Thursday, February 7, 2013

Family History Writing Challenge Day 7 - Norway


       Oslo, Norway
On 17 May 1814, Norway declared it’s independence from Denmark and Sweden.  This day is now known as Syttende Mai or Norwegian Independence Day.

Oslo is the capital city of Norway and it is the economic and governmental center of the country.  It is bounded on the north and east by wide forested hills giving the effect of an amphitheater. It occupies an arc of land at the south end of Oslofjord.  The name Oslo is derived from the old Norse and is reputed to mean “Meadow at the Foot of a Hill” or possibly “Meadow Consecrated to the Gods”.  It was established as a municipality on 1 Jan 1838, and separated from Akershus County in 1842 to become its own county.[i]


Garnison Menighet is the military parish in Oslo and served as the church for the soldiers in Oslo. It is also known as the Akershus Castle Church. The church has been used for royalty as well as soldiers. It served Akershus Fortress. [ii]  In Norway, a municipality is known as a Kommune.

Norway keeps very detailed church records and requires that records are kept of confirmation, vaccination, and migration.  Christening records contain the child’s name, date of birth, date of christening, parents names, ages, place of birth and sometimes occupation.  Before permission to marry, a person must have been confirmed and permission must be obtained to move from one place to another.  The parish listed the departure, while the new parish recorded the arrival.[iii]

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[i] Wikipedia
[ii] Akershus Castle Church in union: The sanctuary By Vidar Vik
[iii] Photos: Wikipedia Images

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