Johan Falkberget, born Johan Petter Lillebakken, (30 September 1879 – 5 April 1967) was a Norwegian author. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Life and career
Johan Falkberget was born on the Lillebakken farm in the Rugldal valley in the Norwegian copper mining municipality of Røros.
In 1891, he began to write his Christianus Sextus trilogy, though it was not published until later. He formally changed his surname for writing purposes in 1893, from Lillebakken to Falkberget—the name of the farm he then lived on (this was a normal practice in those days). His first work was published in 1902. In 1906 he quit his job as a miner and found a job as editor of the newspaper Nybrott in Ålesund. In 1908 he traveled to Fredrikstad and edited Smaalenenes Socialdemokrat. He then received a government-sponsored scholarship and traveled to Kirkenes. From 1909 to 1922 his primary residence and workplace was in Kristiania (now Oslo).
In 1922 he returned to Røros and lived on the Ratvolden farm, less than 1 km from the Falkberget farm. His Ratvolden house is now a museum. While living there, he represented the Norwegian Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) for Sør-Trøndelag in the Storting from 1931 to 1933.
Since he grew up in a mining area and began his career as a miner, his works drew extensively on his experiences with the people, the country culture and mining. His breakthrough work in 1923 was a novel titled Den fjerde nattevakt (The Fourth Night Watch), a historical novel set in the first half of the 19th century in and around the mines. This was followed by his «Christianus Sextus» trilogy, set in the 1720s, in which the mining culture is also a central theme. Falkberget contributed extensively to the newspaper Fjell-Ljom.[1][2]
He died on 5 April 1967 and is buried in the family plot in the upper churchyard at Røros.
Authorship
"The miners' toil and rhythm of life became the fulcrum of Falkberget's literature", according to biographer Sturle Kojen.[3]
Important works
Many of his works are not available in English translation. Those that are, have been noted with the English equivalent title next to the Norwegian title.
1902 Når livskvelden kjem - Forteljing
1903 Bjarne - Et billede fra en fjellbygd
1905 Vaarsus - Fortælling
1905 Moseflyer - Skitser og sagn fra Dovrefjeld
1906 Hauk Uglevatn - Fortælling fra Dovrefjeld
1907 Svarte Fjelde - Fortælling
1908 Mineskud
1908 Ved den evige sne - Fortælling I
1909 Fakkelbrand
1909 Urtidsnat
1910 Vargfjeldet - Smaa fortællinger
1910 Nord i haugene - Eventyr
1911 Fimbulvinter
1912 En finnejentes kjærlighetshistorie
1912 Jutul-historier - Fortalt av 'n Soplim-Tosten sjøl
1913 Eli Sjursdotter
1913 Eventyr. Nord i Haugene og Jutulhistorier
1914 Simen Mustrøen. Karikaturkomedie
1914 Av Jarleæt
1915 Lisbet paa Jarnfjeld
1916 Eventyrfjeld. Historier for barn
1916 Helleristninger. Historier fra fjeldet og jagten
