Andreas Hofgaard Winsnes (25 October 1889 – 9 July 1972) was a Norwegian literary historian and educator.

Biography

Winsnes was born in Nordre Odalen Municipality, Norway. He was the son of Frederik Vilhelm Vinsnes (1837-1920) and Agnete Helweg (1850-1918). He completed his

examen artium Examen artium was the name of the academic certification conferred in Denmark and Norway, qualifying the student for admission to university studies. Examen artium was originally introduced as the entrance exam of the University of Copenhagen in 1 ...

in 1908 at

Oslo Cathedral School Schola Osloensis, known in Norwegian language, Norwegian as Oslo Katedralskole (''Oslo Cathedral School'') and more commonly as "Katta",

. He became Cand.philol. from the

Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts () has provided education in the arts for more than 250 years, playing its part in the development of the art of Denmark. History The Royal Danish Academy of Portraiture, Sculpture, and Architecture in Cope ...

in 1913 and

Dr.philos. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of graduate study and original research. The name of the deg ...

in 1920. In 1937, Winsnes became a lecturer in German literature and was appointed professor at the

University of Oslo The University of Oslo (; ) is a public university, public research university located in Oslo, Norway. It is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation#Europe, oldest university in Norway. Originally named the Royal Frederick Univ ...

in the same year. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he became director of the Norwegian-British Institute in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

from 1942 to 1945. After the war, he was the editor of ''

Samtiden ''Samtiden'' is a Norwegian political and literary magazine. History and profile ''Samtiden'' was founded by Jørgen Brunchorst and Gerhard Gran in 1890. The magazine's first publisher was ''John Griegs forlag'' (Bergen), and from 1900 Ascheh ...

'' from 1945 to 1946. In 1953, he was among the founders of the

Norwegian Academy The Norwegian Academy for Language and Literature (), commonly known as the Norwegian Academy, is a Norwegian learned body on matters pertaining to the modern Norwegian language in its Dano-Norwegian variety, now commonly known as Riksmål and Bok ...

(''Det Norske Akademi for Språk og Litteratur''). He held the position of professor of philosophical language analysis at the University of Oslo until he took leave in 1959. Winsnes is most associated with the literary histor
''Norsk litteraturhistorie. I - VI''
Consisting of four volumes which were published between 1924 and 1937, this was a collaborative work with

Francis Bull Francis Bull (4 October 1887 – 4 July 1974) was a Norwegian literary historian, professor at the University of Oslo for more than thirty years, essayist and speaker, and magazine editor. Early and personal life Bull was born on 4 October ...

Fredrik Paasche Johan Fredrik Paasche (born Amundsen; 3 February 1886 – 1 September 1943) was a Norwegian educator, author and literary historian. Biography Johan Fredrik Amundsen was born in Bindal Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. He was the son of ...

and Philip Houm. Among his other works are his thesis about

Johan Nordahl Brun Johan Nordahl Brun (21 March 1745 – 26 July 1816) was a Norwegian-Danish poet, dramatist, bishop of the Diocese of Bjørgvin (1804–1816), and politician who contributed significantly to the growth of national romanticism in Norway, contributi ...

from 1919 and biographies of

Sigrid Undset Sigrid Undset (; 20 May 1882 – 10 June 1949) was a Danish people, Danish-born Norwegian people, Norwegian novelist. She was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, Nobel Prize for Literature in 1928 Nobel Prize in Literature, 1928. Born in Den ...

and Hans E. Kinck.

Selected works

* ''Den norske roman i 1870–80-aarene'' (1920) * ''Det norske selskab: 1772–1812'' (1924) * ''Niels Treschow: en opdrager til menneskelighet'' (1927) * ''Skillelinjer: fem artikler om samtidig tenkning'' (1929) * ''Den annen front: engelske idealister'' (1932) * ''Sigrid Undset: en studie i kristen realism'' (1949) * ''Diktning og livssyn'' (1949)

References

1889 births 1972 deaths People from Nord-Odal People educated at Oslo Cathedral School Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts alumni Academic staff of the University of Oslo Norwegian educators Norwegian literary historians Norwegian people of World War II Norwegian expatriates in the United Kingdom {{Norway-historian-stub