Travel Between The Pages

On this date in1974, an army of more than 100 men, women, and children, all dressed as Santa Claus, invaded central Copenhagen. They paraded through the city in a procession that included a gigantic “Trojan” goose, angels, Danish flags, and livestock. At first they visited hospitals, sang carols, played with children in schools, roller-skated, and gave away holiday candies and hot chocolate, creating a celebratory atmosphere. They also invaded the General Motors plant demanding that workers be made the owners. One Santa Claus caused confusion by attempting to get a loan from a bank. Other disruptors visited the stock exchange.

The Santa Claus Army  was part of a week-long performance carried out by the Solvognen (The Sun Chariot) Theater Group that originated in the autonomous neighborhood of Christiania in Copenhagen. The footage taken in the streets during the actions was made into a film, The Santa Claus Action (1975). Solvognen’s performance reached its peak as the Santas handed out merchandise to shoppers inside of Magasin, one of Copenhagen’s biggest department stores. The Santas said: “Merry Christmas! Today, no-one has to pay.” They justified their actions, saying they were returning gifts to the workers who had made them. Security guards tried to take the gifts out of people’s hands, while managers pulled off the Santas’ hats and beards. The Santa Clauses sang Christmas carols rescripted with anticapitalist lyrics while they were handcuffed and violently escorted out of the store by police. Children who observed the arrests cried and screamed at the police for taking away their beloved Santa. Such scenes developed without a script; everybody played their role, even if inadvertently. Solvognen’s actions highlight the cruelty of placing profit before people. The joyful idea of Santa Claus giving away gifts was not only made into an absurdity but was also turned into a crime.