Hjalmar Söderberg
| Hjalmar Söderberg | |
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Young Hjalmar Söderberg
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| Born | Hjalmar Emil Fredrik Söderberg 2 July 1869 , Sweden |
| Died | 14 October 1941 (aged 72) Copenhagen, Denmark |
| Nationality | Swedish |
| Period | 1888–1941 |
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Hjalmar Emil Fredrik Söderberg (July 2, 1869 – October 14, 1941) was a Swedish novelist, playwright, poet and journalist. His works often deal with melancholy and lovelorn characters, and offer a rich portrayal of contemporary through the eyes of the flaneur. Söderberg is greatly appreciated in his native country, and is sometimes considered to be the equal of August Strindberg, Sweden's national author.
Born in Stockholm, Söderberg began his literary course at the Swedish news daily Svenska Dagbladet, age 20. Six years later his first novel was released, Förvillelser (Delusions, 1895), written from the viewpoint of a young dandy aimlessly idling in the capital, recklessly squandering money and love. The somber yet reflective and insightful story would prove typical of much of Söderberg's output. Subsequent to the release of Historietter (Anecdotes, 1898), a collection of twenty short stories, his next major work – Martin Bircks Ungdom (Martin Birck's Youth, 1901) – was released. Much like Förvillelser in terms of its vivid environmental depiction and acute perception, it follows the development of a young amateur poet. Söderberg's next novel, by some considered his masterpiece, was Doktor Glas (Doctor Glas, 1905). In a frightful tale of vengeance and passion, Söderberg stays true to his detached yet emotionally poignant writing style.
In his later years, Söderberg turned to journalism and theological studies. He was a fierce critic of Nazism, and wrote often on the subject in the revered Resistance paper Göteborgs Handels- och Sjöfartstidning. He died in Denmark and is buried on Vestre Kirkegård in Copenhagen.
Söderberg was married to Märta Abenius (b. 1871, d. 1932) between the years 1899–1917. They had three children: actress Dora Söderberg-Carlsten (b. 1899), Tom Söderberg (b. 1900) and Mikael Söderberg (b. 1903). From 1917 he was married in Denmark to Emelie Voss (b. 1876, d. 1957), with whom he had one child: actress Betty Søderberg (b. 1910).
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