The Norwegian writer Knut Hamsun is widely regarded as the originator of the modern novel and was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1920. In recent years, however, his strong sympathies for Nazism were highlighted and a dark shadow fell over the author. Knut Hamsun's path to success (and failure) was long and varied. Join us at the Hamsun Centre and the author's childhood home in Hamaroy!
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Knut Hamsun - rise and fall
Knut grew up in a poor home in northern Norway, and as a child was employed by a strict uncle. Later, he worked at everything from shoemaking to road construction, while struggling with his writing. In 1890, he published the novel that became his major breakthrough: Sult (Hunger). In 1917, the novel Markens Gröda was published, which resulted in the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Over a 70-year career, Knut Hamsun produced some 40 literary works. Over time, he became an increasingly strong ally of the Nazis, which led to him being confined to a psychiatric clinic towards the end of his life and losing most of his possessions.
Hamsun Centre
The Hamsun Centre is located in Hamaroy (Hamarøy), between Lofoten and Bodö in northern Norway, in the area where Knut Hamsun grew up. The building is spectacular, and you can't miss it as it wobbles up through the trees. The architect who designed centre sought to embody the anxiety and restlessness found in Hamsun's books, resulting in a house with almost no straight lines.
And what do you see there at the top? Well, it's the creature's hair, of course! The long bamboo sticks move in the wind, and the harder the wind blows, the louder the sound.
Nothing has been left to chance at the centre. One of the balconies, which incidentally has a fantastic view, has been fitted with a sloping glass wall symbolising how one of the characters in the novel reaches out through the windows to clean them...
Guided tours
You can walk around the Hamsun Centre on your own, for example, entering through doors with the names of different novels to find texts and objects from that particular novel world. Or you can take a guided tour, focusing on literature or architecture. The skilled guides effectively sucked us into Hamsun's worlds, even though we hadn't read the books.
Café and camping
If you want, you can take the opportunity to eat something in the Hamsun Centre's café. We can highly recommend the super tasty waffles with salmon!
Right next to the centre is a fishing camp where the camper vans stood beautifully by the water. Since we are not travelling by motorhome this time we continued, after a stop at Hamsun's childhood home, to the fantastic Tranøy Fyr lighthouse.
Knut Hamsun's childhood home in Hamaroy
Knut Hamsun's childhood home is not far from the Hamsun Centre. From a distance, the house looks quite impressive, but it has been extended over time, so it was much smaller at the time.
Until 18:00 on days (at least during the season) there is a guide who receives registered as well as unregistered guests in the childhood home. Here we were offered coffee, cakes and live stories, by a young guide with a passion for his Hamsun. When we left the house he went back up to his reading chair, where he could read further in Hamsun's novels and at the same time look through the window for new visitors ...
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This trip was a press trip in co-operation with Visit Norway and Visit Bodö. The texts, pictures and opinions are as usual our own.
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Britt-Marie Lundgren says:
Is it only 5 days that you have been in Northern Norway? As usual, you have not been idle. Lots of experiences (just as it should be, in our opinion).
26 June 2018 - 6:11
Helena says:
Yes, five days and full roll 😉 We like to see and do a lot on our trips! On a trip like this, which is organised in collaboration with Visit Bodö, the pace is extra high 😉.
26 June 2018 - 8:18
Kenneth Risberg says:
Interesting and different reading and not something I was familiar with.
You really have a lot of time during your trip.
I am now on my way to the southern part of Lofoten, where the road ends. Have just stopped in Borge and are waiting for the Viking Museum to open.
26 June 2018 - 9:31
Helena says:
Yes, we have had a lot of time in Northern Norway and around Bodö always! Viking Museum sounds interesting! But the road ends? Then you have to turn back a bit?
26 June 2018 - 11:03
Kenneth Risberg says:
Just a little, taking the ferry to Bodö from Moskenes.
Now it's so windy that they are cancelled, so I'm waiting here until Thursday.
26 June 2018 - 18:31
Helena says:
Ah, we understand! We were out on a rib boat tour yesterday, but they said they would cancel the tours today due to too much wind... Sooner or later you will come across 😉 .
