Skattlösberg & Luossastugan
Skattlösberg is known through the poet Dan Andersson, who was born here in 1888 in the now-burned-down school. Dan Andersson is the poet of Finnmarken but also one of our great Swedish writers, whose works are still read today by both young and old. He was himself a descendant of the Finns who immigrated to Finnskogen in the 17th century.
A Spring Song
Come, sun, like a god over fields and meadows,
shine on hearts longing for light!
Blow, wind, and let rain fall in the sprouting forest,
grow, grass, over the gravel of the plains!
Grow, sprouting grain, in the dark soil,
shoot ears and turn golden for bread!
Hunger and misery fill the world,
so, summer, bring salvation from need!
Come, summer, with bread, tenfold, if you will,
now let your saving grace be given.
To you, sun, to you, earth, we pray,
and for plows instead of swords.
Dan Andersson’s father was the village schoolteacher. But in 1905, he wanted to try a new life at the leased farm Mårtens, ten kilometers north. The farm had a charcoal-burning obligation under Ludvika Bruk. Here, Dan Andersson experienced the life of a charcoal burner, which would later frequently appear in his poetry.
The leasehold attempt was unsuccessful, and in 1912 the family moved back to Skattlösberg and settled in Luossastugan. It was there that Dan Andersson wrote his first significant work, *Kolarhistorier* (*Tales of the Charcoal Burners*), and most of *Kolvaktarens visor* (*The Watchman’s Songs*).
Many of Dan Andersson’s poems have been set to music. However, he never got to experience his major breakthrough. One night in Stockholm, while staying at a hotel, his room was fumigated with hydrogen cyanide gas to kill bedbugs. But the cleaning staff forgot to air it out. The next morning, Dan Andersson was found dead at only 32 years old.
The village of Skattlösberg is often called the “capital of Finnmarken” and consists of about ten farms clustered on a rounded hill.
The Forest Finns, who arrived in Sweden in the 17th century to escape famine and war in Finland, practiced the ancient slash-and-burn agriculture. This method involved cutting down the forest in a designated area and letting it dry over the summer. In early August, the area was burned. After a year of fallow, winter rye was sown in the ashes. The burned soil was rich in nutrients and yielded good harvests. After two harvests, the land was used for grazing, and new forest areas were burned.
With the development of the iron industry, the demand for wood became critical. From the late 17th century, authorities attempted to ban slash-and-burn agriculture. Many Finns in the area were then forced to become charcoal burners for the ironworks instead.
Over time, the Finns were influenced by Swedish culture. A *Svenskstuga* (Swedish cottage) is a *pörte* (traditional Finnish cabin) that has been fitted with a chimney and possibly a window.
The cultivated areas reached their peak around 1850. After that, some of the land was left to regrow into forest.
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FACTS
Once the capital of Finnmarken and the birthplace of Dan Andersson. He later lived in Luossastugan.
During the summer, “The Singing Guide” can be found in Luossastugan, performing songs and telling stories about Dan Andersson.
There is an 800-meter hiking trail from the parking area to the cottage.
At the open-air museum Finngammelgården, there is an ancient dwelling, a *pörte* from 1771. The building is dominated by a large oven without a chimney—the smoke escaped through a hatch in the roof. Finngammelgården also features a charcoal kiln, which can be seen in cross-section.
A memorial stone is located at the entrance to the village.
To maintain the landscape, conservation work is now being carried out.
Luossastugan is open for guided tours during the summer.
Hiking trails.
