Dikken Zwilgmeyer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dikken Zwilgmeyer
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Frøken Lybæks pensionatskole (1901)
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| Born |
Barbara Hendrikke Wind Daae Zwilgmeyer
20 September 1853 Trondheim, Norway
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| Died | 28 February 1913 (aged 59) Kongsberg, Norway
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| Nationality | Norwegian :D |
| Occupation | Children's writer |
| Known for | "Inger Johanne" series of books |
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Notable work
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Anniken Præstgaren (1900) |
| Parent(s) | Peter Gustav Zwilgmeyer |
| Relatives | Ludvig Daae (uncle) |
Dikken Zwilgmeyer (born September 20, 1853 – died February 28, 1913) was a famous Norwegian writer. She is best known for her amazing children's literature. Many people loved her special series of books about a character named "Inger Johanne."
Contents
About Dikken Zwilgmeyer
Her Early Life
Dikken Zwilgmeyer's full name was Barbara Hendrikke Wind Daae Zwilgmeyer. She was born in Trondheim, Norway. She was one of seven children in her family. Her father, Peter Gustav Zwilgmeyer, was a judge and a member of the Norwegian Parliament. This means he helped make laws for the country.
When Dikken was eight years old, her family moved to Risør. This town was in a county called Nedenes. Her uncle, Ludvig Daae, was also a politician. He even served as the Minister of the Army! Dikken never got married. She passed away in Kongsberg and was buried in Oslo.
Becoming a Writer
Dikken Zwilgmeyer did not go to a regular school for a long time. But she was very talented at painting and writing from a young age. She took art lessons from different painters, including a famous one named Christian Krohg.
Her very first story was called "En Hverdagshistorie." It was printed in a magazine called Nyt Tidsskrift in 1884. Later, she wrote her first story for children. It was titled "Afbrudt 17. mai" and appeared in Illustreret Tidende for Børn magazine.
The "Inger Johanne" Books
Dikken Zwilgmeyer's first children's book was Vi børn (meaning "We Children"). It came out in 1890. She wrote it using a pen name: "Inger Johanne, 13 years old." Inger Johanne was a character who was the daughter of a judge in a small Norwegian town.
This book became super popular! Because of its success, Dikken wrote eleven more "Inger Johanne" books. Some of these include Karsten og jeg (1891), Fra vor by (1892), and Barndom (1895). Her book Anniken Præstgaren from 1900 was probably her most widely read book.
It's thought that by 1903, about 600,000 copies of Zwilgmeyer's books had been printed. The "Inger Johanne" books stayed a favorite for Norwegian children for many years. Dikken Zwilgmeyer's books are seen as a big step forward for children's literature in Norway around the year 1900.
Her Books for Grown-Ups
In 1895, Dikken Zwilgmeyer also published her first book for adults. It was a collection of short stories called Som kvinder er (meaning "As Women Are"). This book talked about the difficult lives of women who were not married. She also wrote novels for adults, like Ungt sind (1896).
These books for adults were not talked about much by critics at the time. However, when Som kvinder er was re-released in 1953, people realized it was a really good book that had been forgotten. Later, she wrote historical novels and stories too.
A famous writer named Sigrid Undset once said that Dikken Zwilgmeyer had two sides. She was a kind children's writer, but also a more serious writer who looked closely at society.
One of her books, What Happened to Inger Johanne, was translated into English. An American children's author named Emilie Poulsson did the translation. It was published in Boston in 1919 and included drawings by Florence Liley Young.
Her Famous Books
Here are some of Dikken Zwilgmeyer's well-known books:
- Vi børn (We children), 1890
- Karsten og jeg (Karsten and I), 1891
- Fra vor by (From our city), 1892
- Sommerferier (Summer holidays), 1894
- Barndom (Childhood), 1895
- Morsomme dage (Funny days), 1896
- Hos onkel Max og tante Betty (With Uncle Max and Aunt Betty), 1897
- Udenlands (Foreign), 1898
- Fire kusiner (Four cousins), 1899
- Anniken Prestgaren (Anniken the Prestige), 1900
- Syvstjernen og andre historier (Seven Star and Other Stories), 1900
- Frøken Lybæks pensionatskole (Ms. Lybæk's boarding school), 1901
- Lille Jan Bluhme (Little Jan Bluhme), 1903
- Kongsgaardgutten (Kongsgaardgutten), 1904
- Maja (Maja), 1905
- Hos farfar paa Løvly (At grandfather at Løvly), 1910
- Vi tre i hytten (We were in the cabin), 1911
