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{{short description|Icelandic writer}}
'''Guðmundur Kamban''' (8 June 1888 – 5 May 1945) was an [[Iceland]]ic [[playwright]] and novelist.
{{Infobox person
⚫
| name = Guðmundur Kamban
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Guðmundur Jónsson
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1888|6|8}}
| birth_place = Litlibær, Garðasókn, Iceland
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1945|5|5|1888|6|8}}
| death_place = [[Copenhagen]], Denmark
| death_cause = Murder
| nationality = Icelandic
| other_names =
| occupation = [[Playwright]], novelist
| spouse = Agnete Egeberg
| children = 1
| years_active =
| known_for =
| notable_works =
⚫
}}
'''Guðmundur Kamban''' (8 June 1888 – 5 May 1945) was an [[Iceland]]ic [[playwright]] and novelist.<ref name="mbl-1945-05-8">{{cite news |title=Guðmundur Kamban drepinn í K.höfn |url=https://timarit.is/page/1255218 |access-date=12 October 2021 |work=[[Morgunblaðið]] |date=8 May 1945 |page=12 |language=Icelandic}}</ref>


==Biography==
He was born near [[Reykjavík]], son of a merchant of an old and well known Icelandic family. He graduated from the [[Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík|College of Reykjavík]], where he received [[latin honors|honoris causa]] in literature and language. While still at college, he was made assistant editor of the best known newspaper in Iceland, edited by [[Björn Jónsson]]. In 1906 his psychic abilities were also investigated by the Experimental Society founded by [[Einar Hjörleifsson Kvaran]]: as a [[clairvoyant]], he succeeded in divining the contents of closed books, and as an automatic writer he penned works supposedly by [[Hans Christian Andersen]], [[Jónas Hallgrímsson]], and [[Snorri Sturluson]]. But he lost his [[Mediumship|mediumistic]] abilities after a serious illness.<ref>William H. Swatos and Loftur Reimar Gissurarson, ''Icelandic Spiritualism: Mediumship and Modernity in Iceland'', New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction, 1997, ISBN 1-56000-273-5, [http://books.google.com/books?id=QLk0gqFi_1EC&pg=PA82&dq=Einar+Kvaran+-Wikipedia&hl=en&ei=IsENTOS-GZWmNp31oaAF&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCQQ6AEwADgK#v=snippet&q=and%20his%20alleged%20clairvoyant%20abilities%20by%20having%20him%20guess%2C%20apparently%20with%20some%20success&f=false p. 93].</ref>
He was born in the farm of Litlibær in Garðasókn, Iceland,<ref name="mbl-1945-05-8"/> son of a merchant of an old and well-known Icelandic family. He graduated from the [[Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík|College of Reykjavík]], where he received [[latin honors|honoris causa]] in literature and language. While still at college, he was made assistant editor of the best known newspaper in Iceland, edited by [[Björn Jónsson]]. In 1906 his psychic abilities were also investigated by the Experimental Society founded by [[Einar Hjörleifsson Kvaran]]: as a [[clairvoyant]], he succeeded in divining the contents of closed books, and as an [[Automatic writing|automatic writer]] he penned works supposedly by [[Hans Christian Andersen]], [[Jónas Hallgrímsson]], and [[Snorri Sturluson]]. But he lost his [[Mediumship|mediumistic]] abilities after a serious illness.<ref>William H. Swatos and Loftur Reimar Gissurarson, ''Icelandic Spiritualism: Mediumship and Modernity in Iceland'', New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction, 1997, {{ISBN|1-56000-273-5}}, [https://books.google.com/books?id=QLk0gqFi_1EC&q=and+his+alleged+clairvoyant+abilities+by+having+him+guess%2C+apparently+with+some+success&pg=PA82 p. 93].</ref>


In 1908 he adopted the family name Kamban in place of his birth name (Guðmundur Jónsson) and advocated a change in [[Icelandic name|Icelandic naming conventions]].
In 1908 he adopted the family name Kamban in place of his birth name (Guðmundur Jónsson) and advocated a change in [[Icelandic name|Icelandic naming conventions]].


