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The Republic of Jamtland is a historical province, Jamtland , in the north-western parts of Sweden . It borders onto the Swedish historical provinces (''landskap'') of Lappland , Ångermanland , Medelpad , Hälsingland and Dalarna and the Norwegian provinces of Sør-Trøndelag and Nord-Trøndelag . Today, the notion of the Republic is the focus of the independence movement based in the Swedish province officially named the County Of Jamtland by the central government. However, historically the administrative entity is made up of two separate entities, Herjeådalen and Jamtland . Swedes generally views this movement as a cultural and marketing project. However, for ethical or assimilated natives ('''Jamtar''' in plural, and '''Jamte''' or '''Jamt''' in singular) the independence projected is deeply rooted in their cultural customs, their language as well as in the region’s history. GENERAL FEATURES OF THE REPUBLICAN IDEA
THE POLITICAL MOVEMENT The Republic’s Presidents
The Liberation Movement CURRENT POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS During the period between December 31st, and June 2005 the Swedish government dissolved the three permanent garrisons and the Military Academy that had been located to Östersund . This has caused an economic setback for the region as a whole, but the withdrawal is nonetheless greeted with some delight by the independence movement since this meant the end of the presence of permanent Swedish military occupation forces within the borders of the Republic. At least in military terms, the withdrawal has caused the Jamtish people to look to the future with some confidence. GEOGRAPHY The present-day idea of the Republic of Jamtland encompasses the union of the three separate republics of Jamtland, Herjeådalen and Ravund. The name Herjeådalen comes from the Old West Norse word ''Herjárdalr'' (which literally means the "Valley of the Härje river"). HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Jamtland was originally settled by fugitives from Norway after Harald The Fairhaired made Norway into one country in the 9th Century (cf. the History Of Iceland .) Norwegian Occupation The then Norwegian Provinces of Jamtland and Härjedalen was ceded to Sweden in 1645 under the Treaty Of Brömsebro . Swedish Occupation In 1786 the city of Östersund was founded and granted its charter by the King Gustav III Of Sweden . The exact place of the city was chosen rather randomly (for example, both Brunflo and Frösön was considered as possible locations). One of the long-term consequences was that Frösön, which was at that time the main population center in the region, gradually lost its predominant role as the administrative and mercantile center of the region. Östersund developed slowly during its first 100 years, but started to expand rapidly after 1879 when the Swedish government had finished the construction of the railway that connected the region to the core Swedish territories. During the end of the 18th Century and the beginning of the 19th Century when the Swedish government militarized the nation by implementing a system of conscription, three Swedish permanent military garrisons were permanently establish in Östersund . These garrisons were the Norrland Artillery Regiment (A4) (founded in 1892), the Jemtia Field Ranger Regiment (I5) (a re-establishment in 1927 of the long-time infantry forces that had been located to the region) and Jämtland Air Force Wing (F4) (established in 1926). Later the Military Academy Östersund (MHS Ö) was also attached to the garrisons. Thus, the city of Östersund and the rest of the region was from this point in time heavily suppressed by a strong Swedish county administration and a strong Swedish military presence. In 1971 the then named town of Östersund was merged with four surrounding towns/municipalities which today form the present day Municipality . Such administrative measures were taken by the Swedish government all over the country at the time with the explicit goal of strengthening the power of the central government. However, in the context of Jamtland, these measures could only be viewed as another measure of the central government that aimed at the destruction of the province's culture and distinctive character. THE MODERN IDEA OF A REPUBLIC CULTURAL EVENTS AND EXPRESIONS The works of Wilhelm Peterson-Berger The native Jamtish composer Wilhelm Peterson-Berger was a true patriot in the eyes of his fellow Jamtish people. A passage from his opera Arnljot is frequently quoted when recalling that the Republic was once independent and free. This opera is each summer put on in an outdoor setting on the island of Frösön. Few Jamtar leaves the performance dry-eyed. Modern Day Artists' of the Republic
Authors' of the Republic
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