# Olof Lagercrantz

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Swedish writer, critic, and literary scholar (1911–2002)

Olof Lagercrantz Born Olof Gustaf Hugo Lagercrantz (1911-03-10)10 March 1911 Stockholm, Sweden Died 23 July 2002(2002-07-23) (aged 91) Ekerö, Sweden Occupation Author, critic, publicist Period 1935–1996 Notable works From Hell to Paradise Min första krets Spouse Martina Ruin ​ (m. 1939)​ Children 5, including Marika and David

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**Olof Gustaf Hugo Lagercrantz** (10 March 1911 – 23 July 2002) was a Swedish writer, critic, literary scholar ([PhD](/source/PhD) 1951) and publicist (editor-in-chief of *[Dagens Nyheter](/source/Dagens_Nyheter)* 1960–1975).[1]

## Life and career

Lagercrantz was born in [Stockholm](/source/Stockholm), [Sweden](/source/Sweden), the son of bank director [Carl Lagercrantz](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Carl_Lagercrantz&action=edit&redlink=1) [[sv](https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Lagercrantz_(bankman))], of the noble [Lagercrantz family](/source/Lagercrantz_family),[2] and Countess [Agnes Hamilton](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Agnes_Hamilton_(countess)&action=edit&redlink=1), whose great-grandfather was the prominent Swedish writer [Erik Gustaf Geijer](/source/Erik_Gustaf_Geijer).[3] Lagercrantz married Martina Ruin (born 1921), daughter of Professor [Hans Ruin](/source/Hans_Ruin) and [Karin Sievers](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Karin_Sievers&action=edit&redlink=1), in 1939.[4] Lagercrantz is the father of actress [Marika Lagercrantz](/source/Marika_Lagercrantz) and author [David Lagercrantz](/source/David_Lagercrantz). His sister [Lis Asklund](/source/Lis_Asklund) was an author, social worker, curator, and program producer for [Sveriges Radio](/source/Sveriges_Radio). His nephews [Lars](/source/Lars_L%C3%B6nnroth) and [Johan Lönnroth](/source/Johan_L%C3%B6nnroth) are also famous in their own right.

His childhood was dark, under the clouds of his mother's mental illness and later his sister's suicide.[3]

Lagercrantz commanded considerable influence as a critic and publicist. He became an expert of sorts in [literary biography](/source/Biography_in_literature), and several of his studies on important Swedish writers are still cornerstones of Swedish literary studies, in particular, his biography of [August Strindberg](/source/August_Strindberg) (1979) and his portrait of his friend [Gunnar Ekelöf](/source/Gunnar_Ekel%C3%B6f), *Jag bor i en annan värld men du bor ju i samma*.

During the latter part of his professional life, Lagercrantz' concerns in his role as literary critic and cultural pundit progressed from the strictly aesthetic to the political. In 1958, he published a biography of the late poet [Stig Dagerman](/source/Stig_Dagerman) which was severely criticized by a young [Beppe Wolgers](/source/Beppe_Wolgers) for being confined to Dagerman's "dark predicament" and not completely representing a man "who paid such great interest to cinema as well as football".[*[quote needs citation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Inline_citation#When_you_must_use_inline_citations)*] Lagercrantz' political engagement became apparent during his time at *[Dagens Nyheter](/source/Dagens_Nyheter)*, where he was head of the cultural section from 1951 and editor-in-chief from 1960 on. He was an influential, albeit controversial, voice in the political and [cultural radicalism](/source/Cultural_radicalism) of the 1960s and 1970s, assuming a crucial role in the national secularization debate.

Lagercrantz in his public role gave rise to strong emotions. His cultural radicalism in particular was perceived as provocative in light of his aristocratic background. Lagercrantz was widely criticized for the conciliatory and fairly positive appraisals of [Communism](/source/Communism) that he published in *[Dagens Nyheter](/source/Dagens_Nyheter)* after travelling as a journalist to the [Soviet Union](/source/Soviet_Union) and [China](/source/China).

