White visit for the 500th birthday

To mark the 500th anniversary of the Royal Swedish Navy, its training sailing ships Falken and Gladan visited the Hanseatic city of Lübeck on Ascension Day. The Nordic country bought its first ten warships here in 1522. Sea battles between Sweden and Lübeck a few decades later have long been forgotten, but the friendship is now celebrated.

Photos: Bw

Rear Admiral Ewa Skoog Haslum, head of the navy of the prospective NATO member, also travelled to the event. She was welcomed by her German counterpart, Vice Admiral Jan C. Kaack, to the sounds of the Kiel Naval Music Corps. The officer then signed the Golden Book of the Hanseatic city. Haslum had brought a symbolic coin from her home country, which she presented to the city to finalise the purchase of the ships 500 years ago. Back then, the payment for the vehicles was simply forgotten.

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