History It started in North America where a movement based on the idea of self-help among alcohol-dependent people took shape in 1935. William "Bill" Wilson was a traveling salesman and had severe alcohol problems. In a crisis, he came in contact with a doctor, Robert "Bob" Smith, who also had alcohol problems. The strange thing that happened was not that Bill was restored and could start working again, without Bob for his work with Bill himself worked without alcohol and almost forgotten their own problems. From this was born the American AA movement. Bill and Bob became its founder.

Axel Sällkvist, founder

The idea was transferred to Sweden
The promoter was Axel Sällkvist and he was inspector of the temperance board in Stockholm. He got in his work constantly experience how social care resources failed the alcohol sickness. After reading an article in The Best entitled "Alcoholics cures another" just about AA movement, he realized that this could be something to consider in Sweden. He collected seven alcoholism friends to a meeting at his home, where they drew up the guidelines for what would become the Länkarnas movement. It was agreed that the AA movement's program of ideas would form the backbone, but the association and organizational would completely adapted to Swedish conditions.

On January 30, 1945 formed the Society Länkarna in Sweden

The Twelve Steps
is the AA-operating program of ideas called, was redesigned by Boråslänkarna Wilhelm Frank and Ernst Liljekvist to our seven points program. The last paragraph ends with the words: "As you have been helped, you should help others."

The movement grew
and the first Society of Länkarna it has become more than 200 organisations, which are scattered in every major city in Sweden. Although the approach can vary between societies, we have the common goal to help other people with alcohol problems to a sober life if they want it, in the same way as we once were helped when we got to help others.

Local Society Länkarna in Handen

How it all began
The Free Society Länkarna, Handen was formed on September 17, 1967. The then vicar East Rassmussen and police detective Sten Sundqvist, former chairman of the Social Central Board wrote to the Länkarna in the Stockholm South and sought help. Chairman of the Stockholm Söder was Nils Almcrantz who also lived in Haninge. He promised to set up. The library in Handen started Länkarna in that an interim board was elected.
The first time the meeting was in the library meeting room but the ranks to become unsustainable. With the help of the municipality acquired the first local on the premises Vendelsö Road 71, a cottage in 3 rooms and kitchen. The cottage was called Dog-Emma's cabin, where there was formerly a kennel. The downside of the room was bad bus connections as well as the difficulty to get there.
A delegation from Länkarna courted municipality if a local nearer the center. The municipality thought it would be too expensive to pay rent. Stone Sundqvist then pointed out that if only one could keep a man sober and get back to productive work, this would pay for itself.
After this thrust had Länkarna its premises. Among the various options it became the premises we have today. On May 7, 1971 inaugurated the current premises on Nynäsvägen 52 a former maternity clinic called Mjölkpinan (milk pain).
The years passed and the company ran into bad things. Then President became discouraged and hurt. It was a mess and of course relapse. 1985 consisted Handenlänkarna by an acting chairman Karl Bäckström and Secretary Seppo Lilja and a few members. 1986 moved two mates from the Stockholm Söder over to Handenlänkarna to support and relaunch the society again. 1986 was an interim board where Harald was elected chairman Aina treasurer and Seppo as secretary. Since that day was growing and recovered. Harald was then Chairman until 1991. Since then it has been the president signed. Society is still growing slowly.


A new milestone
For many years, our linkmates have been divided into two different organizations, in the Free Fria Länkarna and in the Rikslänkarna. Several of the groups that entered the Fria Länkarnas took a decision in the spring of 2018 that it was time for the Länkrörelsen (Link movement) to once again merge under the same roof.We in Handenlänkarna took a decision to apply for membership in the Rikslänkarna from May 2018.

*) Bosse decided in 2014 to leave the chair after having served the Free Society of Länkarna, Handen as its president for almost 22 years.
There are many current and former mates who has Bosse to thank for the sobriety, the decent life that we now live.

Erik Karlsson