When they talk about the racial and ethnic affiliation of a people, many versions and hypotheses immediately pop up, some of which are simply incomparable with common sense. For example, the Germans. Someone refers them to the Germanic race, and someone believes that they are a mixture of several obscure genera that have nothing to do with the European race. The mass Slavic layman does not even realize that the "Germanic" race in a certain sense belongs to the Slavic, and moreover, this is not just some kind of speculation, but an official scientific view. Few people know that "Germans" or "Germans" were considered to be all races without exception.
The Soviet translators clearly made a mistake in translating such german words as "Germans" and "Germanic race" as "Germans" and "German race". They did not seem to notice that for the Russian word "Germans" in German there is the only correct analogue: Deutschen. That is why many believe that the most prominent representative of the National Socialists in history, Adolf Hitler, proclaimed exclusively the "German nation" as the highest nation in the world, although he spoke about the "Germans", i.e. about all Indo-European races, including the Slavs.
As we have already seen, there is a genetic unity between the Slavs and Germans, which has been proven even by science. Thus, it turns out that the Germans are partly Slavs. But let's turn to history and remember another people who also underwent correction of facts from the falsifiers of history. It's about about representatives of the German race, which was considered almost the elite of the races - the Scandinavians.
We watched a lot of films and read books about the Scandinavian Vikings. The authors have always described them as ruthless conquerors, sea pirates, wild and immoral people dressed in helmets with horns and animal skins living in the coldest lands.
For hundreds of years, many legends and all sorts of tales have been composed about them. Someone even claimed that the Scandinavians were refugees from the sunken Atlantis, and moreover, this version is not one of the most incredible. Many consider the Vikings to come from other worlds, which, by a strange and incomprehensible ordinary people whim, decided to go down to earth.
Let us turn to the facts of the history of the Scandinavian people. Why should it be considered a Slavic people? A Russian-speaking person who happened to visit the Scandinavian countries or even live there for some time could not help but notice that their language, which is attributed to the “Germanic” linguistic family, is filled with many Slavic words, a Slav can understand them without the help of any or dictionaries or translators.
The Scandinavian language, even in our time, has in its language such suffixes as -sk, -ske, -ska in adjectives, which is typical for Slavic language. In addition, the modern Scandinavian language has retained several words from the "mother" Slavic language. For example, Danska, Svinsk Hotel, Gadske Kriminelle or the phrase Vrede Skole. A Slav who speaks the Belarusian language will be able to understand these words without any help from an interpreter. Such an obvious thing raises the question, are the Slavs and Scandinavians really one people?
If we turn to historical research, we find out that the inhabitants of Scandinavia are not actually an indigenous people. According to some sources, the Scandinavians used to live near the Don River valley, in the southeastern part of modern Ukraine, and even on the edge of southeastern Belarus. In ancient Scandinavian mythology it is mentioned that the great god Odin ruled over a city called Asgard, which was the city of the Ases. It turns out that Slavic-Aryans lived in this city.
In the ancient legend there is a story where Odin is going to colonize the near-bottom state of Greater Sweden, which is known as "Wodzin", as well as the northern part of modern Europe. Further in the saga it is told that Odin, in order to carry out his plans, had to cross a friendly country, which the Scandinavians called Gardarika - this country included the territories of modern Belarus, Ukraine, Novgorod, Pskov, part of Poland and several other small lands of the southern Baltic, to the border of France. Such a migration is roughly dated to the 13th century BC. Obviously, Gardarika is nothing but the territory where the Slavic-Russians lived, who are also the original inhabitants of Europe.
As a result, Odin still managed to reach the lands that had only recently been freed from ice. There, the deity created the capital of his new state, which is called Odense (this city still exists). The name itself speaks of its founder.
Summing up, we can conclude that the inhabitants of Greater Sweden came to modern Scandinavia from the Don expanses, and not at all the other way around, as the official version teaches us. One famous Norwegian researcher named Thor Heyerdahl is also an adherent of this version of the story about the origin of the Scandinavians and their connection with the Slavs. He walked all over the Black Sea, studied several thousand historical artifacts found, and came to the conclusion that the Swedes and Scandinavians came precisely from the lands of the Slavic-Russians, and nothing else! The Russian researcher Mikhailo Lomonosov adhered to the same theory. The most reliable source of the migration of the Scandinavians from the lands of the Slavic-Aryans to Great Sweden and Scandinavia is the Saga of the Ynglings.
