Halfdan Bryn
Encyclopedia
Halfdan Bryn was a Norwegian
physician
and physical anthropologist
.
, the son of the physician Thomas Bryn (1813–1902) and of Kristine Emilie Karoline Richter (1826–1869). He was a grandson of Thomas Bryn, Sr.
, and a brother of Knud Ørn Bryn and Alfred Jørgen Bryn. In November 1892 he married Wilhelmine "Willa" Thane (1873–1929). He was also an uncle of Alf Bonnevie Bryn and Finn Bryn.
Bryn took his examen artium
in 1882 and graduated cand.med.
from the University of Oslo
in 1889.
and New York
between 1890 and 1891, before working as a chief resident at the hospital in Trondheim from 1891 to 1892, and then starting his own medical practice. However, he was conscripted as an army doctor, at first with the rank of lieutenant
. He served at first as a military doctor in Trondheim, from 1894 holding the rank of captain. He was head of the Decorative Line Company from 1901 to 1904 and of the land conservation partnership from 1904 to 1907. In 1911 he was appointed brigade major and from 1916 was medical physician to 5 Brigade, remaining in this position until 1924, when he was discharged from the military.
As an army doctor, Bryn had good opportunities to study men from different parts of the country. His work with military recruits
inspired him to do research on physical anthropology
. Recognizing his interest, Colonel Hans Daae made it possible for him to conduct studies in the field, sometimes almost on a full time basis. In 1914 he published his first anthropological work, Anthropological surveys I, and in 1917 he won the King Haakon VII
gold medal for another work. That same year he received a scholarship from the Nansen Fund for conducting anthropological studies in Norway.
After Bryn left the military, he concentrated on anthropological research. Despite his relatively advanced age, he was extremely productive and provided a number of interesting contributions to the country's anthropology, at a time when industrialization and restructuring of society had not yet managed to put their mark on the population. Already in 1921 he had presented two remarkable works, Selbu and Tydal. In 1921 he published the controversial article En nordisk Cro-Magnon type, which claimed that people in Tydal
were descendants of the Cro Magnon. He released volume one of the uncompleted work Anthropologia Norwegica in 1925, and Die Somatologie der Norweger together with Kristian Schreiner
in 1929. In 1932 he published Norwegische Samen, being one of the first to take an interest in the physical anthropology of the Sami people
.
Despite not holding a doctoral degree
, Bryn was a fellow of the learned societies
Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters
from 1892 and of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
from 1923. He served as praeses of the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters from 1926 to 1933. He also received the honorary degree
at Uppsala University
in 1927. He was also a member of Trondhjem city council from 1898 to 1914, and chaired the Norwegian Medical Association
from 1921 to 1922. He died in March 1933 in Trondheim (the new city name from 1931).
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...
physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and physical anthropologist
Physical anthropology
Biological anthropology is that branch of anthropology that studies the physical development of the human species. It plays an important part in paleoanthropology and in forensic anthropology...
.
Early life
Bryn was born in TrondheimTrondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
, the son of the physician Thomas Bryn (1813–1902) and of Kristine Emilie Karoline Richter (1826–1869). He was a grandson of Thomas Bryn, Sr.
Thomas Bryn
Thomas Bryn was a Norwegian jurist and politician. He was born in Kongsberg. He represented Råbyggelaget at the Norwegian Constituent Assembly in 1814, together with Even Torkildsen Lande and Ole Knudsen Tvedten. He was elected to the Parliament of Norway in 1814 and 1827...
, and a brother of Knud Ørn Bryn and Alfred Jørgen Bryn. In November 1892 he married Wilhelmine "Willa" Thane (1873–1929). He was also an uncle of Alf Bonnevie Bryn and Finn Bryn.
Bryn took his examen artium
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...
in 1882 and graduated cand.med.
Cand.med.
Candidate of Medicine , Candidata Medicinae , abbreviated Cand. Med.) is an academic degree awarded in Denmark, Iceland and Norway following a six-year medical school education....
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 1889.
