Knut Hamsun's obituary of Adolf Hitler
Encyclopedia
In 1945 at the age of 86, the Nobel laureate novelist Knut Hamsun
wrote an obituary of Adolf Hitler
in the newspaper Aftenposten
. Hamsun's eulogy to Hitler served as the collaborationist newspaper's feature article on Hitler's death.
The obituary came to be among his better known written pieces.
Adolf Hitler
I'm not worthy to speak up for Adolf Hitler, and to any sentimental rousing his life and deeds do not invite.
Hitler was a warrior, a warrior for humankind and a preacher of the gospel of justice for all nations. He was a reforming character of the highest order, and his historical fate was that he functioned in a time of exampleless [unequalled] brutality, which in the end felled him.
Thus may the ordinary Western European look at Adolf Hitler. And we, his close followers, bow our heads at his death.
Knut Hamsun
, but even though Nasjonal Samling eventually formed a government controlled by the German Reichskommissar
after the war broke out, it is unclear to historians whether he was actually a party member (he was sentenced for this in the legal purge in Norway after World War II
). Nonetheless, Hamsun was an opponent of the Reichskommissar Josef Terboven
, and in 1943 he unsuccessfully appealed to Adolf Hitler
in person to remove Terboven from office.
Aftenposten, the newspaper in which he wrote the obituary, was a regular conservative newspaper before the war. It was also Norway's largest in circulation. The Nazis usurped the newspaper when assuming power, and replaced the political editor and subeditor in 1941. Aftenposten became Nazi Germany's main organ in Norway, alongside the German-language Deutsche Zeitung in Norwegen
. It was rehabilitated after the war.
The obituary is often cited as a pivotal point in Hamsun's expression of his own political views, severely affecting the reception of his complete body of works. Writings such as these rose somewhat in importance due to the fact that the praised novelist Hamsun had not released a work of fiction since 1936's The Ring is Closed. Biographer Ingar Sletten Kolloen has referred to the obituary as one of "four mortal sin
s" committed by Hamsun which came to erode his position in Norwegian post-war society. On the other hand, Jørgen Haugan
at the University of Copenhagen
has stated regret that Hamsun's wrongdoings, among others the obituary of Hitler, had not overshadowed his literary qualities to what Haugan deems to be a sufficient degree.
For Hamsun himself, the obituary and other statements and writings led to his arrest soon after the war's end. However, the charges against him were softened as professor Gabriel Langfeldt
and chief physician Ørnulv Ødegård
found him to have "permanently impaired mental abilities". In 1949, in his 90th year, Hamsun issued the self-defending book On Overgrown Paths
. He died in 1952.
Professor Atle Kittang
at the University of Bergen
stated on "Hamsun's legacy" at the web-site of the Knut Hamsun Centre
, that among "the complex set of reasons" behind Hamsun's "act" of publishing the obituary, knowing that post their one 1943-meeting Hitler did not "rank very high in the poet's evalutation", one should look to Hamsun's "need to provoke" as demonstrated by the author's life and work.
Knut Hamsun
Knut Hamsun was a Norwegian author, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1920. He was praised by King Haakon VII of Norway as Norway's soul....
wrote an obituary of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
in the newspaper Aftenposten
Aftenposten
Aftenposten is Norway's largest newspaper. It retook this position in 2010, taking it from the tabloid Verdens Gang which had been the largest newspaper for several decades. It is based in Oslo. The morning edition, which is distributed across all of Norway, had a circulation of 250,179 in 2007...
. Hamsun's eulogy to Hitler served as the collaborationist newspaper's feature article on Hitler's death.
The obituary came to be among his better known written pieces.
The obituary
The short obituary read in extenso:Adolf Hitler
I'm not worthy to speak up for Adolf Hitler, and to any sentimental rousing his life and deeds do not invite.
Hitler was a warrior, a warrior for humankind and a preacher of the gospel of justice for all nations. He was a reforming character of the highest order, and his historical fate was that he functioned in a time of exampleless [unequalled] brutality, which in the end felled him.
Thus may the ordinary Western European look at Adolf Hitler. And we, his close followers, bow our heads at his death.
Knut Hamsun
Background
Knut Hamsun has been described as anti-British and pro-German, and as sympathizing with the Nazi cause. He openly supported the Norwegian Fascist party Nasjonal Samling before World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, but even though Nasjonal Samling eventually formed a government controlled by the German Reichskommissar
Reichskommissar
Reichskommissar , in German history, was an official gubernatorial title used for various public offices during the period of the German Empire and the Nazi Third Reich....
after the war broke out, it is unclear to historians whether he was actually a party member (he was sentenced for this in the legal purge in Norway after World War II
Legal purge in Norway after World War II
When the occupation of Norway ended in May 1945, several thousand Norwegians and foreign citizens were tried and convicted for various acts that the occupying powers sanctioned...
