Per Wästberg
Encyclopedia
Per Wästberg is a Swedish
writer and a member of the Swedish Academy
since 1997.
Wästberg was born in Stockholm
, son of Erik Wästberg and his wife Greta née Hirsch
, and holds a degree in literature from Uppsala University
. He was editor-in-chief of Sweden's largest daily newspaper, Dagens Nyheter
1976-1982, and has been a contributor since 1953. He is an older brother of Olle Wästberg
.
. He was chairman of the International PEN
in 1979-1986 and founder of the Swedish section of Amnesty International
(1963). In connection with this, he was involved in the anti-colonial
movement. He was especially active in the struggle against Apartheid in South Africa
, where he became a close friend of Nadine Gordimer
.
He was expelled by the government in Rhodesia
in 1959, and after publication of his anti-Apartheid book På Svarta Listan (On the Black List) in 1960, he was banned from entering both Rhodesia and South Africa. He returned to South Africa only in 1990, after the release from jail of Nelson Mandela
.
On Africa
In English
Swedes
Swedes are a Scandinavian nation and ethnic group native to Sweden, mostly inhabiting Sweden and the other Nordic countries, with descendants living in a number of countries.-Etymology:...
writer and a member of the Swedish Academy
Swedish Academy
The Swedish Academy , founded in 1786 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden.-History:The Swedish Academy was founded in 1786 by King Gustav III. Modelled after the Académie française, it has 18 members. The motto of the Academy is "Talent and Taste"...
since 1997.
Wästberg was born in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, son of Erik Wästberg and his wife Greta née Hirsch
Hirsch
Hirsch may refer to:Places* Hirsch, Buenos Aires, Argentina* Hirsch, Saskatchewan, Canada* Hirsch Observatory, an astronomical observatory in Troy, New YorkPeople * August Hirsch, German physician and medical historian....
, and holds a degree in literature from 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...
. He was editor-in-chief of Sweden's largest daily newspaper, Dagens Nyheter
Dagens Nyheter
is a daily newspaper in Sweden. It has the largest circulation of Swedish morning newspapers, followed by Göteborgs-Posten and Svenska Dagbladet, and is the only morning newspaper that is distributed to subscribers across the whole country. In 2009 DN had a circulation of 316,000, reaching 881...
1976-1982, and has been a contributor since 1953. He is an older brother of Olle Wästberg
Olle Wästberg
Olof "Olle" Mattias Wästberg is a Swedish journalist, politician and diplomat, currently serving as Director-General of the Swedish Institute....
.
Political works
Wästberg has campaigned extensively for human rightsHuman rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
. He was chairman of the International PEN
International PEN
PEN International , the worldwide association of writers, was founded in London in 1921 to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers everywhere....
in 1979-1986 and founder of the Swedish section of Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
(1963). In connection with this, he was involved in the anti-colonial
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
movement. He was especially active in the struggle against Apartheid in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, where he became a close friend of Nadine Gordimer
Nadine Gordimer
Nadine Gordimer is a South African writer and political activist. She was awarded the 1991 Nobel Prize in Literature when she was recognised as a woman "who through her magnificent epic writing has – in the words of Alfred Nobel – been of very great benefit to humanity".Her writing has long dealt...
.
He was expelled by the government in Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
in 1959, and after publication of his anti-Apartheid book På Svarta Listan (On the Black List) in 1960, he was banned from entering both Rhodesia and South Africa. He returned to South Africa only in 1990, after the release from jail of Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
.
Novels
- Pojke med såpbubblor (1949)
- Ett gammalt skuggspel (1952)
- Halva kungariket (1955)
- Arvtagaren (1958)
- Vattenslottet (1968)
- Luftburen (1969)
- Jordmånen (1972)
- Eldens skugga (1986)
- Bergets källa (1987)
- Ljusets hjärta (1991)
- Vindens låga (1993)
Poetry
- Tio atmosfärer (1963)
- Enkel resa (1964)
- En avlägsen likhet (1983)
- Frusna tillgångar (1990)
- Förtöjningar (1995)
- Tre rader (1998)
- Raderingar (1999)
- Fortifikationer (2001)
- Tillbaka i tid (2004)
On AfricaAfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and the Third WorldThird WorldThe term Third World arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either capitalism and NATO , or communism and the Soviet Union...
- Förbjudet område (1960)
- På svarta listan (1960)
- Afrika berättar (1961)
- Afrika-ett uppdrag (1976)
- I Sydafrika - resan till friheten (1995)
- Modern afrikansk litteratur (1969)
- Afrikansk poesi (1971)
- Resor, intervjuver, porträtt, politiska analyser från en långvarig vistelse i Sydafrika (1994)
Biographies and essays
- Ernst och Mimmi, biografi genom brev (1964)
- Alice och Hjördis Två systrar (1994)
- En dag på världsmarknaden (1967)
- Berättarens ögonblick (1977)
- Obestämda artiklar (1981)
- Bestämda artiklar (1982)
- Frukost med Gerard (1992)
- Lovtal (1996)
- Ung mans dagbok (1996)
- Ung författares dagbok (1997)
- Duvdrottningen (1998)
- Edith WhartonEdith WhartonEdith Wharton , was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist, short story writer, and designer.- Early life and marriage:...
s hemliga trädgård (2000) - Övergångsställen (2002)
In EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
- The case against PortugalPortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
- AngolaAngolaAngola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
and MozambiqueMozambiqueMozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
(with Anders EhnmarkAnders EhnmarkAnders Jacob Ehnmark is a Swedish author and journalist.Ehnmark was born in Linköping, Östergötland County, Sweden. He earned a B.A. from Uppsala University in 1960, and an honorary doctorate from Göteborg University in 1993. From 1956 to 1972 he was employed by the Swedish newspaper Expressen,...
, 1965)
External links
- Curriculum Vitae from the Nobel Prize Committee
- Interview and profile first published in Prospect magazine