Almost 100 persons met up in the staff canteen to hear a lecture on gypsies given by the famous Norwegian personality Jahn Otto Johansen. Whether it was hunger for knowledge or the senior Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation’s (NRK) legendary status that drew the crowd remains unknown, but Jahn Otto delivered, that’s for sure!
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Text and Photo: Knut-Erik Rønningen, Translation: Colin Jeneson, published 18.02.10.

It was our very own, always enthusiastic, Social Consultant, Astrid Urdal who had invited Jahn Otto Johansen to the prison. He held a personal and interesting 45 minute lecture before opening for questions.
It would take too long to write even a precis of the lecture here, but if you are specially interested, a sound recording of the complete lecture may be obtained. 

Gypsies in the Balkan
The most pursued of the pursued is the title of a leaflet about the gypsies of the Balkan which was the theme of the lecture. He also brought along copies of his book ‘Home to Europe? Central and Eastern Europe in EU and NATO’ (Hjem til Europa? Sentral- og Øst-Europa i EU og NATO) which focuses on the new countries of Europe.

Sixty books
Johansen’s book debu was in 1960. Since then he has written over sixty books about the Middle-East, jewish culture, antisemitism, the gypsies, USA, China, Finland, Soviet Union/Russia, Central and Eastern Europe, about Norwegian and international artists and about sea-food cultures, also debate books about the media.

Most respect
When the famous Norwegian daily ’Dagbladet’ published in 1991 the results of an opinion poll over which persons Norwegians had most respect for, Johansen came top of the list. He has been described as by far Norway’s most interviewed Norwegian journalist.