Lögberg-Heimskringla - 04.10.1996, Page 7

Lögberg-Heimskringla • Föstudagur 4, október 1996 • 7
Natíonal Library Receives 350 Books
Hermes Massimo with Einar Sigurðsson looking at one of the
350 books he gave the National library for safe keeping.
The Icelandic National Library
has received a gift of 350
books. The books are from a
private collection of an Austrian “Ice-
land friend” by the name of Hermes
Massimo. The books are on philoso-
phy and art history, mostly written in
German and a few in English. Einar
Sigurðsson, librarian at the National
Library, received the books and said
on that occasion that this was a great
contribution to the library and particu-
larly welcome considering how few
books the hbrary has in these fields
of study. Both philosophy and art his-
tory are well-established subjects at
the University of Iceland. He said the
Austrian Department of Education
and the Austrian-Icelandic Friendship
Society in Vienna had assisted in get-
ting the books to Iceland.
Hermes Massimo is a humble man,
but he is proud of being an Iceland
friend. He began visiting Iceland in
1974 spending about six weeks to
three months each summer during the
next 12 years and taking hiking trips.
There is hardly a place in the country
he has not visited. The extent of his
walking across the country is amaz-
ing considering the fact that he re-
ceived a shrapnel wound in his leg
during the Second World War, which
nearly cost him his leg. He credits a
clever surgeon in Innsbruck with
saving his leg and thereby his hiking
trips in Iceland.
Mr. Massimo’s admiration for Ice-
land is not limited to its nature. He is
also very interested in Icelandic cul-
ture and has been visiting the Univer-
sity Library for more than a decade.
He himself was a long-time library
employee in his homeland. He has
offered the Icelandic University Li-
brary to choose books for safe keep-
ing from his personal library.
“I am surprised myself how good
the books look here in the shelves of
this splendid new National Library,”
said Massimo following the handing
over of the books. He intends to give
the Library another valuable collec-
tion of shde pictures he has taken on
his trips around the country after or-
ganizing them.”
Mr. Massimo said his interest in
visiting Iceland was kindled when he
read the Nonni books (by Jon
Sveinsson). “I was given the first
Nonni book at Christmas when I was
nine or ten years old and later I read
them all. Ever since I dreamed about
visiting Iceland—when I became rich.
I never did become rich but I was able
Continued from page 6
Saga ofTwo Rocks
The first large party arriving in Win-
nipeg on October 11, 1875, did not
come directly from Iceland. They had
arrived in Canada in 1874 and spent
a difficult year in Kinmouth, Ontario.
The Kinmouth group, with a few in-
dividuals added, from Wisconsin to-
talled 285. Some of the party stayed
in Winnipeg and did not go with the
rest to Nýja Island (50 to 80 individu-
als). The remaining group was loaded
into six flat-bottomed scows and one
York boat with their possessions and
started down the Red River to Lake
Winnipeg. When they reached Lake
Winnipeg they picked up a tow from
a Hudson Bay steamer. The evening
of October 21, 1875 at Willow Point,
they were released from their towing
vessel and pulled to shore by the York
boat. This was necessary because of
dangerous weather on Lake Winnipeg.
On shore they encountered the great
White Rock. That night they stayed
in the anchored scows and a male
child was born. The next morning
they walked 3 miles to what is now
the site of Gimli. They encountered
considerable difficulty building shel-
ters. The winter developed into one
of the most severe winters in history.
The ground was frozen creating foun-
dation problems and mud could not
be used to caulk of the log cabins.
They constructed 30 cabins, approxi-
mately 12 by 16 feet. They were lim-
ited by the number of stoves available.
Multiple families shared some of the
cabins. During the winter of 1875-76,
almost 30 per cent died. Those that
died were chiefly children and young
adults. In November, 1876, a small
pox epidemic started which eventu-
ally resulted in 102 deaths and quar-
antine of the settlement. This quaran-
tine lasted over eight months. Food
was scarce and diets inadequate. The
immigrants suffered extreme cold,
inadequate food and shelter and in
addition were isolated from other
communities. The colonists received
assistance from the Indian community.
They incurred considerable debt for
their transportation, equipment and
food. This money had been supplied
chiefly by the Canadian government
with a note due in 1890, 25 years
after their settlement. Much more de-
tail of their struggles is available in
the books Gimli Saga (Gimli Women’s
Institute), The Icelandic People in
Manitoba (Wilhelm Kristjánson), The
Icelandic Canadian (Walter J. Lindal)
and is the subject of a new book by
David and Vince Arnason.
What makes the story of these two
rocks so interesting? It is because they
both symbolize stories of two pioneer
groups with remarkable similarities in
their struggles to settle in the new
world: 1. Both rocks are unique to
their area. 2. Both groups started late
in the year and encountered unusually
cold weather. 3. Each group suffered
great illness during the fxrst winter
with the Pilgrim losing 51 per cent of
their party and the Icelandic group
approximately 30 per cent. 4. They
had a similar mix of individuals from
professionals, clerical and labourer
group. 5. Neither group was adequately
prepared for survival. The Pilgrims
knew little of farming or fishing and
the Icelandic group had similar defi-
ciencies. The Icelandic settlers were
unaccustomed to logging (no trees in
Iceland) and their fishing knowledge
didn’t apply to lake fishing. 6. Both
to let my dream come true and I don’t
regret that. Iceland is an unbelievably
interesting country. I never get enough
of it,” said the elderly hiker.
This is Mr. Massimo’s 25th visit to
Iceland in 22 years. He has had an
eventful life and has many stories to
tell. He took part in many battles dur-
ing the war. After the war, he held
many jobs and spent a major part of
his working life at libraries, mainly
as a librarian in Vienna. At one time
he completed a Ph.D in philosophy
and collected books relating to his in-
terests, philosophy, art history, etc.,
and last, but not least, about Iceland.
He was 59 years old when he was able
to let his childhood dream of visiting
Iceland come true. Soon after his vis-
its began, he became acquainted with
the staff at the University Library.
When he gave up hiking around the
country, Einar Sigurðsson, librarian,
offered him some work at the library
where his knowledge comes in handy.
This he has done regularly, a few
weeks at a time, for the last ten sum-
mers and he wants to continue this
work as long as he is able.
He learned to speak Norwegian
during his military service, while sta-
tioned in Norway, in 1940. He began
studying Icelandic after his first visit
to Iceland and now has fairly good
command of the language, but says he
is still learning. □
Translated by Gunnur Isfeld
groups owe a great deal for their sur-
vival to indigenous Indian population.
The Pilgrims had Samoset and
Squanto and the Icelanders had John
Ramsey. 8. Both groups had one male
child born in transit. 9. Both parties
had considerable debt that matured in
25 years. 10. Both groups developed
a constitution. In the case of the Pil-
grims it was the “Mayflower com-
pact” and in the Icelanders’ caseitwas
the constitution for New Iceland. 11.
Both groups not only survived, but they
prospered and contributed to the de-
velopment of their respective nations
far in excess of their numbers.
Were these rocks placed in their
location by divine Providence in or-
der to mark the contribution of these
peoples? Or is it merely chance that
these parties landed where they did?
We, of course, can believe what we
wish. The saga of the rocks represents
a remarkably similar series of events
that can create a debate or a sermon.
If these rocks could talk, they would
relate that their encounter with these
pioneers was the most remarkable
example of human courage and they
stand in silent tribute to honour the
achievement. □