Carl Johan Einarsen

Carl Johan Einarsen was born out-of-wedlock on May 29, 1854 to carpenter Steffen Einarsen Rognved and Caroline Margrethe Knudsen Sæbøe in Bergen, Norway. His parents were married roughly a year later on March 18, 1855. Carl’s childhood must have been difficult. His father suffered from alcoholism; they struggled financially, lived off of charity for a time; and were constantly moving. Carl most likely was given many responsibilities, especially considering his next three siblings all died within 10 years. In 1860, the family moved to Stavanger where they remained for about two years before returning to Bergen.

In 1868 Carl was confirmed in Domkirken. He started his apprenticeship as a painter and gilder with Master Bergendahl at Lille Øvregaden. In September of 1873, at 19 years old, Carl ended up in a street fight and was thrown in jail for two nights. Around 1875, he moved in with an older couple – bricklayer Peder Andersen and his wife Marte. Carl had sexual relations with their only daughter – Larsine Karine Andersen and ended up marrying her on April 17, 1876, a month before their first child was born. In the fall of that same year, Carl was hired to work as a machinist for the newly opened theater – Den Nationale Scene.

He devoted his life to the theater. Einarsen was described as “a man of a thousand crafts” and “a wizard of rank.” His responsibilities included working as a machine master, stage decorator, carpenter, and much more. A series of notable events are remembered from these years. In 1877, he asked his 7-year-old brother, Petrus, to join Around the World in 80 Days with 40 boys who were to move under a blue blanket representing the sea. However, in the middle of a performance, the boys refused to move until they were given a raise. A frustrated employee relented. The boys started moving under the blankets with so much excitement that several of them fell outside of the blanket causing the audience to erupt in laughter. Einarsen had to let the curtain down. In 1878, another dramatic episode happened while giving a guest performance in Stavanger. Actress Octavia Sperati wrote in her memoir that “a lamp overturned… then came our pearl of an engineer, the well-known Einarsen, rushing into the burning wardrobe and without hesitation he seized the actresses’ dresses and available garments, with which he extinguished the fire.” In 1909, Einarsen met King Haakon VII at the inauguration of the new theater building. The King was taking a closer look at the stage between two acts when “something descended… right over the King’s head, Einarsen, who was standing right next to the king, said quite calmly: "Now you may move on, Your Majesty, for God’s sake before you get your skull smashed!”

On March 20, 1890, Carl’s wife Larsine tragically died after giving birth to their seventh child. He married Julie Karoline Tønnesen a year later and had one surviving son with her, Erling. Around 1908 Carl and Julie separated for unknown reasons. Julie and Erling moved out and were reduced to poverty. However, around the time of Erling’s confirmation in 1914, it appears that they might have moved back in with Carl. In his final years, Carl Johan Einarsen struggled with a heart condition, attributed to the all-consuming nature of his work. He was hospitalized for a long time at Haukeland Hospital. On September 23, 1919, he died of uremia at the age of 65.

Comments from Atle Einarsen:

1865 census for 1301 Bergen kjøpstad:

https://digitalarkivet.arkivverket.no/ft/person/pf01038249020241

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Karl eller Carl var edste gutten i familien. 1873: Den 24.9 ble malersvend Carl Johan 19 år gammel satt inn i fengsel i Bergen. Merk da var Petrus 3 år gammel. 1900: Maskinmester ved Bergen Nationale Scene, Petrus fikk tjene noen kroner på teateret hos sin bror. 1900: Bor på Asylpladsen 2b, ligger ved Domkirken se foto fra nåtid. Jobber i 40 år ved teateret,