Photo: Wikimedia Commons
A scene from the last phase of Ragnarök, after Surtr has engulfed the world with
fire. The surrounding text implies that this is Asgard, the home of the gods, burning. But it all turns out okay in the end, we’re told. Art by Emil Doepler ca. 1905.
Walhall, die Götterwelt der Germanen. Martin Oldenbourg, Berlin. Page 57. U.S. Public Domain
In Norse mythology, Ragnarök is the apocalypse. There are natural disasters, and wars, and many of the gods and goddesses die. But after it’s all over, the world is refreshed, ready to grow back better than ever. We had our own apocalypse this year, and our intention is to emerge from it stronger than before. Thanks to all of these heroes, we’re on our way!
Odin ($5,000+)
Odin is the all-father, god of wisdom and healing. In Ragnarök, he leads the gods into battle and fights the wolf Fenrir. He is swallowed whole, but so what? Hanging from a tree for nine days wasn’t enough to take out the tough old guy.
Roger K. Berle
Ragnar Knutsen
David & Barbara Johnson
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
A scene from Ragnarök, the final battle between Odin and Fenrir and Freyr and Surtr. Art by Emil Doepler ca. 1905. Walhall, die Götterwelt der Germanen. Martin Oldenbourg, Berlin. Page 55. U.S. Public Domain.
Víðarr ($1,000 – $4,999)
Víðarr, god of vengeance, avenges his father Odin’s death by slaying Fenrir; he survives Ragnarok.
Brad Husick
Erik Knutsen
Brigitte & Kenneth Torsoe
The Norwegian Immigration Association, Inc.
Thor ($500 – $999)
Thor, hammer-wielding god of thunder, sacrifices himself to kill the serpent Jörmungandr (which roughly translates to “huge monster”—Old Norse truth in advertising?).
Fred Amundson
Marilyn Berg Cooper
Mr. & Mrs. Per Ellingsen
Bruce Gjovig
Keith Jorgensen
Gunnar Lie
Roger D. Moe
Ingvill Montgomery
Ernie Ness
Norwegians Worldwide Arizona Chapter
Old Ballard Liquor Co.
Kay Skaftun
Arlan Stavnheim
Edgar Steindal
Tommy Stiansen
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
A scene from Ragnarök, the final battle between Thor and Jörmungandr. Art by Emil Doepler ca. 1905. Walhall, die Götterwelt der Germanen. Martin Oldenbourg, Berlin. Page 56. U.S. Public Domain
Týr ($100 – $499)
Týr, one-handed god of law and glory, fights and kills the dog Garmr, guardian of Hel. Both are killed in the fight, which I suppose leaves Hel unguarded.
Daniel Alsaker
Eric Amat
Arthur & Nancy Andersen
Roger & Kathy Andrus
Carl Baar
Katherine Barnett
Patricia L. Barry
Karen Bartos
Ginny Bear
Jill Beatty
Dr. Kenneth Michael Beck
Margit Beerli
Nancy Belland
Arlene Bemben
Marion Bentson
Floyd I. Birkeland
Don & Ruth “Magna Moller” Blessing
Camilla Cai & Michael T. Field
Nancy Cantelmo
Mary Jane Chaffee
Erin Chaplin
Amy Curtis
Nancy L. Dahl
Daughters of Norway Gina Krog Lodge
Michelle A. Depew
Doug Dixon
Karen Doty
Ross Dybvig
Ed Egerdahl, Scandinavian Language Institute
Roger L. Eggen
Leif & Lisa Eie
Claire Elliker-Vågsberg
Kari Ellingstad
Gary G. Erickson
Helen Forbes
Korinne Frank
Liz Freirich & Saul Kaiserman
Lise Gardner
Shelby Gilje
Per Gjerde
Julie Glowka
Jeremy Goodman
John Gulow
Eric A. Hallén
David Hansen
Roger Haugo
Naomi J. Heaven
John Hendrickson
Amy Henrickson
Thor Hervold
Kaara Hervold-Mehring
Jayne Hogle
Eric & Sym Jacobsen
Jon Jacobson
Vicky Jaquish
Ernest Johansen
Molly & John Jones
Jan Jorgensen
Roy Jorgensen
Mari-Ann Kind Jackson
