Sweden maintained its neutrality throughout the war, but at times sympathized with the Allies and with Germany. This poem addresses Germany’s attempt to secure Swedish cooperation.

Siney, Marion C. “Swedish neutrality and the economic warfare in World War I.” Conspectus of History 1, no. 2 (Ball State University 1975). 13–22. http://libx.bsu.edu/u?/ConspectusH,1028.

All annotations relating to Ragnarök are from Leeming, David. “Ragnarok.” The Oxford Companion to World Mythology. Oxford University Press, 2006. Oxford Reference. https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195156690.001.0001/acref-9780195156690-e-1333. Accessed May 3, 2019.

In the Norse myth Ragnarök, the battle between the gods and the forces of evil will take place on the field Vígríðr. See annotation below for Ragnarök.

In Norse mythology, Surtr comes from the south during the events of Ragnarök, wielding a large sword and bringing fire that engulfs the earth. See annotation below for Ragnarök.

The Norse myth about Ragnarök (Old Norse: twilight of the gods) foretells events that lead to the final battle between the gods and the forces of evil and the destruction of the world. This poem contains several references to figures in the myth. A seeress tells the High God Odin how it will occur: The serpent Jormungand creates a violent tide, and the trouble–maker Loki captains Naglfar, the ship of the dead, from Hel. Surt leads the fire demons of Muspell across Bifrost, the Rainbow Bridge, which will fall beneath them. They are enveloped by fire, and Surt’s sword replaces the sun. Summoned by the mighty Gjallarhorn, Odin and Thor lead the gods in the final battle against evil on the Wigrid plain. The evil forces win, and Loki, as the fire giant Sutr, burns everything to ashes. Garm the hound is killed, as is Loki. Thor defeats Jormungand but dies from the serpent’s poison; the evil wolf Fenrir swallows Odin but is then killed. Surt sends his fire through the worlds of creation and all die, but the world will be born again.

In Norse mythology, the shape–shifter Loki is father of Hel, Fenrir, and Jörmungand. Here, Loki represents France.

In Ragnarök, Naglfar transports hordes to fight the gods on Vígríðr. In this poem, the mythological Naglfar appears on the River Thames.

The River Thames flows from Gloucestershire through London to the North Sea.

In Ragnarök, the terrifying giant wolf Fenrir kills the High God Odin. Here, Fenriswolf represents the Russian czar; see reference to the wolf in the fourth stanza.

Nicholas II (1868–1918), Czar of Russia 1894–1917.

Peeling, Siobhan. “Nicholas II, Emperor of Russia.” In 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, edited by Ute Daniel, Peter Gatrell, Oliver Janz, Heather Jones, Jennifer Keene, Alan Kramer, and Bill Nasson. Freie Universität Berlin, 2014–. Article last updated October 8, 2014. https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/nicholas_ii_emperor_of_russia.

See annotation above for Fenriswolf.

Here the dog in the Ragnarök myth represents Serbia.

The Danish straits and sounds connect the North Sea to the Baltic Sea.

Here England’s giant serpent reaches from the North Sea to the Danish sounds.

Reference to the dead.

Muspell is a place of fire where Black Surt, with his flaming sword, waited to destroy the world.

The flaming rainbow bridge connected the home of the gods to the human world.

Historic region named after the Ingers, its ancient Finnish inhabitants. After the Great Northern War (1721), Russia obtained this region from Sweden.

Everett–Heath, John. “Ingria.” The Concise Dictionary of World Place–Names. Oxford University Press, 2018. Oxford Reference. https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780191905636.001.0001/acref-9780191905636-e-3164. Accessed May 3, 2019.

The Russian Empire defeated the Swedes and annexed the Grand Duchy of Finland in 1809.

Parts of Estonia (and all of Estonia after 1625) were under Swedish rule from 1561 to 1721, when the Swedish Baltic provinces were ceded to Russia in the Great Northern War (1700–21).

“Estonia.” Oxford World Encyclopedia. Philip’s, 2004. Oxford Reference. Oxford University Press. https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199546091.001.0001/acref-9780199546091-e-3883. Accessed May 3, 2019.

In the Battle of Warsaw (28–30 July 1656), troops from Sweden and Brandenburg defeated forces from the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Charles X Gustav (1622–60), King of Sweden 1654–60, led Swedish troops to victory over the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1656.

Frederick William (1620–88), Elector of Brandenburg (the Great Elector).

Charles XII (1692–1718), King of Sweden 1697–1718.

Charles XII of Sweden defeated Peter I (the Great) of Russia at the port of Narva (Estonia), at the start of the Northern War (November 30, 1700).

“Narva, Battle of.” A Dictionary of World History. Edited by Anne Kerr and Edmund Wright. Oxford University Press, 2015. Oxford Reference. https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199685691.001.0001/acref-9780199685691-e-2539. Accessed May 3, 2019.

The River Spree flows through the present–day German states of Brandenburg, Berlin, and Saxony.

The Vasa, a warship built in Stockholm for the Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus, sank in Stockholm Harbor on August 10, 1628, while on her maiden voyage.

“Vasa.” The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea, Edited by I. C. B. Dear and Peter Kemp. Oxford University Press, 2007. Oxford Reference. https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199205684.001.0001/acref-9780199205684-e-2602. Accessed May 4, 2019.

Gustavus II (Gustavus Adolphus, 1594–32) was King of Sweden 1611–32. He supported the Protestants during the Thirty Years War (1618–48), crossing the Baltic Sea into northern Germany in 1630. He ended war with Denmark (1613) and Russia (1617).

“Gustavus II.” World Encyclopedia. Philip’s, 2004. Oxford Reference. https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199546091.001.0001/acref-9780199546091-e-4980. Accessed May 4, 2019.