Just Knud Qvigstad
Encyclopedia
Just Knud Qvigstad was a Norwegian
philologist, linguist, ethnographer, historian and cultural historian. He was also a headmaster in Tromsø
, and a politician for the Conservative Party who served as mayor of Tromsø and as Minister of Education and Church Affairs.
as a son of district physician Engebret Qvigstad (1814–1869) and Petra Krogh Wadel (1828–1905). In August 1885 in Hammerfest
he married Margrethe Antonette Aagaard (1859–1949). Their son Just Knut Qvigstad
was a notable engineer. He was also a brother-in-law of Arnfinn Palmstrøm.
where he took the examen artium
in 1869. He enrolled in philology studies at the Royal Frederick University
in 1870 and graduated with the cand.philol. degree in 1874. He was a teacher in Christiania
from 1874 to 1875 and in Tromsø from 1875 to 1880, from 1878 at Tromsø Seminary. He studied from 1880 to 1881 to take the cand.theol.
degree, and was hired as headmaster at Tromsø Seminary in 1883. He remained here to 1920. From 1910 to 1912 he was the Minister of Education and Church Affairs in Konow's Cabinet
. As a politician he was also a member of Tromsø city council from 1889 to 1907, serving as mayor in the years 1889, 1905 and 1907.
, about farm names and place names in Finnmark, and followed with Spitsbergens stedsnavne før 1900 (1927), De lappiske stedsnavn i Troms fylke (1935), De lappiske stedsnavn i Finnmark og Nordland fylker (1938) andDe lappiske appellative stedsnavn (1944). Historical works include Den kvenske indvandring til Nord-Norge (1921), about Kven immigration to Northern Norway. Cultural historical
works include Lappiske Eventyr og Folkesagn (with Georg Sandberg, 1887), Lappiske eventyr og sagn (four volumes, 1927–1929) and Lappische Heilkunde (1932). His academic institution was Tromsø Museum, where he was a board member from 1884, and curator of the Sami collections from 1884 to 1931. However, most of his publications came after his retirement age. His last academic work was Opptegnelser fra samenes liv, released in 1954 when Qvigstad was 101 years old.
He was a member of the Société Finno-Ougrienne
from 1885, the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
from 1888 and the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters
in 1894. He was an honorary member of the Société Finno-Ougrienne from 1910 and Tromsø Museum from 1926, and Festschrift
s were issued for his 75th and 100th birthdays. He was awarded the Gunnerus Medal
in 1930, and in 1943 a "Headmaster Qvigstad's Gold Medal" was inaugurated by Tromsø Museum. He was decorated as a Commander with Star of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1912, and as a Commander of the Order of the White Rose of Finland.
He was a co-founder and board member of Norsk Finnemission from 1888 to 1916 and of the regional Norwegian Bible Society
office from 1889 to 1910.
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...
philologist, linguist, ethnographer, historian and cultural historian. He was also a headmaster in Tromsø
Tromsø
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...
, and a politician for the Conservative Party who served as mayor of Tromsø and as Minister of Education and Church Affairs.
Personal life
He was born in LyngseidetLyngseidet
Lyngseidet is the administrative centre of the municipality of Lyngen in Troms county, Norway. The population is 846. The town is located on an isthmus that is about wide....
as a son of district physician Engebret Qvigstad (1814–1869) and Petra Krogh Wadel (1828–1905). In August 1885 in Hammerfest
Hammerfest
is a city and municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The municipality encompasses parts of three islands: Kvaløya, Sørøya, and Seiland. Hammerfest was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
he married Margrethe Antonette Aagaard (1859–1949). Their son Just Knut Qvigstad
Just Knut Qvigstad
Just Knut Qvigstad was a Norwegian engineer.He was born in Tromsø as a son of educator and politician Just Knud Qvigstad and Margrethe Antonette Aagaard . In 1933 he married Gunvor Wefring . He enrolled as a student in 1921, and graduated in electrical engineering from the Norwegian Institute of...
was a notable engineer. He was also a brother-in-law of Arnfinn Palmstrøm.
Career in education and politics
He was homeschooled until the age of ten, when he moved to 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...
where he took the 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 1869. He enrolled in philology studies at the Royal Frederick University
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 1870 and graduated with the cand.philol. degree in 1874. He was a teacher in Christiania
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
from 1874 to 1875 and in Tromsø from 1875 to 1880, from 1878 at Tromsø Seminary. He studied from 1880 to 1881 to take the cand.theol.
