The conference venue is in Andrews Theater at Asbru. The 500 seat theater has recently been renovated and is located 5 minutes from Leifstöð, Iceland's International Airport in Keflavik.
Andrews Theater
The doors of Andrews Theater were opened in 1959 and the theater was in full operation for as long the American Armed Forces had a facility in Iceland until 2006. Andrews Theater is named in
honor after Lt. Gen. Frank M. Andrews, general officer in the United States Army and one of the founding fathers of the United States Air Force. In leadership positions within the Army Air Corps, he
succeeded in advancing progress toward a separate and independent Air Force where predecessors and allies such as Billy Mitchell had failed. Andrews was the first head of a centralized American air
force and the first air officer to serve on the Army's general staff. In early 1943, he took the place of Dwight D. Eisenhower as commander of all U.S. troops in the European Theater of Operations.
After his death Capt. Eisenhower, who became the 34th President of the US 1953 to 1961, took again his place as the Commander of the European operation.
Lt. General Frank M.
Andrews died in an aircraft accident at the Reykjanes peninsula on 3 May 1943. He was en route from Britain, together with eight members of his staff, when the aircraft encountered bad weather
conditions and crashed into Fagradalsfjall Mountain on Reykjanes peninsula close to the town of Grindavik. Only one person, i.e. crew member Sergeant George Eisel, survived this tragic
accident.
Among the men who lost their lives in the accident were officers of Frank M. Andrews' staff, a bishop of the Methodist Church in the US, and, as stated above, all but one of the crew of the
aircraft. The funeral services of the men who died took place at the Reykjavík Lutheran Cathedral and at the Landakot Catholic Cathedral, also in Reykjavík. American officials and
commanding officers of the American Armed Forces in Iceland were Frank M. Andrews' pallbearers. All of the coffins were taken to the Fossvogur Cemetery in Reykjavík, where they were laid to
rest with full military honors. Present at the funeral on behalf of Iceland, was the Governor of Iceland, Sveinn Björnsson, Icelandic ministers and the Bishop of the National Church of
Iceland.
Lt. General Frank Maxwell Andrews was the highest
ranking U.S. officer to die in combat at the time, the first of three lieutenant generals to die in combat during the war. Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland is named after him, as well as Andrews
Barracks (a kaserne in Berlin, Germany), General Andrews Airport (demolished) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and Andrews Avenue in Pasay City, Philippines.
About Asbru
Ásbrú is a new name for the development which has taken place on the former NATO defence area. When the U.S. Military left the area after being there for 60 years, a new company,
Keflavik Airport Development Company ehf. - Kadeco, was founded with the goal of putting the defence area and its facilities to civilian use. Kadeco is wholly owned by the Prime Ministry of
Iceland.
The goal and purpose of Kadeco is to lead the development and transformation of the former defence area, now known as Ásbrú, for civilian use. Part of that process is necessary
preparation work, assessment of the area and facilities as well as assessment of development- and growth opportunities in cooperation with invested parties.
In addition the company manages and operates several specific government owned facilities through a service contract with the Government of Iceland. This includes overseeing the lease and sale of
properties, cleaning up areas, demolishing structures, and other related projects. Kadeco is also working on projects regarding the assessment, development and transformation of the area.
After the U.S. military departed people started using several different names to describe the area, including the Old defence area, the Base, the Keilir area, and Miðnesheiði. Giving the
area the name Ásbrú will give all interested parties in the area a clear and definitive landmark to identify with.
Origin of the word
Ásbrú is the bridge that the old Nordic gods, the Aesir, built between Midgard, home of men, and Asgard, home of the gods, and can be seen from the earth as the rainbow. One end of
Ásbrú is in the heavens, at Himinbjörg (Sky Mountain) where the god Heimdall lives.
Ásbrú is strongly built, but it will nonetheless crumble at Ragnarok, the end of times, when the evil sons of Muspell will cross it. According to the Nordic mythology the red colour
of the rainbow(Ásbrú) is a fire that burns in the sky. The fire prevented the ice trolls and mountain ogres to cross the bridge.
Daily the Aesir ride across Ásbrú to Urdarbrunnur, the well of Urdur, which is where the gods hold their court. Urdarbrunnur is located under the roots of Ash Yggdrasil, the world
tree. The three witches of fate, Urdur, Verdandi, and Skuld, live at Urdarbrunnur. Thor, god of thunder, can not cross Ásbrú so he must cross mighty rivers to reach his destination at
Urdarbrunnur.
The first part of the Prose Edda, Gylfaginning, describes it thus:
Körmt and Örmt
and the Kerlaugs twain,
Them shall Thor wade
Every day
when he goes to doom
At Ash Yggdrasill;
For the Aesir's Bridge
burns all with flame,
And the holy waters howl.
