Jeppe Aakjær
Jeppe Aakjær (1866-1930) was a notable Danish poet and novelist recognized for his commitment to social issues, particularly the plight of poor farmworkers in rural Jutland, Denmark. Initially educated in Copenhagen, Aakjær's career began as a proofreader before he became a journalist, which allowed him to voice his concerns about social injustices. His literary contributions include a diverse range of works, from regional poems in local dialects to nature-focused poetry and social commentary. Aakjær’s candid expressions of his beliefs led to his imprisonment at the young age of twenty, highlighting the challenges he faced as a voice for the marginalized.
He often utilized the Jutland dialect in his writings and even translated works by Robert Burns into this regional speech. Aakjær maintained a close friendship with sculptor Niels Hansen Jacobsen, contributing to the arts community through his support of Jacobsen's work. Throughout his life, Aakjær was married twice, including to fellow writer Marie Bregendahl, with whom he shared a mutual interest in rural social issues, though their marriage ultimately ended in divorce. His legacy remains significant in Danish literature, reflecting both the beauty of his homeland and the social struggles of its people.
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Subject Terms
Jeppe Aakjær
Poet
- Born: September 10, 1866
- Birthplace: Aakjær, Viborg, Denmark
- Died: April 22, 1930
- Place of death: Jenle, Viborg, Denmark
Biography
Jeppe Aakjær was a Danish poet and novelist who was educated in Copenhagen, where he earned his living initially as a proofreader and later as a journalist. His poetry and novels primarily focus on his concern for poor farmworkers in his native Jutland, Denmark. Local government officials jailed him at the age of twenty for speaking freely about his concerns. Aakjær’s literary works range from regional verses in local dialects to social propaganda to poetry describing the beauty and wonder of nature.
Aakjær often wrote in his native Jutland dialect and even translated some of Robert Burns’s poetry into that dialect. He was a lifelong friend of Niels Hansen Jacobsen, whom Aakjær met around 1882 when they were both at the Falkenstjerne Folk High School in Copenhagen. Jacobsen was a famous Danish sculptor. Aakjær wrote a wedding song for Jacobsen when he married Kaja Jørgensen, his second wife, in 1908. Aakjær also delivered the speech at the unveiling of Jacobsen’s well-known sculpture Troll Fountain in 1923. In 1893, Aakjær himself married Marie Bregendahl, another writer of Danish regional literature with similar interests in the social problems of rural inhabitants. However, their marriage ended in divorce.