Courtyard Speech

King Gustaf V during the speech

The Courtyard Speech (Swedish: Borggårdstalet) was a speech written by conservative explorer Sven Hedin and senior general Carl Bennedich and delivered by King Gustaf V to the participants of the Peasant armament support march. The speech sparked a governmental crisis in Sweden in February 1914.

Context

The speech was a part in the organized expressions of Swedish conservatives who criticized the liberal prime minister Karl Staaff's decision to cut down on military defense. Particularly the decision not to proceed with the building of a coastal battleship (then known as the "F-ship", which later became the Sverige-class coastal defence ship) that had been decided upon by the previous right wing government headed by Arvid Lindman. In the years leading up to World War I, modernization of navies and introduction of Dreadnought-style heavy warships stood at the forefront of military spending in many countries, and this issue generally received a lot of public attention.

Making and deliverance

The speech was written by Sven Hedin and a senior general Carl Bennedich, well before the date of the planned oppositional Peasant armament support march. The speech was reviewed by several members of the political elite before delivered. Hedin showed the speech to then under parliament chairman, and later conservative prime minister Ernst Trygger, who considered the speech to be brilliant, even though he was not sure what the political consequences would be if the speech was delivered by the king. Both Conservative politician and previous Prime Minister Arvid Lindman and later Independent Liberal Prime Minister Louis De Geer thought that the speech could lead to a constitutional crisis between the Crown and the Cabinet.[1] The Prime Minister at the time however, Karl Staaff, was not allowed to see the speech on beforehand.

The speech was read by King Gustav V on the inner courtyard of the royal palace as the protestors of the support march had reached the palace. For those of the 30,000 march participants who could not fit the inner courtyard, the speech was immediately reread by Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf and Prince Carl.

Content

The initial line of the speech, I redlige män af Sveriges bondestam!, "Ye honest Swedish farming men" is, with its archaic grammar and tone, and because of the political implications and importance of the speech, still a known quote in Swedish politics.[2]

Parts of the speech
Paragraph Original Swedish[3] English Translation
1st I redlige män af Sveriges bondestam! Ye honest Swedish farming men
3rd paragraph I hafven kommit för att säga Eder mening angående rikets vidmakthållande och vården om dess höghet. I ären här för att med Mig göra allom veterligt, att intet kraf är för högt och ingen börda för tung, då det gäller bevarandet af vår urgamla frihet och tryggandet af vår framtida utveckling. You have come to speak Your opinion concerning the maintaining of the realm and the care for its supremacy. You are here, with me, to make known to all, that no demand is too high and no burden to heavy, when it comes to the preservation of our ancient freedom and the safeguarding of our future progress.
4th paragraph Från tider så fjerran, att de höljas i sagans dunkel, har detta rikes byggnad hvilat på grundvalen af det fast och orubbligt sammangjutna förtroendet mellan konung och folk. [...] Since times so distant, that they are hidden in the mysteries of the sagas, this realm has rested firmly on the foundation of the unshakable trust between king and people. [...]
8th paragraph [...] Jag skall, Min plikt som Eder konung likmätigt, söka visa Eder vägen för att nå vårt gemensamma mål. Följen och stödjen Mig derföre allt framgent! [...] I shall, according to My duty as your king, strive to show You the way to reach our common goal. Join therefore and support Me henceforth!

References

  1. ↑ Hundra svenska år - Episode 7: Å, dyre prins "Oh, dear prince", TV-documentary produced by Olle Häger, was broadcast on SVT on 26 October 1999
  2. ↑ I redliga män af Sveriges bondestam! SvD Debatt 8 July 2008, retrieved online 28 December 2016
  3. ↑ Hedin, Sven. Försvarsstriden 1912-14 (Stockholm:Fahlcrantz & Gumælius 1951) pages 304-306
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