The fact that Scandinavians come from Slavic peoples is said not only unique properties their language and the opinion of authoritative scientists, but also ancient sagas, writings. To be completely convinced, it is enough just to compare the appearance of the Scandinavians and Slavs. Northwestern Slavs and Scandinavians are tall (in fact, they are all on the same level, if a person does not have a genetic predisposition to short stature), body build is proportional, skin is light in color, eyes are usually blue or gray, complete absence or the smallest number of the presence of a round face and a "duck" nose, which are characteristic of Scandinavian neighbors - Finno-Ugric peoples.
Even on genetic level Scandinavians and Slavs have the same composition of genetic Y-haplogroups that are found in the inhabitants of Ukraine, northeastern Poland and Belarus. The inhabitants of the former West Germany also have an analytical genetic composition. Thus, the peoples living in different countries are in fact one single race, and are rooted in one people. But, unfortunately, most studies and the results of genetic analyzes are distorted in such a way as to hide traces of the relationship of the Slavs and Scandinavians.
Who are the Russians, who are the Slavs
Scandinavians and Ancient Russia
One of the main features of the Scandinavians is the love of nature, squared. And it's not just about responsibility and thrift. In Scandinavia, the cult of ecology is instilled from childhood. That is why these northern countries are famous for their purest forests and reservoirs with water suitable for drinking, environmentally friendly products, and clothing. In their cities there is a lot of greenery and fearless wild birds, somewhere in the center of Stockholm you can easily stumble upon a hare, and wood is often used in architecture and environmental design.
A short, cool summer in Scandinavia gives way to a long, dark winter that encourages reflection and contemplation. Northern peoples are reasonable, unhurried and relaxed. Life flows calmly and peacefully and does not involve uncertainties and unrest. Decent salaries, guaranteed pensions and benefits, carefree old age… Everything is definite and predictable.
Work is a wolf
Most Scandinavians are afraid of losing their jobs. Conscientious and responsible, not prone to lateness and absenteeism, as well as to processing, they are dedicated to their work. On weekdays on the streets of Copenhagen or Oslo you will not meet drunk people. But in - as much as you like! Scandinavians are very fond of relaxing in bars, they drink lightly and a lot. And just as easily, as if nothing had happened, on Monday they go to work without delay.
In the Nordic countries, the influence of trade unions is strong. It is not so easy to dismiss an employee even for a serious duty. A well-established is all sorts of bonuses. Up to the point that, for example, an employee can be paid for the purchase of a new pair of shoes - for proper appearance at work.
A clear eye is a strong tooth
Scandinavians are friendly and cheerful. It is difficult to meet a gloomy person on the street. Often these are people with good skin and teeth, shiny blond hair, clear eyes and a satisfied look. A sporty lifestyle is cultivated in Scandinavia with might and main. In cities, there is no shortage of swimming pools, sports complexes and stadiums. A visit to these establishments is worth a penny.
Despite outward openness and friendliness, Scandinavians respect their personal space and treat others the same way. It is not customary here to gossip, to be interested in someone personal life and also consider each other on the street. Close frank glances are avoided.
The Scandinavians, despite being tall, are unpretentious in food and clothing. And to have an expensive car or bicycle is considered something almost indecent.
Children in Scandinavia are idolized. They are allowed everything. They are loved and want to have a lot. In Sweden, for example, it is not uncommon for dads to be on parental leave.
Scandinavians honor and love tourists. Traveling through small rural towns, you can accidentally taste northern hospitality by staying overnight at one of the farms. You will be so happy that they will provide you with a free overnight stay and even give you fresh food on the road. Always feel free to ask the locals for help - they will be happy to explain something or just chat with foreigners.
