Yngvar Ustvedt
Encyclopedia
Yngvar Ustvedt was a Norwegian writer, biographer, literary researcher, literary critic, theatre critic and radio personality.
, as the son of medical doctor and broadcasting administrator Hans Jacob Ustvedt
, and Ingrid With. He was a grandson of dr.med. Nils Yngvar Ustvedt
. He married Lajla Margrete Gedde-Dahl in 1954, and librarian Tordis Seippel in 1969.
in 1946, and after studies at the University of Oslo
, he became a cand.philol. in 1955. While being a student, he chaired the Norwegian Students' Society, in 1954. He lectured on Norwegian language
and literature at the Sorbonne
from 1958 to 1961. His doctoral thesis was a work on Henrik Wergeland
, Det levende univers: En studie i Henrik Wergelands natur-lyrikk (1964). He was a literary critic for the newspaper Dagbladet
from 1958 to 1978, and for Verdens Gang
from 1987. He worked for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK), sporadically from 1949, and regularly from 1965 to 1987. He mainly produced programs on literature, culture and contemporary history. He wrote more than seventy books, including a series of four volumes on the history of Norway, Det skjedde i Norge (1978–1993). He wrote several books on the history of the labour movement
, such as Opprørere from 1973, Karl Marx from 1976, and De store anarkister and De utopiske sosialister (both from 1977). He wrote books about World War II
, both on everyday life in Norway, and the fate of mentally disordered people in Nazi Germany. He published a biography on Henrik Wergeland in 1994.
He was a board member of the Norwegian Authors' Union
from 1968 to 1979.
Personal life
Ustvedt was born in TromsøTromsø
Tromsø is a city and municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø.Tromsø city is the ninth largest urban area in Norway by population, and the seventh largest city in Norway by population...
, as the son of medical doctor and broadcasting administrator Hans Jacob Ustvedt
Hans Jacob Ustvedt
Hans Jacob Neumann Ustvedt was a Norwegian medical doctor and broadcasting administrator. He was a driving force of the doctors' resistance during the World War II, had to flee to Sweden in 1942, and was leading the medical office at the Norwegian legation in Stockholm...
, and Ingrid With. He was a grandson of dr.med. Nils Yngvar Ustvedt
Nils Yngvar Ustvedt
Nils Yngvar Ustvedt was a Norwegian medical doctor and politician for the Conservative Party. He worked as chief physician at Ullevål Hospital from 1916 to 1935, and before this he served one term in the Norwegian Parliament....
. He married Lajla Margrete Gedde-Dahl in 1954, and librarian Tordis Seippel in 1969.
Career
Ustvedt took his examen artiumExamen 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...
in 1946, and after studies at 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...
, he became a cand.philol. in 1955. While being a student, he chaired the Norwegian Students' Society, in 1954. He lectured on Norwegian language
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
and literature at the Sorbonne
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
from 1958 to 1961. His doctoral thesis was a work on 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...
, Det levende univers: En studie i Henrik Wergelands natur-lyrikk (1964). He was a literary critic for the newspaper Dagbladet
Dagbladet
Dagbladet is Norway's second largest tabloid newspaper, and the third largest newspaper overall with a circulation of 105,255 copies in 2009, 18,128 papers less than in 2008. The editor in chief is Lars Helle....
from 1958 to 1978, and for Verdens Gang
Verdens Gang
Verdens Gang , generally known under the abbreviation VG, is a Norwegian tabloid newspaper...
from 1987. He worked for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK), sporadically from 1949, and regularly from 1965 to 1987. He mainly produced programs on literature, culture and contemporary history. He wrote more than seventy books, including a series of four volumes on the history of Norway, Det skjedde i Norge (1978–1993). He wrote several books on the history of the labour movement
Labour movement
The term labour movement or labor movement is a broad term for the development of a collective organization of working people, to campaign in their own interest for better treatment from their employers and governments, in particular through the implementation of specific laws governing labour...
, such as Opprørere from 1973, Karl Marx from 1976, and De store anarkister and De utopiske sosialister (both from 1977). He wrote books about World War II
World 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...
, both on everyday life in Norway, and the fate of mentally disordered people in Nazi Germany. He published a biography on Henrik Wergeland in 1994.
He was a board member of the Norwegian Authors' Union
Norwegian Authors' Union
The Norwegian Authors' Union is an association of Norwegian authors. It was established in 1893 to promote Norwegian literature and protect Norwegian authors' professional and economic interests. DnF also works in solidarity with persecuted writers internationally.As of 2004 the association had...
from 1968 to 1979.