Joseph Frantz Oscar Wergeland
Encyclopedia
Joseph Frantz Oscar Wergeland (1815 – 1895) was a Norwegian
military officer, cartographer and skiing
pioneer.
and grew up at Eidsvold
. He was the son of priest and politician Nicolai Wergeland
, and a brother of the poet Henrik Wergeland
and feminist writer Camilla Collett
. His cousin was military officer Harald Nicolai Storm Wergeland
. In 1859 he returned to Christianssand, where he stayed the rest of his life.
Wergeland had many talents. He became a military officer in 1834, a First Lieutenant
in 1839, Lieutenant Colonel
in 1866, Colonel
in 1868, and Major General
in 1880.
He worked 11 years as a cartographer
for the Norwegian Mapping and Cadastre Authority, where he drew the first official Norwegian county maps (the first issued was Christians Amt in 1845). He drew the first large and detailed map of Norway for use in schools. He was a teacher in drawing and calligraphy
at the Norwegian Military Academy
. He was orderly officer for the king. He was a member of the committee for the Hoved Line, Norway's first railway line, and several road constructions. As an eager sportsman and skier, he initiated military skiing divisions, and wrote a book about the history of skiing and its military applications. He is regarded as the founder of the sports clubs Christianssand ski- og skøyteklubb (1862) and Oddersjaa (1875).
A significant number of letters from the Wergeland family is preserved, largely due to Oscar, who kept the letters he received from other family members. He had a good relationship to his sister Camilla, and her articles from travels to European cities inspired his landscape work in Christianssand, as he constructed the Wergeland park and the Ravnedalen park, planted Baneheia
(former grazing land) with trees by use of soldiers, and transformed several main roads into large avenues. The Wergeland Park was constructed in 1859–60. It is surrounded by many old and important buildings, as the Cathedral (1696/1737/1885), Latinskolen (1736/1855) and the City Hall (1864).
The Ravnedalen
Park was constructed in the 1870s as a romantic garden, in a valley with dramatic cliffs, waterfalls and lake. It has open areas for public arrangements like concerts, gatherings and festivals.
's bronze statue of Wergeland in Ravnedalen Park (above) was unveiled in 1917.
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...
military officer, cartographer and skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
pioneer.
Personal life
Wergeland was born in ChristianssandKristiansand
-History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040...
and grew up at Eidsvold
Eidsvoll
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the Romerike traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Sundet.-Name:...
. He was the son of priest and politician Nicolai Wergeland
Nicolai Wergeland
Nicolai Wergeland was a Norwegian priest, writer and politician, and a member of the Norwegian Constituent Assembly at Eidsvoll that wrote the Constitution of Norway on 17 May 1814. He was elected as one of two delegates from Christiansand to the Eidsvoll Assembly in 1814...
, and a brother of the poet Henrik Wergeland
Henrik Wergeland
Henrik Arnold Thaulow Wergeland was a Norwegian writer, most celebrated for his poetry but also a prolific playwright, polemicist, historian, and linguist...
and feminist writer Camilla Collett
Camilla Collett
Jacobine Camilla Collett was a Norwegian writer, often referred to as the first Norwegian feminist. She was also the younger sister of Norwegian poet Henrik Wergeland, and is recognized as being one of the first contributors to realism in Norwegian literature...
. His cousin was military officer Harald Nicolai Storm Wergeland
Harald Nicolai Storm Wergeland
Harald Nicolai Storm Wergeland was a Norwegian military officer, politician and mountaineer. Having reached the rank of Major General by 1859, he served as Minister of the Army for several periods between 1857 and 1868. He later became Lieutenant General...
. In 1859 he returned to Christianssand, where he stayed the rest of his life.
Career
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
in 1839, Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
in 1866, Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
in 1868, and Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
in 1880.
He worked 11 years as a cartographer
Cartography
Cartography is the study and practice of making maps. Combining science, aesthetics, and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality can be modeled in ways that communicate spatial information effectively.The fundamental problems of traditional cartography are to:*Set the map's...
for the Norwegian Mapping and Cadastre Authority, where he drew the first official Norwegian county maps (the first issued was Christians Amt in 1845). He drew the first large and detailed map of Norway for use in schools. He was a teacher in drawing and calligraphy
Calligraphy
Calligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"...
at the Norwegian Military Academy
Norwegian Military Academy
The Norwegian Army Academy was established in 1750. It is the oldest university-level educational institution in Norway, and one of the oldest active military academies in the world. Krigsskolen primarily educates officers for the Norwegian Army. There are separate academies for the Royal...
. He was orderly officer for the king. He was a member of the committee for the Hoved Line, Norway's first railway line, and several road constructions. As an eager sportsman and skier, he initiated military skiing divisions, and wrote a book about the history of skiing and its military applications. He is regarded as the founder of the sports clubs Christianssand ski- og skøyteklubb (1862) and Oddersjaa (1875).
A significant number of letters from the Wergeland family is preserved, largely due to Oscar, who kept the letters he received from other family members. He had a good relationship to his sister Camilla, and her articles from travels to European cities inspired his landscape work in Christianssand, as he constructed the Wergeland park and the Ravnedalen park, planted Baneheia
Baneheia
Baneheia is an area in Kristiansand in Norway, mostly known at the national level from the Baneheia case, as the scene of a notorious murder of two girls aged 8 and 10 that took place in 2000. The area is a local recreational area with lakes and forest...
(former grazing land) with trees by use of soldiers, and transformed several main roads into large avenues. The Wergeland Park was constructed in 1859–60. It is surrounded by many old and important buildings, as the Cathedral (1696/1737/1885), Latinskolen (1736/1855) and the City Hall (1864).
Ravnedalen, Kristiansand
Ravnedalen is a park at Grim in Kristiansand, close to Baneheia. It was constructed 1874–1878 by military soldiers under Colonel, later Major General Joseph Frantz Oscar Wergeland's command.-History:...
Park was constructed in the 1870s as a romantic garden, in a valley with dramatic cliffs, waterfalls and lake. It has open areas for public arrangements like concerts, gatherings and festivals.
Statue
Gustav LærumGustav Lærum
Gustav Lærum was a Norwegian satirical illustrator and sculptor.He delivered illustrations to the satirical magazines Korsaren, Tyrihans and Vikingen, and also the newspaper Verdens Gang. Selected illustrations are issued in Fra Uret til Grand, Norske Politici , and Skyggebilder...
's bronze statue of Wergeland in Ravnedalen Park (above) was unveiled in 1917.