Bengt Holbek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bengt Knud Holbek
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| Born | April 1, 1933 |
| Died | August 27, 1992 (aged 59) Faxe, Denmark
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Bengt Holbek (born April 1, 1933 – died August 27, 1992) was a smart Danish expert who studied folklore. Folklore is all about the traditional stories, customs, and beliefs of a community, like fairy tales and legends. Bengt was famous for his fresh ideas about how to understand these old stories.
He wrote a very important book called Interpretation of Fairy Tales in 1987. This book helped many people better understand the meaning behind classic fairy tales.
About Bengt Holbek
Bengt Knud Holbek was born on April 1, 1933, in Copenhagen, Denmark. He was one of ten children in his family. His father, Hans Holbek, was an engineer. Bengt grew up in a town called Ørholm. He finished high school in 1951.
His Studies and Work
Bengt went to the University of Copenhagen. He studied Danish and Latin. In 1962, he earned a special degree in Nordic Folklore. This means he became an expert in the traditional stories and beliefs from countries in Northern Europe.
After university, he worked at the Danish Folklore Archives. This is a place where old stories and traditions are kept safe. From 1968 to 1972, he also led the Nordic Institute of Folklore.
In 1970, Bengt became a teacher at the University of Copenhagen. He taught in the same department he had studied in. By 1972, he was a full professor. This is a very high teaching position at a university.
He earned his Ph.D. in 1987. A Ph.D. is the highest university degree you can get. He earned it by defending his big research paper, which was also called The Interpretation of Fairy Tales.
His Family and Later Life
While he was studying, Bengt married Bertha Dressel. She was a psychologist. They had three children together.
Bengt Holbek passed away on August 27, 1992. He was reading at his home in Denmark when he died. He is buried in Køge, Denmark.