In 1910, he proceeded to the [[University of Copenhagen]], where he specialized in literature and received his Master's degree.
In 1910, he proceeded to the [[University of Copenhagen]], where he specialized in literature and received his master's degree.


In 1914 he published his first play, ''Hadda Padda'' which was endorsed by [[Georg Brandes]] and shown in the [[Det Kongelige Teater|Danish Royal Theatre]] with Kamban as assistant director. He later married an actress from the play, Agnete Egeberg, and they had a daughter in 1921.
In 1914 he published his first play, ''Hadda Padda'' which was endorsed by [[Georg Brandes]] and shown in the [[Det Kongelige Teater|Danish Royal Theatre]] with Kamban as assistant director. He later married an actress from the play, Agnete Egeberg, and they had a daughter in 1921.


In 1915 Kamban moved to New York, intending to establish himself as an English language writer. He was not successful and moved back to Copenhagen with his wife in 1917. In 1920
In 1915 Kamban moved to New York, intending to establish himself as an English language writer. He was not successful and moved back to Copenhagen with his wife in 1917. In 1920
he achieved success at [[Dagmarteatret]] with ''We Murderers'' and was employed as a director at the theatre.
he achieved success at Dagmarteatret with ''We Murderers'' and was employed as a director at the theatre.


He is also the author of spirited and erudite historical novels based on the Icelandic sagas, including ''Skalholt'' (4 vols., 1930-32; tr. of Vol. I and II, ''The Virgin of Skalholt'', 1935) and ''I See a Wondrous Land'' (1936, tr. 1938).
He is also the author of spirited and erudite historical novels based on the Icelandic sagas, including ''Skalholt'' (4 vols., 1930–32; tr. of Vol. I and II, ''The Virgin of Skalholt'', 1935) and ''I See a Wondrous Land'' (1936, tr. 1938).


Kamban directed plays, wrote novels and produced motion pictures in Copenhagen until 1934, when he moved to London. Not finding success there, he relocated to Berlin in 1935 and lived there until 1938, when he moved back to Copenhagen. During the [[German occupation of Denmark]], Kamban received German research funding and came to be seen as a [[Collaborationism|collaborator]]. On 5 May 1945, as the German forces surrendered, Kamban was murdered at his home, while his daughter watched in horror, by [[Danish resistance movement|Danish partisans]].
Kamban directed plays, wrote novels and produced motion pictures in Copenhagen until 1934, when he moved to London. Not finding success there, he relocated to Berlin in 1935 and lived there until 1938, when he moved back to Copenhagen. On the 100th anniversary of his birth, his play ''Marmari'', or ''Marble'', was produced by the [[National Theatre of Iceland]].

===Death===
During the [[German occupation of Denmark]], Kamban received German research funding and came to be seen as a [[Collaborationism|collaborator]] although a police investigation found no evidence that he betrayed the resistance to the Nazi.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Markús Þ. Þórhallsson |title=Minningarskjöldur um Kamban fjarlægður |url=https://www.ruv.is/frett/2021/10/10/minningarskjoldur-um-kamban-fjarlaegdur |access-date=12 October 2021 |work=[[RÚV]] |date=10 October 2021 |language=Icelandic}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author1=Páll Jónsson |title=Guðm. Kamban sýknaður af ákærum |url=https://timarit.is/page/1256647 |access-date=12 October 2021 |work=[[Morgunblaðið]] |date=30 September 1945 |pages=1, 12 |language=Icelandic}}</ref>

