Hubbry Logo
Johan BorgenJohan BorgenMain
Open search
Johan Borgen
Community hub
Johan Borgen
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Johan Borgen
Johan Borgen
Johan Borgen
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

Johan Collett Müller Borgen (28 April 1902 – 16 October 1979) was a Norwegian writer, journalist and critic. His best-known work is the novel Lillelord for which he was awarded the Norwegian Critics Prize for Literature in 1955.[1][2] He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1966.[3]

Key Information

Biography

[edit]

He was born in Kristiania (now Oslo), Norway. He was the son of Poul Holst Borgen (1867–1941) and Andrea Elfrida Bommen (1868–1958). He was raised in the borough of Frogner as the youngest of four sons in the family of a successful attorney. He attended private schools; first at Frøknene Platous Forskole, then at Frogner Skole. He graduated artium in 1920. In 1923, Borgen received a part-time position as a journalist at Dagbladet. He started his column which featured a series of ironic and satirical articles writing under the pseudonym "Mumle Gåsegg". He was employed by Dagbladet from 1923 to 1941 and by Morgenbladet from 1928 to 1930. During the 1930s, he also translated books from different languages within a variety of genres.[4][5]

During the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany, he wrote a series of ironic, derogatory articles about the Nazi regime. Eventually he was arrested and sent to Grini concentration camp. He later escaped and continued to write against the occupation power. His illegal work was quickly rediscovered and he had to escape across the border with Sweden. After the liberation of Norway in 1945, he was a short-time editor of culture in the newspaper Friheten. During the period 1947–59, he worked as a stage instructor in Oslo and instructed over forty performances. Borgen was editor of the literary magazine Vinduet from 1954 to 1959.[4]

In 1925, he debuted as an author of fiction with the novel Mot mørket. With the short story collection Hvetebrødsdager (1948), Borgen achieved an artistic breakthrough, and he followed up with Noveller om kjærlighet (1952) and Natt og dag (1954). His semi-autobiographical novel Lillelord (1955) is his best-known book. Lillelord is the first book in the trilogy that also includes De mørke kilder and Vi har ham nå published in 1956 and 1957.[6][7]

Personal life

[edit]

From 1934 until his death in 1979, he was married to novelist Annemarta Evjenth Borgen (1913–1988). The couple were the parents of three children, including the author Brett Borgen (1934–2014).[8][9]

Awards

[edit]

References

[edit]

Other sources

[edit]
  • Randi Birn (1977) Johan Borgen – En litterær biografi (Oslo: Gyldendal Norsk Forlag) ISBN 82-05-09287-7


Flag of NorwayBiography icon Stub icon

This article about a Norwegian journalist is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Johan Borgen

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Johan Borgen is a Norwegian novelist, short-story writer, journalist, and critic renowned as one of the major figures in twentieth-century Scandinavian literature. He is best known for the Lillelord trilogy, particularly its first volume Lillelord (1955), which explores psychological complexity, moral degeneration, and societal upheaval through the life of its protagonist. His work often delves into human nature's contradictions, existential concerns, and the unease beneath everyday surfaces, earning him acclaim for linguistic precision and versatility across novels, short stories, plays, and essays. Born on 28 April 1902 in Oslo, Norway, Borgen initially built a career in journalism, serving as an editor, critic, and feature writer for several Norwegian newspapers. During the Nazi occupation of Norway in World War II, he wrote critical articles under a pseudonym that led to his arrest by the Gestapo in 1941 and imprisonment in the Grini concentration camp. After the war, he achieved his literary breakthrough in the 1950s with the Lillelord trilogy, which combines deep psychological insight with a realistic depiction of Norway's turbulent era. His short stories, including those in the collection Nye noveller (1965) for which he was nominated for the Nordic Council Literature Prize, showcase a range of styles and themes such as love, hatred, childhood, and the human condition. Borgen's prolific output and ability to interpret the fickle aspects of human behavior cemented his influence on Norwegian and Scandinavian literature until his death on 16 October 1979. Many of his works have been adapted for film and television, reflecting their enduring cultural resonance.

