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| Editors Note |
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In the essay by Dr Mauro Barindi that opens the first special issue of Nordicum-Mediterraneum, it is stated that “Whenever one wishes to sketch an overview of the presence of Italian language and culture in the Nordic countries, Iceland stands out as the nation where Italian studies have hardly ever established firm roots and blossomed into a solid scholarly tradition. Amongst the few to have contributed to making this presence less ephemeral, also and especially at the institutional level, is Þórhallur Þorgilsson” (1903—1958). His promotion of Italian culture and literature took place at a time when Italy represented the most important market for Icelandic saltfish (baccalà). Spain, the traditional main importer of Icelandic saltfish, was then unable to trade in as large volumes because of devastating civil warfare. As editors of a scholarly e-journal devoted to studying and facilitating the ties between the Nordic and Mediterranean cultures, and those between the Icelandic and the Italian cultures in particular, we wish to pay homage to Þórhallur Þorgilsson’s scholarly contribution. It is not our desire to dwell on his alleged sympathies towards the Italian Fascist regime, but to focus on his indubitable scholarly merits. Moreover, in addition to being still useful to the Icelandic student of Romance languages, Þórhallur Þorgilsson’s work can be of interest to the scholar who wishes to investigate the academic and editorial history of the Icelandic nation during the last century. Also, as Mediterranean-born members of the Icelandic scholarly community, we wish to highlight the philological and pedagogical quality of his work, which has broadened in his native country the knowledge, understanding and acceptance of the Italian and Romance languages, cultures and peoples—for ultimately it is the living person that embodies and carries forward both language and culture. Making use of the unique editorial potential of electronic publishing, the first special issue of Nordicum-Mediterraneum launches an ongoing, open archive devoted to Þórhallur Þorgilsson’s original works, now out of circulation and hardly accessible to both the general and the scholarly public. Hence, as of today, a few representative sections are to be selected from his publications and made available on our website, which is also accessible via the Directory of Open Access Journals of Lund University Libraries. In the following months and years, we will update the open archive with further significant selections from his works and the pertinent comments, notes and reflections that we may receive from our readers. In conclusion, we wish to thank most sincerely the heirs of Þórhallur Þorgilsson, who have granted us permission to divulgate his works on our e-journal. The Editors |