HIPPIE
The last summer
Cover:
Photo: Gregers Nielsen
Design: Christian Ramsøe
Peter Øvig’s second volume about the hippies and the Thy Camp in the summer of 1970 culminates with the occupation of Hjardemål Church by 15 of the camp participants.
In the course of a few hours the occupation took an extremely dramatic turn when angry fishermen attacked the squatters and the police intervened with helicopters and teargas. Based on police reports, diaries and interviews, Peter Øvig reconstructs that fateful day, hour by hour.
“Hippie 1 – Three years and 74 days that changed Denmark” was the white book on the upturn: The story of the explosion in the Summer of Love and the euphoric culmination of the great Thy experiment. “Hippie 2 – The Last Summer” is the black book about the decline into drink, murder, junk, suicide, black magic and violence.
Based on the police’s investigations, among other things, Peter Øvig tells the story of how the camp clown, the stripping Provo-Knud, decides to wipe out all evil in the world, and starts by knifing his best friend to death.
“Hippie 2 – The Last Summer” is the story of a vision, which got out of hand, about people who failed, about suicide, insanity and murder, about magnificent dreams and shattered illusions.
The Danish Case is an abridged version in English of the two Hippie-books.
The full book is published in Danish only (Gyldendal, 2012)
Reviews
“Peter Øvig Knudsen rounds off his great hippy chronicle with chronological consistency, attention to detail and convincing dramatic skill … impressively well done.”
Søren Kassebeer,
* * * * * Berlingske
“A thought-provoking meditation about freedom and its restraints.”
Frederik Stjernfelt,
Weekendavisen
“An outstanding picture of a wild, fun, sad and frighteningly and deeply interesting part of the history of Denmark.”
Egon Kjøller,
* * * * * Nordjyske
“Hippie 2 is replete with drama, death, sunken dreams and amazingly good stories about the Thy camp and the occupation of the church at Hjardemål. At the same time deeply serious, entertaining and challengingly honest in its approach to people and topics.”
Gerda Buhl,
Morsø Folkeblad
Book trailer
Posts on the book’s blog
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