Early Life and Background

Birth and Family

Johan Collett Müller Borgen was born on April 28, 1902, in Kristiania (now Oslo), Norway, at Holtegata 14. He was the youngest of four sons born to Poul Holst Borgen, a high court advocate and property owner, and Andrea Elfrida Bommen. His family belonged to the established bourgeois upper-middle class of Oslo's west end, where Borgen grew up in a privileged and happy childhood environment centered on the affluent "better west side." The household moved within the same area, including a period at Eckersbergs gate 16, but maintained strong ties to Holtegata. The family also owned a summer house at Sjursøya, an island in the Oslofjord, where they spent summers, contributing to the idyllic and sheltered aspects of his early years. This bourgeois upbringing in prosperous Oslo neighborhoods later informed his literary depictions of the milieu.

Education and Early Influences

Johan Borgen completed his examen artium in 1920, qualifying him for university studies. Following the family tradition—his father and brothers were jurists—he began law studies shortly thereafter. However, other pursuits proved more compelling, and he did not complete the degree. In 1922, Borgen relocated to Copenhagen, where he spent what he later termed his "mørke år" (dark years). He supported himself by writing short stories for Danish and Norwegian weekly magazines and developed a lifelong admiration for Danish literature during this period. Borgen drew on these years for parts of his novel De mørke kilder (1956), the second volume in the Lillelord trilogy, noting that he based elements of the Copenhagen setting on "erfaringer hentet fra mitt delvis kriminelle liv" (experiences drawn from my partly criminal life), though he was reluctant to elaborate further. His privileged background as the son of a Supreme Court attorney provided the financial means for extended travels abroad in the 1920s. During this time, he spent periods in both Copenhagen and Paris, living a bohemian existence that included experimentation with drugs and alleged involvement in illicit activities such as liquor smuggling. These experiences in the 1920s formed a significant part of the restless, exploratory phase that shaped his early worldview before he returned to Norway, married, and entered journalism.

Journalism and Early Literary Work

Newspaper Career and Mumle Gåsegg Columns

Johan Borgen began his journalistic career with a part-time position at the newspaper Dagbladet in 1923. After a brief period at Morgenbladet from 1928 to 1930, he returned to Dagbladet as a full-time journalist from 1930 until 1941. He gained recognition for his short columns, known as petitartikler, published in Dagbladet under the pseudonym Mumle Gåsegg. These pieces were characterized by witty, ironic, and satirical observations, often starting with a cheerful tone before delivering sharp commentary on contemporary life and society. A representative collection of these columns, titled Seksti Mumle Gåsegg, appeared in 1936. Alongside this satirical work, Borgen also contributed literary reviews during his newspaper years.

Debut and Pre-War Publications

Johan Borgen made his literary debut in 1925 with the short story collection Mot mørket. While continuing his journalistic work, he developed his fiction writing during the interwar period, producing a series of novels and plays that established his early reputation as a versatile author. His first novel, Når alt kommer til alt, appeared in 1934. The following year, he published Lille dommedag (1935) under the pseudonym Jørgen Hattemaker as a pseudonymous parody. Another short story collection, Barnesinn, followed in 1937. Borgen also ventured into drama with the play Kontorchef Lie in 1936, followed by Høit var du elsket in 1937 and Mens vi venter in 1938. These pre-war works demonstrated his range across genres, from introspective prose to theatrical pieces, before the outbreak of World War II interrupted his career.

World War II and Resistance

Arrest, Imprisonment, and Memoir

Johan Borgen was arrested in September 1941 after the German censorship authorities finally cracked down on his satirical contributions to the newspaper Dagbladet, written under the pseudonym Mumle Gåsegg, which had used double meanings to criticize the Nazi occupation while initially passing review. He was detained together with Dagbladet's editor Gunnar Larsen and transported to the Grini concentration camp outside Oslo. Borgen remained imprisoned at Grini for approximately half a year, enduring the conditions of the camp until his release in March 1942. His time there encompassed the daily realities of life under Nazi captivity, including interactions among prisoners and the routines imposed by the guards. Immediately after the war, Borgen documented these experiences in the memoir Dager på Grini, published in 1945 by Gyldendal. The book provides a firsthand account of the period from 1941 to 1942, focusing on the everyday existence within the camp rather than sensationalized events.

