Blicher, Steen Steensen

Steen Steensen Blicher, 1782 -1848, Danish priest and author, son of Niels Gudme Blicher. He graduated from the pastoral seminary in 1809. Blicher worked as a priest in Thorning and in Spentrup, but is best known for his poems, short stories and translations of internationally known works. Born: 11.10.1782 in Vium

Died: 26.3.1848

I 1842 havde han kræfter til at færdiggøre E Bindstouw til udgivelse, men det var også det år det hele blev ham for meget. Han havde fået en kapellan og i august rejste han til København for at bosætte sig der, mens familien skulle blive i Spentrup. Hans helt urealistiske plan var at forsørge sig i København som fri litterat, men de kirkelige myndigheder, som han ikke havde spurgt om lov før afrejsen, kaldte ham hjem til embedet og han måtte bøje sig.

Fra da af var han en helt isoleret mand. I hvor høj grad hans hang til spiritus har spillet ind kan være svært at sige, men snakken gik om den og i hvert fald forsømte han sin person indtil det uhumske. Han blev hængt ud for det i Corsaren, Himmelbjergmødet i 1844 var det sidste han fik lov at være med til, og i 1845 nægtede man ham adgang til et stort skandinavisk studentermøde med direkte henvisning til hans ydre fremtoning. Hans embedsførelse vakte stigende mishag, og noget af det gik ud over hans kapellan og svigersøn, som i 1847 begik selvmord. Den 26. maj samme år besluttede man at afsætte ham fra embedet, ganske vist i nåde og med pension, men stærkt imod hans eget ønske. Han døde omgivet af sin familie d. 26. marts 1848.

In 1842 he had the strength to complete E Bindstouw for publication, but that was also the year when it all became too much for him. He had a chaplain, and in August he left for Copenhagen to settle there while his family was to remain in Spentrup. His quite unrealistic plan was to support himself in Copenhagen as a free man of letters, but the church authorities, whom he had not asked for permission before leaving, called him home to the ministry and he had to bow out.

From then on he was a completely isolated man. How far his addiction to spirits played a part it may be difficult to say, but the talk was of it, and in any case he neglected his person to the point of unseemliness. He was hanged for it in the Corsair, the Himmelbjerg meeting in 1844 was the last he was allowed to attend, and in 1845 he was refused admission to a large Scandinavian student meeting in direct reference to his appearance. His conduct aroused increasing displeasure, and some of it was directed at his chaplain and son-in-law, who committed suicide in 1847. On 26 May of that year it was decided to remove him from office, albeit graciously and with a pension, but strongly against his own wishes. He died surrounded by his family on 26 March 1848.

Biography in relation to Skagen

Western profile of the Cimbrian peninsula from Hamburg to Skagen

The publisher writes: After Sommerreise i Sverrig in 1836, the Blicher Society now follows up with the publication of another travel book by Steen Steensen Blicher, namely Vestlig Profil af den Cimbriske Halpenøe fra Hamborg til Skagen about a journey along the west coast of Jutland in 1838.

The century had changed; the Napoleonic Wars were over, society had grown, there was a thoroughgoing school system, there were estates and thus more enlightened bookkeepers and farmers. At this time a democratic orientation began to develop in the political convictions of the conservative poet.

The book is illustrated with watercolours by Jens Mathiesen, who has travelled Blicher's route.