Håkon Evjenth
Håkon Evjenth | |
|---|---|
| Born | 26 December 1894 Bodø, Norway |
| Died | 10 June 1951 (aged 56) |
| Nationality | Norwegian |
| Occupation(s) | jurist, non-fiction writer, short-story writer and children's writer |
| Parent | Håkon Martin Evjenth |
Håkon Evjenth (26 December 1894 – 10 June 1951) was a Norwegian jurist, non-fiction writer, short-story writer and children's writer. He is probably best remembered for his children's books.
Personal life
[edit]Evjenth was born in Bodø to barrister and government minister Håkon Martin Evjenth and Martha Backer. He married schoolteacher Solveig Bjerve in 1923.[1]
Career
[edit]Evjenth graduated as cand.jur. in 1917. He started his professional career in Kristiania, was a barrister in Vardø from 1921 to 1925, and then in Bodø. He received a grant from Institute for Comparative Research in Human Culture for the years 1927–1930 for conducting research on the Sami culture, and lived four years in a turf hut at the Varanger Peninsula, along with his wife.[1] He made his literary debut in 1927, with Finnmarks-jakter, and in 1928 he published the short story collection Folk under fot. His literary breakthrough was the children's book 3 på to og 2 på fire from 1935, which saw the sequels På to og fire i Suonjo from 1936 and Over kjølen i kano from 1937.[1] Descriptions of the nature in Northern Norway, such as birds and animal life, dominate large parts of these books.[2] In 1939 he wrote En fiskergutt i Sameland, set in the mid 19th century, where the Sami culture is a central element. In 1940 he wrote the sequel På langferd i grenseland. Falkefengeren from 1941 is set in the 17th century. These children's books were later reissued in Gyldendal Norsk Forlag's GGG book series for boys ("Gyldendals Gode Guttebøker").[1][3]
World War II
[edit]During the German occupation of Norway Evjenth took part in resistance activities. He was among a group of people in Bodø who tried to take some initiatives in 1940, and helped with the establishment of the Secret Intelligence Service wireline station Delta in 1941.[4] He was arrested an held in the Falstad concentration camp from December 1941 to February 1942, and again from May to June 1943.[5] He later focused on helping refugees and on news distribution. He was arrested on 5 September 1943, for being in possession of a radio.[6][7] His wife was also arrested.[8] They were both incarcerated at the Grini detention camp from January 1944 to March 1945.[5]
His novel for young adults Krig i kvitt from 1945 treats the Battles of Narvik in 1940. It is based on diaries written by participants in the campaign.[1] In 1945 he also wrote the book Mannen som reddet verden, about Winston Churchill.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Vold, Karen Beate. "Håkon Evjenth". In Helle, Knut (ed.). Norsk biografisk leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
- ^ Ørjasæter, Tordis (1997). "Barne- og ungdomslitteraturen". In Storsveen, Tove (ed.). Norges Litteraturhistorie. Etterkrigslitteraturen (in Norwegian). Vol. 2. Oslo: Cappelen. p. 626. ISBN 82-02-16425-7.
- ^ a b Godal, Anne Marit (ed.). "Håkon Evjenth". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Norsk nettleksikon. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
- ^ Ulstein, Ragnar (1989). Etterretningstjenesten i Norge 1940–1945 (in Norwegian). Vol. 1. Cappelen. pp. 58, 248–249. ISBN 82-02-12401-8.
- ^ a b Ottosen, Kristian, ed. (2004). Nordmenn i fangenskap 1940–1945 (in Norwegian) (2nd ed.). Oslo: Universitetsforlaget. p. 207. ISBN 82-15-00288-9.
- ^ Ulstein, Ragnar (1990). Etterretningstjenesten i Norge 1940–1945 (in Norwegian). Vol. 2. Cappelen. pp. 183, 360. ISBN 82-02-12421-2.
- ^ Børre R. Giertsen, ed. (1946). "9582. Evjenth, Håkon". Norsk fangeleksikon. Grinifangene (in Norwegian). Oslo: Cappelen. p. 343.
- ^ Børre R. Giertsen, ed. (1946). "9599. Evjenth, Solveig". Norsk fangeleksikon. Grinifangene (in Norwegian). Oslo: Cappelen. p. 343.
