Rasmus B. Anderson

Rasmus Bjørn Anderson

Rasmus Bjørn Anderson(January 12, 1846 – March 2, 1936) was an American author, professor, editor, businessman and diplomat. He brought to popular attention the fact thatVikingexplorerswere the first Europeans to arrive in theNew Worldand was the originator ofLeif Erikson Day.

Life and career

Anderson was born in theTown of AlbioninDane County,Wisconsinand grew up inKoshkoning.His parents Bjørn Anderson Kvelve (1801–1850) and Abel Cathrine von Krogh (1809–1885) were immigrants from Sandeid / Vikedal in Ryfylke in the county ofRogaland,Norway.His mother also had Danish, Swedish, German, Dutch, and Flemish ancestry. His parents were part of a small band ofQuakersympathizers who organized a Norwegian emigration to America in 1836.His father died ofcholerawhen Anderson was four years old.

Anderson was a graduate ofLuther Collegeand theUniversity of Wisconsin.He was a professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison from 1867 to 1883. While there, he was the founding head of the Department ofScandinavian Studies,the oldest such department in an American university. He also persuaded Norwegian violinistOle Bullto give a concert for the benefit of a projected Norwegian language library at the university. Ole Bull subsequently paid Anderson's expenses for a trip to Norway to purchase books for the library.

Rasmus B. Anderson founded a publication company, theNorrœna Society,which focused on republishing translations of texts devoted to "the History and Romance of Northern Europe". Anderson was the author of a number of books with Scandinavian themes. He also did a series of translations from Scandinavian languages, most notably the writings of Norwegian novelistBjørnstjerne Bjørnson.From 1905 to 1907, Rasmus Anderson acted as editor-in-chief of the Norrœna Library.

From 1885 to 1889, Anderson served as theUnited States Ambassador to Denmark.After his return to the U.S. in 1889, he was editor (1898–1922) of the Norwegian language weekly,Amerika.He also served as president of the Wisconsin Life Insurance Co. from 1895 to 1922.

Anderson's bookAmerica Not Discovered by Columbushelped popularize the now familiar fact thatNorseexplorers were the first Europeans in theNew World.Anderson was the originator of the movement to honorLeif Eriksonwith a holiday in theUnited States.Through efforts he started and led,Leif Erikson Daybecame an official observance in his nativeWisconsinand otherUS states.Decades after Anderson's death, it first became a federal observance bypresidential proclamationin 1964.

Personal life

In 1868, he married Bertha Karina Olson (1848–1922). They were the parents of five children. His wife died in 1922. Anderson spent the last years of his life in their home inMadison,where he died in 1936. He was buried at Lake Ripley Cemetery inCambridge, Wisconsin.

Selected works

• Julegave(1872)
• "The Scandinavian Languages"(1873)
• Den norske maalsag(1874)
• America Not Discovered by Columbus(1874)
• Norse Mythology(1875)
• Viking Tales of the North(1877)
• The Younger Edda(1880)
• a translation of Dr. F. W. Horns "History of the Literature of the Scandinavian North" (1885)
• Amerikas første Opdagelse(1886)
• First Chapter of Norwegian Immigration, 1821–1840(1895)
• Bygdejævning(1903)
• The Norse Discovery of America(1907)
• Life Story of Rasmus B. Anderson(1915, with Albert O. Barton)
• Cleng Peerson og sluppen "Restaurationen"(1925)
• The Heimskringla or The Saga of the Norse Kings(1889, rev. 2nd ed. of Samuel Laing,The Norse Kings)

References

Sources

• Husvedt, Lloyd.Rasmus Bjørn Anderson: Pioneer Scholar.Northfield, Minn.: Norwegian-American Historical Association, 1966.
• Knaplund, Paul. "Rasmus B. Anderson, Pioneer and Crusader".Norwegian-American Studies,vol. 18, p. 23.

External links

• University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Scandinavian Studies
• Works by Rasmus B. AndersonatProject Gutenberg
• Works by or about Rasmus B. AndersonatInternet Archive
• Works by Rasmus B. AndersonatLibriVox(public domain audiobooks)