People's Houses

Folkets Hus ( to German People's House ) call themselves offer facilities usually union- area, premises for activities and cultural events in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. In most cases, the homes of independent associations operate. In Sweden, 692 Folkets Hus were built since the beginning of the 20th century.

The trigger for the establishment of Folkets Hus in the Scandinavian countries was the increasing demand for meeting places for the respective population in the municipalities and cities. Especially the labor movement probably had problems with geeigenenten meeting rooms. Firstly, there should be regular meetings can take place, but also cultural events are held.

Denmark

The first Folkets Hus was born in Denmark 1878/79 in the Rømersgade in Copenhagen. Today is in the building, the Danish Museum of the Danish labor movement ( Arbejdermuseet ). These were followed by more houses, among other things, in Elsinore (1889 ), Aarhus ( 1893), Odense (1896 ), Nykøbing ( 1898) and in Roskilde and Randers (1899 ). In Horsens (1890) and Aalborg (1896 ) the Folkets Hus included a public park surrounding the house. In Denmark, the Folkets Hus is known in the Stengade in Copenhagen, especially as an alternative cultural center.

Norway

The first Folkets Hus Norway emerged at the end of the 19th century in Modum in Buskerud. In 1907, the first Folkets Hus was inaugurated in the capital Oslo. In 1962, a modern new building, which now houses the headquarters of the Norwegian trade union LO and the Oslo Kongressenter.

Sweden

In Sweden, the idea of ​​Folkets Hus from the south to the north of Sweden widespread. The first Folkets Hus was established in Kristianstad, Malmö in the first building was erected as Folkets Hus. First, the institutions were created mainly in municipalities with industry, there to allow union meetings of workers and employees, such as in the case of Folkets Hus in Alnön for the working people of the local sawmills.

In the late 19th century over 20 Folkets Hus were established in Sweden. These early devices were often outside the city center, because the communities in contact with this still very new idea of the meetings were afraid, and land for this purpose is not awarded in the midst of the cities. In Stockholm the first Folkets Hus in the Barnhusgatan was inaugurated 14 1901. It was re-designed in three stages 1951-1960.

Today, there are still the same uses as for establishing the first Folkets Hus. Unlike today, the Folkets Hus also be conducted in the form of a company that provides the places of assembly according to modern safety standards.