Memorial to Icelandic Soldiers: Prologue

Authors

  • Ryan E. Johnson

Keywords:

Icelandic Canadian history, First World War commemoration, Diaspora and memory, Community archives, Translation and editorial practice

Abstract

This submission presents the editorial introduction to, and the first translated section of, Memorial of Icelandic Soldiers (Minningarrit íslenzkra hermanna), a commemorative volume published in Winnipeg in 1923 by the Jón Sigurðsson Chapter of the Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire. Produced by the Canadian Icelandic community in the aftermath of the First World War, the original work combined memorialization, documentary record-keeping, and interpretive reflection on the war and its consequences.

The editorial introduction situates the volume within its historical, institutional, and diasporic context and outlines the principles guiding the present translation. Particular attention is given to preserving the rhetorical tone, political language, and communal perspective of the original text, while explaining editorial decisions concerning structure, annotation, and scope. The introduction also clarifies the relationship between the translated essays and companion digital databases that will present the original registers of soldiers and of the fallen in searchable form.

The translated Foreword (Formáli) sets out the purpose and organization of the memorial volume as conceived by its original editors, addressing the motivations behind its structure, the role of community correspondence, and the practical and emotional considerations that shaped its compilation. Together, the Introduction and Foreword offer insight into how Icelandic Canadians in the early twentieth century understood service, sacrifice, and remembrance, and they establish the framework for subsequent translated installments to be published in future issues.

Author Biography

  • Ryan E. Johnson

    PhD Candidate at the University of Iceland and sessional instructor in the Department of Icelandic Language and Literature at the University of Manitoba.

Black and white early 20th century photo with seated women

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Published

16.02.2026

Issue

Vol. 75 (2025): 150 Year Issue

Section

Translations

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Ryan E. Johnson

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