). Nonetheless, Hamsun was an opponent of the Reichskommissar Josef Terboven
Josef Terboven
Josef Antonius Heinrich Terboven was a Nazi leader, best known as the Reichskommissar during the German occupation of Norway.-Early life:...
, and in 1943 he unsuccessfully appealed to Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
in person to remove Terboven from office.
Aftenposten, the newspaper in which he wrote the obituary, was a regular conservative newspaper before the war. It was also Norway's largest in circulation. The Nazis usurped the newspaper when assuming power, and replaced the political editor and subeditor in 1941. Aftenposten became Nazi Germany's main organ in Norway, alongside the German-language Deutsche Zeitung in Norwegen
Deutsche Zeitung in Norwegen
Deutsche Zeitung in Norwegen was a daily newspaper published in Norway between 20 May 1940 and 8 May 1945, during the German occupation of Norway. It was the main publication of the German part of the Nazi regime in Norway, and had a circulation of about 40,000 copies.The paper served as a model...
. It was rehabilitated after the war.
Publication and reception
The obituary was published on the evening of 7 May 1945, one week after Hitler's death. Parts of the rather short obituary soon became infamous: Hamsun referred to Hitler as "a warrior for humankind and a preacher of the gospel of justice for all nations" and "a reformer of the highest order".The obituary is often cited as a pivotal point in Hamsun's expression of his own political views, severely affecting the reception of his complete body of works. Writings such as these rose somewhat in importance due to the fact that the praised novelist Hamsun had not released a work of fiction since 1936's The Ring is Closed. Biographer Ingar Sletten Kolloen has referred to the obituary as one of "four mortal sin
Mortal sin
Mortal sins are in the theology of some, but not all Christian denominations wrongful acts that condemn a person to Hell after death. These sins are considered "mortal" because they constitute a rupture in a person's link to God's saving grace: the person's soul becomes "dead", not merely weakened...
s" committed by Hamsun which came to erode his position in Norwegian post-war society. On the other hand, Jørgen Haugan
Jørgen Haugan
Jørgen Haugan is a Norwegian author and lecturer. He was written a number of books, principally biographies of noted Scandinavian writers....
at the University of Copenhagen
University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
has stated regret that Hamsun's wrongdoings, among others the obituary of Hitler, had not overshadowed his literary qualities to what Haugan deems to be a sufficient degree.
For Hamsun himself, the obituary and other statements and writings led to his arrest soon after the war's end. However, the charges against him were softened as professor Gabriel Langfeldt
Gabriel Langfeldt
Gabriel Langfeldt was a Norwegian psychiatrist. He was a professor at the University of Oslo from 1940 to 1965. His publications centered on schizofrenia and forensic medicine. Among his research projects were studies of the psychology of Nazi sympathisers. He was involved as an expert during the...
and chief physician Ørnulv Ødegård
Ørnulv Ødegård
Ørnulv Ødegård was a Norwegian psychiatrist. He was the director of Gaustad Hospital from 1938 to 1972. He was involved as an expert during the trial against Hamsun. He is known for his studies on women who fraternized with German soldiers during the occupation of Norway, where he concluded that...
found him to have "permanently impaired mental abilities". In 1949, in his 90th year, Hamsun issued the self-defending book On Overgrown Paths
On Overgrown Paths
On Overgrown Paths is the last literary work by Norwegian author Knut Hamsun, and is seen as the author's attempt at proving his soundness of mind after his sanity was called into question...
. He died in 1952.
Professor Atle Kittang
Atle Kittang
Atle Kittang is a Norwegian literary researcher and literary critic.His doctorate thesis from 1973 was a study on the French poet Arthur Rimbaud. He is professor at the University of Bergen, since 1974. His research includes studies on works by Knut Hamsun and Henrik Ibsen...
at the University of Bergen
University of Bergen
The University of Bergen is located in Bergen, Norway. Although founded as late as 1946, academic activity had taken place at Bergen Museum as far back as 1825. The university today serves more than 14,500 students...
stated on "Hamsun's legacy" at the web-site of the Knut Hamsun Centre
Knut Hamsun Centre
The Knut Hamsun Centre is a museum and educational centre in Hamarøy in Northern Norway dedicated to the life and work of the writer Knut Hamsun....
, that among "the complex set of reasons" behind Hamsun's "act" of publishing the obituary, knowing that post their one 1943-meeting Hitler did not "rank very high in the poet's evalutation", one should look to Hamsun's "need to provoke" as demonstrated by the author's life and work.