Carin M. Kruger
Don Landsverk
Mina B. Larsen
Charles & Turid Larson
Jamie Larson
Kelsey K. Larson
Marilyn Lewis
Amy Lietz
Sarah Liljegren
Jon U. Lind
Katie & Chris Long
Dagny Lund
John Lunde
Daniel W. Lysne
Ellen Magsamen
Brian Marquis
Charles H. Marx
Susan Mason
Berit McCarty
Joan E. Miller
Debrah Neal
Arnold E. Nelson
Gerald E. Nelson
Kim Nesselquist
Erik Nicolaysen
Erika Nordhaugen
Helge Nordtveit
Robert Norheim
Thomas & Ingrid O’Connell
Egil Oftedal
Nancy Olson
Lisa Marie Ottoson
John Moe
Jerry Packard
Karen M. Pauler
John Paulson
Jon Pederson
John Pederson
Eivind Perander
Erik Peters
Ronald W. Petersen
Christopher Peterson
Mark Peterson
Christian E. Raaum
Gustav Raaum
Alf Rasmussen
Elfriede & Edwin Reiersen
Judy Reiersen-Safir
Alison Rice
Peggy & Glenn Riddervold
Finn Roed
Norman Jorgen Ronneberg
Geir Rosvik
Cynthia Rubin
Vicki Rudh-Jones
Janet Ruud
Julian Rønning
Vicki Saunders
Rob Schnelle
Jane Sibley
J.M. Sidorov
Harald A. Smedal III
Helene Sobol
John Erik Stacy
Eric Stavney
Barbra S. Stehlik
David O. Strand
David Susag
Marilyn Taggart
Stephanie L. Taylor
Paul Thenstedt & Nancy C. Hanson
Robert Timm
Matt Tordoff
Karen J. Turley
Jennifer Tveiten Rifman
Mary J. Wagner
Donita Zblewski
Roberta Zorzynski
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The post-Ragnarök world in Völuspá. Art by Emil Doepler ca. 1905. Walhall, die Götterwelt der Germanen. Martin Oldenbourg, Berlin. Page 58. U.S. Public Domain
Freyr ($50 – $99)
Freyr, god of prosperity and fair weather, engages in a fierce fight against the jötunn Surtr, whose flaming sword goes on to engulf the earth. So apparently giant conflagrations count as nice weather.
Arlin Aasness
Barry Abrahamsen
Paul Abrahamsen
Joel Almlie
Tony & Katrina Andrus
Amy Bartleson Balcam
Ben Bedard
June Blikre
Michael Blumson
Marna K. Bryan
Chelsea Bueb
Joshua Cahill
Carla Danziger
Catherine Eide Nelson
Nancy Ellison
BJ Epstein
Glenn Ericksen
Jenny Fingles
Drew Gardner
Marca Gibson
Karl Gilbertson
Liese Greensfelder
Linda Grondahl
Christian Grorud
Kathryn Hartmann
Cheryl Hoium
Gard Holby
Mary Holoun
David Holt
JoAnn Hoven
Barbara Jacobsen
Harvey L. Johnson
Lawrence W. Johnson
Gillian Jorgensen
Santokh Kodial
Karen Koon
Betty Koshalek
Gunvor Kristiansen
Severt Kvamme
Ann-Marie Lamber
Lise Lorentzen
Leslee Lane Hoyum
Leslie Larsen
Gry I. Loklingholm
Susan McKee
Debbi Mock
Paula Moore
Yvonne Natvig
Chris Nordhougen
Pam Nylander-Hill
Laura Olufsen
Nancy Opgaard
Kristine Overholt
Stevie Pace
Ingrid Peri
Patricia Ponnay
Ryan Porter
Sada Reed
Karin Reistad
Bruce Richardson & Astri Dominick
Gail Robison
Barbara Rostad
May Sandvik Wohlafka
Jerry M. Saude
Marta Schee
Kristiann Schoening
Margaret Shuler
Reidum Seim
Julia Sidorova
Natalie Simon
James P. Sites, Royal Norwegian Consulate, Billings
Erika Sorensen
Catherine Marie Stacy
Linda Staswick
Henry Stenberg
Deborah Stoner-Ma
Sherry Stratton
Nina Svasand
Patrick Swenson
Inge Thorsen
Mary Kay Thunem
Elizabeth Traxler
Karen Volpe
Dianna Walla
Gary Walla
Joy A. White
Vincent Williams
Nancy Winsor
Susie Wu
Marilyn H. Yoder
Richard E. Young
Patricia Zanuck
Heimdallr (up to $49)
Heimdallr blows the Gjallarhorn to alert the gods of the giants’ advance; he fights Loki and the two kill each other. But since Loki was causing trouble and Heimdallr was pretty much just drinking mead and waiting for the apocalypse, we’ll call this a win.
