Gerhard Gran
Encyclopedia
Gerhard von der Lippe Gran (9 December 1856 – 7 April 1925) was a Norwegian literary historian, professor, magazine editor, essayist and biographer.
as the son of merchant Christen Knagenhjelm Gran (1822–1899) and his wife Constance Mowinckel (1827–1889). He was the paternal grandson of politician Jens Gran
, and a second cousin of botanist Haaken Hasberg Gran
and aviator Tryggve Gran
.
In October 1887 he married Maren Elisabeth Bull Sømme (1857–1930), a daughter of merchant and politician Jacob Jørgen Kastrup Sømme
and his wife Johanne Margrethe "Hanna" Bull Kielland, granddaughter of Jacob Kielland and first cousin of novelist Alexander Lange Kielland
and painter Kitty Lange Kielland
. As such Gerhard Gran was the brother-in-law of painter Jacob Kielland Sømme. Through his sisters he was a brother-in-law of art historian Johan Bøgh
and physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen
.
in 1874, and graduated from the University of Kristiania
with the cand.mag.
degree in 1881. He then returned to Bergen to work as a school teacher. He was hired at Bergen Cathedral School in 1895.
In 1898 the post as professor of literary history at the University of Kristiania
had become vacant. Gran applied for the post, and a contest between Gran and Hjalmar Christensen
ensued. Gran delivered a thesis which was considered inferior, but he was deemed the better lecturer. In 1899 he received the appointment, the assessment committee noting that Gran would probably fill "the holes present in his knowledge" with time. Gran left Bergen Cathedral School, and formally took the professor seat in 1900. He remained in this position until 1919, when he resigned to concentrate on his various writing endeavors.
Gran had co-founded the magazine Samtiden
in 1890 with Jørgen Brunchorst
, and was the editor of this magazine until his death in 1925. When the magazine changed its house of publishing to H. Aschehoug & Co
in 1900, Gran profited from his professional relationship with publisher William Martin Nygaard
. In 1914, much due to the support of Nygaard, he started the magazine Edda. Scandinavian Journal of Literary Research
, and was this magazine's first editor-in-chief, from 1914 to 1925. He was also the Norwegian editor of the Scandinavian Nordisk Tidsskrift from 1904. He initiated the first edition of the encyclopedia Norsk biografisk leksikon
, and was co-editor for the first two volumes. He wrote biographies of the writers Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
(1910), Jean Jacques Rousseau (1910-1911), Henrik Ibsen
(1918), Alexander Kielland
(1922), and Charles Dickens
(1925, posthumously). He also published the book Det Kongelige Fredriks universitet 1811–1911, chronicling the history of the University of Kristiania during its first hundred years. Collections of his essays were published as well.
Gran was appointed Officer of the French Légion d'honneur
and a Knight, First class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St Olav in 1905. He was also a member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
. He died in 1925 in Oslo.
Personal life
Gran was born in BergenBergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
as the son of merchant Christen Knagenhjelm Gran (1822–1899) and his wife Constance Mowinckel (1827–1889). He was the paternal grandson of politician Jens Gran
Jens Gran
Jens Gran was a Norwegian politician.He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament in 1839, 1845 and 1848, representing the constituency of Bergen....
, and a second cousin of botanist Haaken Hasberg Gran
Haaken Hasberg Gran
-Personal life:Gran was born in Tønsberg as the son of naval captain August Kriegsmann Gran and his wife Agnes Hasberg . He was the paternal grandson of politician Jens Gran, nephew of businessperson Jens Gran, Jr., first cousin of aviator Tryggve Gran and second cousin of writer Gerhard Gran...
and aviator Tryggve Gran
Tryggve Gran
Jens Tryggve Herman Gran DSC, MC was a Norwegian aviator, explorer and author. He was the first pilot to cross the North Sea.-Background:...
.
In October 1887 he married Maren Elisabeth Bull Sømme (1857–1930), a daughter of merchant and politician Jacob Jørgen Kastrup Sømme
Jacob Jørgen Kastrup Sømme
Jacob Jørgen Kastrup Sømme was a Norwegian businessperson, consul and politician.-Personal life:He was born in Stavanger to merchant and captain Andreas Sømme and his wife Johanne Cathrine Kastrup .In 1845 he married Johanne Margrethe "Hanna" Bull Kielland , youngest daughter of Jacob and...
and his wife Johanne Margrethe "Hanna" Bull Kielland, granddaughter of Jacob Kielland and first cousin of novelist Alexander Lange Kielland
Alexander Kielland
Alexander Lange Kielland was one of the most famous Norwegian realistic writers of the 19th century. He is one of the so-called "The Four Greats" in Norwegian literature, along with Henrik Ibsen, Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson and Jonas Lie.-Background:Born in Stavanger, Norway, he grew up in a rich...
and painter Kitty Lange Kielland
Kitty Lange Kielland
-Early life and training:Kielland was born to an affluent family in Stavanger, the older sister of Alexander Kielland. Kielland's mutual interactions with her brother would be important to shaping her as an artist. Although she received some training in drawing and painting, it was not until she...
