Ivar Eskeland
Encyclopedia
Ivar Eskeland was a Norwegian
philologist, publisher, translator, biographer, literary critic, newspaper editor, theatre worker, radio personality and organizational leader.
as a son of headmaster Severin Eskeland
(1880–1964) and Olga Dorothea Olsen (1886–1975). He was a nephew of Lars Eskeland. He finished
his secondary education at Valler, graduated from Stord Teachers' College
in 1949 and from the University of Oslo
in 1955 with the cand.philol. degree.
He was hired as secretary-general of Noregs Mållag
in 1955, then worked for the publishing house Fonna Forlag from 1956 to 1960, for Det Norske Teatret
from 1960 to 1965 before editing the newspaper Dag og Tid
from 1965 to 1966. He was also a freelance
teacher at the Norwegian National Academy of Theatre
in the 1960s. In language organizations, he was the deputy chairman of Noregs Mållag from 1957 to 1960 and chairman from 1960 to 1963, and member of the Vogt Committee between 1965 and 1967.
From 1968 to 1972 he was the director of the Nordic House in Iceland, and from 1972 to 1974 he directed the Secretariat for Nordic Cultural Cooperation. He translated Halldór Laxness
and William Heinesen
, wrote a textbook in Icelandic
and biographies of Gisle Straume
and Snorri Sturluson
. For this he was decorated with the Order of the Falcon
in 1971 and the Bastian Prize
in 1972. He was also chairman of the Broadcasting Council from 1963 to 1968, the Norwegian Association of Literary Translators
from 1965 to 1968 and 1978 to 1986, and the Norwegian Critics' Association
from 1975 to 1981. He was an honorary member of the Norwegian Association of Literary Translators and Noregs Mållag. He was also a radio personality known for his causerie
s, and a literary critic. From 1985 to 1986 he was director in the publishing house Forlaget Atheneum.
Eskeland was married twice. He died in December 2005 in Oslo. He was decorated as a Grand Knight with Star of the Icelandic Order of the Falcon
.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
philologist, publisher, translator, biographer, literary critic, newspaper editor, theatre worker, radio personality and organizational leader.
Career
He was born in StordStord
Stord is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Stord is sometimes called "Norway in miniature" - as it has such a variety of landscapes: coastline, fjords, forests, agricultural land, and mountain areas....
as a son of headmaster Severin Eskeland
Severin Eskeland
Severin Eskeland was a Norwegian educator, biographer and politician. He was rector at the teachers college at Stord from 1917 to 1950. He wrote textbooks on history, old Norse and physics. He wrote biographies on Rasmus Løland, Thomas von Westen, Vladimir Lenin and Thomas More. He served as mayor...
(1880–1964) and Olga Dorothea Olsen (1886–1975). He was a nephew of Lars Eskeland. He finished
Examen artium
Examen artium was the name of the academic certification conferred in Denmark and Norway, qualifying the student for admission to university studies. Examen artium was originally introduced as the entrance exam of the University of Copenhagen in 1630...
his secondary education at Valler, graduated from Stord Teachers' College
Stord/Haugesund University College
Stord/Haugesund University College , Norwegian: Høgskolen Stord/Haugesund) is a medium sized state university college in Norway, with around 2700 students and 260 employees...
in 1949 and from the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
in 1955 with the cand.philol. degree.
He was hired as secretary-general of Noregs Mållag
Noregs Mållag
Noregs Mållag is the main organisation for Norwegian Nynorsk , one of the two official written standards of the Norwegian language. In the Norwegian language struggle, it advocates the use of Nynorsk...
in 1955, then worked for the publishing house Fonna Forlag from 1956 to 1960, for Det Norske Teatret
Det Norske Teatret
Det Norske Teatret is a theatre in Oslo. The theatre was founded in 1912, after an initiative from Hulda Garborg and Edvard Drabløs. It opened in 1913, touring with two plays, Ervingen by Ivar Aasen and Rationelt Fjøsstell by Hulda Garborg...