Lagercrantz dwelt on parts of this in his autobiographical works. His upper-class childhood and adolescence are the subject of *Min första krets* (1982),[1] and the turbulence of his time at *[Dagens Nyheter](/source/Dagens_Nyheter)* is the topic of his memoir *Ett år på sextiotalet* (1990).

Lagercrantz grew up in [Falköping](/source/Falk%C3%B6ping) and in 2001 was awarded the title of Honorary Resident of Skaraborg by the Skaraborg Academy in tribute to the fact he had wielded one of the mightiest pens of the 20th century.[5] He was also awarded the [Illis quorum](/source/Illis_quorum) by the government of Sweden in 1996.[6]

## Bibliography

- *Den döda fågeln* ("The Dead Bird", 1935, poems) [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [13259316](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/13259316)

- *Den enda sommaren* ("The Only Summer", 1937, poems) [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [8582894](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/8582894)

- *Jungfrun och demonerna* ("The Maiden and the Demons", 1938, a study of [Erik Axel Karlfeldt](/source/Erik_Axel_Karlfeldt)) [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [492621585](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/492621585)

- *Trudi* (1939, novel) [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [483238582](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/483238582)

- *[Finlands sak är vår](/source/Finlands_sak_%C3%A4r_v%C3%A5r)* (1939) [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [187085656](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/187085656)

- *Möten med bibeln* ("Facing the Bible", 1941) [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [487630227](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/487630227)

- *Dikter från mossen* ("Poems from the Bog", 1943) [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [186791320](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/186791320)

- *Om kärlek* ("On Love", 1946) [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [493959725](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/493959725)

- *Fågelropet ur dimman* ("The Bird's Call Out of the Fog", 1947, essays) [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [464968262](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/464968262)

- *Studieplan i svensk lyrik* ("Syllabus of Swedish Lyric Poetry", 1950) [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [867827320](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/867827320)

- *Agnes von Krusenstierna* (1951, revised 1980, literary study) [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0348-6133](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0348-6133)

- *Dagbok* ("Diary", 1954) [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [470808663](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/470808663)

- *Dikter och dagbok* ("Poems and Diary", 1955) [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [185273405](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/185273405)

- *Stig Dagerman* (1958, literary study) [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [492621925](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/492621925)

- *Ensamheter i öst och väst* ("Solitudes in the East and the West", 1961, travel literature) [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [186017473](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/186017473)

- *Svenska lyriker* ("Swedish Lyric Poets", 1961) [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [185734048](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/185734048)

- *Linjer* ("Lines", 1962, poems) [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [483238448](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/483238448)

- *Från helvetet till paradiset* ("From Hell to Paradise", 1964, a study of [Dante](/source/Dante_Aligheri)) [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [312822274](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/312822274)

- *Dikter 1935–1962* ("Poems 1935–1962", 1964) [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [473451351](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/473451351)

- *Den pågående skapelsen* ("The Creation in Progress", 1966, a study of [Nelly Sachs](/source/Nelly_Sachs)) [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [186114862](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/186114862)

- *Opinionslägen* ("Current Opinions", 1968) [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [13250136](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/13250136)

- *Att finnas till* ("To Exist", 1970, a study of [James Joyce](/source/James_Joyce)) [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [925651837](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/925651837)

- *Tröst för min älskling* ("Comfort for My Beloved", 1971) [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [187104206](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/187104206)

- *Tretton lyriker och Fågeltruppen* ("Thirteen Lyric Poets and the Troop of Birds", 1973) [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9789146119692](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9789146119692)

- *Enhörningen* ("The Unicorn", 1977, prose) [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9789146129073](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9789146129073)

- *Från Aeneas till Ahlin* ("From [Aeneas](/source/Aeneas) to [Ahlin](/source/Lars_Ahlin)", 1978) [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9789146131670](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9789146131670)

- *August Strindberg* (1979, literary study) [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9789146134770](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9789146134770)

- *Eftertankar om Strindberg* ("Second Thoughts on [Strindberg](/source/August_Strindberg)", 1980) [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9789170543531](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9789170543531)

- *Min första krets* ("My First Circle", 1982, autobiography) [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9789146141051](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9789146141051)

