This is SDR

History

 
Founder: Mr Dan Andersson

The SDR, (SNAD, Swedish National Association of the deaf) was founded on February 26 in 1922. Before the founding of SDR there was an Association of the Deaf and Dumb in Stockholm, that was established in 1868 by the three founders Ossian Edmund Borg, (1812 1892) (hearing), son of the founder of Sweden´s first school for the deaf, Per Aron Borg, (1776 1839) Albert Berg (1832 1916) (deaf) Fritiof Carlbom (1835 1890) (deaf).

The Association of the Deaf and Dumb included deaf members from many different places all over Sweden. Because of this the association of the Deaf and Dumb was regarded as a national organization in Sweden. The deaf club served as a national club as well as a health insurance and funeral expenses fund for deaf people all over the country. At the end of the 1890s, though, members in the provinces began protesting against the dominance of Stockholm in the Association and against the fact that members residing in Stockholm got more benefit out of their membership fee as they could meet more often.

There was a discussion about the establishment of a national association with local clubs, but the question about a national association was postponed. Instead the deaf club in 1903 was divided into a local club in Stockholm and a health insurance and funeral expenses fund for deaf all over the country.

Gradually deaf clubs were founded here and there all over the country. The thought of an association was revived. In 1906 the deaf club in Stockholm set up a committee that was to elaborate a proposal for the founding of a Swedish deaf and dumb association. But once again the issue was postponed, because of the more urgent task to save the ”Paper for the Deaf and Dumb”, whose editor had hastily deceased.

In 1919 the Gothenburg Deaf Club took the initiative to a a new discussion about the founding of a ”national association”. Gradually this led to the founding of the Swedish Deaf and Dumb Association on February 26, 1922 by 14 representatives from the deaf clubs. Mr Dan Andersson (1885 1963) (deaf) from Gothenburg was elected president.

The Swedish National Association of the Deaf and Dumb functioned as a central organization of deaf clubs. The purposes of the Association were to promote the interest