Sophus Michaëlis

Sophus Michaëlis was the son of a German-born tailor. He was supported by the Odense city council and an acquainted pharmacist. After graduating from high school in 1884, he studied languages and art history and got interested in archaeology and numismatics. In 1891 he passed his exams in French, Latin, and German.

Michaëlis wrote reviews of art and music, and published poetry, novels, and dramas, making his debut with poems in 1889. During the 1890s, he made trips to Italy, Greece, Egypt, and Germany. This background provided him with a solid foundation for historical novels such as The Eternal Sleep about Napoleon’s campaign against Russia. Michaëlis also became famous with his drama The Wedding of the Revolution. Above all, however, he was a lyricist expressing emotions in eloquent verses. He also translated several works of world literature including Goethe’s Faust.

In Denmark, Michaëlis was one of the most popular writers of his time and chairman of the Danish Authors’ Society from 1915 until his death. became Knight of the Dannebrog in 1919 and, ten years later, received the Cross of Honor of the Order of the Dannebrog. In his first of three marriages, from 1895-1911 he was married to the Danish writer Karin Michaëlis (born Katharina Bech-Brøndum, 1872-1950).