Johan Herman Wessel (6 October 1742 - 29 December 1785 / Vestby, Akershus)

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Johan Herman Wessel was a Norwegian-Danish poet. Some of his satirical poems are still popular.

Biography

The son of a painter, he was born and raised in Vestby, Akershus, Norway, and was the elder brother of mathematician Caspar Wessel. He was a relative of the naval hero Peder Tordenskjold.

Living most of his (bohemian) life in Copenhagen dependent on casual work and weakened by a bad health and drinking Wessel became the popular and admired centre of Norske Selskab ("The Norwegian Society") a very important club of Norwegian literary figures cultivating their national identity in Copenhagen, and writing in classical metres.

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