Exile in Sweden

In autumn 1943, following a warning that the family was under surveillance due to his illegal activities, Johan Borgen fled to neutral Sweden with his family to avoid persecution by the Nazi occupation authorities. In Stockholm, he joined the Norwegian community and was attached to the press department of the Norwegian legation, contributing to resistance activities from abroad, including writing against the occupation. He also published works such as the current-affairs book Det nytter (1944, under the pseudonym Helge Lind) and the novel Ingen sommer (1944). Following Norway's liberation in May 1945, Borgen took up the position of press attaché at the Norwegian legation in Copenhagen on 5 May 1945, a role he held until the end of 1945 before resigning. These immediate post-liberation activities reflected his transition back to public life before he turned primarily to literary work.

Post-War Literary Career

The Lillelord Trilogy

The Lillelord trilogy, consisting of Lillelord (1955), De mørke kilder (1956), and Vi har ham nå (1957), is Johan Borgen's most famous work and a major achievement in Norwegian post-war literature. The semi-autobiographical series presents a psychological portrait of the protagonist Wilfred Sagen, tracing his life from childhood around the outbreak of World War I in 1914 through to the era of World War II. In Lillelord, the opening novel, the narrative begins at a Christmas party in Oslo's affluent west-end milieu, where the young Wilfred asserts a precocious identity that is simultaneously charming and unbearable, characterized by hyper-reflective resistance to adult expectations and roles while mastering them with cool, ironic perfection. Central to the trilogy are explorations of identity and the coherence of the self, as Borgen probes fundamental questions such as "Who am I? What is a self? How does a self hold together over time? Is one or many?" These concerns reflect broader preoccupations with borderline states between consciousness and unconsciousness, fragmented presence, and the author's own dark sides and negative possibilities projected onto Wilfred. The series examines alienation through Wilfred's internal conflicts and detachment, culminating in a narrative arc that encompasses moral challenges amid the historical context of World War II. Lillelord was awarded the Norwegian Critics Prize for Literature in 1955, recognizing its innovative psychological depth and literary significance. The trilogy is widely regarded as a key contribution to modernist Norwegian fiction for its introspective examination of human fragmentation and existential unease.

Later Novels, Short Stories, and Awards

Following the completion of the Lillelord trilogy (1955–1957), Johan Borgen entered a phase of continued productivity marked by greater modernist experimentation in his novels and short stories, with a persistent focus on themes of identity, the fragmented self, and half-conscious states of mind. His 1959 novel Jeg represented a notable shift toward high-modernist novel experiments. He followed this with Sorry Boy (published under the pseudonym Ola Ullern) in 1961, Blåtind in 1964, Den røde tåken in 1967, Min arm, min tarm in 1972, Den store havfrue in 1973, and Eksempler in 1974. Borgen remained a master of the short story form during this period, rendering subtle psychological border states and multiple layers of consciousness with precision. His collection Nye noveller (1965) received the Nordic Council Literature Prize in 1967. Further short story volumes included Trær alene i skogen (1969), Lykke til! (1974), and I dette rom (1975). In recognition of his contributions to Norwegian literature, Borgen was awarded the Dobloug Prize in 1965. Throughout these later works he sustained his exploration of the central question of identity—“Hvem er jeg? Hva er et jeg? Hvordan henger et jeg sammen over tid? Er jeg én eller mange?”—while maintaining a prominent presence in Norwegian letters through the 1950s, 1960s, and into the 1970s.

Contributions to Film and Television

Original Scripts and Screenplays

Johan Borgen's direct contributions to original scripts and screenplays were relatively limited compared to his extensive work in prose fiction and journalism, but he engaged with film and television during the 1960s through both original writing and adaptations of his own dramatic works. He co-authored the screenplay for the feature film Kalde spor (Cold Tracks, 1962), collaborating with director Arne Skouen on this wartime drama set in 1944, where a resistance fighter awaits a loved one while preparing to guide refugees across the mountains. Borgen served as writer for the TV movie Frydenberg (1965), directed by Barthold Halle, which centers on a young and naive poet who attends a bourgeois dinner party hosted by Victor and gains insight into life and power. He also wrote the screenplay for the feature film The Guards (original title Vaktpostene, 1965), directed by Arne Skouen, a production that explores intersecting destinies through a dramatic train incident and its aftermath involving a young military recruit. Several of Borgen's earlier plays received television adaptations for which he received credit, including Mens vi venter (1961), based on his 1938 stage play, and Nei, men allikevel (1967), adapted from his play. Additionally, he provided a translation for the TV movie Knepet (1964) and literary text for Det angår ikke oss (1965), both television productions.

