Drawing key lessons from the Vasa Museum in Stockholm

Some 20 years ago, I and a group of members of the Media Council of Tanzania - mainly scribes - flew to Stockholm, Sweden, at the invitation of our counterpart, the Swedish Media Council.

We were warmly received by our hosts, and housed at the centrally-located Kungs Hotel in Stockholm. We were then informed that we would have a rest-day before our official programme began.

I and a fellow scribe, the veteran Jenerali Ulimwengu, decided to take time out to sample some Swedish lagers at the hotel’s pub.

This is where we met some ‘Stockholmers’ who recommended that we make a point of visiting the Royal National City Park across Stockholm Bay where the ‘must-see’ Vasa Museum is located.

Having nothing much to do, we decided to follow their advice - and proceeded to the Vasa Museum. We were not disappointed.

The museum has indeed a long history which goes back to the Swedish Kingdom of the 17th century under King Gustavus Adolphus.

You see, between 1621 and 1629, Sweden was at war with Poland-Lithuania - and King Gustavus was leading the war in Poland. He ordered that a mighty war ship be built to support the war, and the navy did so in 1626-1627. It was armed with bronze cannons cast specifically for the ship.

Named ‘Vasa,’ the ship was richly decorated, and was to be the symbol of the King’s ambitions for Sweden and himself. Upon completion, it became one of the most powerful armed vessels in the world then.

However, it was dangerously unstable with too much weight in the upper structure of the hull. Despite this lack of stability, however, she was ordered to sea.

This was because the King was impatient to see her take up her station as a flagship of the reserve squadron. And, at the same time, the King’s subordinates lacked the political courage to openly discuss the ship’s problems and have the maiden voyage postponed. Therefore, on the morning of August 10, 1628, thousands of ‘Stockholmers’ and foreign ambassadors - and, of course, spies of the King’s allies and enemies - gathered at the naval port to see the great ship sail away.

A few minutes later - and after doing only 1,300 metres, the ship floundered and sunk in full view of the crowd, killing 30 people.

After this tragic event, the Vasa fell into obscurity. This was after most of her bronze cannons were salvaged in the 17th century. She was located again in the 1950s in a busy shipping area in Stockholm harbour. And, in 1961, she was salvaged with a largely intact hull - and is now housed at the National City Park.

She is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Sweden. Since 1961, we were told, she had been seen by over 30 million people.

The salvaged ship has since provided scholars with invaluable insights into details of the naval warfare and ship building techniques.

No wonder then that the following day we successfully convinced our colleagues and our hosts to have the whole group visit the Vasa Museum.

We felt this was an important lesson in life - that it is important to learn from our mistakes.

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The author is a veteran journalist and communications expert based in Arusha.