sträflings

Strävling is the Swedish and other Scandinavian terms for a form of punishment that was used historically in Europe, particularly in Sweden and Finland, as a form of penal transportation. During the 17th to the early 20th centuries, individuals found guilty of crimes could be sentenced to a journey of forced labor to distant regions of Sweden or other parts of Europe.

The practice of strävling, also known as straffrab, involved being banished to designated areas, where the convicted person was required to work on public projects or in private enterprises for an extended period. This form of punishment was intended to isolate the individual from their family and community and provide a form of retribution for past wrongdoings.

Strävling often entailed relocation to remote areas, such as Åland or Lapland, where the convict would be tasked with various forms of labor, including road construction, mining, or other forms of public service. The length of the sentence varied, but it was often set for a period of several years or even decades.

In practice, strävling effectively functioned as a form of exile, with convicts losing their rights, their social status, and limited contact with their families. This discipline was abolished in Sweden in 1907 and gradually phased out in other Scandinavian countries, and it is no longer used today.