Dikken Zwilgmeyer
Encyclopedia
Dikken Zwilgmeyer was a Norwegian children's writer, and is regarded among the most significant innovators of Norwegian children's literature
around 1900.
as the daughter of later stipendiary magastrate and Member of Parliament Peter Gustav Zwilgmeyer and Margrethe Gjørvel Daae. She and her family lived in Risør
from the time she was 8 years old. Her uncle Ludvig Daae was a politician and Minister of the Army
. She did not marry, and died in Kongsberg in 1913.
. Her first published story was "En Hverdagshistorie", printed in the magazine Nyt Tidsskrift
in 1884. Her first story for children was "Afbrudt 17. mai", published in the magazine Illustreret Tidende for Børn. Her first children's book was Vi børn, from 1890, signed "Inger Johanne, 13 years old". This book became a great success, and eleven more "Inger Johanne" books followed. Among these are Karsten og jeg from 1891, Fra vor by from 1892, and Barndom from 1895. Anniken Præstgaren from 1900 is probably the book with largest audience. It is estimated that Zwilgmeyer's books were printed in 600,000 copies up to 1903. "Inger Johanne" remained a favourite for Norwegian children for generations, and Zwilgmeyer's books are regarded as a significant innovation of Norwegian children's literature around 1900.
In 1895 she published her first book for adults, the short story collection Som kvinder er, about the poor circumstances for unmarried women, and in 1896 the puberty novel Ungt sind. These books were more or less met with silence from the contemporary literary critic. The collection Som kvinder er was reissued in 1953, and then received as a forgotten literary pearl from the 1890s. In the 1900s she wrote histrorical novels and stories, including the collection Mægler Porsvold og andre historier from 1902, and the novels Emerentze (1906), Maren Ragna (1907) and Thekla (1908).
In an obituary from 1913 Sigrid Undset
emphasized Zwilgmeyer's two faces, the nice children's writer and the more bitter critic of society.
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
around 1900.
Personal life
She was born in TrondheimTrondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
as the daughter of later stipendiary magastrate and Member of Parliament Peter Gustav Zwilgmeyer and Margrethe Gjørvel Daae. She and her family lived in Risør
Risør
is a city and municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. The city belongs to the traditional region of Sørlandet. It is a popular tourist place. The surrounding area includes many small lakes and hills, and is known for its beautiful coastline as well....
from the time she was 8 years old. Her uncle Ludvig Daae was a politician and Minister of the Army
Minister of Defence (Norway)
The Norwegian Minister of Defence is a Councillor of the Council of State and Chief of the Norwegian Ministry of Defence, the position has existed since the Secretary of the Army and Secretary of the Navy was combined into the Minister of Defence...
. She did not marry, and died in Kongsberg in 1913.
Career
Zwilgmeyer had no formal education. She showed early talent for painting and writing, and took lessons with various painters, including Christian KrohgChristian Krohg
Christian Krohg , was a Norwegian naturalist painter, illustrator, author and journalist.-Life and career:...
. Her first published story was "En Hverdagshistorie", printed in the magazine Nyt Tidsskrift
Nyt Tidsskrift
Nyt Tidsskrift is a former Norwegian literary, cultural and political magazine issued from 1882 to 1887, and with a second series from 1892 to 1895. The magazine had contributions from severeal of the leading intellectuals of the time, including later Nobel Literature Prize laureate Bjørnstjerne...
in 1884. Her first story for children was "Afbrudt 17. mai", published in the magazine Illustreret Tidende for Børn. Her first children's book was Vi børn, from 1890, signed "Inger Johanne, 13 years old". This book became a great success, and eleven more "Inger Johanne" books followed. Among these are Karsten og jeg from 1891, Fra vor by from 1892, and Barndom from 1895. Anniken Præstgaren from 1900 is probably the book with largest audience. It is estimated that Zwilgmeyer's books were printed in 600,000 copies up to 1903. "Inger Johanne" remained a favourite for Norwegian children for generations, and Zwilgmeyer's books are regarded as a significant innovation of Norwegian children's literature around 1900.
In 1895 she published her first book for adults, the short story collection Som kvinder er, about the poor circumstances for unmarried women, and in 1896 the puberty novel Ungt sind. These books were more or less met with silence from the contemporary literary critic. The collection Som kvinder er was reissued in 1953, and then received as a forgotten literary pearl from the 1890s. In the 1900s she wrote histrorical novels and stories, including the collection Mægler Porsvold og andre historier from 1902, and the novels Emerentze (1906), Maren Ragna (1907) and Thekla (1908).
In an obituary from 1913 Sigrid Undset
Sigrid Undset
Sigrid Undset was a Norwegian novelist who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1928.-Biography:Undset was born in Kalundborg, Denmark, but her family moved to Norway when she was two years old. In 1924, she converted to Catholicism and became a lay Dominican...
emphasized Zwilgmeyer's two faces, the nice children's writer and the more bitter critic of society.