Ove Gjerløw Meyer
Encyclopedia
Ove Gjerløw Meyer was a Norwegian writer and jurist, best known for founding the Norwegian Society
.
. His father was headmaster and priest Edvard Offesen Meyer (1713–1760); his mother is not known. Meyer attended Christiania Cathedral School
between 1759 and 1762, together with Johan Herman Wessel
and Johan Vibe
. He then enrolled at the University of Copenhagen
, and took both the cand.jur. and cand.theol.
degrees. After this, he worked as a writer and private tutor in Copenhagen
. During the reign of Johann Friedrich Struensee
between 1770 and 1772, royal censorship was lifted, and Meyer marked himself as a Norwegian patriot. He is recognized as the founder of the Norwegian Society
(Det Norske Selskab), a literary society for Norwegians in the city. The first meeting of the society took place on 30 April 1772. Among Meyer's primary concerns as a patriot was that Norway did not have a university of its own. Like many members of the Norwegian Society, Meyer also wrote poems, but these have not stood the test of time, according to professor Harald Noreng
.
In 1778, he returned to Norway to become stipendiary magistrate of Tønsberg
and Holmestrand
. In December 1779, he married Susanne Fredrikke Hansen (1761–1785), daughter of a merchant in Holmestrand. With his seat in Tønsberg, Meyer wrote the publication Noget om Kjøbstaden Tønsbergs Forfatning in 1788. Here, he wrote of the city's long history as well as its contemporary situation, and proposed a the establishment of a Norwegian university in Tønsberg—however, this was first printed in 1822, eleven years after the Royal Frederick University
was established in Christiania
. Meyer would not live to see this happen; in 1790 he was promoted to presiding judge of Tønsberg and Fredrikstad
, and to assessor
in Christiania in the same year. He had barely assumed the latter position before he died in November 1790. He was buried in Tønsberg.
The Norwegian Society
The Norwegian Society was a literary society for Norwegian students in Copenhagen. Its members included authors, poets and philosophers. The Norwegian Society was formed in 1772 by Ove Gjerløw Meyer...
.
Career
He was born around 1742, probably in FrederikshaldHalden
is a both a town and a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The seat of the municipality, Halden is a border town located at the Tista river delta on the Iddefjord, the southernmost border crossing between Norway and Sweden.-History:...
. His father was headmaster and priest Edvard Offesen Meyer (1713–1760); his mother is not known. Meyer attended Christiania Cathedral School
Oslo katedralskole
Schola Osloensis, known in Norwegian as Oslo katedralskole and more commonly as "Katta" is an upper secondary school located in Oslo, Norway. The school offers the college preparatory studiespesialisering of the Norwegian school system...
between 1759 and 1762, together with Johan Herman Wessel
Johan Herman Wessel
thumb|Johan Herman WesselJohan Herman Wessel was a Norwegian-Danish poet. Some of his satirical poems are still popular.-Biography:...
and Johan Vibe
Johan Vibe
Johan Vibe was a Danish-Danish military officer and engineer, who was appointed Governor-General of Norway by the Danish crown from 10 April 1708 until his death.-Biography:...
. He then enrolled at the University of Copenhagen
University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
, and took both the cand.jur. and cand.theol.
Cand.theol.
Candidatus theologiæ , Candidata theologiæ , abbreviated cand. theol. is an academic degree with a long tradition, awarded after a six year higher education in theology in Denmark and Norway. In Norway, the title has remained after the "Quality Reform", though it is equivalent to a Master of...
degrees. After this, he worked as a writer and private tutor in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
. During the reign of Johann Friedrich Struensee
Johann Friedrich Struensee
Count Johann Friedrich Struensee was a German doctor. He became royal physician to the mentally ill King Christian VII of Denmark and a minister in the Danish government. He rose in power to a position of “de facto” regent of the country, where he tried to carry out widespread reforms...
between 1770 and 1772, royal censorship was lifted, and Meyer marked himself as a Norwegian patriot. He is recognized as the founder of the Norwegian Society
The Norwegian Society
The Norwegian Society was a literary society for Norwegian students in Copenhagen. Its members included authors, poets and philosophers. The Norwegian Society was formed in 1772 by Ove Gjerløw Meyer...
(Det Norske Selskab), a literary society for Norwegians in the city. The first meeting of the society took place on 30 April 1772. Among Meyer's primary concerns as a patriot was that Norway did not have a university of its own. Like many members of the Norwegian Society, Meyer also wrote poems, but these have not stood the test of time, according to professor Harald Noreng
Harald Noreng
Harald Noreng was a Norwegian literary researcher and lexicographer.-Personal life:He was born in Hisøy as the son of boat builder Johan Wilhelm Hanssen and Kathrine Marie Pettersen . He changed his last name from Hanssen to Noreng in 1933. In February 1941 he married jurist Alice Schwabe-Hansen...
.
In 1778, he returned to Norway to become stipendiary magistrate of Tønsberg
Tønsberg
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, southern Norway, located around north-east of Sandefjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tønsberg....
and Holmestrand
Holmestrand
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Holmestrad. The city was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . The neighboring rural municipality of Botne was merged into the municipality of Holmestrand on 1 January...
. In December 1779, he married Susanne Fredrikke Hansen (1761–1785), daughter of a merchant in Holmestrand. With his seat in Tønsberg, Meyer wrote the publication Noget om Kjøbstaden Tønsbergs Forfatning in 1788. Here, he wrote of the city's long history as well as its contemporary situation, and proposed a the establishment of a Norwegian university in Tønsberg—however, this was first printed in 1822, eleven years after the Royal Frederick University
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
was established in Christiania
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. Meyer would not live to see this happen; in 1790 he was promoted to presiding judge of Tønsberg and Fredrikstad
Fredrikstad
is a city and municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Fredrikstad....
, and to assessor
Assessor (law)
In some jurisdictions, an assessor is a judge's or magistrate's assistant. This is in fact the historical meaning of this word.-By country:In Denmark, it was the former title given to Supreme Court judges. Today the title is given to Deputy Judges...
in Christiania in the same year. He had barely assumed the latter position before he died in November 1790. He was buried in Tønsberg.