Ebba Haslund facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ebba Haslund
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Ebba Haslund in 1954
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| Born | 12 August 1917 Seattle, Washington, United States
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| Died | 10 July 2009 (aged 91) Oslo, Norway
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| Nationality | Norwegian |
| Occupation | novelist, writer of short stories, playwright, essayist, children's writer, literary critic, radio speaker and politician. |
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Ebba Margareta Haslund Halvorsen (born August 12, 1917, died July 10, 2009) was a famous Norwegian writer and politician. She wrote many books, including novels, short stories, and children's books. She also wrote plays for radio and worked as a literary critic. Besides writing, Ebba Haslund was involved in politics and worked for different organizations.
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Ebba Haslund's Early Life and Family
Ebba Haslund was born in Seattle, Washington, in the United States. Her parents were Frantz Philip Haslund and Ebba Margareta Gillblad. Her father was an "adventurer," so her family traveled a lot when she was young.
She became a student in 1935. Before World War II, she studied languages in England, Germany, and France. In 1941, she earned her degree from the University of Oslo. In 1940, she married Sverre Fjeld Halvorsen, a businessman. He was held in prison camps during World War II but survived. Ebba Haslund lived in Blommenholm for many years. She passed away in Oslo at the age of 91.
Ebba Haslund's Career as a Writer
Starting Her Literary Journey
Ebba Haslund began her writing career in 1945. Her first book was a collection of short stories called Også vi –. The next year, she published her first novel, Siste halvår. This book was about young girls growing up.
Her book Det hendte ingenting (1948) was not very popular at first. However, it is now seen as one of her most important works. The story is told by a shy student named Edle Henriksen. It explores the friendships between three women students at the University of Oslo in 1939. This book was translated into English in 1987 as Nothing Happened. Ebba Haslund became well-known with her novels Middag hos Molla (1951) and Krise i august (1954).
Plays and Books for Young Readers
Ebba Haslund also wrote many plays for radio. Her first radio play was Himmelsk dilemma (1952). Her play Kjære Nils (1956) won an award for the best radio play for children.
She wrote several books for children and young people. Some of these include Frøken Askeladd (1953), Barskinger på Brånåsen (1960), and Mor streiker (1981). She also wrote collections of essays, which are short pieces of writing about a topic. These include Født til klovn (1977) and Kvinner, fins de? (1980). She also wrote three memoir books about her own life.
From 1970 to 1990, she worked as a literary critic for the newspaper Aftenposten. This meant she wrote reviews of other people's books. She was also the editor-in-chief of the magazine Ordet for a time. She wrote regular columns for newspapers like Klassekampen.
Working with Organizations
Ebba Haslund was very active in different organizations. She was a board member of the Norwegian branch of International PEN. This group works to promote literature and freedom of expression. She was also involved with the Writers' Guild of Norway.
She was a board member and later the chairman of the Norwegian Authors' Union. This union supports writers in Norway. In 1975, she became an honorary member of this union. She also received honorary membership in the Norwegian Association for Women's Rights in 1995. This group works for equal rights for women. She was the only honorary member of this association for the rest of her life.
Ebba Haslund also served on the board of Riksteateret, a national touring theater. She was a member of the Norwegian Language Council, which helps manage the Norwegian language. She was also a deputy member of the Arts Council Norway.
Ebba Haslund's Political Role
Ebba Haslund also had a role in politics. She served as a deputy representative in the Norwegian Parliament for two terms. She represented Oslo from 1958 to 1961 and Akershus from 1961 to 1965.
She even filled in for John Lyng when he was the Prime Minister of Norway in 1963. At that time, she was part of the Conservative Party of Norway. However, she was sometimes called "Red Ebba" because of her strong views. She was inspired by the women's rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s. This movement fought for more rights and equality for women. In 2007, Ebba Haslund said she no longer voted Conservative but supported the Liberal Party of Norway.
Awards and Recognition
Ebba Haslund received several important awards for her work:
- In 1966, she won the Norwegian Booksellers' Prize for her novel Det trange hjerte.
- In 1968, she received the Riksmål Society Literature Prize for Syndebukkens krets.
- She was given the Ossietzky Award in 2006.
- In 2007, she received the Fritt Ord Honorary Award.