When I started learning Swedish in 2003, I realized that Scandinavians speak English very well. It was difficult to speak Swedish because Swedes often switch to English to make conversation easier. From that moment on, I became interested in why Scandinavians speak English so well, especially since my home country, Italy, is mostly monolingual. Maybe Scandinavians are smarter than Italians? Before moving on to this topic, let's talk a little about Scandinavia. This is a country in the north of Europe, consisting of several countries: Denmark, Norway and Sweden (depending on which country you are talking to, you can include Finland and Iceland). These three countries are grouped because of their geographical location, common Germanic cultural heritage and related languages. Danish (Denmark), Swedish (Sweden) and Norwegian (Norway) have a lot in common. A speaker of one of these languages can understand a representative of another without any special training. Regarding English: approximately 80-90% of Scandinavians speak English. Comparing with Italy, where -10-20% (I tried to find data on this, but found only information about 30%. I'm not sure about the statistics, but from my own experience I can say that 30% of Italians do not speak English) This is also my experience. When I was younger, I watched TV shows and films in French every day after school. Despite ineffective lessons, I have made significant progress as I have been exposed to real French daily. My peers, for their part, had a hard time making any progress because they had only contact with the language in grammar books. Many students complain that they are unable to understand foreign language when spoken quickly. Of course, it takes time to get used to the speed with which native speakers pronounce words. The only solution is to become more patient - which is why translating foreign films and shows into the local language is a bad idea in terms of language learning. I remember a time when I was visiting a friend in Sweden, I noticed that The Simpsons was on TV in English with Swedish subtitles. I asked him why he watches them in English and he said that all TV shows are shown in their original language. Then it became clear to me that although Scandinavia is different official language, they have English everywhere and that is why the Scandinavians speak it like that. The path to acquiring a foreign language at a high level always involves a lot of exposure and interaction - something the Scandinavian countries have accepted, but unfortunately Italy has not. You can't go back in time and change the number of impressions you had per language when you were younger, but you can make changes today. I recommend replacing the media you consume in your mother tongue with the foreign language media you learn, one by one. If you enjoy watching the news, start watching the news in your target language. If you love watching The Simpsons, start watching The Simpsons in your target language, and so on. Massive exposure has importance to develop your core language. You also need interaction, but I will write more about that on a different occasion. Start by replacing media with foreign language media today. Incredible high quality education is another factor in the success of the Scandinavian peoples. The first difference between Scandinavia and Italy, based on my interactions with friends, that I can highlight is that the Scandinavian education system places more emphasis on the introduction of practical knowledge. The Italian education system is primarily focused on acquiring theoretical knowledge. I studied electrical engineering at university and despite learning how PCBs work, I have never held them in my hands or worked with them in practice to understand how they work. You are probably wondering how this is possible, well, I will explain, for an engineer it is not mandatory direct work with printed circuit boards, technicians do it. However, I want to emphasize that the Scandinavian countries place more emphasis on connecting practice with theory than in Italy, so I believe this is a factor in their success. Another example was one time when I was using a language exchange website to practice Swedish online and I noticed there were approximately 20 Swedish users on the site. I started a few conversations and after a few introductions I found that they were all the same age and came from the same part of Sweden. I wrote to one of them that it was strange to see so many Swedes on the Internet and she replied that she was in an English class and the teacher asked them all to log into the website to practice using English with the natives. I'm not sure if this happens in all English classes in Scandinavia, but I can assure you that the Italian classes are nothing like that and, as far as I can tell, this is an indication of the emphasis on combining theory and practice. Language similarity Danish, Swedish and Norwegian, like English, belong to the Germanic group of languages. Learning a language that is similar to your native language, or one that you know well, makes the learning process easier. I note this not to belittle the achievements of the Scandinavians, but to bring to light a factor that is often overlooked by beginners in the language. The complexity of a foreign language is relative. There are many aspects to take into account such as syntax, pronunciation and vocabulary. You will be surprised to learn that there are at least 1558 Swedish words that you already know if you know English. When you choose a foreign language to learn, it is important to be aware of how different it is from the languages you already know. We also have to admit that we rarely get to meet someone who is learning Swedish, Danish or Norwegian from outside Scandinavia and that their languages are only spoken in their countries, so they need to learn a foreign language if they want to interact with the rest of the world. The Italians are in the same situation as the Scandinavians in regards to language. So it goes out to show that this is not enough reason to learn a foreign language for everyone. The most important predictor of success in language learning is student motivation, and that can come in a variety of forms. Namely, needs and desires. There's a lot to learn from the success Scandinavia has had with English. The most important of these is that the degree to which a foreign language is integrated into your life correlates with your ability to communicate in that language. Media is a powerful tool used for communication and entertainment around the world, so it is very powerful for language learning. I use foreign media all the time to expand and maintain my knowledge and abilities. For example, I often read the German newspaper "Der Spiegel" before going to bed. It's a habit. German is a part of my life, so improvement is not something I have to make a conscious effort to do more. Necessity Scandinavians must learn English language is also something we can learn. A strong motivation or desire to learn a language is critical to success. A big motivator for me to constantly improve my language skills is the friends I have made all over the world. I love sharing my life with people and for me to do it in a way that I like, I have to reach a pretty high level of competence. The needs and desires that motivate vary from person to person. Integration language you study in your Everyday life, create the need to use it regularly, and place great importance on a combination of theory and practice. These are the reasons why Scandinavians speak only English.TV / Cinema
The biggest success factor for Scandinavians in learning English is their consumption English media. Scandinavians watch a lot of films and TV series from America in English, while Italians dub almost everything from America in English. Italian language. This is an important distinction because it means that Scandinavians are not only exposed to English earlier in their lives, but also more regularly. The amount of exposure to a foreign language usually correlates with the level of comprehension, the ability to understand the language when spoken quickly, and the ability to imitate sounds.
