Sweden—Poland1000 years of war and love

Herman Lindqvist

By Sweden’s pre-eminent historian, who has sold over 650,000 copies across his authorship.

For a thousand years, Swedes and Poles have met in war and love, yet their story and connection is not well known or obvious to many. Twice, Swedish armies have ravaged and plundered their southern neighbour, and for a period of time—there was even a short-lived Polish-Swedish union in the late 16th century.

During the 1500s, over five hundred Swedes sought refuge in Poland from the rage of the Vasa kings. Since then, thousands of Polish immigrants have come to Sweden, seeking a new life free of oppression, persecution, and communism; refugees who have enriched Sweden and made their mark in Swedish culture and media.

Herman Lindqvist, who lives in Warszaw today, takes us on a journey through the Swedo-Polish turbulence up to present-day, modern, yet politically fraught, Poland.