Herman Wildenvey (20 July 1885 – 27 September 1959), born Herman Theodor Portaas, was one of the most prominent Norwegian poets of the twentieth century. During his lifetime he published 44 books of his own poetry, in addition to translations of William Shakespeare, Ernest Hemingway, and Heinrich Heine. He was married to the novelist Gisken Wildenvey.[1]
Wildenvey was born at Mjøndalen in Nedre Eiker, near the city of Drammen in Buskerud, Norway. He was the son of Lauritz Portaas and Hanna Kristine Grosvold. He was born outside of marriage. His mother remained unmarried while his father married her younger sister. His childhood home, from which he got his surname at birth, was called Portåsen.[2][3]
He emigrated to the United States in 1904, but returned to Norway during the summer of 1906. On 28 June 1904 the Danish passenger liner, SS Norge ran aground on the skerry, Hasselwood Rock, close to Rockall, on Helen's Reef in the North Atlantic. According to Sebak's comprehensive account, the final death toll was 635, among them 225 Norwegian citizens. The 160 survivors spent up to eight days in open lifeboats before rescue. Several more people died in the days that followed rescue as a result of their exposure to the elements and drinking the salt water. Herman Wildenvey was among the survivors.[4][5]
In 1912, he married the nineteen year old Jonette Kramer Andreassen (later known as Gisken Wildenvey). Their joint surname was changed to Wildenvey by declaration 1929. From 1913 to 1922 the couple had a residence in Copenhagen, although he spent much of his time in Kristiania (now Oslo).[6][7]
After living some years in Oslo and Copenhagen, the couple settled in the small coastal town of Stavern in 1923, where they built their home Hergisheim in 1927. The couple lived there for the rest of their lives. In 1935, he was awarded the Gyldendal's Endowment. In 1955, four years before he died, Herman Wildenvey was honoured with title of Commander of the Royal Order of St. Olav on the merit of his writing. He died in his home town of Stavern and was buried in Vår Frelsers gravlund in Oslo.[8]
Today his childhood home, Portåsen in Mjøndalen, is a museum honouring his life and writing. Portåsen, Wildenveys rike is a cultural centre, meeting place and venue for local, regional and national artists. The site includes a newly renovated farmhouse and farm buildings. Stiftelsen Portåsen is the organization which works on the development of Portåsen and which operates in affiliation with Buskerud Museum (Buskerudmuseet), a foundation for the preservation of cultural heritage within Buskerud.[9][10]
The Wildenvey Society (Wildenvey-selskapet) presents the Herman Wildenvey Poetry Award (Herman Wildenveys Poesipris) annually. The award is conferred every year on July 20, the anniversary of his birth date. The event is held at Hergisheim, his home in Stavern. The award includes a bronze slate plaque from a design made by sculptor Ørnulf Bast. The prize is given to a person or institution that has helped foster interest in Herman Wildenvey's poetry.[11] [12]
Direct translations of Norwegian titles shown in parentheses.
