Prohibition in Iceland

When Prohibition in Iceland came from 1915, the total prohibition of alcohol in force. From 1922 wine was allowed to be imported and from 1934 only was a ban on strong beer with more than 2.25 %. It was only on March 1, 1989, the beer ban was completely lifted after 74 years, why celebrate the Icelanders since the bjórdagurinn ( "Day of Beer" ).

History

The Icelandic temperance movement gained strength in the nineties of the 19th century, especially in the form of the Good Templars, and celebrated their biggest success in 1908, when the first referendum in the history of Iceland, the majority ( 60.1% of eligible men) for a total ban on alcohol voted. The total ban came, however, only seven years later, on 1 January 1915 in force. To keep the people from drinking, the government had stuck on all high-proof bottles skull - characters, which is why the Icelandic Brennivín is still popularly called today " Black Death ." Because of initial difficulties, perform the Prohibition, it was during the First World War the most part except power set, since the island has many illegal distillery and smugglers was operated and physicians exhibited numerous recipes on alcohol for medicinal purposes.

Spain, especially cod buy feared loss of revenue by at this time prevailing European abstinence efforts and refused to Icelandic export products. After negotiations Iceland was forced to Spanish wine, which was not previously traded on the island to buy and use for medicinal purposes, while the United Kingdom, Denmark, Norway and Finland protested unsuccessfully. Even when the U.S. Congress was submitted by Senator Junes a resolution against the Spanish trade pressure, but the U.S., who carried out a prohibition itself, did nothing in the matter. 1922 had the ban will therefore partially loosened by wine with up to 22% alcohol was allowed to be imported.

To control the sale of alcohol by the state, 1922 to today existing monopolies Vínbúðin ( " the wine business ") was established. The retail chain is based on similar alcohol monopolies in the Nordic countries, especially to the Swedish Systembolaget. Also the Norwegian Vinmonopolet was founded the same year as the Icelandic Vínbúðin.

After a referendum in which a majority spoke out for the legalization of liquor, 1934, Prohibition was repealed by high-proof alcohol. To meet the temperance movement, the ban but was still for strong beer with an alcohol content of 2.25 % or more, also because this drink is to control most easily because of its large size. The temperance movement argued that since beer is cheaper than spirits, which would lead to more immorality.

End of Prohibition beer

As word of the alcohol in the country with the advent of tourism, were bills to legalize the Althing, the Icelandic parliament, but they were rejected for technical reasons. However, the prohibition lost more ground in 1985, when the Department of Justice and Human Rights Minister, himself a teetotaler, restaurants forbade legal spirits besides legally non-alcoholic beer for sale, with whom convincing imitations were produced by strong beer. Soon after, the Parliament legalization of beer approached. Under the House of Lords full participation of ( the then two-chambered Icelandic Parliament ) voted 13 for and eight against the sale permission. This prohibition was lifted for strong beer after 74 years in Iceland on March 1, 1989.

As a result of Prohibition end Icelanders celebrate every first of March the bjórdagurinn (day of the beer ). Some of them take part in the rúntur ( pub crawl ), where some bars are open to four clock in the morning. After ten tries since 1932, the legalization of beer remains a significant event in the culture of Iceland, since beer has become the most popular alcoholic drink in the country.