Henrik Pontoppidan - Trivia

Trivia

• Pontoppidan originally studied at the Polyteknisk Laereanstalt (today the Technical University of Denmark) to become a civil engineer. When in 1876 another student at Polyteknisk Laereanstalt was preferred to Pontoppidan to participate in the Greenland Expedition, Pontopiddan was devastated and quit his studies shortly before the final exam in disappointment. It has been said that due to the failure to be selected for the Greenland Expedition that he hoped would make him famous, Pontoppidan became - famous. The other student selected instead of Pontoppidan died during the expedition.
• Pontoppidan's brother's daughter-in-law was the famous Danish actress Clara Pontoppidan (IMDB).
• Pontoppidan's brother, Knud Pontoppidan was a famous psychiatrist and doctor.
• Pontoppidan was related through his family with the famous pietistic priest Erik Pontoppidan
• Pontoppidan is buried in his family's grave site in the cemetery of Rørvig Kirke.
• The name Pontoppidan is latinisation of the Danish surname Broby, literally translated into Bridge (by the) City, or in Latin, Pons Oppidum. Henrik Pontoppidan mocked this practise, which had taken place in the 17th century, as "the bad idea from educated people's custom, to decorate their good Danish name with a Latin Adrienne," (a female dress worn at the time for dances) "a ridiculous Peacockish plumage".