Per Wästberg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Per Wästberg
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Wästberg in 2010
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| Born | 20 November 1933 Stockholm, Sweden
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| Nationality | Swedish |
| Education | Uppsala University Östra Real |
| Occupation | writer, journalist, poet |
| Employer | Dagens Nyheter |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Partner(s) | Margareta Ekström |
| Children | Johanna Ekström |
| Parent(s) | Erik Wästberg (father) |
| Relatives | Olle Wästberg (brother) |
| President of PEN International (Interim) |
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| In office November 1989 – May 1990 |
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| Preceded by | René Tavernier |
| Succeeded by | György Konrád |
| Member of the Swedish Academy (Seat No. 12) |
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| Assumed office 20 December 1997 |
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| Preceded by | Werner Aspenström |
Per Erik Wästberg (born 20 November 1933) is a Swedish writer. He is also a journalist and poet. Since 1997, he has been a member of the Swedish Academy. This is a group of 18 people who help decide who wins the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Per Wästberg was born in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. His father was Erik Wästberg. Per studied literature at Uppsala University. From 1976 to 1982, he was the main editor of Dagens Nyheter, which is Sweden's biggest daily newspaper. He started writing for them in 1953. His older brother is Olle Wästberg.
Per Wästberg was involved with Amnesty International for many years. This group works to protect human rights around the world. He also served as the president of PEN International. This organization supports writers and freedom of speech. From 1999, he was part of the Nobel Prize in Literature committee. He was the chairman of this committee from 2005 to 2019.
Contents
Books and Stories
Per Wästberg has written many books. These include books about his travels, especially to Africa. He has also written novels, collections of poems, and books about people's lives. He is known for writing a lot about his hometown, Stockholm.
One of Wästberg's books is a biographical novel about Anders Sparrman. Sparrman was a Swedish natural scientist. Wästberg wrote that Sparrman was the first zoologist to study the two types of rhinoceros in Africa. Wästberg's book shows that Sparrman made important scientific discoveries. He also helped map new areas, but he did not become famous for his work.
Working for Human Rights
Per Wästberg has worked hard to support human rights. He was the president of PEN International from 1979 to 1986. He also helped start the Swedish part of Amnesty International in 1963. Through this work, he joined the movement against colonialism. Colonialism is when one country controls another country.
He was very active in the fight against Apartheid in South Africa. Apartheid was a system of unfair racial separation. He became good friends with the writer Nadine Gordimer during this time.
In 1959, the government in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) made him leave the country. After he published his book På svarta listan (On the Black List) in 1960, he was not allowed to enter Rhodesia or South Africa. He could only go back to South Africa in 1990. This was after Nelson Mandela was released from prison.
In August 2022, Wästberg left Amnesty International. He had been a member for over 60 years. He disagreed with a report Amnesty made about the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. The report blamed Russia for the invasion. But it also said that Ukraine had a duty not to put its troops in places where civilians lived. Wästberg felt this statement was not right. He said it was "with a heavy heart" that he ended his long connection with Amnesty.
Published Works
Novels
- Pojke med såpbubblor (1949)
- Ett gammalt skuggspel (1952)
- Halva kungariket (1955)
- Arvtagaren (1958)
- Vattenslottet (1968)
- Luftburen (1969)
- Jordmånen (1972)
- Eldens skugga (1986)
- Bergets källa (1987)
- Ljusets hjärta (1991)
- Vindens låga (1993)
- Anders Sparrmans resa: en biografisk roman (2008)
Poetry
- Tio atmosfärer (1963)
- Enkel resa (1964)
- En avlägsen likhet (1983)
- Frusna tillgångar (1990)
- Förtöjningar (1995)
- Tre rader (1998)
- Raderingar (1999)
- Fortifikationer (2001)
- Tillbaka i tid (2004)
Books About Africa and the World
- Förbjudet område (1960)
- På svarta listan (1960)
- Afrika berättar (1961)
- Afrika-ett uppdrag (1976)
- I Sydafrika – resan till friheten (1995)
- Modern afrikansk litteratur (1969)
- Afrikansk poesi (1971)
- Resor, intervjuver, porträtt, politiska analyser från en långvarig vistelse i Sydafrika (1994)
Biographies and Essays
- Ernst och Mimmi, biografi genom brev (1964)
- Alice och Hjördis Två systrar (1994)
- En dag på världsmarknaden (1967)
- Berättarens ögonblick (1977)
- Obestämda artiklar (1981)
- Bestämda artiklar (1982)
- Frukost med Gerard (1992)
- Lovtal (1996)
- Ung mans dagbok (1996)
- Ung författares dagbok (1997)
- Duvdrottningen (1998)
- Edith Whartons hemliga trädgård (2000)
- Övergångsställen (2002)
- Ute i livet : en memoar (1980–1994) (2012)
- Gustaf Adolf Lysholm : diktare, drömmare, servitör – en biografi (2013)
- Per Wästbergs Stockholm (2013)
- Lovord (2014)
- Erik och Margot : en kärlekshistoria (2014)
- Mellanblad (2015)
Books in English
- The case against Portugal – Angola and Mozambique (with Anders Ehnmark, 1965)
- Assignments in Africa (1986)
See also
In Spanish: Per Wästberg para niños
