Opening of the Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson Exhibition Bratislava

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Your Majesties, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, 

Why have I – a Foreign Minister – been invited to open this exhibition, you may ask. One reason is this: at the time of his death, in the spring of 1910, the Norwegian writer Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson was well known in Europe – and, I could add, a well known public figure throughout Europe as well, having received the Nobel Prize in Literature seven years earlier.

More importantly, his works had been translated into many languages, including Slovak. He wrote regularly for European newspapers and magazines, travelled and spoke to large gatherings of people and wrote thousands of letters – which today are a treasure trove for historians, translators, writers and readers alike.

In 1908 a Slovak literary critic said the following about Bjørnson’s early novel Arne, which had just been translated into Slovak: “If it hadn’t been for the fact that one now and then encounters names like Margit, Eli and Baard, which are of Norwegian origin, I might be under the illusion that I was reading a Slovak original. This is how similar life is for these two peoples.”

Literature is like a bridge – words travel from person to person, from country to country, across national borders. Literature inspires us - to learn from each other and learn to know each other. We may realise that we are not that different after all – or, on the contrary, that the differences in traditions, thoughts and ways of living are even greater than we believed.

This year’s centenary of Bjørnson’s death provides two important opportunities:

First, it is a good opportunity to rediscover his books on our own bookshelves and in our libraries, take a fresh look at his plays, poems and novels, and particularly at the issues he wrote about – injustice, corruption, identity, democracy, human rights and the need for peace in Europe.

Second, it is an opportunity to highlight Bjørnson’s role in a historical context. He was a strong advocate of the rights of small nations (although we all like to think that we belong to great nations).

As this exhibition shows – in this perfect location, in the very heart of Europe - Bjørnson was well known for his political engagement abroad. Not least for his fight for the rights of minorities. Bjørnson also raised the issue of the rights of the Slovaks to their own language, their own identity. And it is perhaps no coincidence that the opening date of the exhibition is 27 October, to the day 103 years after the Cernova tragedy.

Today, however, the map of Europe has changed dramatically. Slovakia is independent, and is Norway’s ally and partner in Europe. We are all bound together by international organisations and agreements. Fundamental human rights are firmly established and protected in European and universal declarations and treaties.

For Bjørnson, writing and political engagement were two sides of the same coin. His pen was sharp, his tongue provocative and his voice loud. He fought for people who suffered injustice by writing poems, plays, stories and articles about them. His aim was to make Europe aware of these injustices.

He kept up his mission until the very end, writing his last famous words on his deathbed – quite literally. He had just heard about some factory workers who had risen in defence of some even less fortunate people. Bjørnson wrote: “Good deeds save the world.” A moral exhortation to his contemporaries – and to us. A guidance, a marching order.

I would like to thank the National Library in Oslo and the National Library in Martin, which have cooperated closely in making this exhibition a reality. I would also like to thank the Slovak National Council for so generously hosting the exhibition – and us today. I am also pleased to note that later, the Jan Smrek festival, led by Milan Richter, a true friend of Norway, will focus on Bjørnson’s literary achievements.

Your Majesties, Excellencies, friends – and Bjørnson’s great-granddaughter who is also here - it is a great pleasure to declare this exhibition open.