13 JANUARY 2025 · SLOW SWEDISH · EPISODE 71

This week, we’re talking about a dark chapter in recent Swedish history: the murder of 14-year-old John Hron in 1995. John was attacked and killed by a group of young neo-Nazis after refusing to say that he loved Nazis.

We’ll talk about who John was, what happened that night and what happened afterward. The episode also explores civilkurage, civil courage, and what it means to stand up for what you believe is right, even when doing so can be dangerous.

What you’ll learn

This week, you’ll learn how to:

  • Follow the story of John Hron and the events surrounding his murder
  • Understand vocabulary related to racism, violence and neo-Nazism
  • Learn about the social context surrounding the case
  • Follow a serious story about crime and its consequences
  • Understand the Swedish concept of civilkurage
  • Reflect on what it means to stand up for yourself and others

Study materials

Download the study materials for this week to follow along and get more out of each episode.

Vocabulary 1 ↓

Vocabulary 2 ↓

Expressions ↓

Transcript Easy Swedish ↓

Transcript Slow / Fast Swedish ↓

Your turn!

What does civil courage mean to you? Have you ever seen someone stand up for what was right even when it was difficult?