Dacke statue

The Dacke statue in memory of Nils Dacke and the events of the Dacke Feud was erected in 1956, this statue of Nils Dacke. The artist Arvid Källström shaped the statue so that Nils Dacke would point with his ax handle in the direction of Stockholm and his royal enemy Gustav Vasa.

The Dackefejden was a peasant rebellion that broke out in 1542 in Småland against Gustav Vasa's centralization policy and tax increases. The rebellion was led by Nils Dacke, a well-to-do farmer and merchant from Södra Vedbo district. He gathered a large peasant army that defeated the king's troops in several battles and controlled large parts of Småland, Öland and Blekinge. The rebellion was supported by Denmark, Lübeck and the Pope, who saw an opportunity to reintroduce Catholicism in Sweden.

Gustav Vasa had to negotiate with Dacke and concluded a treaty in Brömsebro in 1543, where he agreed to several of the insurgents' demands. But the treaty did not last long, as both sides violated it. The king gathered a new army and began ruthless warfare against the rebel territory. He had villages, churches and farms burned, looted and killed the civilian population and forbade all trade with the insurgents. Nils Dacke was wounded in an ambush at Lake Virserumsjön in February 1544 and died shortly afterwards. His body was dismembered and impaled as a warning example.

The roof feud is an important part of Småland's history and identity. It has inspired many writers, artists and musicians to depict the events and people. The Dacke statue is one of the most famous works that celebrates Nils Dacke as a freedom fighter and folk hero.

Arvid Källström was a Swedish sculptor who was born in 1893 in Oskarshamn and died in 1967. He studied in Copenhagen and Paris and had his studio in Påskallavik. He worked in different materials and styles, from small sculptures and portraits to monumental groups and fountains. He carried out many public works in Sweden, above all in Småland, where he decorated several churches, squares and parks.

Source works are very different. They range from small sculptures and portraits to monumental groups of different kinds. Examples of this are fountain groups and church work. He worked in various materials such as granite, marble, wood, bronze, terracotta and cement.

Arvid Källström born 17/2 1893 in Oskarshamn and died 27/10 1967. Källström studied in Copenhagen 1916-19 for Kai Nielsen and continued his education in 1920-26 in Paris, where for a number of years he had his studio. He visited Ester Lindahls Scholarship 1924-25 Italy, England, Belgium and the Netherlands.

He returned to Sweden in 1934 and was active in Stockholm until he settled in Påskallavik in 1939.

Among his major works are the fountains in Kalmar, Oskarshamn and Hultsfred. Also the monument of Esaias Tegnér in Växjö (bronze 1926), "By the finish line" in Hudiksvall (bronze 1936) and "Ölandsflickan, Borgholms torg (granite 1943). In 1923 he performed the sculptural decoration "Envig" (wood) in Paris. He has decorated a number of churches with crucifixes, baptisms, organ facades etc. Especially in Småland (Hultsfred, Gullabo, Mörbylånga and others).

In 1936 and 1937 he worked with the Expedition for the Vitterhetsakademien's castings in Öland, Gotland and in Västergötland. Källström is represented in the National Museum and Kalmar Museum.