On 5 May 1945, as the German forces in Denmark surrendered, Kamban was murdered at a Copenhagen restaurant in front of his wife and daughter, by [[Danish resistance movement|Danish partisans]].<ref>{{cite news |author1=Borgþór Arngrímsson |title=Sjötíu ár liðin frá uppgjöf Þjóðverja og morðinu á Guðmundi Kamban |url=https://kjarninn.is/frettir/sjotiu-ar-lidin-fra-uppgjof-thjodverja-og-mordinu-a-gudmundi-kamban/ |access-date=12 October 2021 |work=[[Kjarninn]] |date=5 May 2015 |language=Icelandic}}</ref> His body was returned to Iceland and he was buried with honors in Reykjavik.<ref>{{cite news |title=Hátíðleg útfararathöfn Guðmundar Kambans í gær |url=https://timarit.is/page/1157445 |access-date=12 October 2021 |work=[[Vísir]] |date=17 July 1945 |page=3 |language=Icelandic}}</ref> Although known by Danish authorities, the name of Kamban's killer was kept secret for decades. In September 2023 Icelandic historian and journalist, Guðmundur Magnússon, revealed the identity of the man that shot Kamban as Egon Alfred Højland, who was a prominent leader of the Danish resistance and later became a member of [[Folketing|the Danish parliament]].<ref>{{cite news |author1=Guðmundur Magnússon |title=Banamaður Kambans nafngreindur í fyrsta sinn |url=https://www.mbl.is/frettir/innlent/2023/09/21/banamadur_kambans_nafngreindur_i_fyrsta_sinn/ |access-date=21 September 2023 |work=[[Morgunblaðið]] |date=21 September 2023 |language=Icelandic}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
<references/>


==Sources==
==Sources==
* [http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/Literature/Literature-idx?type=header&id=Literature.GudmundMurder&pview=hide We murderers; a play in three acts]
* [http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/Literature/Literature-idx?type=header&id=Literature.GudmundMurder&pview=hide We murderers; a play in three acts]
⚫
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070324093550/http://www.leikminjasafn.is/leiksaga/lmgudkam.html Íslenskir leikhúsmenn]
⚫
* {{gutenberg author| id=Guðmundur+Kamban | name=Guðmundur Kamban}}
⚫
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110718101759/http://www.leikhusid.is/default.asp?page_id=5141 Guðmundur Kamban]
⚫
* [http://www.leikminjasafn.is/leiksaga/lmgudkam.html Íslenskir leikhúsmenn]

⚫
* [http://www.leikhusid.is/default.asp?page_id=5141 Guðmundur Kamban]
==External links==
⚫
* {{imdb name|id=0436478|name=Guðmundur Kamban}}
⚫
* {{Gutenberg author |id=1563| name=Guðmundur Kamban}}
* {{Internet Archive author |sname=Guðmundur Kamban}}
* {{IMDb name|id=0436478|name=Guðmundur Kamban}}

{{Authority control}}


{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME = Kamban, Guomundur
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH = 8 June 1888
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH = 5 May 1945
| PLACE OF DEATH =
⚫
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kamban, Guomundur}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kamban, Guomundur}}
⚫
[[Category:Icelandic writers|Gudmundur Kamban]]
[[Category:Icelandic film directors|Gudmundur Kamban]]
[[Category:1888 births|Kamban, Gudmundur]]
[[Category:1888 births|Kamban, Gudmundur]]
[[Category:1945 deaths|Kamban, Gudmundur]]
[[Category:1945 deaths|Kamban, Gudmundur]]
[[Category:Assassinated Nazis]]

[[Category:Icelandic collaborators with Nazi Germany]]
[[is:Guðmundur Kamban]]
[[sv:Guðmundur Kamban]]
[[Category:Icelandic film directors|Gudmundur Kamban]]
⚫
[[Category:Icelandic writers|Gudmundur Kamban]]
[[Category:Executed Danish collaborators with Nazi Germany]]
[[Category:Danish murder victims]]
[[Category:People murdered in Denmark]]
[[Category:1945 murders in Denmark]]

Latest revision as of 16:19, 19 March 2024

Guðmundur Kamban
Born
Guðmundur Jónsson

(1888-06-08)June 8, 1888
Litlibær, Garðasókn, Iceland
DiedMay 5, 1945(1945-05-05) (aged 56)
Copenhagen, Denmark
Cause of deathMurder
NationalityIcelandic
Occupation(s)Playwright, novelist
SpouseAgnete Egeberg
Children1

