Scandinavism

[3] Scandinavism comprises the literary, linguistic and cultural movement that focuses on promoting a shared Scandinavian past, a shared cultural heritage, a common Scandinavian mythology and a common language or dialect continuum (from the common ancestor language of Old Norse) and which led to the formation of joint periodicals and societies in support of Scandinavian literature and languages.

[7] As opposed to the German and Italian counterparts, the Scandinavian state-building project was not successful and is no longer pursued.

[9] In the beginning, the political establishments in the two countries, including the absolute monarch Christian VIII and Charles XIV John with his "one man government", were suspicious of the movement.

[11] Author Hans Christian Andersen became an adherent of Scandinavism after a visit to Sweden in 1837, and committed himself to writing a poem that would convey the relatedness of Swedes, Danes and Norwegians.

[12] It was in July 1839, during a visit to the island of Funen in Denmark, that Andersen first wrote the text of his poem, Jeg er en Skandinav ("I am a Scandinavian").