Ole Vig (6 February 1824 – 19 December 1857) was a Norwegian teacher, poet, non-fiction writer, magazine editor. He is remembered today primarily as an early proponent of universal

public education State schools (in England, Wales, Australia and New Zealand) or public schools (Scottish English and North American English) are generally primary or secondary schools that educate all students without charge. They are funded in whole or in pa ...

Biography

Vig grew up on a farm (''Vikmarken under gården Vikan'') near the village of

Kvithammer Kvithammer or Kvithammar is a village in the Skatval area of the municipality of Stjørdal in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the western part of the municipality, about northwest of the town of Stjørdalshalsen. The village has a p ...

Nord-Trøndelag Nord-Trøndelag (; "North Trøndelag") was a county constituting the northern part of the present-day Trøndelag county in Norway. The county was established in 1804 when the old Trondhjems amt was divided into two: Nordre Trondhjems amt and S ...

, Norway. He was the son of Ole Olsen Viganaasen and Marit Nielsdatter Walstad. He attended school in

Klæbu Klæbu is a former municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. It existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 2020 when it was incorporated into the neighboring Trondheim Municipality. It was located in the southern part of the Trondheim Region, a ...

and graduated in 1843. After graduation, Vig worked as a private tutor for the family of a parish priest in

Åfjord Åfjord is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Trøndelag Counties of Norway, county, Norway. It is part of the Fosen Districts of Norway, region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Å, Åfjord, Årne ...

(1843-1845). He subsequently held a teaching position in

Kristiansund Kristiansund (, ; historically spelled Christianssund and earlier named Fosna) is a municipality on the western coast of Norway in the Nordmøre district of Møre og Romsdal county. The administrative center of the municipality is the town of ...

. From 1851-1857, he served as editor of the magazine ''Folkevennen'', which was published between the years 1852-1900 by the Norwegian literary society, Selskabet for folkeoplysningens fremme. He also published the poetry collection ''Norske Bondeblomster'' in 1851, and the history book ''Norges historie indtil Harald Haarfagre'' in 1857. His poem and

national hymn A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and European n ...

(''Blandt alle Lande'') was published in ''Salmer og Sange til Brug ved Skolelærer-Møde'' from 1854. Vig suffered from the effects of

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...

. He died at age 34 just before Christmas 1857. He was buried

Christmas Eve Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas Day, the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. Christmas Day is observed around the world, and Christmas Eve is widely observed as a full or partial holiday in anticipation ...

Vår Frelsers gravlund The Cemetery of Our Saviour ( no, Vår Frelsers gravlund) is a cemetery in Oslo, Norway, located north of Hammersborg in Gamle Aker district. It is located adjacent to the older Old Aker Cemetery and was created in 1808 as a result of the great ...

in Oslo.

Ole Vig-prisen

Since 1979, the Ole Vig Prize (''Ole Vig-prisen'') has been awarded annually to the Norwegian youth between the ages of 20 and 35 years who has made an outstandingly cultural effort in the spirit of Ole Vig. Ole vig grav

Selected works

*''Norske Bondeblomster'' (1851) *''Liv i Norge'' (1851) *''Sange og Rim for det norske Folk'' (1854) *''Norges historie indtil Harald Haarfager'' (1857)

Biography

Ole Vig-prisen

Selected works

References

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