Gulbranssen, Trygwe

Trygve Emanuel Gulbranssen (June 15, 1894, Christiania (now Oslo ) - October 10, 1962, Aidsberg) - Norwegian writer, entrepreneur and journalist.

Born in a poor peasant family living in the vicinity of Christiania. From childhood, he was forced to work as a messenger and then an apprentice with various artisans, but he studied well at school. Since childhood, he had a penchant for drawing, in 1909 he entered the Royal Academy of Fine Arts and Crafts, where he studied at the evening department until 1916 and where he was accepted without finishing secondary education. Since 1908, that is, from the age of 14, he worked as a clerk in a tobacco factory, by 1918 he reached the manager, and in 1920 he saved up enough money to open his own tobacco business.

Gulbranssen is best known as the author of the so-called Björndal Trilogy (1933-1935). The novels that composed it were well received by critics, who noted the romantic narrative style and the general Christian-humanistic conception of the work, which contrasted sharply with modern writer modernism , and readers. They have been translated into more than 30 languages ​​and sold over 12 million copies. At a certain point in time before the outbreak of World War II, his trilogy was in fourth place in the world statistics among the best-selling books, and after translating his works into English and publications in the USA and Great Britain, he became the only Scandinavian writer whose books were included in the “list of books selected for the White House ”- a collection of books selected by American publishers and printing houses and transferred to the White House to provide the country's president with a library with the best, in their opinion, works with modern literature.

Gulbranssen was also known as a sports journalist, who wrote mainly for the magazine Idrætsliv , being its co-owner. Most of the most famous and characteristic articles written by him as a correspondent for the Idrætsliv and Aftenposten publications were devoted to the Summer Olympic Games from 1920 to 1936. He himself was most interested in athletics from sports and for many years as a sports administrator contributed to its development in the country. In addition, he is considered one of the founders of the Norwegian orienteering (along with Niels Dahl).

The direct source of livelihood for Gulbranssen was the wholesale trade in tobacco; along with his companions, he imported tobacco, cigars, cigarettes, pipes and the like smoking accessories. The wholesale firm under his leadership was the largest of its kind in Norway. Gulbranssen had a reputation as a respected businessman, both domestically and abroad, and thanks to frequent business trips across Europe, he made many friends, maintaining some relationships with his whole life. In addition to the three trilogy novels, he wrote several novels and articles on sports topics.

In 1940, Gulbranssen and his family sold their business and moved to the Huböl farm in Eidsberg. During the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany during World War II, he often criticized the occupation authorities, was harassed and threatened, but was not arrested. After 1945, he led a measured rural life, but, despite the fact that he was not personally engaged in daily physical labor, he was constantly busy with various cares and planning agricultural activities. As a new resident of these places, he did not retire on the farm and maintained good relations with neighbors and other people. In 1955, he was involved in the opening of the Rotary Club, becoming one of its members and taking an active part in its work until his death in 1962 .