Men from the Nordic countries have long been distinguished by high growth and texture.
It is enough to remember the action hero Dolph Lundgren, the star of "Game of Thrones" Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, or a lot of American actors of Scandinavian origin, to be convinced of the correctness of this opinion.
But why exactly Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Iceland are characterized by high growth in men?
Have Scandinavians always been tall?
Frame from the series "Vikings" with actors from 193 to 178 cm tall
Tacitus writes about the tall and white-skinned Germans, who are much taller than the Romans and Gauls, and the "sharp" look of their blue eyes horrifies the latter.
In a later era, the Viking raids shake Europe, and the chroniclers of England, France and Spain write about the Normans as people from the north, very tall and powerfully built.
Rolf the Pedestrian, aka Rollo - Ragnar Lodbrok's brother, is described as being so big man that not a single horse could carry him, because he moved everywhere on foot, with great speed
However, archaeological excavations showed that the vast majority of the Vikings of the 7th-10th centuries were about 170-175 centimeters tall!
For modern man, it's not too much.
But considering that at that time the average height of most people rarely exceeded 165 cm, ordinary Vikings were half a head taller than average height.
And since noble people usually had better food and intermarried with people of their circle, their growth often greatly exceeded that of a commoner.
So, Charlemagne and Richard the Lionheart grew to 193 centimeters, which is very impressive by modern standards, and the found remains of noble Vikings indicate a height of 180-185 cm.
For most of their history, Scandinavians have been and remain tall. And although now they have lost the palm to the Dutch, whose average height is 184 centimeters, against 182 among Norwegians and Swedes, all the same, the bulk of Scandinavian men are tall.
But why?
Reasons for the high growth of the Scandinavians
Swedes, Norwegians, Danes, Icelanders, as well as part of northern Germans, western Finns, a significant part of Estonians and Latvians are direct descendants of Paleo-European population.
After the retreat of the glacier, endangered Neanderthals in the frozen expanses of what was then Europe, covered with tundra and swampy areas, they replaced cro-magnons.
They came from the south, from much warmer places North Africa and originally had darker skin and eyes, as well as a "tropical build" - tall, long limbs and thin body proportions.
They had to adapt to the conditions of the cold climate of Europe, where the sun was almost always hidden behind clouds from evaporating glacial lakes, and the climate was more like Western Siberia than soft modern Spain or Switzerland.
Over hundreds of generations, Cro-Magnon skin became thinner and lighter in order to better capture sunlight, saving children who died of rickets very often.
The same happened with the iris, which became more transparent: blue and green, the hair on the head became lighter.
Like their Neanderthal predecessors, Cro-Magnons in the northern latitudes acquired a powerful build: their skeleton became more massive and wide, fat began to quickly accumulate on the body, and coarse meat food led to changes in the shape of the jaw - it became prominent, massive, with large teeth.
Until now, large teeth are a hallmark of the Scandinavians, while the Slavs, for example, usually have small teeth.
The direct descendants of the Cro-Magnons of the Stone Age formed the anthropological types of the Scandinavians:
paleoeuropean(actually Cro-Magnon),
western baltid(Cro-Magnon of the east of the Baltic, less tall and more prone to fullness),
borrebi and brunn(options of Paleo-Europeans who retained the most archaic features),
and later joined West Atlantic type, which came to already warm Europe and retained thin tropical proportions of the body, but still also lost its dark pigmentation.
The Paleo-European and West Atlantic types are widely represented in a mixed form in Scandinavia and are called trender.
All these types are distinguished by high stature, blond hair and differ only in the massiveness of the body: from the closet-shaped Baltids and Borrebies, to the rather graceful and thin West Atlantic types.
