Det svarta järnet – ny bok om svensk vapenindustri
19 March 2018
Upprustningen av Sveriges försvar är åter högaktuellt. Efter drygt två årtionden av nedrustning med nedlagda regementen och avskaffad värnplikt växer opinionen för att det svenska försvaret ska rustas upp igen som skydd mot den ökade spänningen i världen. Vilka lärdomar kan vi dra av vår historia? Den nya boken ”Det svarta järnet” om svensk vapenindustri i Bergslagen vill ge perspektiv på utvecklingen.
I boken "Det svarta järnet" beskriver forskare, vid bland annat Uppsala universitet, hur järnhanteringen i Bergslagsregionen har legat till grund för svensk vapenindustri under 1900-talet och har bidragit till Sveriges välfärd. Här fanns en stor produktion av vapen, ammunition och sprängmedel – produkter som sen exporterades över hela världen.
– När upprustningen av Sveriges försvar åter har blivit en högaktuell samhällsfråga kan denna bok ge perspektiv på vår egen tid, säger Maths Isacson, vid ekonomisk-historiska institutionen vid Uppsala universitet och en av bokens redaktörer. Boken skildrar hur företag, människor och landskap i Bergslagen involverades när landets försvar återupprustades i början av andra världskriget.
Boken beskriver vilka politiska överväganden som låg bakom krigsmaterieltillverkning i både statlig och privat regi samt några av de innovatörer och företag som utvecklade och producerade krigsmateriel. Boken skildrar också villkoren för de människor som arbetade i produktionen, hur landskapet påverkades och de politiska följderna av ett ökat beroende av internationell vapenhandel. Slutligen diskuteras frågor om hur vi kan förhålla oss till vapenindustrin som en del av Bergslagens kulturhistoria.
Boken är resultatet av ett samarbetsprojekt mellan sju länsstyrelser i Bergslagen. Maths Isacson, professor i ekonomisk historia vid Uppsala universitet och Mia Geijer vid Konstvetenskapliga institutionen, Uppsala universitet och antikvarie vid länsstyrelsen i Örebro är redaktörer. De har, både enskilt och tillsammans, skrivit flertalet kapitel i boken. Övriga författare är Mats Lundmark vid Örebro universitet, Niklas Ulfvebrand vid Mälardalens högskola, Birgit Karlsson vid Göteborgs universitet, Jan af Geijerstam, tidigare på KTH samt Nils Johan Tjärnlund, vetenskapsjournalist.
Boken "Det svarta järnet" är utgiven på Walborg Bokförlag.
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