from 1960 to 1965 before editing the newspaper Dag og Tid
Dag og Tid
Dag og Tid is a national weekly newspaper in Norway that uses the Nynorsk standard of the Norwegian language. The newspaper was founded in 1962, is politically independent but editorially radical and focuses on culture and politics. The current editor is Svein Gjerdåker. Its circulation is...
from 1965 to 1966. He was also a freelance
Freelancer
A freelancer, freelance worker, or freelance is somebody who is self-employed and is not committed to a particular employer long term. These workers are often represented by a company or an agency that resells their labor and that of others to its clients with or without project management and...
teacher at the Norwegian National Academy of Theatre
Norwegian National Academy of Theatre
The Norwegian National Academy of Theatre was established as a three-year theater-education in 1953, under the name of Statens teaterskole.The school was given collegiate status in 1982...
in the 1960s. In language organizations, he was the deputy chairman of Noregs Mållag from 1957 to 1960 and chairman from 1960 to 1963, and member of the Vogt Committee between 1965 and 1967.
From 1968 to 1972 he was the director of the Nordic House in Iceland, and from 1972 to 1974 he directed the Secretariat for Nordic Cultural Cooperation. He translated Halldór Laxness
Halldór Laxness
Halldór Kiljan Laxness was a twentieth-century Icelandic writer. Throughout his career Laxness wrote poetry, newspaper articles, plays, travelogues, short stories, and novels...
and William Heinesen
William Heinesen
Andreas William Heinesen was a poet, composer and painter from the Faroe Islands.- His Writing :The Faroese capital Tórshavn is always the centre of Heinesen's writing. He is famous for having once called Tórshavn "The Navel of the World". His writing focuses on contrasts between darkness and...
, wrote a textbook in Icelandic
Icelandic language
Icelandic is a North Germanic language, the main language of Iceland. Its closest relative is Faroese.Icelandic is an Indo-European language belonging to the North Germanic or Nordic branch of the Germanic languages. Historically, it was the westernmost of the Indo-European languages prior to the...
and biographies of Gisle Straume
Gisle Straume
Gisle Straume was a Norwegian actor and theatre director.He was born in Holla. He was employed at Det Norske Teatret from 1945 to 1951, at Den Nationale Scene from 1951 to 1952, and again at Det Norske Teatret from 1952 to 1955...
and Snorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was twice elected lawspeaker at the Icelandic parliament, the Althing...
. For this he was decorated with the Order of the Falcon
Order of the Falcon
The Order of the Falcon or Hin íslenska fálkaorða is a national Order of Iceland, established on July 3, 1921 by King Christian X of Denmark and Iceland.-History and appointments:...
in 1971 and the Bastian Prize
Bastian Prize
The Bastian Prize is a prize awarded annually by the Norwegian Association of Literary Translators.The prize, established in 1951, is given for translating a published work into Norwegian language...
in 1972. He was also chairman of the Broadcasting Council from 1963 to 1968, the Norwegian Association of Literary Translators
Norwegian Association of Literary Translators
Norwegian Association of Literary Translators is an association for Norwegian literary translators, founded in 1948. The association has awarded the annual Bastian Prize from 1951, for best literary translation into Norwegian language. The prize is a statue by made by sculptor Ørnulf Bast....
from 1965 to 1968 and 1978 to 1986, and the Norwegian Critics' Association
Norwegian Critics' Association
The Norwegian Critics' Association is an organization for Norwegian critics in the newspaper and broadcasting professions....
from 1975 to 1981. He was an honorary member of the Norwegian Association of Literary Translators and Noregs Mållag. He was also a radio personality known for his causerie
Causerie
Causerie is a literary style of short informal essays mostly unknown in the English-speaking world. A causerie is generally short, light and humorous and is often published as a newspaper column . Often causerie is a current opinion piece, but it contains more verbal acrobatics and humor than a...
s, and a literary critic. From 1985 to 1986 he was director in the publishing house Forlaget Atheneum.
Eskeland was married twice. He died in December 2005 in Oslo. He was decorated as a Grand Knight with Star of the Icelandic Order of the Falcon
Order of the Falcon
The Order of the Falcon or Hin íslenska fálkaorða is a national Order of Iceland, established on July 3, 1921 by King Christian X of Denmark and Iceland.-History and appointments:...
.