Brand (magazine)

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Brand is a magazine on anarchism that has been published since 1898^[1] making it the oldest continuously published anarchist magazine and the second oldest in general. It takes its name from the Swedish word for "fire". Several notable people have written for Brand, examples are Gustav Hedenvind-Eriksson, Hinke Bergegren (editor 1904-1911)^[2], Ivan Oljelund, Moa Martinson (as Helga Johansson), Harry Martinson, C.J. Björklund, Carl-Emil Englund, Erik Asklund, Eyvind Johnson, Jan Fridegård, Ivar Lo Johansson, Artur Lundkvist, Vilhelm Moberg, Albert Jensen, Elise Ottesen-Jensen, Nils Ferlin, Helmer Grundström and Eva X Moberg.^[3]

Brand have been in trouble with the police on some occasions. The first case was in 1906 and was due to the laws enacted by Karl Staaf that made it illegal to promote pacifism. The laws were known as Staaflagarna (the Staaf laws) or Lex Hinke (after Hinke Bergegren) who served ten months for breaking the law. In 1908 Einar Håkansson was charged with blasphemy for an article he in Brand, but he died before it was possible to charge him. In 1910 Hinke Bergegren was sent to jail for two months due to an article series on birth control and the brochure Kärlek utan barn (Love without children) on the same subject. He was acquitted three times in Stockholm until he was sentenced in Gothenburg. In 1916 the then editor for Brand Ivan Oljelund was arrested for promotic pacifism, i.e. for violation of the Staaf laws. Oljelund was sentenced to 18 hard labour, bit it was later reduced to 15 months and then to 8 months when it was appealed. During his time at Långhomen the magazine was edited by C J Björklund.^[4] On June 19, 1999 Hans Regner charged the magazine with sedition due to an article on female self-defence. The charge was later dismissed. August 31 2000 Brand was charged again. Also this time for sedition following a humouristic article on how to make your riot a success.^[5]^[6]^[7]