Sophie Elkan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sophie Elkan
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Sophie Elkan
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| Born | 3 January 1853 |
| Died | 5 April 1921 (aged 68) |
| Nationality | Swedish |
| Occupation | writer, translator |
Sophie Elkan was a Swedish writer and translator. She was born Sophie Salomon on January 3, 1853, in Gothenburg, Sweden. She passed away in the same city on April 5, 1921.
Sophie Elkan's Life Story
Sophie Salomon was born to Alexander Salomon and Henriette Abrahamson. Her parents were merchants who had moved to Sweden from Germany. Sophie's older brother, Otto Salomon, became a well-known educator. Sophie grew up in a happy home. Her intellectual mother had a strong influence on her.
In 1872, Sophie married her cousin, Nathan Elkan. He was a music book seller. They had a daughter named Kerstin. Sadly, both her husband and daughter passed away in December 1879 from tuberculosis. This was a very difficult time for Sophie. For the rest of her life, she chose to wear black clothes.
After becoming a widow, Sophie started working as a translator. She also began publishing stories and articles. In 1889, she published her first novel. It was called John Hall – en historia från det gamla Göteborg. This book was an immediate success. As a writer, Sophie often used her own life and experiences in her novels.
People described Sophie as someone who was focused on her own thoughts and sometimes nervous. However, she was also known for being welcoming and charming. In 1894, she met Selma Lagerlöf, another famous Swedish writer. They became very close friends. Their letters show how much they cared for each other.
The two women traveled together often. They visited Italy in 1895. Later, in 1899, they traveled to many countries. These included Egypt, Palestine, Italy, France, Belgium, and Holland. After Sophie's death, Selma Lagerlöf received Sophie's personal belongings. Selma used these items to create a special room in her own home, Mårbacka. This room is known as the Elkan Room. It is like a small museum dedicated to Sophie Elkan.
Sophie Elkan in TV Shows
The friendship between Selma Lagerlöf, Valborg Olander, and Sophie Elkan was shown in a TV series. This series was called Selma. It was written by Åsa Lantz in 2008. In the show, Helena Bergström played Selma Lagerlöf. Ingela Olsson played Valborg Olander, and Alexandra Rapaport played Sophie Elkan.
Books by Sophie Elkan
- Dur och moll: skizzer och berättelser. Visby: Gotlands Allehandas tr. 1889.
- Med sordin : Skisser och novelletter. Visby. 1891.
- Rika flickor: berättelse. Stockholm: Fr. Skoglund i distr. 1893.
- Säfve, Kurt & C:o: nutidsberättelse. Stockholm: Skoglund (distr.). 1894.
- Skiftande stämningar: ett novellhäfte. Visby. 1896.
- John Hall: en historia från det gamla Göteborg. Stockholm: Bonnier. 1899.
- Drömmen om österlandet. Nordiskt familjebibliotek, 99-3140236-9 ; 10. Stockholm: Bonnier. 1901.
- Konungen: en sannsaga. Stockholm: Bonnier. 1904.
- Konungen i landsflykt: en sannsaga. Stockholm: Bonnier. 1906.
- Från östan och västan: en novellbok. Stockholm: Bonnier. 1908.
- Anckarström : en historia från idyllens och revolutionernas tidehvarf.. Stockholm: Bonnier. 1910
- Erdmann, Nils August Bondeson ; Ola Hansson ; Sophie Elkan ; Axel Lundegård ; Daniel Fallström. Sveriges national-litteratur, 1500-1900 / utgifvet af Henrik Schück och Ruben G:son Berg, 20. Albert Bonniers, 1912.
