Petter Dass - Biography

Biography

He was born at Northern Herøy (Dønna), Nordland, Norway. His father was a merchant originally from Dundee, Scotland, Peter Dundas who had established himself as a trader along the northern Norwegian coast. His mother was Maren Falch (1619-40) whose father had been the local bailiff, a large land owner in Helgeland and manager for the Dønnes estate of Henrik Rantzau. His father died in 1653, when Petter was 6, and the children were cared for by relatives and friends. His mother remarried, but Petter remained with his mother's sister, Anna Falck, who was married to the priest at Nærøy.

At 13, Petter began attending school in Bergen, and later studied theology at the University of Copenhagen. He was lonely during his years in Copenhagen, but intellectually stimulated. After his years in Copenhagen, he returned to Norway and became a tutor in Vefsn. He fathered a child out of wedlock, and had to travel to Copenhagen and seek pardon from the Danish king. In 1689 he was appointed parish priest at Alstahaug. His parish was quite large covering an area which included the villages of Hattfjelldal, Vevelstad, Leirfjord, Vefsn, Herøy, Dønna, Nesna, Hemnes and Rana.

He was also a writer of texts and hymns. Most of his writings were not published until after his death. His most famous work is the versified topographical description of northern Norway, Nordlands Trompet ("The Trumpet of Nordland"), and some psalms still in use, most prominently Herre Gud, ditt dyre navn og ære("Good Lord, thy precious name and glory").

The only existing portrait of Petter Dass is traditionally believed to be one found in the Melhus church in Norway. However, the claim is hotly disputed, with some historians having studied the painting and concluding that the subject is most likely not that of Dass. Several modern day statues and bust of Petter Dass have been erected in Norway including a bas-relief of Norwegian sculptor Ambrosia Theodora Tønnesen (1859-1948) at the Bergen Cathedral . The community of Sandnessjøen has a modern statue of Petter Dass located prominently in the town centre.

Petter Dass was deeply mourned after his death, and many fishing vessels of Northern Norway carried a black cloth in their sail for 100 years after his death, as a sign of mourning. He is still the subject of folklore of Nordland. There is, for example, a legend of how he fooled the devil to carry him to Copenhagen to preach for the king.