Adaptations of His Works

Several of Johan Borgen's literary works have been adapted for film and television, though such adaptations remain relatively few compared to his extensive output as a novelist and short story writer. Most of these projects do not credit Borgen as screenwriter, with scripts instead prepared by other writers drawing from his novels, short stories, or other texts. Notable examples include the 1967 film Min bedstefar er en stok, adapted from his short story "Af en født forbryters dagbog," and the 1970 film Skal vi leke gjemsel?, based on the 1949 novel Jenny og påfuglen. In both cases, Borgen received no screenplay credit, reflecting his limited direct involvement in cinematic interpretations of his own published works. Posthumous adaptations have continued to appear, including the 1989 television production Elsk meg bort fra min bristende barndom, as well as the short films The Passport (2010) and Passet (2015), both derived from his short story "Passet." These later projects underscore the persistent interest in Borgen's themes of identity, childhood, and existential conflict long after his death, even as adaptations of his oeuvre have remained selective rather than prolific.

Personal Life and Views

Marriages, Family, and Relationships

Johan Borgen's first marriage was in 1928 to Ruth Bergljot Engelstad. This marriage was later dissolved. In 1934 he married Annemarta Evjenth, who became known as Annemarta Borgen, and they remained married until his death in 1979. Annemarta Borgen subsequently published the memoir Deg in 1981, detailing their life together. With Annemarta, Borgen had several children, including the author and actress Brett Borgen. Later in life Borgen had a long affair with the actress Liv Strømsted (later known as Liv Dommersnes), which he kept concealed from his wife. Dommersnes wrote about their secret relationship in her 2001 memoir Alt har sin tid.

Political Evolution and Later Years

In the post-war years, Johan Borgen aligned himself with leftist positions and contributed to the Norwegian Communist Party's newspaper Friheten, where he served as theater and literature editor starting in September 1947. This involvement extended for a period as he supported communist ideas for many years after the war. Borgen emphasized that he never regarded himself as a communist, describing his stance as partly a reaction against prevailing dismissive attitudes toward the Soviet Union, which he noted had sacrificed the most among the wartime allies. From the 1960s onward, Borgen's political views shifted toward critical liberalism. In 1967, he purchased the property Knatten on Asmaløy in the Hvaler archipelago, establishing his home there by 1968. Borgen remained highly productive throughout his later years, continuing to publish novels, short stories, essays, and other works despite illness in his final period.

Death and Legacy

Death

Johan Borgen died on October 16, 1979, in Hvaler, Norway, after a long illness. He lived with his second wife Annemarta at Knatten, the property on Hvaler they had purchased in 1968.

Legacy and Recognition

Johan Borgen is widely regarded as one of the foremost modernist writers in 20th-century Norwegian literature, renowned for his stylistic innovation and versatility across genres including novels, short stories, essays, and drama. His works frequently explore themes of identity, alienation, and existential conflict, establishing him as a central figure in postwar Norwegian literary modernism. Borgen's critical and editorial work, particularly his long tenure at Dagbladet, further amplified his influence on Norwegian cultural and literary discourse throughout much of the 20th century. He remains best known for the Lillelord trilogy, which is often cited as his masterpiece and a landmark in Norwegian literature for its psychological depth and modernist narrative techniques. The trilogy's enduring status has contributed significantly to his lasting reputation as a key innovator in Norwegian prose. Borgen's legacy in film and television is comparatively limited and secondary to his literary achievements, consisting mainly of adaptations of his works rather than original contributions or extensive direct involvement. His contributions were recognized through several major Norwegian literary awards during his lifetime, cementing his standing within the national canon.
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.