Henrik Wergeland

Henrik Wergeland was a Norwegian writer and patriot, who is considered as a leading pioneer in the development of a distinctly Norwegian literary heritage and of modern Norwegian culture. He wrote poetry, plays, polemics, history, and linguistics, and was a champion of liberty, democracy, and international cooperation. He worked zealously for popular education and reform, and was involved in many controversies. He was a symbol of Norway's independence and celebrated the constitution day on 17 May, which later became the national day. He also fought for the abolition of the paragraph in the constitution that excluded Jews from the country, and succeeded shortly before his death. He died of tuberculosis at the age of 37, leaving behind a legacy of many works that influenced Norwegian literature and culture.