Life and career
Bryn practiced first as a physician in DakotaDakota Territory
The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of North and South Dakota.The Dakota Territory consisted of...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
between 1890 and 1891, before working as a chief resident at the hospital in Trondheim from 1891 to 1892, and then starting his own medical practice. However, he was conscripted as an army doctor, at first with the rank of lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. He served at first as a military doctor in Trondheim, from 1894 holding the rank of captain. He was head of the Decorative Line Company from 1901 to 1904 and of the land conservation partnership from 1904 to 1907. In 1911 he was appointed brigade major and from 1916 was medical physician to 5 Brigade, remaining in this position until 1924, when he was discharged from the military.
As an army doctor, Bryn had good opportunities to study men from different parts of the country. His work with military recruits
Army recruit
Recruit or army recruit is a term often colloquially used to refer to the lowest military rank in various armed services. It usually implies that the soldier so labeled has not yet completed basic training....
inspired him to do research on physical anthropology
Physical anthropology
Biological anthropology is that branch of anthropology that studies the physical development of the human species. It plays an important part in paleoanthropology and in forensic anthropology...
. Recognizing his interest, Colonel Hans Daae made it possible for him to conduct studies in the field, sometimes almost on a full time basis. In 1914 he published his first anthropological work, Anthropological surveys I, and in 1917 he won the King Haakon VII
Haakon VII of Norway
Haakon VII , known as Prince Carl of Denmark until 1905, was the first king of Norway after the 1905 dissolution of the personal union with Sweden. He was a member of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg...
gold medal for another work. That same year he received a scholarship from the Nansen Fund for conducting anthropological studies in Norway.
After Bryn left the military, he concentrated on anthropological research. Despite his relatively advanced age, he was extremely productive and provided a number of interesting contributions to the country's anthropology, at a time when industrialization and restructuring of society had not yet managed to put their mark on the population. Already in 1921 he had presented two remarkable works, Selbu and Tydal. In 1921 he published the controversial article En nordisk Cro-Magnon type, which claimed that people in Tydal
Tydal
Tydal is a municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Ås. Other villages include Østby, Gressli, Aunet, and Stugudalen. There is a school and a kindergarten in Tydal....
were descendants of the Cro Magnon. He released volume one of the uncompleted work Anthropologia Norwegica in 1925, and Die Somatologie der Norweger together with Kristian Schreiner
Kristian Schreiner
Kristian Schreiner was a Norwegian professor of medicine.He was born in Ekeberg as a son of wholesaler Christian Emil Schreiner and Bethy Gerhardine Bødtker . He was a relative of educator Emil Schreiner. In September 1900 he married Alette Falch...
in 1929. In 1932 he published Norwegische Samen, being one of the first to take an interest in the physical anthropology of the Sami people
Sami people
The Sami people, also spelled Sámi, or Saami, are the arctic indigenous people inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of far northern Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Kola Peninsula of Russia, and the border area between south and middle Sweden and Norway. The Sámi are Europe’s northernmost...
.
Despite not holding a doctoral degree
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
, Bryn was a fellow of the learned societies
Learned society
A learned society is an organization that exists to promote an academic discipline/profession, as well a group of disciplines. Membership may be open to all, may require possession of some qualification, or may be an honor conferred by election, as is the case with the oldest learned societies,...
Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters
Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters
The Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters is a learned society based in Trondheim, Norway.-History:DKNVS was founded in 1760 by bishop of Nidaros Johan Ernst Gunnerus, headmaster at the Trondheim Cathedral School Gerhard Schøning and Councillor of State Peter Frederik Suhm under the name...
from 1892 and 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...
from 1923. He served as praeses of the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters from 1926 to 1933. He also received the honorary degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
at Uppsala University
Uppsala University
Uppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, and is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings and is generally considered one of the most prestigious institutions of...
in 1927. He was also a member of Trondhjem city council from 1898 to 1914, and chaired the Norwegian Medical Association
Norwegian Medical Association
The Norwegian Medical Association was founded in 1886. It has more than 22,000 members, or about 94% of all Norwegian doctors. Torunn Janbu is the current president of the association. It is affiliated with the Federation of Norwegian Professional Associations....
from 1921 to 1922. He died in March 1933 in Trondheim (the new city name from 1931).