Gustav Olsen

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Memorial stone for Gustav Olsen in Sisimiut

Gustav Karl Eli Olsen (born December 27, 1878 in Sisimiut ; † August 7 or 8, 1950 there ) was a Greenlandic pastor , missionary and writer .

Life

Gustav Olsen was born in Sisimiut in 1878. He was trained as a catechist at Grønland's seminary and finished his studies in 1900. While he was still in training, he evangelized Inuit at Cape York . In 1909 he finally set up a mission station at Cape York together with Knud Rasmussen . He was ordained in Ilulissat and founded the town of Uummannaq (Thule) as a trading post with Rasmussen and Peter Freuchen in 1910 , the residents of which were later relocated to Qaanaaq (Thule). In addition to Rasmussen, first Sechmann Rosbach and later Enok Kristiansen were at his side in the missionary station . Until 1913 he proselytized the primitive Inuit under extreme conditions: he had to build houses and schools; Supply ships barely reached the place. After a year in Denmark , he continued his activities until he had to give up in 1921 for health reasons. At this point in time, 120 of the 270 Inuit had already been baptized and the others would soon follow suit. Olsen's advantage was that as a Greenlander, he had a greater influence on the indigenous people. Later he was pastor in the cities of Upernavik , Ilulissat, Qeqertarsuaq , Uummannaq (not to be confused with the above!) And Sisimiut. Olsen died in Sisimiut in 1950 at the age of 71. Before the larger church Sisimiut Zions Kirke today a memorial to him. (→ map)

family

Gustav Olsen was the son of Tomas Kristoffer Samuel (Samuel Thomas Christoffer) Olsen (1843-1919) and Johanne Gjertrud Kirsten Inger Johansen (1854-1911). One of his brothers was the expedition member Jakob Olsen (1890–1936). He married Ane Sophie Karen Berthelsen (February 7, 1882 in Nuuk - August 4, 1951 in Sisimiut), daughter of Rasmus Storm Josva Berthel Berthelsen (1827–1901) and Sara Gjertrud Louise Poulsen (1842–1910). From the marriage, among other things, the son Hendrik Olsen (1901-1967) emerged.

Works

Note: Titles have been adapted to today's Greenlandic orthography.

  • 1912: Innaanganermiut meerartaannik
  • 1923: Gustav Olsenip innaanganermeetilluni ullortiutaasa ilaat

Remarks

  1. ↑ August 7th according to Dansk biografisk leksikon and 8th according to the memorial stone in Sisimiut
  2. ↑ "Født i ved Amerdloq Holsteinsborg" ( "Born in Amerdloq at Holsteinsborg"). Amerdloq is the old spelling for Amerloq, the former name of Sisimiuts (Danish: Holsteinsborg) on ​​the fjord of the same name.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Biography in Dansk biografisk leksikon (Danish)
personal data
SURNAME Olsen, Gustav
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Olsen, Gustav Karl Eli (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Greenlandic pastor, missionary and writer
DATE OF BIRTH December 27, 1878
PLACE OF BIRTH Sisimiut
DATE OF DEATH August 7, 1950 or August 8, 1950
Place of death Sisimiut