Teckla Violanta Juel née Suenssen (1834–1904) was a Danish writer and composer. Brought up by a mother interested in literature, like her sisters Alfhilda Mechlenburg and

Fanny Suenssen Fanny Margrethe Kirstine Suenssen (1832–1918) was a Danish writer. Brought up by a mother interested in literature, like her sisters Alfhilda Mechlenburg and Teckla Juel, she contributed articles to women's magazines and published novels and ...

, she contributed articles to women's magazines and published novels and short stories. Furthermore, using the name Teckla, she published a number of songs for which she had composed the music.

Biography

Born on 20 May 1834 in Tønning in the south of Jutland, Teckla Violanda Suenssen was the youngest daughter of Captain Johan Fedder Carsten Suenssen (1795–1840) and his wife Margaret née Juel. She was brought up by a mother deeply interested in literature with two sisters who also became writers. In August 1867, she married the schoolteacher at

Aalborg Cathedral School Aalborg Cathedral School ( da, Aalborg Katedralskole) is the oldest gymnasium in North Jutland, Denmark. There are about 80 teachers at Aalborg Cathedral School and approximately 760 students who are assigned to 24 high school classes and 6 High ...

Axel Georg Juel (1822–1903) with whom she had two children: Margrethe (1869) and Elise Henriette (1871). Teckla Suenssen spent her childhood in the south of Jutland where her father was a sea captain based in Tønning. When he died in 1840, the family moved to Copenhagen where she grew up in a happy home. In 1848, she moved to Norway where she spent the next two years, frequently returning between stays on

Langeland Langeland (, ) is a Danish island located between the Great Belt and Bay of Kiel. The island measures 285 km2 (c. 110 square miles) and, as of 1 January 2018, has a population of 12,446.

and in Copenhagen. When she was 16, she published anonymously the song "Fiskerpigens Klagesang" (The Fisherwoman's Lament) for which she had also composed the music. Reprinted in three editions, it was followed by similar songs: "Vemod" (Melancholy, 1851), "Længsel" (Longing, 1856) and "Amors Rekrut" (Amor's Recruit, 1858). She went on to write two long narrative poems, "Ivan Mikkel" (1860) and, using the pen mane Johan Fedder, "Den sorte Ravn" (The Black Raven, 1861). Published anonymously, her first novel tells the romantic story of ''Caja''. It first appeared in installments in ''

Dagbladet ''Dagbladet'' (lit.: ''The Daily Magazine'') is one of Norway's largest newspapers and is published in the tabloid format. It has 1,400,000 daily readers on mobile, web and paper. Traditionally ''Dagbladet'' is considered the main liberal newsp ...

'' before being published as a book in 1860. Also published anonymously were ''Planterens Datter'' (The Planter's Daughter, 1864) and ''I Jylland'' (In Jutland, 1866) Using the pen name Carl Krone, she published a book containing two short stories, ''Hans Lindberg'' and ''Jeppe'', in 1866 and as Thorvald Thure, ''Blancogade Nummer Syv'' in 1867. After marrying Axel Juel in 1867, she spent the next ten years in

Aalborg Aalborg (, , ) is Denmark's fourth largest town (behind Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Odense) with a population of 119,862 (1 July 2022) in the town proper and an urban population of 143,598 (1 July 2022). As of 1 July 2022, the Municipality of Aalb ...

where her husband was employed. In 1876, the family settled in Copenhagen. Later publications included three novels: ''Hittebarnet'' (1870), ''Zigeunerbarnet'' (1871), ''Karen'' (1874) and the short story collection ''Paa Skraaplanet'' (1891). Together with her two sisters, she contributed to the children's book of stories and verse, ''Ei blot til Lyst'' (1880) and the play ''En Skilsmisse'' (A Divorce, 1872). The play was presented at Copenhagen's

Royal Danish Theatre The Royal Danish Theatre (RDT, Danish: ') is both the national Danish performing arts institution and a name used to refer to its old purpose-built venue from 1874 located on Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen. The theatre was founded in 1748, first ser ...

as ''Et Ægteskab in Fare'' (A Marriage in Danger) in 1875. Many of her works were translated into Swedish and German. According to ''Schriftsteller-Lexikon der Gegenwart'', she gained considerable popularity in Germany. Teckla Juel died in Copenhagen on 27 October 1904.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Juel, Teckla 1834 births 1904 deaths People from Tönning 19th-century Danish novelists Danish women novelists 19th-century Danish composers Danish women composers Danish short story writers Danish women short story writers 19th-century pseudonymous writers Pseudonymous women writers