{{Infobox person | image = Gustav Esmann by Juncker-Jensen.jpg | caption = | name = Gustav Esmann | birth_date = {{Birth date|1860|08|17|mf=y}} | birth_place = Copenhagen, Denmark | death_date = {{Death date and age|1904|09|04|1860|08|17|mf=y}} | death_place = Copenhagen, Denmark | resting_place= | occupation = Journalist and author | yearsactive = | mother = Adelheid Nathalie Weber | father = Niels Christian Esmann | spouse = Fanny Drewsen | children = | relatives = }} '''Gustav Frederik Esmann''' (August 17, 1860 – September 4, 1904) was a Danish journalist, author, scriptwriter, and master of ceremonies.<ref name="DBL">{{cite encyclopedia |last=Rimestad |first=Christian |encyclopedia=Dansk Biografisk Leksikon |title=Gustav Esmann |url=https://biografiskleksikon.lex.dk/Gustav_Esmann |access-date=August 13, 2020 |language=da |year=2011}}</ref><ref name="DSD">{{cite encyclopedia |last=Dahl |first=Per |encyclopedia=Den Store Danske |title=Gustav Esmann |url=https://denstoredanske.lex.dk/Gustav_Esmann |access-date=August 13, 2020 |language=da |year=2020}}</ref>
Esmann was among those who joined Herman Bang's circle, and in the 1880s he attracted attention as a feature writer in the newspapers. He made his debut as an author in 1885 with ''Gammel Gæld'' (Old Debt),<ref name="SNL">{{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=Store norske leksikon |title=Gustav Fredrik Esmann |url=https://snl.no/Gustav_Fredrik_Esmann |access-date=August 15, 2020 |language=no |year=2019}}</ref> two short stories written in a blasé and ironic tone, and he wrote a dozen plays that were noted for their great technical stage finesse, including ''Den kjære Familje'' (The Dear Family, 1892)<ref name="SNL"/> and ''Alexander den Store'' (Alexander the Great, 1900). Most of his plays were performed at the Royal Danish Theatre, and his last two were also performed in Sweden. In his lifestyle, Esmann was a typical representative of the "Copenhagen boulevard intelligentsia."<ref>{{cite book |title=Svensk uppslagsbok |date=1931 |publisher=Svensk uppslagsbok AB |location=Malmö}}</ref>
On September 4, 1904, Esmann was shot and killed at a hotel in Copenhagen by his mistress Karen Hammerich (1875–1904).<ref name="DBL"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Kjøbenhavn. Et Revolverdrama—Mord og Selvmord |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57304968/gustav-esmann-1860-1904/ |work=St. Paul Tidende |date=September 23, 1904 |location=Saint Paul, MN |page=2 |accessdate=August 14, 2020 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Murdered Author, Then Shot Herself |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57367142/gustav-esmann-1860-1904/ |work=The Buffalo Times |date=September 25, 1904 |location=Buffalo, NY |page=16 |accessdate=August 15, 2020 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Esmann, Gustav}} Category:1860 births Category:1904 deaths Category:19th-century Danish writers Category:19th-century Danish male writers Category:19th-century Danish journalists Category:19th-century Danish dramatists and playwrights Category:Danish male screenwriters Category:Deaths by firearm in Denmark Category:Writers from Copenhagen Category:20th-century Danish screenwriters Category:Murder–suicides in Denmark