Leif Eriksson Monuments Pages

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Trondheim

Brattørkaja

Leif Eriksson

August Werner
1997

Description

Statue.

Inscription(s)

Bronze plaque

He Led the Way
Leiv Eiriksson is an important symbol
of ethnic pride for Americans of Nordic
heritage. According to the Saga of Olav
Tryggvason, Leiv sailed out from
Trondheim harbor for his historic
voyage to Vinland, now known as
North America, in the year 1000. This
saga was written by Snorre Sturlasson
in approximately 1230-1240. August
Werner designed the original of this
statue for the 1982 Seattle World's Fair.
The Leif Erikson Society of Seattle
gave this replica to the city of
Trondheim in 1997 to honor the
thousand-year anniversaries of the
founding of Trondheim and Leiv
Eiriksson's voyage to America.

Nearly 580 immigrant's names appear on the statue's base, honoring those who donated money to make the statue possible.

Annotation

The Leif Eriksson International Foundation (L.E.I.F.) has erected copies of this statue in Seattle (1962), Qassiarsuk (2000), and Cleveland (2001).

The statue was given to the city of Trondheim by private donations organized by the Leif Ericson Society of Seattle, Washington. The statue, a replica of the one in Seattle was created in 1962 for the Seattle World's Fair by August Werner, Sculptor through the efforts of Trygve Nakkerud. The replica was cast and shipped to Trondheim for it's unveiling ceremony on July 23, 1997.

Roger Midtstraum made some photos of the unveiling ceremony:
(click on the small photo to get it bigger, use the back-button of your browser to return to this page)

The man to the left is the director of culture in the City of Trondheim, Gerhard Dahlen. The speaker is Kristine Leander from Seatte, who had been in charge of the project. The Norwegian Ladies Chorus of Seattle, USA.

NN, Gerhard Dahlen and Marvin Wiseth. The mayor of Trondheim (at that time) Marvin Wiseth.

The mayor and people. Statue and people.

Sculptor

August Werner

Sources & Information

Photos: Chris Kluiters, 10 August 2008.
Photos of the unveiling: Roger Midtstraum sent me (12 November 2001), see also his web page Trondheim Photos
Review of Kristine Leander (ed.), Family Sagas: Stories of Scandinavian Immigrants, Seattle: Scandinavian Language Institute, 1997; in Norseman News, Spring 1998
Email with additions and corrections from Barbara Grande Dougherty, Member of Norwegian Ladies Chorus of Seattle, March 2003.

Locatie (N 63°26'28" - E 10°24'7") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

Item Code: no001; Added: 19 April 2003 / Updated: 30 August 2009

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	The man to the left is the director of culture in the City of Trondheim, Gerhard Dahlen. The speaker is Kristine Leander from Seatte, who had been in charge of the project.		The Norwegian Ladies Chorus of Seattle, USA.
	NN, Gerhard Dahlen and Marvin Wiseth.		The mayor of Trondheim (at that time) Marvin Wiseth.
	The mayor and people.		Statue and people.