Closed in 2019. What can we learn from a museum that no longer exists? The Hemvärnsmuseet, or Home Guard Museum, was once a vibrant testament to Sweden’sHome Guard.
Let’s journey back to understand the significance of this museum. The Hemvärnsmuseet resided in Vällinge. It was part of Sweden’s military history. The museum showcased the Home Guard during the 20th century. It also covered the period slightly before and after. The museum included the volunteer organizations. Lars-Gunnar Sederlin and Kerstin Reinholdsson were in charge of the museum.
Imagine the year 1971. The Hemvärnsmuseet opened its doors in Askgården. This was a worker’s cottage dating back to the 1750s. The collection had been built up since the 1950s. It reached its final form for the Home Guard’s 50th anniversary in 1990.
Within its 300 square meters, the Hemvärnsmuseet told a story. It covered the Home Guard’s history and its forerunners. These included the ancient alarm system of “vårdkasar”. Also featured were the Sharpshooter Movement and the Landstormen.
During the years of preparedness, distance learning was key. The Home Guard man learned secure handling of the Mauser-96. This was taught via radio and correspondence courses. The rooms dedicated to the preparedness period of 1940–1945 allowed visitors to activate the aircraft warning siren. Upstairs, the museum displayed the volunteer organizations. The music corps and the industrial defense were featured as well.
One of the Hemvärnsmuseet’s larger exhibits was a Bofors m/1940–70 anti-aircraft automatic cannon. Outside the entrance stood a 7.5 cm cannon m/1902–33. This cannon was marked “Friedrich Krupp von Essen”. HvSS used it for training during the 1980s and 1990s.
Though the Hemvärnsmuseet is now closed, its memory lives on. Many items can still be seen on the Digital Museum. The association Hemvärnshistoria preserves the Home Guard’s history. They aim to collaborate with another military history museum. Together they want to display the Home Guard’s military history in a modern way.