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Publisert: juni 2020
Redigert: oktober 2022
Publisert: juni 2020
Redigert: oktober 2022
Utøya is an island on Tyrifjorden in Hole municipality, less than 40 kilometres from Oslo. Utøya covers 12,000 square kilometres and is separated from the mainland by a 625 metre-long strait.
In the Middle Ages, monks lived on Storøya in Tyrifjorden, and Utøya was for a long time used as their herb garden. After the Reformation in 1537, Utøya was owned by the King in Copenhagen. Several estates were sold at the end of the 17th century to repay the debt that the kingdom had accrued, and Utøya was sold on to various tradesmen and private individuals until the labour movement took over Utøya in 1932.
The island was used for holiday camps for children and adolescents from the working class during this time. Utøya became a popular summer destination, used by many of the labour movement’s organisations. After Stalin had won the struggle for power in the Soviet Communist Party, Leon Trotsky was exiled. In 1935, the Norwegian Government granted him asylum. During this time, Trotsky often visited Utøya.
In the summer of 1941, many people in Norwegian society sympathised with Nazi politics. The leadership of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) and local trade unions were replaced by people who were positive to the new regime. Utøya was now controlled by the Norwegian far-right party, Nasjonal Samling (NS). Several prominent NS members visited Utøya.
After LO gave Utøya to the Norwegian Labour Party’s youth organisation (AUF) as an anniversary gift in 1950, the small island became very significant. It became a place where national politics were discussed. Utøya was often used as a ‘listening post’ for AUF's mother party, the Labour Party. The adolescents have been heard but also challenged in their opinions by powerful politicians in high positions.
In addition to political workshops, speeches and addresses, the summer camp on Utøya has been an arena for concerts, stand-up comedy, sporting events, quizzes, and discos.
After the terror attack on 22 July 2011, Utøya had to find a way forward where both the need to remember and wish to create new life on the island were to be maintained. The ground principle has been that extremism shall never prevail, and that violence never will silence political active youth. In the years that have passed those responsible for Utøya have travelled all across Norway to speak to bereaved family members and survivors to collectively search for a meaningful future for the island. It has not been an easy process, continuously attempting to perform the work with respect, care, understanding and humility. The physical rehabilitation and renewal of Utøya was initiated four years after the attack. Thousand s of individuals, organisations and businesses have contributed to ensuring that the island yet again becomes an important arena for youth. In 2015, the AUF summer camp was organised for the first time since the terror attack. Many of those who ran for their lives on 22 July were once again responsible for selling waffles, arranging sporting tournaments, political workshops and much more. AUF was home again.
Today, Utøya is an open and inclusive arena for engagement, learning and commemoration. Utøya welcomes political engagement, debate and participation. In the same way as the 22 July Centre, Utøya is an educational learning arena for young people who want to learn about the terror attack on 22 July and the values that were under attack that day. The memorial Lysningen was erected on Utøya in 2015, and the dissemination and learning centre Hegnhuset opened in 2016. Hegnhuset comprises a new building that protects the remaining physical evidence of the terror attack inside the old Kafébygget.
There are far more people and organisations than the AUF using the island today. Youth from in- and outside of Norway comes to a place that keeps the memory of those we lost in its heart, that never forgets, keeps engaging youth and makes one thing clear: hate will never prevail.
References:
Arbeidernes ungdomsfylking (2019). Vår historie. https://auf.no/om-auf/#historie
Giske, T. & Moen, J. S. (2012). Utøya - en biografi. Gyldendal
Langvad, S. N. (2017). Utøya, Arkitektur N nr 8-2017. https://arkitektur-n.no/artikler/utoya
Utøya AS (2019) Utøyas historie (2019). http://www.utoya.no/historien