- *Om konsten att läsa och skriva* ("On the Art of Reading and Writing", 1985, essay) [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9789146148005](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9789146148005)

- *Färd med mörkrets hjärta* ("A Journey with the Heart of Darkness", 1987, a study of [Joseph Conrad](/source/Joseph_Conrad)) [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9789146154501](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9789146154501)

- *Ett år på sextiotalet* ("A Year in the 60s", 1990, autobiography) [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9789146158646](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9789146158646)

- *En blödande ros* ("A Bleeding Rose", 1991, selected poems) [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9789146160090](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9789146160090)

- *Att läsa Proust* ("Reading [Proust](/source/Marcel_Proust)", 1992) [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9789146164159](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9789146164159)

- *Jag bor i en annan värld, men du bor ju i samma* ("I Live in Another World, but You Live in the Same", 1994, a study of [Gunnar Ekelöf](/source/Gunnar_Ekel%C3%B6f)) [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9789146165453](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9789146165453)

- *Mina egna ord* ("My Own Words", 1994, selection of articles from *[Dagens Nyheter](/source/Dagens_Nyheter)*) [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9789146165477](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9789146165477)

- *Dikten om livet på den andra sidan* ("The Poem of Life on the Other Side", 1996, a study of [Emanuel Swedenborg](/source/Emanuel_Swedenborg)) [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9789146169321](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9789146169321)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_1-1) ["Olof Lagercrantz"](http://snl.no/Olof_Lagercrantz), *[Store norske leksikon](/source/Store_norske_leksikon)* (in Norwegian Bokmål), 2 March 2021, retrieved 23 May 2022

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Lagercrantz, släkter"](https://sok.riksarkivet.se/sbl/Presentation.aspx?id=10855). *[National Archives of Sweden](/source/National_Archives_of_Sweden) – [Svenskt Biografiskt Lexikon](/source/Svenskt_Biografiskt_Lexikon)*. Retrieved 23 May 2022.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-geijerarvet_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-geijerarvet_3-1) Lars Lönnroth *Geijerarvet. En släkthistoria om dikt och galenskap*, Atlantis 2019

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** *Sveriges dödbok 1947-2003* (in Swedish) (CD-ROM version 3.0 ed.). Sveriges Släktforskarförbund. 2005.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Lagercrantz årets skaraborgare"](https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/29436). *[Sveriges Radio](/source/Sveriges_Radio)* (in Swedish). 14 December 2001. Retrieved 23 May 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Regeringens belöningsmedaljer och regeringens utmärkelse: Professors namn"](https://web.archive.org/web/20211102152834/https://www.regeringen.se/contentassets/61bab671f59a46af81cb11ee99e0d0eb/regeringens-beloningsmedaljer-och-regeringens-utmarkelse-professors-namn). *Regeringskansliet* (in Swedish). January 2006. Archived from [the original](https://www.regeringen.se/contentassets/61bab671f59a46af81cb11ee99e0d0eb/regeringens-beloningsmedaljer-och-regeringens-utmarkelse-professors-namn) on 2 November 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2022.

