Lottery movement
The Lotto Movement is a Swedish women's organization whose members voluntarily take on duties in the Swedish defense. The Swedish name of the organization is Riksförbundet Sveriges lottakårer (SLK) .
The Swedish lottery movement today (2006) consists of around 18,000 women aged 15 and over. Swedish citizenship is not a requirement for membership , except for certain duties within the armed forces . The name refers to the figure of Lotta Svärd from Johan Ludvig Runeberg's collection of poems, Ensign Stahl . There are supporting members who, in addition to paying a contribution, only take on tasks on a case-by-case basis according to their own wishes, active members who are responsible in particular for management tasks as well as further training and public relations work, and finally members who have a four-year contract with the armed forces Close certain functions in the armed forces.
The first Lotta organization was founded in Finland in 1918 . The Swedish organization followed in 1924, a Lotta organization was formed in Norway in 1928 , and a Danish organization was finally added in 1946 . The Finnish organization was banned in 1944 as a result of the peace treaty with the Soviet Union , the Danish organization was disbanded in 1999 when the armed forces were opened to women.