Karen A. Aaker
Leslie M. Aasheim
Michael Amundsen
Connie Amundson
Duan Anderson
Darryl Aoki
Jaffrey Bagge Koch
Terrence K. Baillargeon
Harold & Synnove Bakke
Mary G. Beiningen
Janis Belgum
Elisabeth Beyer Villalobos
Susan Borgersen
Turid Bouchoukian
Sidsel Brady
Christina Bredthauer
Jana Brevick
Lindsay Brown
Lila Burmeister
Tai C.
Richard S. Carr
Mark Chekola
Bernice Chouery
Marcia Comer
Janet Coulon
Amy Davis
Kristine L. Dent
Joanne Donnellan
Sondra Dutra
Karen Ellestad
Glenn Eriksen
Micaiah “Huw” Evans
Diane Fatland
James H. Fladland
Susan Hermansen Goold
Karen Gusaas
Arlene M. Hall
Grace Hansen
Kristine M. Hansen
Marie Hansen
Alicia Hanson
Steve Hanson
Alvhild Hantho
Elizabeth Hatcher-Williams
Lois Berseth Hedlund
Randy Henderson
Nancy Hill
Mary E. Hirsch
Nancy Holter
Ardelle Hugdahl
Marion Hurt
Norma Johansen Struck
Allison Johnson
Susan M. Johnston
Katrina Jørgensen
Heidi Kim
Tim Kindseth
Kevin Kuell
Kristi Larson
Julie Laugen
Juli LaMoy
Betsy Law
Arthur & Judith Lee
Darin Lietz
Carole Lindsey-Potter
Mary Lokken
Katherine Lowry
Bjørn Magne Fangan
Nina M. Magsamen
Kari Mathews
Joyce McCracken
Deb McConaghy
Kari McGrath
Jeanne McGuire
Jackie Medill
Christine Meloni
Solfrid Migét
Mary Millard
Olaf Moriarty Solstrand
Elizabeth Muench
Mary Ann Namtvedt
Deb Nelson Gourley
Kristy A. Nelson
Ann Nordby
Liv Norderhaug
Eric Ostensjo
Cassie Owens
Kathrine Palomino
Maureen Pecaric
Steven Phalen
David Pierce
Krys Prichard
Janice Quick
Andrea Ray
Laura Reich
Hope Reilly
Beverly Robeck
Gillian Rodgers
Laurie Rodriguez
Anastasia Roeszler
Patricia Sabella
Erik Saltrønes
Kjell Sandve
Holly Santor
Sarah Schwald
Laila Simon
Dave Simpkins
Meghan Sinoff
Carstens Smith
Alma & Stacy Smyth
Susan Solli
Eli Steyskal
Carol StLouis
Diane Stordahl
James M. Syvertsen
Mark Tapio Kines
Emily Taylor
Dani Thibodeaux
Lynn L. Thompson
Elaine D. Troseth
Christy Tupper
Anne-Marie Turner
Lillian Upcraft
Georgette Valle
Mariel Vandiver
Elisa M. Vatn
Anne Vikingstad
Sandra Watson
Jaime Weisser
Peter Wessel
Claudia Wright
Jerry Wright
Eric R. Young
Joyce M. Young
Elsie Zuckerman
