Nordahl Rolfsen
Encyclopedia
Johan Nordahl Brun Rolfsen (12 June 1848 – 18 January 1928) was a Norwegian writer, educationalist and teacher, journalist, translator and speaker. He is best known for the series of five readers
for elementary school, Læsebog for folkeskolen (1892–1895), which became the most widespread schoolbook in Norway.
. His parents were merchant and later bank teller
Rasmus Rolfsen and Jannikke Brun. He was great-grandson of poet and bishop
to Bjørgvin
Johan Nordal Brun
, and grandson of shipmaster, shipowner and member of the Norwegian Constitutional Assembly Jens Rolfsen
. He married Hedevig Martha Hastrup Birch in 1885. He was the father of painter Alf Rolfsen
.
. He worked as a teacher at Aars og Voss' skole from 1870 to 1872 and at Frøken Falsens pikeskole from 1873 to 1876. He issued the collection of poetry and stories Under Sneen in 1874. In 1877 he moved to Bergen, working as an instructor at the theatre Den Nationale Scene
. He became determined to be a dramatist, and travelled to Denmark, where two of his plays were performed, Ved Solnedgang (1878, Copenhagen) and En Valkyrie (1880, Copenhagen). During the 1880s he experimented with different literary genres. He edited the children's magazine Illustreret Tidende for Børn from 1885 to 1894. His musical comedy Svein Uræd (1890), with music by Ole Olsen
, was a success on stage.
for funding the writing of new readers for elementary school, but his application was refused after a three days' debate in the Parliament of Norway. Instead he received funding from bookseller and publisher Jacob Dybwad
. The readers Læsebog for folkeskolen were issued 1892–1895 (five volumes), and were later reissued numerous times. They would become the standard readers in Norwegian elementary school
s until Thorbjørn Egners lesebøker
took over in the 1950s.
Rolfsen worked as full time writer and editor the rest of his life, and also as translator, journalist, researcher and speaker. In 1894 he issued Læsebog for middelskolen. He was editor of the epos Norge i det nittende Aarhundrede (1900).
Rolfsen was leader of the Norwegian Students' Society, and later chairman of the Norwegian Authors' Union
. He was decorated Knight, First Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1912.
Basal reader
Basal readers are textbooks used to teach reading and associated skills to schoolchildren. Commonly called "reading books" or "readers" they are usually published as anthologies that combine previously published short stories, excerpts of longer narratives, and original works...
for elementary school, Læsebog for folkeskolen (1892–1895), which became the most widespread schoolbook in Norway.
Family
Rolfsen 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 , ....
. His parents were merchant and later bank teller
Bank teller
A teller is an employee of a bank who deals directly with most customers. In some places, this employee is known as a cashier. Most teller jobs require cash handling experience and a high school diploma. Most banks provide on the job training....
Rasmus Rolfsen and Jannikke Brun. He was great-grandson of poet and bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
to Bjørgvin
Diocese of Bjørgvin
Bjørgvin Diocese is a diocese in the Church of Norway. It covers churches located in the counties of Hordaland and Sogn og Fjordane. The cathedral city is Bergen. Bergen Cathedral, formerly the Church of Saint Olaf, serves as the seat of the presiding Bishop...
Johan Nordal Brun
Johan Nordahl Brun
Johan Nordahl Brun was the poet, dramatist, bishop in Bergen , and politician who contributed significantly to the growth of National Romanticism in Norway, contributing to the growing national consciousness.He traveled to Copenhagen in 1767, where he passed his theological examinations...
, and grandson of shipmaster, shipowner and member of the Norwegian Constitutional Assembly Jens Rolfsen
Jens Rolfsen
Jens Rolfsen was a Norwegian merchant and politician, born in Kristiansand. He represented Bergen at the Norwegian Constituent Assembly at Eidsvoll in 1814. He was the grandfather of Nordahl Rolfsen, and grand-grandfather of Alf Rolfsen....
. He married Hedevig Martha Hastrup Birch in 1885. He was the father of painter Alf Rolfsen
Alf Rolfsen
-Personal life:Rolfsen was born in Kristiania as the son of writer Nordahl Rolfsen and Hedevig Martha Hastrup Birch. He was married to Ingrid Platou from 1920.-Career:...
.
Early life
Rolfsen finished his education at Bergen Cathedral School in 1866, and continued his studies in ChristianiaUniversity 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 worked as a teacher at Aars og Voss' skole from 1870 to 1872 and at Frøken Falsens pikeskole from 1873 to 1876. He issued the collection of poetry and stories Under Sneen in 1874. In 1877 he moved to Bergen, working as an instructor at the theatre Den Nationale Scene
Den Nationale Scene
Den Nationale Scene is the largest theatre in Bergen, Norway. Den Nationale Scene is also one of the oldest permanent theatre in Norway.-History:...
. He became determined to be a dramatist, and travelled to Denmark, where two of his plays were performed, Ved Solnedgang (1878, Copenhagen) and En Valkyrie (1880, Copenhagen). During the 1880s he experimented with different literary genres. He edited the children's magazine Illustreret Tidende for Børn from 1885 to 1894. His musical comedy Svein Uræd (1890), with music by Ole Olsen
Ole Olsen (musician)
Ole Olsen was a Norwegian organist, composer, conductor and military musician.-Life:Olsen was born in Hammerfest, in the county of Finnmark. His mother died when he was young. His father was Iver Olsen, a craftsman and an amateur musician who played the organ at the local church. From a young...
, was a success on stage.
Later life
In 1890 the Rolfsen family moved from Bergen and settled in Kristiania. Rolfsen had sent an application to the Ministry of ChurchNorwegian Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs
The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Culture is responsible for cultural policy, regulations and other matters related to the media and sports. The ministry was established in 1982, at which time it was called the Ministry of Cultural and Scientific Affairs. Until then, the Ministry of Church and...
for funding the writing of new readers for elementary school, but his application was refused after a three days' debate in the Parliament of Norway. Instead he received funding from bookseller and publisher Jacob Dybwad
Jacob Dybwad
Jacob Dybwad was a Norwegian bookseller and publisher, and a pioneer in the Norwegian publishing trade. Dybwad was the publisher of the Norwegian almanac from 1877, and of Nordahl Rolfsen's readers for primary school in the 1890s. He was appointed Knight of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in...
. The readers Læsebog for folkeskolen were issued 1892–1895 (five volumes), and were later reissued numerous times. They would become the standard readers in Norwegian elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
s until Thorbjørn Egners lesebøker
Thorbjørn Egners lesebøker
Thorbjørn Egners lesebøker were a series of sixteen readers for elementary school written by Norwegian author Thorbjørn Egner. Egner spent 25 years working on the series consisting of collected literature as well as his own stories and illustrations and they were published in the years...
took over in the 1950s.
Rolfsen worked as full time writer and editor the rest of his life, and also as translator, journalist, researcher and speaker. In 1894 he issued Læsebog for middelskolen. He was editor of the epos Norge i det nittende Aarhundrede (1900).
Rolfsen was leader of the Norwegian Students' Society, and later chairman 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...
. He was decorated Knight, First Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1912.