Old Timey Martial Arts Demonstration - Sweden - Mr. Viking Cronholm Self Defense Techniques

The Swedish physiotherapist, boxer and elite-sportsman Viking Cronholm travelled to South-Africa in 1904. It was there that a few years later he was taught Jiu Jitsu by an English officer.
Possibly by the infamous Leopold McLaglen who may have been working as a Jiujitsu instructor in South Africa at this time as Captain in the British Army. Cronholm returned to Sweden, and immediately introduced Ju-jutsu to his old boxing friends.

The first official Ju-jutsu exhibition followed by a course in self-defense, was held in January 1908. Cronholm continued his studies with various Japanese Ju-jutsu masters, probably those who had started the Ju-jutsu institute in London.

His first Ju-jutsu demonstration in Stockholm was given immense attention, and he gained great interest and support from the most prominent sporting leaders in Sweden, among others the "father of modern sport", the General and head of the Central Gymnastic institute, Viktor Balck.

Cronholm´s efforts to start a boxing an Ju-jutsu institute in Stockholm were not so successful, however, so he devoted the rest of his lifetime to the instruction of the military, police, watchmen and other uniformed groups in close combat and self-defense techniques. Cronholm did, however, willingly demonstrate Ju-jutsu in sports clubs. Due to Cronholm´s efforts "jiu jitsu" became an recognized term in Sweden. Because so many people learnt his techniques, Ju-jutsu did not become surrounded by the mysticism that is often related to budo. Ju-jutsu in Sweden (in contrast to many other countries) has never become esoteric nor exotic.

It must, however, be emphasized that Cronholm´s Ju-jutsu never developed into a sporting system, nor was it practiced systematically or to any great extent within any sports organization. The sporting practise of Ju-jutsu had thus not yet been established.

On the other hand, the Ju-jutsu which Cronholm practiced has many similarities with the present style, and many of the techniques he taught are still practiced today, although in somewhat different manner. His Ju-jutsu was less dynamically orientated than that of the present day, using the reaction to pain more extensively, not least of all in the techniques applied to the wrist, which were among his favorites (kote gaeshi, ude osae, hiji gatame). Viking Cronholm was incredibly quick in his movements. He liked to use "small" techniques, but also dramatic atemi, the use of thrusts to vital anatomical points or the moment of surprise. His personal favorite was called "the kiss-hold", particularly useful for women confronted with unwelcome attention. It is very similar to one of the techniques found in the present Ju-jutsu system.

Viking Cronholm remained active until he was around 75 years old, holding demonstrations and instructing the military. He died in 1961, at the age of 87, and had hence been involved in Ju-jutsu for nearly 60 years. By then he come in contact with the first representatives of modern budo who had begun their activity in Sweden around 1950. Cronholms´s classical, close combat Ju-jutsu differed, however, from the style inspired by judo which was now being imported from the Continent.

Cronholm´s well known book "Jiu-jitsu Tricks" from 1908 has been published in more than 30 editions and was on sale into the 1990:s. This would make it one of the most popular sports books in Sweden. Many tens of thousands of Swedes had also been instructed in Ju-jutsu by Viking Cronholm. He was even a pioneer in the teaching of Ju-jutsu to women; his wife Ester participated in demonstrations in the early part of the century, and was very adept at Ju-jutsu.

Due to Cronholm´s efforts, Ju-jutsu became the budo sport with the incomparably longest history in Sweden.

In the sports-press of the 1920:s and 1930:s there was also a great interest in Ju-jutsu. Through comprehensive articles especially in the boxing-journal "Swing", young men, and maybe even women, taught themselves a primitive form of Ju-jutsu. Instruction in Ju-jutsu could also be taken from Alex Wiemark who ran an institute for boxing and Ju-jutsu in Stockholm from the 1920:s until the end of the 1940's. Some of Cronholm´s pupils also gave instruction in self-defense, among them the policeman Arthur Lidberg, active in Gothenburg during the 1930's, and Ernst Wessman, who had gained his Ju-jutsu education in Germany and who was particularly interested in self-defense for women.

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