Profile of the Day: Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
Do you have Norwegian ancestry? On January 15, 1812, Norwegian writer and zoologist Peter Christen Asbjørnsen was born in Christiana (now Oslo), Norway. Working alongside his close friend, Jørgen Moe, the duo collected and published Norwegian folklore.
Inspired by the Brothers Grimm, the pair collected the fairy tales and legends of Norway. Together they published Norske Folkeeventyr (Norwegian Folktales). Their work had a significant influence on Norwegian culture and their names became synonymous for Norwegian folk stories. Asbjørnsen and Moe followed the Grimm brothers’ approach of using simplistic linguistic style in place of dialects, while maintaining the original form of the stories. This style played a significant influence in the development of the Norwegian language.
Have you read Norwegian folktales? What’s your favorite story?
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen is connected to over 80 million people in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?
View Peter Christen Asbjørnsen’s Geni Profile