Copenhagen
Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
– 21 November 1892 in
Frederiksberg
Frederiksberg () is a part of the Capital Region of Denmark. It is an independent municipality, Frederiksberg Municipality, separate from Copenhagen Municipality, but both are a part of the region of Copenhagen. It occupies an area of less tha ...
poet
A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator (thought, thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral t ...
,
dramatist
A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays, which are a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between characters and is intended for theatrical performance rather than just
reading. Ben Jonson coined the term "playwri ...
and
priest
A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...
. Comforting and encouraging the people, he created poems that filled the hearts of his compatriots. His precise personal and environmental descriptions, as well as succinct dialogue, were welcomed by the critics and contemporaries. His dramas were on current topics such as feminism, free love and home, maybe one of the reasons why he often used the pseudonym Jens Kristrup (Christrup).
Life
Son of Peter Hostrup and Carol Anne Johanne, née Irgens, the young Jens was raised in a musical family. His father played the violin, but died shortly after 1830. He began his studies at the Metropolitan College and was admitted to the literature and drama class in 1837. After 1837 he began studying
theology
Theology is the study of religious belief from a Religion, religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an Discipline (academia), academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itse ...
. He lived in the students dorm and took part in student associations, entering into a number of contacts and making new friends, including the writer
Adam Oehlenschläger
Adam Gottlob Oehlenschläger (; 14 November 177920 January 1850) was a Danish poet and playwright. He introduced romanticism into Danish literature. He wrote the lyrics to the song ''Der er et yndigt land'', which is one of the national anthe ...
, and gaining literary experience. He graduated as Cand. theol. in 1843. After his studies, Hostrup worked as a
tutor
Tutoring is private academic help, usually provided by an expert teacher; someone with deep knowledge or defined expertise in a particular subject or set of subjects.
A tutor, formally also called an academic tutor, is a person who provides assis ...
and
pastor
A pastor (abbreviated to "Ps","Pr", "Pstr.", "Ptr." or "Psa" (both singular), or "Ps" (plural)) is the leader of a Christianity, Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutherani ...
.
In 1844 he wrote the comedy ''Gjenboerne'' for the party of the students association, and after that he began to write a songplay, an act which inspired the poets Johan Ludvig Heiberg and Ferdinand Raimund. While he was tutor at Kokkedal from 1844 to 1847, he wrote ''Intrigues'' in 1845, ''A sparrow in Crane Dance'' in 1846 and ''Tales of Walking Tour'' in 1847, and more dramas in various genres followed. His first marriage was with Henriette Wilhelmine Louise Mantzius (1824–1849) on 2 November 1848. She was the sister of his friend, actor Kristian Mantzius. After her death he traveled to
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
in 1854 and on his return became pastor of
Silkeborg
Silkeborg () is a Denmark, Danish town with a population of 52,571 (1 January 2025). He became then engaged with Christiane Georgine Elizabeth Hauch, daughter of
Carsten Hauch
Johannes Carsten Hauch (12 May 1790 – 4 March 1872) was a Danish poet.
Biography
Hauch was born in Frederikshald in Norway. His father was the Danish bailiff in Smaalenene, Frederik Hauch. His mother, Karen Tank was sister of Norwegian shi ...
, with whom he married in 1855. They had one son named Helge Hostrup (1862–1949). In 1862 he became pastor of
Frederiksborg Castle
Frederiksborg Castle () is a palatial complex in Hillerød, Denmark. It was built as a royal residence for Christian IV of Denmark, King Christian IV of Denmark-Norway in the early 17th century, replacing an older castle acquired by Frederick II ...
in
Hillerød
Hillerød () is a Denmark, Danish town with a population of 36,604 (1 January 2025)Hillerød Rectory.
Hostrup published two collections of poems, ''Sermons'' in 1866, and the devotional book ''The resurrection and the life'' in 1883, ''Popular Lectures'' in 1882 and ''The defeat'' in 1864. In 1872 appeared ''Songs and poems from thirty years,'' in 1884 ''Songs and poems from the past few years'' and after his death came in 1893 ''Posthumous Poems.'' His only hymn ''Christmas message to those who build'' has a background in heavy personal sorrows and the illness that forced him from office in 1881. He moved to Frederiksberg and died there on 21 November 1892. He is buried at Frederiksberg Old Cemetery.
The street Hostrups Vej and the residential functionalist complex Hostrups Have in Copenhagen are named after Jens Christian Hostrup
Literature
* ''Genboerne'' (1844)
* ''Tales of Journey on Foot'' (1847)
* ''Recollections of my Childhood and Youth'' (1891)
* ''Later Memoirs'' (1893)
* ''Comedy'' (1900)
* ''Jens Christian Hostrup : hans liv og gerning'' 'Jens Christian Hostrup: His Life and Work''by Helge Hostrup, Copenhagen: Gyldendal (1916),