Kalmar and Wilmington — the start of long lasting relations between Sweden and USA
Swedish-American relations were first established in 1638 when the ship Kalmar Nyckel carried Swedish migrants and their grains over the ocean to establish the colony of New Sweden in the Delaware Valley.
Today, the friendship between Kalmar, Sweden, and Wilmington, Delaware, bears the fruits of many city council visits, student exchanges, and private and official connections. The basis for the connection between the cities is the historic Kalmar Nyckel and a continuing cultural exchange.
Located in southeastern Sweden, Kalmar is a small, historic city where the past and present-day meet. Historic structures and beautiful parks add a charming, antique feeling to Kalmar, while an airport, a university and multinational companies give a modern touch. Kalmar is also part of one of Sweden’s largest tourist areas due to its proximity to the Swedish island of Öland.
Wilmington, located on the Delaware River, is the largest city in Delaware. Nearby is the Christina River named after the 17th century Swedish queen. Wilmington is situated on what used to be the grounds of Fort Christina which was a vital part of the Swedish colony in 1638. The history of the Swedish settlers is evident across Wilmington, especially in places like the historic district, Old Swede´s Church, and in the harbor where there is a replica of the Kalmar Nyckel ship.
However, the Swedish stronghold was not confined to the borders of Delaware. Kalmar Nyckel made a total of four roundtrips to America, resulting in the spreading of Swedish roots to states all over the country. Today, there are almost 4.5 million Americans with Swedish ancestry, and there is evidence of Swedish history throughout the U.S. For instance, the namesake of Sweden’s capital, Stockholm, can be found in villages and towns in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Maine, to name a few.
Swedish-American ties have grown stronger over the years and we can see direct outcomes: Sweden is the tenth largest investor in the U.S. per capita. Swedish businesses and industries directly support more than 300,000 jobs in the United States. If you include the impact of Swedish investments in jobs created for subcontractors, infrastructure and related services, the number of U.S. jobs created by Swedish companies increases to approximately half a million. Innovative Swedish companies such as Spotify, Skype and IKEA have also expanded in the U.S., together with many others. Simultaneously, the Swedish capital Stockholm is head-to-head with Silicon Valley in California as the two most prolific tech hubs per capita in the world.
The Swedish-American relationship is just as important as it is strong. It is a relationship that has grown over centuries beginning with the grains brought over on the Kalmar Nyckel. Those seeds, which took root in America, built the foundation for these two Sister Cities and these two countries from 1638 to today.
This story is part of the #SisterCitySunday series on Medium. Each Sunday from October 2, 2016 to May 7, 2017, new stories from the 28 European Union Member States will be published. Stories will also be shared on social media using #SisterCitySunday.
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