Anders Hovden

Anders Hovden was a Norwegian Lutheran clergyman, hymnwriter, poet and author. He was born in Ørsta in 1860 and grew up in a poor fishing and farming family. He received support from the linguist Ivar Aasen to pursue his education and became a teacher and later a priest. He served in various parishes in Norway and was active in the political and cultural movements of his time. He was a supporter of the Norwegian language, the parliamentary system and the dissolution of the union with Sweden. He was also a prolific writer and published several collections of poems, as well as biographies, essays and memoirs. He is best known for his contribution to the Norwegian hymnody, as he wrote or translated over 200 hymns, many of which are still in use today. He also wrote the patriotic song Fagert er landet, which is considered a national hymn of Norway. He retired from his ministry in 1931 and died in Aker in 1943. He is regarded as one of the most influential and popular Norwegian authors of his generation. [1](^1^) [2](^2^) [3](^3^)