Summer Holidays

June 2, 1938, the Swedish government decided that every jobholder was entitled to two weeks payed. The government worried that the employees would wear out so it hade nothing to do with quality of life.

So how did people spend their holidays back then? They took the bike and went camping.

Home from the vacation 1939

In 1946 housewife could apply for the chanse go on vacation and relax for a couple of weeks. The same year all teenagers under 18 got three weeks payed vacation and from 1951 this applied to all workers. Now more and more people owned cars and Europe was explored. The first air charter took place in 1955 and it went to Majorca. Another popular country at this time was Tunisia.

Three weeks became four in 1963 and five in 1978. This is just a minimum and some have 6-7 weeks. Back in the 60's this ment that the industries all closed for four weeks and the word industrisemester (industrial holiday) was coined. Few factories can afford to close down for four weeks today so often they are spread out more even during the summer and it is quite common that people save a couple of weeks and go to Thailand during the winter.

Photo: 

Gunnar Lundh semester

By - Gunnar Lundh

Sources:
http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semester
Svenska öden & öventyr 3/2014

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