlooked contri bution of the Norwegian War Sailors played a crucial role in  the Allied victory during World War II. The Battle of Britain  saw the Royal Air Force securing success with fuel provided  by Norwegian tankers. Norwegian vessels played a signifi cant role in transporting a substantial portion of men and  equipment that played a pivotal role in the D-Day landings  in Normandy and the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany. Despite facing constant danger during their transatlantic journeys, the War Sailors, who suffered a higher casualty rate  than the US Marines, received limited recognition for their  sacrifices.  

John Lunde and Phil Eskeland developed an interest in this untold story because both of their fathers served in the Norwegian Merchant Marine during the war. They will be  joined by Norwegian historian Bjørn Tore Rosendahl to  bring attention to this compelling and often neglected tale  of courage. 

Contact Bill DeRoche at programs@norwaydc.org for the Zoom login information.  

Welcome to our Website

Are you interested in Norway Literature, History, Folklore, Genealogy, Food, or Language? Do you want to connect to your roots, study the Viking age or the Norwegian Resistance in WWII, or discuss the latest in Norwegian culture?
The Sons of Norway members in the nation's capital, representing a diversity of background and nationality, share an interest in Norwegian and Scandinavian Culture. We trust that all ages will find something of interest -- in our web site and in our lodge. We have almost 400 members. Most are from the local area of DC, Maryland, and Virginia, but we also have members from another 16 states as well as Norway, Canada, and Great Britain.

For information on membership, contact Jeff Jorgenson  at Jas_jorgenson@yahoo.com

To Join Washington Lodge Click Here

For other information, contact Dave Brown President@norwaydc.org .

Hint: When you push a brown button, it will open a new tab on your screen. However, if you close the tab, it will return you to the previous screen.

Cultural Skills

This fall the lodge is running a Cooking Pin Challenge.  Photograph the Norwegian treats and main dishes you cook this fall, and let’s see how many lodge members can earn a first, second, or third cultural skills pin before the end of the year!  Email culturalskills@norwaydc.org to find out more about the Cultural Skills program.