Alf Henrikson
Alf Henrikson | |
---|---|
Born | Alf Ragnar Sten Henrikson 9 July 1905 Huskvarna, Sweden |
Died | 9 May 1995 Stockholm, Sweden | (aged 89)
Pen name | H |
Occupation | Author, poet, translator |
Nationality | Swedish |
Notable awards | Litteris et Artibus 1977 |
Alf Ragnar Sten Henrikson (9 July 1905 in Huskvarna – 9 May 1995 in Södra Ängby) was a Swedish writer, poet and translator, known for his interest in language and for his broad general knowledge.[1] He wrote a number of books about popular science and history, and for many years he was part of the staff of Dagens Nyheter, where he published short poems about current events or other topics.
Biography
Henrikson was born in Huskvarna, the eldest son of Arvid and Linnéa Henrikson. His father was a clerk at Husqvarna Vapenfabrik, a rifle manufacturer that also produced sewing machines and motorcycles. Alf Henrikson's mother also worked at the factory, where she painted decorative patterns and flowers on sewing machines, prior to her marriage.[2]
Henrikson was a precocious child who learnt to read at an early age, something that was encouraged by his parents as well as his grandparents, who lived with the family. When he was five years old, his brother Stig was born, followed by the youngest sibling, Gerd; she was 13 years younger than Alf.[2]
He studied Latin and Greek at secondary school, and
Henrikson married Ebba Weck in 1931. They had two sons, Kjell (born 1933) and Lars (born 1938). The family moved to Södra Ängby in the Bromma borough of Stockholm in the mid-1930s, and Henrikson lived there until his death in 1995.[2]
Production
All in all, over 20,000 of Henrikson's daily poems were published in Dagens Nyheter, some of which have subsequently been published in anthologies.[4] Henrikson also wrote and published a number of other volumes of poetry, and a popular introduction to various metric forms and styles. His style was often humorous but could also be very serious; there were often several layers of meanings in Henrikson's texts.
Henrikson's published production includes over 100 books
Awards and prizes
Henrikson received a number of literary and other awards for his writing and his work to further knowledge. Among the most important awards he received are
- Litteris et Artibus (1977)[7]
- Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (1981)[8]
- Vitterhetsakademien's silver medal (1982)
In 1967, he was elected a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities (Vitterhetsakademien). In 1968, he was made an honorary doctor by
References
- ^ Alf Henrikson biographical entry in Nationalencyklopedin (in Swedish)
- ^ a b c d Sjögren, Gerd. "Syster Gerd berättar…". Möten med Alf Henrikson. The Alf Henrikson Society. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
- ^ gravar.se
- ^ The Alf Henrikson society (in Swedish)
- ^ Bibliographical database from the Alf Henrikson Society
- Gothenburg Opera
- ^ Recipients of Litteris et Artibus 1977[permanent dead link], information from the Royal Court of Sweden
- ^ Commendatore Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana List of recipients of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, accessed 20 February 2010
- ^ "Alf Henrikson-priset". The Alf Henrikson Society. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
External links
- Alf Henrikson at IMDb