Elling Bolt Holst (19 July 18492 September 1915) was a Norwegian mathematician, biographer and

children's writer Children's literature or juvenile literature includes stories, books, magazines, and poems that are created for children. Modern children's literature is classified in two different ways: genre or the intended age of the reader. Children's ...

Early and personal life

Holst was born in Drammen, Norway. He was a son of bookseller Adolph Theodor Holst and Amalie Fredrikke Bergh. He was a grandson of merchant and politician, member of the

Storting The Storting ( no, Stortinget ) (lit. the Great Thing) is the supreme legislature of Norway, established in 1814 by the Constitution of Norway. It is located in Oslo. The unicameral parliament has 169 members and is elected every four years bas ...

, Elling Mathias Holst (1785-1852). Holst enrolled as a student at the University of Christiania (now University of Oslo), his doctoral advisor was

Sophus Lie Marius Sophus Lie ( ; ; 17 December 1842 – 18 February 1899) was a Norwegian mathematician. He largely created the theory of continuous symmetry and applied it to the study of geometry and differential equations. Life and career Marius Sophu ...

, and he graduated as

cand.real. Candidatus realium or candidata realium (abbreviated cand. real.) is a former academic degree used in Norway, and conferred in mathematics and natural sciences. It was abolished in 1985. There was originally no set duration for the completion of th ...

in 1874. He continued his studies in Germany, where Felix Klein was among his teachers. He was appointed teacher at Aars og Voss skole in Christiania (now Oslo). His thesis ''Et par syntetiske Methoder, især til Brug ved Studiet af metriske Egenskaber'' was finished in 1882.

Career

Holst lectured in mathematics at the University of Oslo from 1894. Among his other mathematical works are his contribution from 1878, ''Om Poncelets betydning for geometrien'', and several course books. He wrote biographies of several mathematicians, including

Cato Maximilian Guldberg Cato Maximilian Guldberg (11 August 1836 – 14 January 1902) was a Norwegian mathematician and chemist. Guldberg is best known as a pioneer in physical chemistry. Background Guldberg was born in Christiania (now Oslo), Norway. He was the el ...

Carl Anton Bjerknes Carl Anton Bjerknes ( , ; 24 October 1825 – 20 March 1903) was a Norway, Norwegian mathematician and physicist. Bjerknes' earlier work was in pure mathematics, but he is principally known for his studies in hydrodynamics. Biography Carl Ant ...

and Niels Henrik Abel. Holst is particularly known for his children's books ''Norsk Billedbog for Børn'', three collections from 1888, 1890 and 1903 (with illustrations by

Eivind Nielsen Eivind Nielsen (18 June 186413 July 1939) was a Norwegian painter, illustrator and teacher. He was born at Haugesund in Rogaland, Norway. He was the son of Byfogd Martin Nielsen (1823-1899) and Caroline Emilie Petersen (1830-1898). Nielsen was a ...

). The first of these books has been called Norway's first national picture book (although a picture abc had been published previously, in 1876). Holst started collecting traditional poems for children, several of which were first published in Norwegian writing in these books. These poems, such as "Ride, ride ranke", "Bake kake søte", "Kjerringa med staven", "Hoppe! sa gåsa" and "Du og jeg og vi to", have had a constant popularity over many years, and ''Norsk Billedbog for Børn'' has been reissued several times. Also contemporary poetry was included in the books, such as some poems by

Henrik Wergeland Henrik Arnold Thaulow Wergeland (17 June 1808 – 12 July 1845) was a Norwegian writer, most celebrated for his poetry but also a prolific playwright, polemicist, historian, and linguist. He is often described as a leading pioneer in the develop ...

, "Kom bukken til gutten" by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, and "Blaamand" by Aasmund Olavsson Vinje. Among his other children's books are ''Julegodter for Børn'' from 1892, and ''A.B.C. for Skole og Hjem'' from 1893 (together with

Anna Rogstad Anna Georgine Rogstad (26 July 1854 – 8 November 1938) was a Norwegian politician, women's rights activist and educator. A member of the conservative-liberal Liberal Left Party, she was Norway's first female Member of Parliament. A teacher b ...

). He published the picture book ''Fra Sæteren'' in 1899, with illustrations by Lisbeth Bergh.

Personal life

He was married twice, first to Inger Skavlan (1852–99), and was a brother-in-law of

Olaf Skavlan Olaf Skavlan (25 January 1838 – 30 May 1891) was a Norwegian literary historian and playwright. Personal life He was born as Ole Skavlan in Stranda as a son of vicar and politician Aage Schavland (1806–1876) and his wife Gerhardine Pauline Be ...

Sigvald Skavlan Sigvald Skavlan (27 December 18394 November 1912) was a Norwegian priest, psalmist and educator. He was born at the vicarage in Stranda in Møre og Romsdal. He was the son of Aage Schavland (1806–1876) and Gerhardine Pauline Bergh (1817–188 ...

Aage Skavlan Aage Gerhard Skavlan (22 December 1847 – 24 February 1920) was a Norwegian historian. He was born in Herøy as a son of dean Aage Schavland (1806–1876) and his wife Gerhardine Pauline Bergh (1817–1884). He was a great-grandnephew of vicar ...

and

Harald Skavlan Harald Skavlan (19 June 1854 – 11 July 1908) was a Norwegian railroad engineer. He was born in Herøy as a son of dean Aage Schavland (1806–1876) and his wife Gerhardine Pauline Bergh (1817–1884). He was a great-grandnephew of vicar Jacob ...

. After her death, he married Marie Michelet (1872–1960), sister of

Simon Michelet Simon Themstrup Michelet (8 February 1863 – 15 October 1942) was a Norwegian theologian. He was Professor of Theology at the University of Oslo. Background He was born in Trondhjem (now Trondheim), Norway. He was a son of customs officer Jos ...

, in 1900. He was decorated Knight, First Class of the

Order of St. Olav The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav ( no, Den Kongelige Norske Sankt Olavs Orden; or ''Sanct Olafs Orden'', the old Norwegian name) is a Norwegian order of chivalry instituted by King Oscar I on 21 August 1847. It is named after King Olav II ...

in 1902.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Holst, Elling 1849 births 1915 deaths People from Drammen University of Oslo alumni University of Oslo faculty Norwegian biographers Norwegian male writers Male biographers Norwegian children's writers Norwegian mathematicians Recipients of the St. Olav's Medal