Christmas Meeting 1888

The Faroese Christmas meeting ( fär. jólafundurin ) was held on December 26, 1888 and is considered the official founding date of the Faroese National Movement.

On December 22, 1888 published the then only newspaper of the Faroe Islands, Dimmalætting, the following call:

The invitation is signed by nine prominent Faroese and marks the beginning of a new chapter of Faroese history: The emergence of the national movement. These nine were (with their signatory names):

  • E. D. Bærentsen
  • H. N. Jacobsen
  • D. Isaksen
  • F. S. Samuelsen
  • R. C. Effersø
  • Jens Olsen
  • Just Jacobsen.
  • C. L. Johannesen
  • J. Padurson.

Despite raging storm and slushy roads, a large amount of people in Løgtingshaus found himself one on that afternoon. Speeches were made and sang patriotic songs. The highlight of the event came when the poet Rasmus Effersøe a battle hymn of Jóannes Patursson lectured, written specially for this day.

The message of the longer poem reveals itself in the first lines:

The Assembly decided at the end of a 6-point resolution:

The storm prevented many people in remote villages from coming to Tórshavn. Therefore, there was on January 6, 1889, another meeting where the Färingerverein ( Føroyingafelag ) constituted by the following principles:

This shows that even at this early time, the Faroese national ideal went so far as to seek sovereignty. The Faroese National Movement therefore worked both culturally ( enforcement of language as a key cultural ) and political ( autonomy or even independence from Denmark).

326834
de