Considering that the Scandinavians almost did not mix with other peoples, or rather peoples who had other anthropological types, they have retained the above characteristics to this day, including tallness.
The northern climate did not affect the Saami, Finns and Karelians living nearby, in the same direction, since they are genetically descended from other types and therefore cannot boast of such an impressive build.
But the mass migration of Scandinavians to Britain, the north of France, the north of Russia, the Baltic states brought typical Scandinavian variations to these regions, now blurred or preserved to varying degrees.
Tuesday, March 20th is International Day of Happiness. As is tradition, the United Nations recently published its annual World Happiness Report. This time, 156 countries of the world appear in it.
Ukraine takes 138th place. And the happiest in the world feel the inhabitants of Finland. Norway is in second place, followed by Denmark.
The top ten happiest countries also include Iceland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Canada, New Zealand, Sweden, Australia.
Noteworthy is the fact that the top three included only the Scandinavian countries. Why are they so different from other states? Is the only secret hidden in a high standard of living?
Renowned Danish scientist Mike Viking doesn't think so. He is the author of the book "Hygge: The Secret of Danish Happiness". In it, the director of the Institute for the Study of Happiness (Copenhagen) talks in detail about the philosophy of life inherent in most Scandinavians.
Hygge is a celebration of absolute comfort, which should be strived for constantly, not just on weekends or during holidays, but in every moment of everyday life.
At the center of the concept of "hygge" are not things, but experiences and atmospheres, says Mike Wiking. “It's about being close to those you love. Feeling at home. In the feeling that you are safe, fenced off from the outside world, in a place where you do not need to be vigilant,— writes the Danish scientist.
The word “hygge” itself means “feeling good”. Scandinavians reach it in several interconnected ways.
Unlike many other regions, in Scandinavia social life takes place not so much in bars, restaurants, cafes or clubs as at home. Seven out of ten Danes experience happiness in their own four walls, writes Viking.
The house in Denmark is the “hygge headquarters”, the central place to achieve bliss. It is clear that the Danes furnish their home with special attention. “Denmark loves design, so when you walk into a Dane’s apartment, it feels like you’ve landed on the pages of an interior design magazine.” Viking emphasizes.
The warm light of candles - without it there is no hygge. 28 percent of Danes light candles every day. For every inhabitant of Denmark, there are six kilograms of candle wax per year. According to the European Candle Manufacturers Association (ECA), Denmark is ahead of other European countries in this indicator. The Danes love that the lighting fixtures in the house also give a warm light, so cold neon lamps are unacceptable to them. “The obsession with the theme of light can be explained by the fact that from October to March, the Danes see little of it,” Mike Wiking explains.
Community with other people is not only an important part of the concept of hygge, but also a key element of happiness. “The most important indicator of happiness is our social relations. The Scandinavians have learned this well, and the work is not in their first place. Already at five o'clock the working day ends, and those who have children work until four in general. After work, it is customary to immediately go home and start preparing dinner. ”, says the scientist.
And this is where hygge comes into conflict with the concept of healthy eating. Scandinavians drink coffee with pies, buttercream cakes and all sorts of other unhealthy sweets. For example, the Danes eat almost twice as much sweets as the average European - 8.2 kilograms per person per year! The European average is 4.2 kilograms.
If you want to experience hygge, give up healthy food. Scandinavians are big fans of a hearty meal, including meat dishes or various stews. “In fact, the consumption of meat, sweets and coffee is directly related to hygge. It's kind of a way good relationship to yourself, the opportunity to pamper yourself and allow yourself and others to take a break from the demands of a healthy lifestyle. Sweets are hygge, as are cakes, coffee or hot chocolate. But carrots cut into sticks are gone!” Viking writes.
The feeling of hygge cannot be achieved if you feel cold. Therefore, the Danes prefer to wear layered clothing. "It contains the key to experiencing the four seasons in one day"— says the scientist. In addition, a cozy voluminous scarf is a mandatory attribute of hygge.
How easy it is to live according to the principles of hygge, everyone can decide for themselves, says Mike Wiking. Putting on a cozy sweater, lighting candles and not looking at the display of a mobile phone for at least half an hour is just the beginning. Stopping being a workaholic and spending more time with loved ones will probably be more difficult. But it's worth striving for. After all, this is the key to happiness, and the UN rating proves that the Scandinavians are closest to the ideal.
