Petter Dass

Portrait thought to be of Petter Dass

Petter Dass (ca. 1647 – 18 September 1707) was a Lutheran priest and the foremost Norwegian poet of his generation, writing both baroque hymns and topographical poetry.

Signature of Petter Dass from the census of 1701
Petter Dass relief
by Ambrosia Theodora Tønnesen
Bergen Cathedral

Biography

He was born at Northern Herøy (Dønna), Nordland, Norway. His father was a merchant originally from Dundee, Scotland, Peter Dundas who had established himself as a trader along the northern Norwegian coast. His mother was Maren Falch (1619–1640) whose father had been the local bailiff, a large land owner in Helgeland and manager for the Dønnes estate of Henrik Rantzau. His father died in 1653, when Petter was 6, and the children were cared for by relatives and friends. His mother remarried, but Petter remained with his mother's sister, Anna Falck, who was married to the priest at Nærøy.

At 13, Petter began attending school in Bergen, and later studied theology at the University of Copenhagen. He was lonely during his years in Copenhagen, but intellectually stimulated. After his years in Copenhagen, he returned to Norway and became a tutor in Vefsn. He fathered a child out of wedlock, and had to travel to Copenhagen and seek pardon from the Danish king. In 1689 he was appointed parish priest at Alstahaug. His parish was quite large covering an area which included the villages of Hattfjelldal, Vevelstad, Leirfjord, Vefsn, Herøy, Dønna, Nesna, Hemnes and Rana.

Petter Dass Chapel in Husøya
Interior of Petter Dass Chapel
Petter Dass Museum in Alstahaug, Norway
Interior of Petter Dass Museum

He was also a writer of texts and hymns. Most of his writings were not published until after his death. His most famous work is the versified topographical description of northern Norway, Nordlands Trompet ("The Trumpet of Nordland"), and some psalms still in use, most prominently Herre Gud, ditt dyre navn og ære ("Good Lord, thy precious name and glory"). In the Faroe Islands, which were Norwegian until 1814, his Bibelsk Viise-Bog[1] and Katechismus-Sange[2] have continued to be used among folk singers until the last decades of the 20th century.[3]

The only existing portrait of Petter Dass is traditionally believed to be one found in the Melhus church in Norway. However, the claim is hotly disputed, with some historians who studied the painting concluding that Dass is most likely not the subject. Several modern statues and bust of Petter Dass have been erected in Norway, including a bas-relief by Norwegian sculptor Ambrosia Theodora Tønnesen (1859-1948) at the Bergen Cathedral. The community of Sandnessjøen has a modern statue of Petter Dass located prominently in the town centre.[4][5]

Petter Dass was deeply mourned after his death, and many fishing vessels of Northern Norway carried a black cloth in their sail for 100 years after his death, as a sign of mourning. He is still the subject of folklore of Nordland. There is, for example, a legend of how he fooled the devil to carry him to Copenhagen to preach for the king.

Petter Dass Chapel

Petter Dass Chapel (Petter Dass-kapellet) is located in Husøya, the administrative centre of Træna municipality, in Nordland county, Norway. The chapel was opened on 28 June 1997 as a memorial of Petter Dass.[6]

Petter Dass Prize

Petter Dass Prize (Petter Dass-prisen) is an annual award extended by the Norwegian newspaper Vårt Land. the prize was first granted during 1995. It is awarded in recognition of a person or organization that has helped to put the Christian faith on the agenda in society.[7]

Petter Dass Medal

Petter Dass Medal (Petter Dass medaljen) is an award given annually by Nordlendingenes Forening in Oslo, to people from Northern Norway who have distinguished themselves in their work for the region's development. The society is a fraternal association of people who have emigrated from the counties of Nordland, Troms and Finnmark. Nordlendingenes Forening] was founded by Norwegian educator, clergyman and engineer Ole Tobias Olsen (August 1830 - 6 July 1924) and Norwegian theologian and hymn writer Elias Blix. In honors of the society's 50th anniversary in 1912, a commemorative medal was first established in memory of Petter Dass.[8]

Petter Dass Museum

Petter Dass Museum (Petter Dass-museet) in Alstahaug municipality in Nordland county, Norway was established in 1966 and is currently a division of Helgeland Museum. The opening of the new museum building took place during Autumn 2007, 300 years after the death of Petter Dass. The facility inspires the teaching, research, artistic creative work, study and contemplation, and dialogue about culture and values. Since 1983, Petter Dass has also been honored with the traditional Petter Dass days at Alstahaug.[9]

Modern cultural influence

Noted Norwegian Classical songwriter Edvard Grieg included the words of Petter Dass in his composition Fisherman's Song (Fiskervise. 1894) from 7 Barnlige Sange, Op.61. More recently Norwegian folk singer, Jack Berntsen has written songs based on poems by Petter Dass and Norwegian playwright Lars Berg wrote the play Petter Dass (1967). Mit navn er Petter Dass, a music album published in 2008 with lyrics by Petter Dass, was written by Kari Bremnes with her brothers Lars and Ola.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Petter Dass (1711): Aandelige Tids-Fordriv eller Bibelske Viise-Bog, Copenhagen. Published in Petter Dass, Samlede Verker, Vol. 2, edited by Kjell Heggelund / Sverre Inge Apenes, Oslo 1980
  2. ↑ Petter Dass (1714): D. Mort: Luthers lille Katechismus, forfatted I beqvemme Sange, Copenhagen (known as Katechismus-Sange). Published in Petter Dass, Samlede Verker, Vol. 2, edited by Kjell Heggelund / Sverre Inge Apenes, Oslo 1980
  3. ↑ Marianne Clausen (2006): Andlig Vísuløg í Føroyum / Spiritual Songs in the Faroes, 542 pp., Stiðin, ISBN 99918-42-41-1
  4. ↑ Stautland, Helge Johan (20 December 2004). "Dette er ikke Petter Dass" (in Norwegian). Kristelig Pressekontor. Retrieved 2009-05-29.
  5. ↑ Petter Dass – a Poet and a Priest (Archives for sandnessjøen)
  6. ↑ Petter Dass-kapellet (Hærverk kommunale)
  7. ↑ Petter Dass-prisen (Vårt Land)
  8. ↑ Petter Dass medaljen (Nordlendingenes Forening)
  9. ↑ Om Museet (Petter Dass Museum)

Other sources

External links

Wikisource has the text of a 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article about Petter Dass.
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