Året var 1977

At the end of August 1973, a robber takes hostages at the Kreditbanken at Norrmalmstorg. A week or so later, on September 15, King Gustaf VI Adolf dies in Helsingborg's hospital and Sweden gets a new king: Carl XVI Gustaf. In Chile, the military takes power and the popularly elected president Salvador Allende is overthrown. That and much more in this column about the year 1973.

1963 - the year when the Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first woman in space. Sweden suffers from an smallpox epidemic - hundreds of thousands are vaccinated, and several thousand are isolated. Colonel Stig Wennerström is arrested for spying for the Soviets. John F Kennedy is murdered in Dallas, while Martin Luther King has a dream about the future, "Villervalle i Söderhavet" is shown on Swedish TV.

1953 - this is the year when Frank Sinatra tours Sweden and Stockholm celebrates 700 years with the entire air force in the air. The American way of life spreads in bottle form, when Coca-Cola makes its entrance. And there will be documentary film in color. The world is troubled with wars in Korea and Indochina. The US participates in both and Sweden has both doctors and nurses in Korea. Sweden becomes world champion in ice hockey for the first time.

1965 - The Rolling Stones is coming to Sweden - a little rougher and tougher than The Beatles who were here a few years earlier. And the fashion trend is spreading across Sweden - to the horror of many. The medium-strong beer will start to be sold in Sweden - in regular grocery stores. And at the end of the year Hasse och Tage's new feature film with Gösta Ekman in one of the main roles premieres. Tragedies strike: 10 Swedish youths die in an avalanche, a tunnel collapse in Stockholm causes suspense. American astronaut Ed White spacewalks after the Soviet Union's Aleksey Leonov. Hep Stars led by Svenne Hedlund dominate with three top-ten songs, including "Cadillac."

This is the year with a music party at Gärdet in Stockholm, and Lee Hazlewood and Nina Lizell wonder who can sail before the wind. The Vietnam War continues and the United States is bombing Cambodia. In Stockholm, police officers write in protest against poor conditions and the rockers take the chance to take over the town. During the "cannon race" on the Gellerås track, a fatal accident occurs. Director Roy Andersson's first feature film "En kärlekshistoria" is a must see.

A brand new decade begins. There is unrest in many places in Africa and Sweden is sending UN troops to the Congo. The Shah of Persia visits Stockholm and Lena Larsson writes an article she calls "Buy, wear and throw away" - and the debate about this will continue for years.

1967 - the year when Sweden moves to the right, at least in traffic. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi - The Beatles' favorite guru visits Skåne and talks about meditation. The Fåglum brothers receive a feat medal and the fight for space continues. Jimi Hendrix is ​​coming to visit and in December it's time for the Christmas calendar: Teskedsgumman!

This is the year when the Vietnam War ends and terrorists take over the West German embassy in Stockholm. On TV, Staffan Westerberg's "Vilse i Pannkakan" coincides with Ingmar Bergman's "The Magic Flute". Despite the cold war, the USA and the Soviet Union take the opportunity to meet - in space! And Davis Cup tennis is played in Båstad. Sweden meets Chile and the police fear riots. This and much more in "The year was 1975" by Jonas Fohlin and Eva Tillberg.

1976 brings several events that leave their mark on Sweden. Silvia Sommerlath marries King Carl Gustaf, and Thorbjörn Fälldin takes over as the new prime minister. On the music scene, international visits stand out when the rock bands Kiss and Sweet come to Sweden. And as Christmas approaches, Trazan Apansson appears on the TV screen for the very first time.

1961 - the year when Swedish UN soldiers are in the crisis-ridden Congo and Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld dies in a plane crash. Swedish film's biggest hit, "Are there angels?", has its premiere with Christina Schollin in one of the roles. Yuri Gagarin becomes the first man in space and the Volvo P 1800 appears on the roads. Ewy Rosqvist is a rally ace and in April the regal ship Vasa is lifted up after 333 years at the bottom of Stockholm's stream. In August, the Berlin Wall is built and outside the Stockholm archipelago, Radio Nord broadcasts music and news.

The year begins with an energy crisis and petrol rationing. And there will be parental insurance so that even fathers can stay at home with their children. Cleaners around Sweden are on strike for better conditions. Worry grows for the Swedish tourists in the holiday paradise of Cyprus. That and much more in this column about the year 1974.

1957 - this is when the space age begins. The Soviets send up Sputnik 1 and 2. The whole world searches the sky for moving stars and the radio amateurs listen in their headphones for beeps from space. Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal and Wild Strawberries are shown in cinemas. Stockholm gets its first female parking attendants and Tommy Steele comes to visit.

1968 - the year of riots, fights and protests. And demonstrations: against the Vietnam War, against teenage fairs, against the Davis Cup and even against Christmas. It is also the year of the invasion of Prague, the very last student exam and the assassination of Martin Luther King.

1955 - the year when The rip hunter is buried in snow for eight days before his ski pole with a movie ticket is discovered. Ingrid Bergman gets bad reviews as Joan of Arc, and James Dean dies in a 185 km/h car crash. The knappupgänget, with Povel Ramel and Gunwer Bergkvist, go to Nairobi to shoot a film that will never be finished. Sweden votes no to right-hand traffic and the "Motbok" disappears in October. Charlie Norman writes film music and gets a job in the US, while Sigge Eriksson becomes a world figure skating champion in Moscow. Anita Ekberg visits after years in Hollywood and Louis Armstrong gives concerts in Stockholm. Luleå is building the world's first indoor shopping center, and Viggen Viggo is visible on the TV screen.

1962 - the year when Anita Lindblom sings Sånt är livet on TV and the Swedish national ice hockey team wins gold in Colorado. Ursula Wirth and Ewy Rosqvist win Argentina's Gran Premio for standard cars in fierce competition. The Third World War almost breaks out - the Cuban Missile Crisis pits the superpowers the USA and the Soviet Union against each other. Leif Erik Nygårds is in New York and takes a picture of Marilyn Monroe, just a few weeks before she dies. Bobby Fischer plays chess in Stockholm and wins.