26 June 2018 - 20:52
Lena - gott för själen says:
What exciting things you will see. Nice touch with the bamboo hair!
Hug Lena
26 June 2018 - 9:36
Helena says:
Very creative! 🙂 I especially liked the sound of the bamboo tube!
26 June 2018 - 11:04
Steve says:
Knut Hamsun's life, here the term rise and fall really fits.
Exciting interpretation by the architect who designed the Hamsun Centre.
Waffles and salmon, an odd combination.
Knowledgeable and dedicated guides always enhance the tour experience.
Did you long for FREEDOM when you saw the campsite at the Hamsun Centre?
26 June 2018 - 9:57
Helena says:
You can really say exciting interpretation! And waffles and salmon are a great combo, we can tell you 🙂 And of course we are starting to long for house ice 😉.
26 June 2018 - 18:11
Eva/Leva som Eva says:
Interesting to read about Hamsun. Weren't you forced to read classics at school? 🙂 I read The Growth of the Soil and I remember thinking it was just fine.
26 June 2018 - 10:14
Helena says:
Glad you liked the report! 🙂 Yes, I probably read some classics ... like Selma and August ... 😉 I remember that we read OM Hamsun, but I never read any of the books. Became a little curious after the visit though 😉.
26 June 2018 - 19:01
Ama de casa says:
Waffles and salmon??? Yes, yes. Can you have blinis with rum, so why not? But I see waffles more as something you eat with jam and cream 🙂.
Then I'm a bit suspicious... Is Peter really standing right there? 😉
26 June 2018 - 10:32
Helena says:
There were waffles with sweet fillings as well, but the ones with salmon were super good 🙂.
26 June 2018 - 18:12
Johnny Friskilä says:
Hamsun also travelled in the Caucasus, there was a book later, but it was not a hit. In Æventyrland is the name of the book. Btw, it is called Hamarøy, not Hamaroy?
26 June 2018 - 10:48
Helena says:
Interesting! Very true about the name! I've been a bit unsure about what to do with foreign letters. I used to use Icelandic and Polish letters as well, but have removed them because hardly any Swedes search that way. Tried to check how others do it. Saw that some newspaper wrote Hamaröy with a Swedish island. Better, worse? Or use Norwegian island? Does it work just as well when Swedes google then? Unsure here ... and have not had time to delve into the matter. What is your opinion?
26 June 2018 - 11:02
Ditte says:
I have also been here, but it was x number of years ago. But both the childhood home and the centre seem to be intact. I have read "Hunger" and "Growth of the Soil" and maybe you read them afterwards. Then no one in my family liked the fact that Hamsun became a Nazi and probably few in Norway did. But mental illness can cause problems in different ways.
Waffles and salmon are quite common in the rest of Norway as well.
I understand that it was a successful visit here too.
26 June 2018 - 18:55
Helena says:
I got a little curious about the books actually, so maybe I'll read someone eventually 😉 That he became a Nazi feels so sad, everything becomes a bit double then. At the same time, I was incredibly impressed by the power he had from the beginning, to make his way from virtually nothing in that way!
26 June 2018 - 19:03
Solan says:
The film 'Svält' with Per Oskarsson will not be forgotten. Released in the 70s and 80s...given the title, there was probably no bubbly & picnic at the premiere?
26 June 2018 - 20:07
Helena says:
Doesn't sound like a suitable title for picnic food ... 😉 It feels like that film was a bit too early for me and I have also missed Hamsun's books (even though I read about him in school). But I'm a bit curious now 🙂 ).
26 June 2018 - 20:54
BP says:
The Hamsun Centre is completely in my (strange) taste. Incredibly beautiful, even though I can imagine that not everyone thinks so. The building really stands out there among the houses with grass roofs. But I love the centre.
Also drooling over the savoury waffle! Finally, a waffle not served with jam!
26 June 2018 - 22:51
Maria / Magnolia Magis says:
Hm..No author I knew but now I have to read his books! Lovely with old houses with patina!
29 June 2018 - 19:16