22 July 2012 - In Memory of 77 victims in the massacre, Oslo and Utøya

77 people died on 22 July 2011, mostly youngsters between 14 - 17 years of age. This is written in memory of them.

NRK 1 and SVT1 has set devoted programming for most of the day to commemorate the 1st year anniversary of the tragedy. As I am writing this, Mari Boine - a famous Sami female singer - sings a beautiful native song to the victims.


But another song makes me cry every time, because it was the song sang by teenagers swimming away from Anders Bering Breivik in the waters around Utøya island. They sang it to encourage one another, some of whom were exhausted and about to give up swimming to safety.



The song is called "Til ungdommen" or "To the youth". Norwegian singer Sissel Kyrkjebø sings the heartbreaking version above in Oslo Spectrum, at a concert held in memory of the victims in 2011.

Read the history of this song on Wikipedia.

Photos by Little Pixy Boots.

Translation from Wikipedia (words in red were not sang in video above):

Norwegian: Til ungdommen[a] Kringsatt av fiender, gå inn i din tid! Under en blodig storm – vi deg til strid! Kanskje du spør i angst, udekket, åpen: hva skal jeg kjempe med, hva er mitt våpen? Her er ditt vern mot vold, her er ditt sverd: troen på livet vårt, menneskets verd. For all vår fremtids skyld, søk det og dyrk det, dø om du må – men: øk det og styrk det! Stilt går granatenes glidende bånd. Stans deres drift mot død, stans dem med ånd! Krig er forakt for liv. Fred er å skape. Kast dine krefter inn: døden skal tape! Elsk – og berik med drøm – alt stort som var! Gå mot det ukjente, fravrist det svar. Ubygde kraftverker, ukjente stjerner – skap dem, med skånet livs dristige hjerner! Edelt er mennesket, jorden er rik! Finnes her nød og sult, skyldes det svik. Knus det! I livets navn skal urett falle. Solskinn og brød og ånd eies av alle. Da synker våpnene maktesløs ned! Skaper vi menneskeverd, skaper vi fred. Den som med høyre arm bærer en byrde, dyr og umistelig, kan ikke myrde. Dette er løftet vårt fra bror til bror: vi vil bli gode mot menskenes[b] jord. Vi vil ta vare på skjønnheten, varmen – som om vi bar et barn varsomt på armen!

English literal translation Surrounded by enemies, go into your time! Within a bloody storm – prepare yourself to fight! Maybe you ask in fear, uncovered, open: what shall I fight with, what is my weapon? Here is your defense against violence, here is your sword: the belief in our life, the worth of man. For all our future's sake, seek it and cultivate it, die if you must – but: increase it and strengthen it! Silently rolls the grenades' conveyor belts. Stop their drift towards death, stop them with spirit! War is contempt for life. Peace is to create. Throw your strength into it: death shall lose! Love – and enrich with dreams – all that was great! Go towards the unknown, wring answers out of it. Unbuilt powerplants, unknown stars – create them, with spared lives' bold minds! Noble is mankind, the earth[c] is rich! If there is need and hunger, it is by deceit. Crush it! In the name of life injustice shall fall. Sunshine and bread and spirit belongs to all. Then the weapons sink powerless to the ground! By creating human worth, we create peace. Those who with their right arm carry a burden, precious and inalienable, cannot murder. This is our promise from brother to brother: We will be good to humanity's earth. We will take care of the beauty, the warmth – as if we carried a child carefully in our arms!

Literary translation Face the Foe By Rod Sinclair (2004)[2] Faced by your enemies On every hand Battle is menacing, Now make your stand Fearful your question, Defenceless, open What shall I fight with? What is my weapon? Here is your battle plan, Here is your shield Faith in this life of ours, The common weal For all our children’s sake, Save it, defend it, Pay any price you must, They shall not end it Neat stacks of cannon shells, Row upon row Death to the life you love, All that you know War is contempt for life, Peace is creation Death’s march is halted By determination We all deserve the world, Harvest and seed Hunger and poverty Are born of greed Don’t turn your face away From needs of others Reach out a helping hand To all your brothers Here is our solemn vow, From land to land We will protect our world From tyrants’ hand Defend the beautiful, Gentle and innocent Like any mother would Care for her infant.