v t e Nordic Council Literature Prize winners 1960s 1962: The Days of His Grace – Eyvind Johnson 1963: Under the North Star 3: Reconciliation – Väinö Linna 1964: The Ice Palace – Tarjei Vesaas 1965: From Hell to Paradise – Olof Lagercrantz and The Good Hope – William Heinesen 1966: Diwan on the Prince of Emgion – Gunnar Ekelöf 1967: Nye noveller – Johan Borgen 1968: Flight of the Eagle – Per Olof Sundman 1969: The Legionnaires – Per Olov Enquist 1970s 1970: Anna, I, Anna – Klaus Rifbjerg 1971: Coast of Slaves, Ships of Slaves & Islands of Slaves – Thorkild Hansen 1972: Sju ord på tunnelbanan – Karl Vennberg 1973: Kersantin poika – Veijo Meri 1974: Uden mål – og med – Villy Sørensen 1975: Siinä näkijä missä tekijä – Hannu Salama 1976: Að laufferjum & Að brunnum – Ólafur Jóhann Sigurðsson 1977: I de mörka rummen, i de ljusa – Bo Carpelan 1978: Dalen Portland – Kjartan Fløgstad 1979: Pubertet – Ivar Lo-Johansson 1980s 1980: Vredens barn – Sara Lidman 1981: Hauströkkrið yfir mér – Snorri Hjartarson 1982: Samuels bok – Sven Delblanc 1983: Om fjorten dage – Peter Seeberg 1984: The Christmas Oratorio – Göran Tunström 1985: A Day in Ostrobothnia – Antti Tuuri 1986: Líkasum – Rói Patursson 1987: Hudløs himmel – Herbjørg Wassmo 1988: Justice Undone – Thor Vilhjálmsson 1989: Roman 1987 – Dag Solstad 1990s 1990: For the Living and the Dead – Tomas Tranströmer 1991: The Sun, My Father – Nils-Aslak Valkeapää 1992: Night Watch – Fríða Á. Sigurðardóttir 1993: Byen og verden – Peer Hultberg 1994: Blackwater – Kerstin Ekman 1995: Angels of the Universe – Einar Már Guðmundsson 1996: Hva skal vi gjøre i dag og andre noveller – Øystein Lønn 1997: Bang. En roman om Herman Bang – Dorrit Willumsen 1998: After Having Spent a Night Among Horses – Tua Forsström 1999: Queen's Gate – Pia Tafdrup 2000s 2000: Drømmebroer – Henrik Nordbrandt 2001: The Discoverer – Jan Kjærstad 2002: The Half Brother – Lars Saabye Christensen 2003: Revbensstäderna – Eva Ström 2004: Juoksuhaudantie – Kari Hotakainen 2005: The Blue Fox – Sjón 2006: The Ocean – Göran Sonnevi 2007: Drömfakulteten – Sara Stridsberg 2008: Baboon – Naja Marie Aidt 2009: I Curse the River of Time – Per Petterson 2010s 2010: Purge – Sofi Oksanen 2011: Between the Trees – Gyrðir Elíasson 2012: Days in the History of Silence – Merethe Lindstrøm 2013: The Prophets of Eternal Fjord – Kim Leine 2014: Mirage 38 – Kjell Westö 2015: Wakefulness, Olav's Dreams & Weariness – Jon Fosse 2016: Songs and Formulae – Katarina Frostenson 2017: Memories of Love – Kirsten Thorup 2018: Hotel Silence – Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir 2019: Efter Solen – Jonas Eika 2020s 2020: Who killed Bambi? – Monika Fagerholm 2021: Flower Valley – Niviaq Korneliussen 2022: Om udregning af rumfang – Solvej Balle 2023: Ihågkom oss till liv – Joanna Rubin Dranger List of Nordic Council's Literature Prize winners and nominees

v t e August Strindberg Bibliography Paintings Drama works The Outlaw Master Olof The Father Miss Julie Creditors Pariah The Stronger To Damascus Easter The Dance of Death A Dream Play The Ghost Sonata The Great Highway Prose works The Red Room Getting Married The Son of a Servant The People of Hemsö The Defence of a Fool Inferno Alone Social criticism August Strindberg's Little Catechism for the Underclass Paintings List of paintings The Town (1903) Adaptations Miss Julie The Sin of Julia 1951 film Rorem opera Alwyn opera 1999 film After Miss Julie Julie (opera) 2014 film Others The Stronger Karin Månsdotter Play Strindberg Pita Dance of Death Dreamplay Creditors (1988 film) Creditors (2015 film) Related Strindberg's Intimate Theater Strindberg Museum Strindbergmuseum Saxen August Strindberg Repertory Theatre Family Siri von Essen (first wife) Frida Uhl (second wife) Harriet Bosse (third wife) Karin Smirnov (daughter)

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND FAST WorldCat National United States France BnF data Czech Republic Spain Netherlands Norway Latvia Sweden Poland Israel Artists FID People Trove Deutsche Biographie DDB Other IdRef Open Library Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Olof Lagercrantz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olof_Lagercrantz) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olof_Lagercrantz?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.