Walpurgis Eve in Uppsala – ‘Valborg’

The Donning of the Caps takes place in front of the University Library, Carolina Rediviva. At exactly 3 o’clock in the afternoon the Vice-Chancellor waves his white student cap to the gathered masses below, who wave back and don their white caps. The tradition dates back to the early 1900s, and found its present forms when then Vice-Chancellor Torgny Segerstedt raised his cap as a signal to mark the beginning of spring.

In the early 19th century students started a tradition of going up to the top of Castle Hill to see the bonfires on the surrounding plain. Those who could sing took the opportunity to do so; this was the birth of student glee clubs. Eventually it became a tradition to toast the king and country and perhaps make a speech to greet the spring.

By the late 19th century the tradition was full-blown – the entire Student Union showed up and it became customary for the vice-president of the Union to deliver an address to the spring. This often acclaimed speech has been broadcast nationally on the radio every year since 1926 (with the exception of 1951), but since 1971 the address has been delivered by the curator curatorum, i.e. the president of the council of presidents of the student nations. The Gunilla Bell is rung at 21:00, and the Allmänna Sången choir still performs.