July 31 in Swedish History

The anti-Nazi song 'The Infamous Horse from Troy' by Karl Gerhard premieres at the Folkan Theater in Stockholm. The song was soon to be prohibited by the Swedish government.  

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  Karl Gerhard performing his “Den ökända hästen från Troja” in his revue at Folkan in Stockholm. On August 1, in 1940, the song was banned for being too anti-German. Photo: Nycop, Carl-Adam

• July 31 in Swedish History
  1940: Karl Gerhard's revue song 'The Infamous Horse from Troy' is performed as part of the opening show 'Gullregn' at Folkan Theater in Stockholm (Better known in Sweden as “Den ökända hästen från Troja.” Nine days later it is banned from being performed by the Swedish government because it is deemed too anti-German. The text (written by Gerhard himself) is strongly critical towards Nazi Germany, and describes the occupations of Belgium and France, and the situation in Norway. Sweden’s politics are also being criticized. “Den ökända hästen från Troja” was part of the show Gullregn (Swedish for laburnum), which premiered on Folkan in Stockholm. A huge five-legged wooden horse, painted like a Dalecarlian horse, was put on stage and from which four girls dressed in German dirndl skirts climbed out and began waltzing. The waltz music suddenly changed to march music. The fifth leg was the “Fifth column”, referring to a nation or city besieged from within.

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  A later image of the entertainer during the celebration of Stockholm 700 years in 1953. With adopted daughter Fatima in Vasaparken. Source: Stockholmskällan.

• According to Karl Gerhard (1891-1964) himself, Prime Minister Per Albin Hansson called him up personally, saying that the Germans (or “they” as he called them) did not appreciate the lyrics and tried to get Gerhard to cut it from the show. Gerhard did not however, and was therefore later called to a meeting with the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Christian Günther. Even after this meeting, Gerhard refused to cut the song and cited Hansson who had told Gerhard that he had no legal right to forbid him from performing the number. This did not prevent Günther from sending two police officers to the theater, however, who handed Gerhard a proclamation that banned the performance of it. Gerhard persisted but the number was included only one more time, after which it was not sung anymore in Stockholm, even though the horse, now gagged with a muzzle, was still present on stage. When performed elsewhere, however, Gerhard did include the song, but changed Hitler’s and some other names. Gerhard had borrowed the melody to “Den ökända hästen från Troja” from the Soviet movie “Glada grabbar” (Happy boys).
  In 2006, pop and rock singer Magnus Uggla recorded his own version of the song.

• The original text and song on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-fj0sO6t1U