Kristján Eldjárn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kristján Eldjárn
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Kristján Eldjárn
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| 3rd President of Iceland | |
| In office 1 August 1968 – 1 August 1980 |
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| Prime Minister | Bjarni Benediktsson Jóhann Hafstein Ólafur Jóhannesson Geir Hallgrímsson Ólafur Jóhannesson Benedikt Gröndal Gunnar Thoroddsen |
| Preceded by | Ásgeir Ásgeirsson |
| Succeeded by | Vigdís Finnbogadóttir |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 December 1916 Tjörn, Svarfaðardal, Iceland |
| Died | 13 September 1982 (aged 65) Cleveland, Ohio, United States |
| Spouse | Halldóra Eldjárn |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | University of Copenhagen University of Iceland |
| Profession | Teacher, curator |
Kristján Eldjárn (Icelandic: [ˈkʰrɪstjaun ˈɛltjaurtn̥]; 6 December 1916 – 14 September 1982) was the third president of Iceland. He served as president from 1968 to 1980.
Contents
Kristján Eldjárn's Early Life and Education
Kristján Eldjárn was born in Tjörn, a place in Svarfaðardal, Iceland. His parents were Þórarinn Kr. Eldjárn and Sigrún Sigurhjartardóttir. His father was a teacher.
Kristján studied archaeology at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. Archaeology is the study of human history and prehistory through digging up old sites and artifacts. After his studies, he taught at the University of Iceland. In 1957, he earned a special degree for his research. This research was about ancient burial sites in Iceland.
Working at the National Museum
Before becoming president, Kristján Eldjárn worked as a teacher. He taught at the Akureyri Grammar School and the College of Navigation in Reykjavík.
In 1945, he became a curator at the National Museum of Iceland. A curator is someone who manages and looks after a museum's collection. Just two years later, in 1947, he became the Director of the museum. He held this important job until 1968.
TV Shows and Popularity
From 1966 to 1968, Kristján Eldjárn hosted a series of educational TV shows. These shows were on Iceland's new National Television channel, RÚV.
On the shows, he displayed different items from the National Museum. He explained their history and what they meant. These programs became very popular with the public. This made him a well-known and respected person across Iceland.
Becoming President of Iceland
Kristján Eldjárn decided to run for president in 1968. He ran as an independent candidate, meaning he was not part of any political party.
At first, he was not expected to win. The other main candidate, Ambassador Gunnar Thoroddsen, was much more popular in early polls. However, Kristján Eldjárn surprised everyone. He won the election with 65.6% of the votes. A very high number of people voted, with 92.2% of eligible voters participating.
He was re-elected two more times, in 1972 and 1976. For these elections, no one ran against him, so he won without opposition. In 1980, he chose not to run for president again. He wanted to spend his time continuing his academic work and research.
Later Life and Family
Kristján Eldjárn passed away on 13 September 1982. He died in Cleveland, Ohio, in the United States, after having heart surgery.
His family includes several well-known people. His son, Þórarinn Eldjárn, is a famous author in Iceland. He writes short stories, poems, and novels. Kristján's daughter, Sigrún Eldjárn, is also an author. She writes and illustrates many children's books. Þórarinn's son, Ari Eldjárn, is a very popular stand-up comedian in Iceland.
See also
- Learn more about Kristján Eldjárn in Spanish: Kristján Eldjárn para niños
