Sons of Norway International Mission

The mission of Sons of Norway is to promote and to preserve the heritage and culture of Norway, to celebrate our relationship with other Nordic Countries, and provide quality insurance and financial products to our members.

Sons of Norway was organized as a fraternal benefit society by 18 Norwegian immigrants in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 16, 1895. The purposes and goals of the Founding Fathers were to protect members of Sons of Norway and their families from the financial hardships experienced during times of sickness or death in the family. Over time, the mission of Sons of Norway was expanded to include the preservation of Norwegian heritage and culture in our Society. We have grown since our beginning and are now the largest Norwegian organization outside Norway.

We promote Norwegian traditions and fraternal fellowship through the cultural and social opportunities offered in local lodge and district lodge activities. These activities include language camps and classes, scholarships, handicrafts, cooking and heritage classes, heritage programs, sports programs, travel opportunities, Viking Magazine, and outreach programs sponsored by the Sons of Norway Foundation.

We offer financial protection through our field staff representatives to Sons of Norway members and their families against the hardships of sickness and death through a variety of quality insurance programs.

The Facts (as of December 31, 2007)

Total Members 69,422
Members in the United States 65,095
Members in Canada 2,847
Members in Norway 1,480
Juvenile Members 9,466
Lodges 400
Life Insurance In Force $591,000,000
Number Insurance Certificates in Force 18,000

Members in the United States 65,095 | Members in Canada 2,847 | Members in Norway 1,480 | Juvenile Members 9,466 | Lodges 400 | Life Insurance In Force $591,000,000 | Number Insurance Certificates in Force 18,000

Syttende Mai

Syttende Mai is Norway’s Independence Day, I always thought. Did you, too?

Syttende Mai (1814) is actually Constitution Day. June 5th (1905) is Independence Day. On such ancient land, it is surprising to realize that as a nation modern Norway is so young - less than 100 years old. Here is a quick "time line": Before the Viking age, Norway was split into numerous, small fiefdoms.

In 872 AD, Harold the Fairhaired became Norway’s first king when he united most of the feuding states. The union did not survive him and feuding returned.

Approximately 800-1100 AD is the Viking age. The chieftains of these small fiefdoms, in shifting alliances with each other and with Danish chieftains, traded, raided and colonized Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, Greenland and North America. Shifting alliances, feuding and battling also resulted in occasional, but not lasting, periods of unity under varying Norwegian or Danish kings.

1100-1380 AD is an age of growth of commerce and Christianity. Haakon the Fourth Haakonson (1217-63) created a strong, centralized power and instituted hereditary monarchy. However, the royal male line died out in 1319. Declining commerce and the Black Death further weakened the country.

In 1380 AD Norway was inherited by the Danish king, Olav the Fourth, His father was Norway’s Haakon the Sixth and his mother was daughter of the Danish king, Valdemar Atterdag. From 1380 - 1813 Norway was in union with Denmark, with equal rights confirmed several times but with fluctuating feelings of unity and separateness on the part of the Norwegians.

In 1813 the Danish king was forced to cede Norway to Sweden as a result of being on the losing side of the Napoleonic wars. The Norwegians were outraged at the thought of their country being given away like a Danish piece of property. They were joined in their outrage by the heir to the Danish throne, Christian, who was their governor.

On May 17, 1814, a Norwegian constitution was signed, on the estate of Eidsvoll , after only two weeks of formulation based on the constitution of the United States. Christian was elected to be Norwegian king. However, after a short war in that same year, Norway had to agree to enter into union with Sweden.

From 1814 - 1905, Norway was in Swedish union but only in regards to the king and to foreign policy. Norway had self-rule based on their constitution.

On June 7, 1905 the Norwegian government, Stortinget, declared the union with Sweden dissolved after increasing Norwegian sentiment against the union and strong, Swedish objections to dissolution. War was eminent but negotiations won the day. Elections ensured Norwegian independence. In 1906, after another election showed majority for monarchy, the Danish prince, Carl, was crowned Norwegian king under the name of Haakon the Seventh. He died in 1957 and his son is today’s king, Olav the Fifth. Norway’s crown prince is named Haakon in keeping with the tradition of alternating the kings’ names between Haakon and Olav.