Andreas Jynge

Andreas Jynge was a Norwegian poet and civil servant who lived from 1870 to 1955. He was born in Skien, the same town as the famous playwright Henrik Ibsen. He studied law at the University of Oslo and worked as a secretary in the Norwegian Ministry of Labour from 1898 to 1912. He then became a director in the Norwegian State Railways from 1919 to 1937. He was also involved in various cultural and social activities, such as the Norsk Travselskap, the Oslo Kunstforening, and the Norwegian Academy of Language and Literature. He was married to Esther Lind Jynge and had two children, Ester Horn and Gert Jynge, who both became prominent figures in Norwegian society. He was also a maternal grandson of Andreas Grimelund, a bishop of Nidaros. As a poet, Andreas Jynge published two collections of poems, Viser og vers (Songs and Verses) in 1896 and Egne veie (Own Ways) in 1903. His poems were mostly lyrical and romantic, often inspired by nature, love, and childhood. Some of his poems were set to music by Agathe Backer-Grøndahl, a famous Norwegian composer and pianist. He also wrote novellas, essays, and reviews on literature and art. He was a friend and admirer of Knut Hamsun, one of the most influential Norwegian writers of the 20th century. He died in 1955 at the age of 84.