. As such Gerhard Gran was the brother-in-law of painter Jacob Kielland Sømme. Through his sisters he was a brother-in-law of art historian Johan Bøgh
Johan Bøgh
Johan Wallace Hagelsteen Bøgh was a Norwegian museum director and art historian based in the city of Bergen.-Personal life:...
and physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen
Gerhard Armauer Hansen
Gerhard Henrik Armauer Hansen was a Norwegian physician, remembered for his identification of the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae in 1873 as the causative agent of leprosy....
.
Career
Gran finished his secondary education at Bergen Cathedral SchoolBergen katedralskole
Bergen katedralskole is an upper secondary school in Bergen, Norway...
in 1874, and graduated from the University of Kristiania
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...
with the cand.mag.
Cand.mag.
Candidatus magisterii , Candidata magisterii , i.e. Latin Candidate of Arts, abbreviated cand.mag., is an academic degree used in Denmark, and formerly in Norway and Iceland, roughly corresponding to an American Master of Arts and officially translated as such...
degree in 1881. He then returned to Bergen to work as a school teacher. He was hired at Bergen Cathedral School in 1895.
In 1898 the post as professor of literary history at the University of Kristiania
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...
had become vacant. Gran applied for the post, and a contest between Gran and Hjalmar Christensen
Hjalmar Christensen
Hjalmar Christensen was a Norwegian writer. In February and March 1890 he was romantically attached to Dagny Juel.Kjende personar i Førde:...
ensued. Gran delivered a thesis which was considered inferior, but he was deemed the better lecturer. In 1899 he received the appointment, the assessment committee noting that Gran would probably fill "the holes present in his knowledge" with time. Gran left Bergen Cathedral School, and formally took the professor seat in 1900. He remained in this position until 1919, when he resigned to concentrate on his various writing endeavors.
Gran had co-founded the magazine Samtiden
Samtiden
Samtiden is a Norwegian political and literary magazine. It was founded by Jørgen Brunchorst and Gerhard Gran in 1890. The magazine's first publisher was John Griegs forlag , and from 1900 Aschehoug . Gran was the magazine's editor from 1892 to 1925. Cathrine Sandnes has been editor-in-chief from...
in 1890 with Jørgen Brunchorst
Jørgen Brunchorst
Jørgen Brunchorst was a Norwegian natural scientist, politician and diplomat. Brunchorst was born in Bergen, the son of ship builder and –captain Christian Ege Brunchorst and his wife Emma Wesenberg . He specialised in botany at university, and after finishing his Ph.D. in Germany, he became...
, and was the editor of this magazine until his death in 1925. When the magazine changed its house of publishing to H. Aschehoug & Co
Aschehoug
H. Aschehoug & Co , commonly known as Aschehoug, is one of the largest independent publishing companies in Norway. -History:...
in 1900, Gran profited from his professional relationship with publisher William Martin Nygaard
William Martin Nygaard
William Martin Nygaard was a Norwegian publisher and politician.Nygaard was born in Kristiansand as the son of educator and linguist Marius Nygaard and his wife Elisabeth "Elise" Martin and brother of Kristen Brunfeldt Nygaard and Finn Nygaard...
. In 1914, much due to the support of Nygaard, he started the magazine Edda. Scandinavian Journal of Literary Research
Edda. Scandinavian Journal of Literary Research
Edda. Scandinavian Journal of Literary Research is a magazine for research on Scandinavian literature, and for literary researchers in the Scandinavian countries. It was founded by Gerhard Gran in 1914. The magazine's first publishing house was Aschehoug. Gran edited the magazine until his death...
, and was this magazine's first editor-in-chief, from 1914 to 1925. He was also the Norwegian editor of the Scandinavian Nordisk Tidsskrift from 1904. He initiated the first edition of the encyclopedia Norsk biografisk leksikon
Norsk biografisk leksikon
Norsk biografisk leksikon is the largest Norwegian biographical encyclopedia.The first edition was issued between 1921 and 1983, including 19 volumes and 5,100 articles...
, and was co-editor for the first two volumes. He wrote biographies of the writers Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
Bjørnstjerne Martinius Bjørnson was a Norwegian writer and the 1903 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. Bjørnson is considered as one of The Four Greats Norwegian writers; the others being Henrik Ibsen, Jonas Lie, and Alexander Kielland...
(1910), Jean Jacques Rousseau (1910-1911), Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
(1918), Alexander Kielland
Alexander Kielland
Alexander Lange Kielland was one of the most famous Norwegian realistic writers of the 19th century. He is one of the so-called "The Four Greats" in Norwegian literature, along with Henrik Ibsen, Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson and Jonas Lie.-Background:Born in Stavanger, Norway, he grew up in a rich...
(1922), and Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
(1925, posthumously). He also published the book Det Kongelige Fredriks universitet 1811–1911, chronicling the history of the University of Kristiania during its first hundred years. Collections of his essays were published as well.
Gran was appointed Officer of the French Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
and a Knight, First class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St Olav in 1905. He was also a member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters is a learned society based in Oslo, Norway.-History:The University of Oslo was established in 1811. The idea of a learned society in Christiania surfaced for the first time in 1841. The city of Throndhjem had no university, but had a learned...
. He died in 1925 in Oslo.