Frederik Stang

This year in Norway marks the 200^th anniversary of the birth of our national poet and writer Henrik Wergeland.

I do indeed respect and admire his talent and his literary achievements and contributions to our culture. However, he was a republican and staunch supporter of and believer in the French Revolution.

There is an official site for the anniversary in Norwegian. The anniversary is being celebrated and marked in many ways. I was at an exhibition at our national library this weekend about him.

There is another 200^th birthday this year, namely that of Prime Minister Frederik Stang. The system we had before we got parliamentary Cabinets in the Kingdom of Norway is often called the “System Stang,” which Mr. Stang was a supporter of. Mr. Stang stepped down before the “final battle,” leaving that to his successor, Christian August Selmer.

One has hardly heard anything about Frederik Stang's anniversary this year.

I do believe the difference in celebration level of the too has not only to do with Wergeland being a talented poet and writer, but that it also has to do with the bias in favor of political “progressives.”

Yours truly was, by the way, born in a street named after Frederik Stang.

Happy anniversary to Frederik Stang. May he continue to rest in peace.