Cand.theol.
Candidatus theologiæ , Candidata theologiæ , abbreviated cand. theol. is an academic degree with a long tradition, awarded after a six year higher education in theology in Denmark and Norway. In Norway, the title has remained after the "Quality Reform", though it is equivalent to a Master of...
degree, and was hired as headmaster at Tromsø Seminary in 1883. He remained here to 1920. From 1910 to 1912 he was the Minister of Education and Church Affairs in Konow's Cabinet
Konow's Cabinet
The Konow's Cabinet was a Norwegian cabinet, formed by a coalition of the Conservative Party and the Liberal Left Party. It was in office from 2 February 1910 to 20 February 1912.-Cabinet members:-State Secretary:...
. As a politician he was also a member of Tromsø city council from 1889 to 1907, serving as mayor in the years 1889, 1905 and 1907.
Academic career
Qvigstad also made a name for himself as an academic. An interest in Sami language and culture started when he was hired at Tromsø Seminary, and he published his first of 112 academic works in 1881. This was Beiträge zur Vergleichung des verwandten Wortvorrathes der Lappischen und der finnischen Sprache, published in the Finnish journal Acta Societatis Scientiarum Fennicae. Other important inguistic works include Nordische Lehnwörter in Lappischen (1893). He co-wrote the eighteenth volume of Norske GaardnavneNorske Gaardnavne
Norske Gaardnavne is a 19 volume set of books based on a manuscript prepared from 1897 to 1924 by Professor Oluf Rygh, a noted professor of archeology, philology and history at the University of Oslo...
, about farm names and place names in Finnmark, and followed with Spitsbergens stedsnavne før 1900 (1927), De lappiske stedsnavn i Troms fylke (1935), De lappiske stedsnavn i Finnmark og Nordland fylker (1938) andDe lappiske appellative stedsnavn (1944). Historical works include Den kvenske indvandring til Nord-Norge (1921), about Kven immigration to Northern Norway. Cultural historical
Cultural history
The term cultural history refers both to an academic discipline and to its subject matter.Cultural history, as a discipline, at least in its common definition since the 1970s, often combines the approaches of anthropology and history to look at popular cultural traditions and cultural...
works include Lappiske Eventyr og Folkesagn (with Georg Sandberg, 1887), Lappiske eventyr og sagn (four volumes, 1927–1929) and Lappische Heilkunde (1932). His academic institution was Tromsø Museum, where he was a board member from 1884, and curator of the Sami collections from 1884 to 1931. However, most of his publications came after his retirement age. His last academic work was Opptegnelser fra samenes liv, released in 1954 when Qvigstad was 101 years old.
He was a member of the Société Finno-Ougrienne
Société Finno-Ougrienne
Finno-Ugrian Society is a Finnish learned society, dedicated to the study of Finno-Ugric languages. It was founded in Helsinki in 1883 by the proposal of professor Otto Donner.The society publishes several academic journals, including:...
from 1885, 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 1888 and the 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...
in 1894. He was an honorary member of the Société Finno-Ougrienne from 1910 and Tromsø Museum from 1926, and Festschrift
Festschrift
In academia, a Festschrift , is a book honoring a respected person, especially an academic, and presented during his or her lifetime. The term, borrowed from German, could be translated as celebration publication or celebratory writing...
s were issued for his 75th and 100th birthdays. He was awarded the Gunnerus Medal
Gunnerus Medal
The Gunnerus Medal is a medal awarded by the learned society Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters.It was inaugurated in 1927, and named after Johan Ernst Gunnerus, founder of the learned society...
in 1930, and in 1943 a "Headmaster Qvigstad's Gold Medal" was inaugurated by Tromsø Museum. He was decorated as a Commander with Star of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1912, and as a Commander of the Order of the White Rose of Finland.
He was a co-founder and board member of Norsk Finnemission from 1888 to 1916 and of the regional Norwegian Bible Society
Norwegian Bible Society
The Norwegian Bible Society is the official Bible society of Norway, founded May 26, 1816. See also Bible translations into Norwegian-External links:**...
office from 1889 to 1910.