Georg Dahl
Georg Dahl was a Swedish naturalist and ichthyologist, born on November 23, 1905, in Sunnemo, Sweden. He developed a passion for nature early in life and pursued a degree at Karlstad University, eventually managing a reindeer herd in Lapland before venturing to Colombia in 1936. In Colombia, Dahl immersed himself in the study of local wildlife, particularly fish, living with the Envera people and documenting his experiences. Throughout his career, he held academic positions at various institutions, including the University of Lund and the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, where he taught ichthyology and conducted extensive research.
Dahl authored numerous books and essays in Swedish and Spanish that explored both zoological and historical topics, earning recognition for his lyrical writing style. His notable works include "Las pesces del norte de Colombia," which significantly contributed to the field of ichthyology and solidified his reputation as a leading researcher on Colombian fisheries. His influence extended beyond his lifetime, as the Colombian Association of Ichthyologists honored him by naming their journal "Dahlia." Georg Dahl passed away on August 16, 1979, leaving behind a legacy as a prominent figure in the study of fish and nature writing.
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Georg Dahl
Writer
- Born: November 23, 1905
- Birthplace: Sunnemo, Sweden
- Died: August 16, 1979
- Place of death: Posseberg, Kristinehamm, Sweden
Biography
Georg Dahl was born on November 23, 1905, in Sunnemo, Sweden, to forester Anders Wilhelm Dahl and Emmy Carlsson Dahl. As a child, he studied at schools near his childhood home. Dahl enjoyed exploring nature and fishing. By the mid-1920’s, he had completed a bachelor’s degree at Karlstad University and sought to pursue employment as a naturalist. He went to Lapland in 1931, where he managed a reindeer herd.
In 1936, Dahl went to Colombia. Intrigued by the variety of wildlife in the country’s warm climate, he gathered animal specimens, particularly fish. Dahl decided to live in Ure, Colombia, with the Envera peoples and wrote an account of that time. On February 12, 1937, Dahl married Marta Althen, and they later had two sons. Dahl accepted a position in Sweden at the University of Lund’s Institute of Zoology in 1939, and during his nine years in that job he classified and researched Colombian fishes.
By 1948, Dahl accepted a faculty position at the Colegio de Varones de Cincelejo in Colombia, where he studied fishes native to the northern area of Colombia, writing reports describing his work. He resigned that position in 1958 when representatives of the Universidad Nacional de Columbia in Bogota offered him a zoological professorship at the university’s Institute of Natural Sciences. Dahl taught ichthyology classes and conducted trips to Macarena on the coast of the Pacific Ocean to collect fish. Those expeditions resulted in him describing new species in the reports and books he published.
Dahl moved to Cartagena, Colombia, in 1961 to serve as director of the Department of Ichthyological and Faunal Investigations’ Corporación Autónoma Regional de los Valles del Magdalena y del Sinú. During the nineteen years he lived in Colombia, he considered it his primary residence, but sickness caused him to leave in 1967 to seek treatment in Sweden.
He recuperated and traveled to the Mediterranean region and West Africa, writing about his experiences. Dahl’s divorce from his first wife became final on February 12, 1974, and he married Naemi Gustafsson on March 15, 1974. He died in Posseberg, Kristinehamn, Sweden, on August 16, 1979.
Dahl began publishing his writing in the mid-1920’s, starting with a novel about an ermine, Snoepaels. His travels and study of wildlife inspired additional animal tales. Although he created some fiction, Dahl primarily wrote nonfiction books and essays in Swedish and Spanish exploring zoological and historical topics for both young and adult readers. During the early 1960’s, he wrote his memoirs, Den sista floden: Tjuro aari Colombias urskogar, and in 1971 he wrote one of his most noteworthy scientific publications, Las pesces del norte de Colombia, based on his ichthyological research.
Dahl influenced fish researchers in Colombia and throughout the world. His peers considered him the most outstanding twentieth century ichthyologist specializing in the investigation of Colombian fisheries. The Colombian Association of Ichthyologists named its journal, Dahlia, in his honor. Dahl’s nature writing secured his recognition in his native country as a notable twentieth century author, with reviewers praising his lyrical style and his skill in creating narratives. His work has been translated into several languages.