Legitimacy through Neutrality

In June 1923, 150 journalists from across the globe came to Sweden. ¹ The visiting journalists represented “most of the civilized nations of the world”, including the recently belligerent ones. ² They were officially invited by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. On location, various local authorities, industrial enterprises, and not least the Jubilee Exhibition in Gothenburg (the first major exhibition in Europe since before the war) and the Swedish National Press Club (the trade association founded in 1874) acted as hosts. They had all contributed in the planning of the visit. The original idea however—which was not a publicity visit but a professional meeting or conference—came from the Press Club, and the club remained the prime organizer. Financing was equally heterogeneous, from state and municipal grants to allowances from private banks, hotels, industrial enterprises, shipping companies, and newspapers. ³ After four days in Gothenburg, the company was split into four smaller groups travelling on different routes to Stockholm, making stops at established sights and prospering industries. The inauguration of the Stockholm town hall made the climax of the program in the capital. Yet another round of group trips ended the two-week visit.