Benny Andersen

This article is about the Danish poet. For the sailor, see Benny F. Andersen.
Not to be confused with Benny Andersson.
Benny Andersen
Benny Andersen at the 2009 Danish book fair
Benny Andersen at the 2009 Danish book fair
Born(1929-11-07)7 November 1929
Vangede, Denmark
Died16 August 2018(2018-08-16) (aged 88)
Sorgenfri, Denmark
OccupationWriter
NationalityDanish
Period1960–2018

Benny Andersen (7 November 1929 – 16 August 2018)[1] was a Danish poet, author, songwriter, composer and pianist. He is often remembered for his collaboration with the singer Povl Dissing; together they released an album with Andersen's poems from the collection Svantes viser. This album and Andersen's book "Svantes viser" (Svante's Songs) from 1972 were included by the Danish Ministry of Culture in the Danish Culture Canon in 2006, in the category "Popular music".[2][3] Andersen's "Samlede digte" (Collected poems) have sold more than 100,000 copies in Denmark.[4]

In Denmark, Benny Andersen was also a well-known author of children's literature and in 1971, he was awarded the Ministry of Culture's children book prize ("Kulturministeriets Børnebogspris").[5] In the 1980s, his books about the fantastical creature Snøvsen, became widely popular and later inspired two films in the early 90s.[6]

Andersen became a member of the Danish Academy (Det Danske Akademi) in 1972.

His wife, the jurist Elisabeth Ehmer, reported that Benny Andersen died in the family home in Sorgenfri, north of Copenhagen, on 16 August 2018.[1]

  1. ^ a b Benny Andersen er død BT 17 August 2018
  2. ^ Denstoredanske.dk Kulturkanon
  3. ^ Hela den danska Kulturkanonen (in Swedish) Sydsvenskan, retrieved January 20, 2013
  4. ^ "Benny Andersen". Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  5. ^ Kunststyrelsen.dk Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine List of recipients of the Kulturministeriets Børnebogspris
  6. ^ "Alle historierne om snøvsen" (in Danish). Saxo. Retrieved 7 August 2018.