Elsa Olenius

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Elsa Viktoria Olenius (born September 30, 1896 in the municipality of Bollnäs , † August 25, 1984 in Stockholm ) was a Swedish librarian, literary scholar, drama teacher and author.

Elsa Olenius was an important pioneer in Swedish children's theater and in the field of children's literature. In the 1940s she founded Barnens Egen Teater , which was later renamed Vår Teater .

She was part of the jury of a writing competition by Rabén and Sjögren , in which Astrid Lindgren presented her first book Britt-Mari, relieved , and won the second prize.

biography

Childhood and youth

Elsa Olenius was born in Bollnäs in 1896 . She was the only child of Otto Söderström and Blenda Johnson. Both parents were interested in the theater. Olenius father was also an amateur musician. Elsa Olenius first came into contact with the theater as a child after her family moved to Örebro . Later she took part in school theater performances. Then she joined the student theater in Uppsala. At the age of 17 she graduated from private high school in Uppsala.

In 1919 she married the service inspector Nils Edvin Olenius (born May 11, 1893 in Vitsand, Värmland , † December 19, 1964 in Lidingö ).

From 1925 to 1927 Elsa Olenius worked in the Stockholm Children's and Youth Library. On December 16, 1927, she was hired as a librarian in the second branch of the Stockholm City Library in Södermalm .

Career

During her time as a librarian in the Hornsgatans library, Elsa Olenius began telling fairy tales for children. In the 1930s she opened her first children's theater. Children performed there in plays or performed pantomime.

In 1942, Elsa Olenius, with the support of the social democratic local politician Oscar Larsson, was able to take over a theater space in which Ingmar Bergman had previously staged plays for children and adults. There Olenius held an open house for children on Saturdays. Children between the ages of 7 and 16 were allowed to try pantomime theater and continue and expand fairy tales in the theater play. The theater was initially called Barnens Egen Teater . In 1955 the theater became an independent institution within the Children's Aid Committee. In addition, new branches were opened in the suburbs of Stockholm. At this time the name of the theater changed to Vår Teater .

Elsa Olenius completed a theater management course. She published several collections of plays. Olenius believed that playing these plays helps children develop and strengthen their personalities.

From 1946 on, Elsa Olenius worked with Astrid Lindgren. She staged several of Astrid Lindgren's plays , among others . She also helped Lindgren market her literature. A friendship developed that lasted until Olenius' death in 1984. In 1974, the friends made international headlines when they climbed a tree together for Olenius' 80th birthday.

bibliography

  • Med Britta and bilen on långresa 1938
  • Barnteater 1957
  • Vår teater 1960
  • John Bauers sagovärld 1966
  • Nordic fairy tales and legends: a foray into the world of goblins and trolls, knights and princesses, big and small people: the most famous Nordic fairy tales and legends (edited and selected by Elsa Olenius, 1978)

Prizes and awards

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e Elsa Viktoria Olenius .
  2. ↑ a b c Elsa V Olenius, urn: sbl: 7704 , Svenskt biografiskt lexikon (art av Anita Lindvåg), hämtad 2019-10-27.
  3. ↑ Astrid Lindgren climbs a tree .
personal data
SURNAME Olenius, Elsa
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Olenius, Elsa Viktoria (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swedish librarian, theater educator and author
DATE OF BIRTH September 30, 1896
PLACE OF BIRTH Bollnäs , Sweden
DATE OF DEATH August 25, 1984
Place of death Stockholm