Welcome to watch the Hammarkullen carnivals in 2024, 2023 & 2003, 2015, 2016, 2022

Nota bene! Any YouTube-ads are neither by mine or the photographer's wish. All the fantastic photography and video editing of these six videos was done by Wolfgang. You get the most out of these colorful videos by not accepting the default quality setting Auto in the settings gear, instead choose the best video quality that your Internet connection allows. You will find the photographer's descriptions below the last of the Hammarkullen videos.

The annual event, with spirit and vigor. The Gothenburg suburb of Hammarkullen has been the home of a spring-carnival since 1974, by now the largest event of this type in Sweden.

The population of Hammarkullen reflects the influx of immigrants to Sweden in recent decades, not unlike developments in other “concrete” suburbs in this country. Yet, many people will witness that Hammarkullen has developed a type of cosmopolitan spirit, often described as “friendly”, “tolerant”, “inviting” and the like. And this not just noticable during the three short days of the carnival. It's not far-fetched to assert that the carnival tradition has influenced this spirit a great deal.

The Gothenburg suburb of Hammarkullen has been the home of a spring-carnival since 1974, by now the largest event of this type in Sweden.

The population of Hammarkullen reflects the influx of immigrants to Sweden in recent decades, not unlike developments in other “concrete” suburbs in this country. Yet, many people will witness that Hammarkullen has developed a type of cosmopolitan spirit, often described as “friendly”, “tolerant”, “inviting” and the like. And this not just noticable during the three short days of the carnival. It's not far-fetched to assert that the carnival tradition has influenced this spirit a great deal.

And ever since a brutal invasion took place not far from this country, it has become clear: It is not self-understood that people are free to join in celebrating life, smiling, singing, dancing, presenting skills and fancy costumes. It is indeed an achievement, something of outmost value!

Just as misguided – or simply unfortunate – people elsewhere, we all could be swept along with a wave of violence, unable to return to a peaceful life. Best to be strong in our pursuit of happiness. Just as vital as food and the air we breath are all the good things that bring people closer together.

Recently I dug-up an old image show from way back. My camera at the time was a Sony Mavica, recording images on a floppy disc with a resolution of 1600 by 1200 pixels. For a while I wondered: Did I not have a camera with a higher image quality in 2003? I checked and found out that I did. But the enormous zoom range of the Mavica and the amazing steady-shot function made it very useful in the field.

Show is converted to 16:9 format now, something that strains the all too few pixels... From the 2003 event itself I remember that I really pushed myself, trying to capture as many aspects of the event as I could take in. The work with this long show (335 images) and the synching to suitable sound material took quite a bit of time back then – and even now in the adaptation to the wide screen format.

Every year at the end of May, three days of carnival come to Gothenburg, more precisely to the suburb of Hammarkullen. A seventeen minute ride by streetcar from downtown will take you there. 2015 constituted the fortieth anniversary of the event, originally started by the locals, with many South American immigrants among them.

A scaled-down late summer version takes place on a major downtown boulevard and has also become a tradition by now, after a period where city officials had their problems with providing acceptable conditions for this highly popular festival.

An annual carnival takes place in the Gothenburg suburb of Hammarkullen. This by now legendary tradition dates back more than forty years and is the biggest and most vibrant event of this type in Sweden.

Back after the pandemic! Great relief to see this carnival in Gothenburg, Sweden, back on track! Great job by all, this includes the general public!

Hi Wolfgang,

Your videos from the Hammarkullen carnivals in 2003, 2015 and 2016 are really nice and inspiring to watch, they capture all the nice and colorful people at the carnivals.

The background music in the videos also fits so well with the photos. You must be one of the most talented photographers in the world.

Thank you very much Wolfgang!

As a comment to the video from 2022, I wrote:
Thank you Wolfgang for a very nice video, that capture all the nice people and the amazing spirit in Hammarkullen, Gothenburg, Sweden - Thank you!
Conny Andersson

Jens S. Jensen (May 25, 1946 – July 1, 2015) was a Swedish photographer that documented the everyday life and people in Hammarkullen during 40 years. To do that, Jens moved to and lived in Hammarkullen for long periods of time.

The Hasselblad Foundation published a YouTube-video on March 20 in 2015, just some month before his death: Hammarkullen - 40 years later. (A “must be seen”, 10 minutes long interview in Swedish, subtitled in English.)

One of Jens' photos, Boy on the Wall, Hammarkullen, Gothenburg, 1973 was exhibited at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York City, in 2012. That photo was meeting the visitors to MoMA as they entered the exhibition Century of the Child: Growing by Design, 1900-2000. See the photo in the MoMA context (on July 29, 2012 – November 5, 2012) here.

I myself met Jens in person at the University of Gothenburg in the fall of 1981. I was writing an essay on manual labor and Jens stood for visualizing the blue-collar workers and their work at Volvo Torslanda by his photos. I remember Jens as a very warm, generous, sympathic and nice human being.

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