Hjalmar Gullberg
Hjalmar Gullberg at his writing desk in the early 1940s.
Born	(1898-05-30)30 May 1898 Malmö, Sweden
Died	19 July 1961(1961-07-19) (aged 63) Holmeja, Sweden
Occupation	writer
Nationality	Swedish

Hjalmar Gullberg (30 May 1898 – 19 July 1961) was a Swedish poet and translator.

Career

Gullberg was born in Malmö, Scania. As a student at Lund University, he was the editor of the student magazine Lundagård. He was the manager of the Swedish Radio Theatre 1936-1950. In 1940 he was made a member of the Swedish Academy, and he also became an honorary doctor of philosophy at Lund University (1944).

A poem from Gullberg's book Kärlek i tjugonde seklet from 1933, called "Förklädd gud" ("God in disguise"), was set to music by the composer Lars-Erik Larsson in 1940. The resulting lyrical suite has become one of the most well-recognised and best loved pieces of Swedish music for choir and orchestra.^[1]

Personal life

Gullberg had been suffering from myasthenia gravis, which resulted during his last few years that he was bound to his bed. He had also been tracheotomized, and was for long periods of time connected to a ventilator. He committed suicide on 19 July 1961 by drowning at Lake Yddingen in Scania.^[2]