Guðmundur Kamban (8 June 1888 – 5 May 1945) was an Icelandic playwright and novelist.[1]

Biography[edit]

He was born in the farm of Litlibær in Garðasókn, Iceland,[1] son of a merchant of an old and well-known Icelandic family. He graduated from the College of Reykjavík, where he received honoris causa in literature and language. While still at college, he was made assistant editor of the best known newspaper in Iceland, edited by Björn Jónsson. In 1906 his psychic abilities were also investigated by the Experimental Society founded by Einar Hjörleifsson Kvaran: as a clairvoyant, he succeeded in divining the contents of closed books, and as an automatic writer he penned works supposedly by Hans Christian Andersen, Jónas Hallgrímsson, and Snorri Sturluson. But he lost his mediumistic abilities after a serious illness.[2]

In 1908 he adopted the family name Kamban in place of his birth name (Guðmundur Jónsson) and advocated a change in Icelandic naming conventions.

In 1910, he proceeded to the University of Copenhagen, where he specialized in literature and received his master's degree.

In 1914 he published his first play, Hadda Padda which was endorsed by Georg Brandes and shown in the Danish Royal Theatre with Kamban as assistant director. He later married an actress from the play, Agnete Egeberg, and they had a daughter in 1921.

In 1915 Kamban moved to New York, intending to establish himself as an English language writer. He was not successful and moved back to Copenhagen with his wife in 1917. In 1920 he achieved success at Dagmarteatret with We Murderers and was employed as a director at the theatre.

He is also the author of spirited and erudite historical novels based on the Icelandic sagas, including Skalholt (4 vols., 1930–32; tr. of Vol. I and II, The Virgin of Skalholt, 1935) and I See a Wondrous Land (1936, tr. 1938).

Kamban directed plays, wrote novels and produced motion pictures in Copenhagen until 1934, when he moved to London. Not finding success there, he relocated to Berlin in 1935 and lived there until 1938, when he moved back to Copenhagen. On the 100th anniversary of his birth, his play Marmari, or Marble, was produced by the National Theatre of Iceland.

Death[edit]

During the German occupation of Denmark, Kamban received German research funding and came to be seen as a collaborator although a police investigation found no evidence that he betrayed the resistance to the Nazi.[3][4]

On 5 May 1945, as the German forces in Denmark surrendered, Kamban was murdered at a Copenhagen restaurant in front of his wife and daughter, by Danish partisans.[5] His body was returned to Iceland and he was buried with honors in Reykjavik.[6] Although known by Danish authorities, the name of Kamban's killer was kept secret for decades. In September 2023 Icelandic historian and journalist, Guðmundur Magnússon, revealed the identity of the man that shot Kamban as Egon Alfred Højland, who was a prominent leader of the Danish resistance and later became a member of the Danish parliament.[7]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Guðmundur Kamban drepinn í K.höfn". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 8 May 1945. p. 12. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  2. ^ William H. Swatos and Loftur Reimar Gissurarson, Icelandic Spiritualism: Mediumship and Modernity in Iceland, New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction, 1997, ISBN 1-56000-273-5, p. 93.
  3. ^ Markús Þ. Þórhallsson (10 October 2021). "Minningarskjöldur um Kamban fjarlægður". RÚV (in Icelandic). Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  4. ^ Páll Jónsson (30 September 1945). "Guðm. Kamban sýknaður af ákærum". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). pp. 1, 12. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  5. ^ Borgþór Arngrímsson (5 May 2015). "Sjötíu ár liðin frá uppgjöf Þjóðverja og morðinu á Guðmundi Kamban". Kjarninn (in Icelandic). Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  6. ^ "Hátíðleg útfararathöfn Guðmundar Kambans í gær". Vísir (in Icelandic). 17 July 1945. p. 3. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  7. ^ Guðmundur Magnússon (21 September 2023). "Banamaður Kambans nafngreindur í fyrsta sinn". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Retrieved 21 September 2023.

Sources[edit]

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Guðmundur_Kamban&oldid=1214544090"