Tove Ditlevsen

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Tove Ditlevsen bigraphy, stories - Poem, author

Tove Ditlevsen : biography

14 December 1917 – 7 March 1976

Tove Irma Margit Ditlevsen (14 December 1917 – 7 March 1976) was a female Danish poet and author. Tove Ditlevsen – The Grand Danish Encyclopedia (in Danish)

She was born in Copenhagen and grew up in the working-class neighbourhood of Vesterbro. Her childhood experiences were the focal points of her work. Ditlevsen was married (and divorced) four times. Tove Ditlevsen (Kvinfo is a Danish encyclopedia about notable Danish women)

She published 29 books including short stories, novels, poetry and memoirs. She was awarded the Tagea Brandt Rejselegat in 1953. Her poem "Blinkende Lygter", from the book of the same name, is featured in the 2000 film Flickering Lights, directed by Anders Thomas Jensen.

Her novel Barndommens gade was made into a film in mid-1980s and Anne Linnet released an album with poems by Ditlevsen, sung by Linnet. The music from the album was also used in the movie Barndommens gade.

She committed suicide in 1976 by taking an overdose of sleeping pills.

Awards, prizes and grants

  • 1942 – Carl Møllers Legat
  • 1942 – Emma Bærentzens Legat
  • 1942 – Astrid Goldschmidts Legat
  • 1945 – Forfatterforbundets Legat
  • 1945 – Holger Drachmann-legatet
  • 1950 – Edith Rode Legatet
  • 1952 – Direktør J.P. Lund og hustru Vilhelmine Bugge’s Legat
  • 1953 – Otto Benzons Forfatterlegat
  • 1953 – Tagea Brandt Rejselegat
  • 1954 – Emil Aarestrup Medaillen
  • 1955 – Tipsmidler
  • 1956 – De Gyldne Laurbær
  • 1958 – Jeanne og Henri Nathansens Mindelegat
  • 1958 – Morten Nielsens Mindelegat
  • 1959 – Forlaget Fremads folkebiblioteks legat
  • 1959 – Ministry of Culture’s children book prize (Denmark) (Kulturministeriets Børnebogspris) for her Children’s book Annelise – tretten år
  • 1966 – Rektor frk. Ingrid Jespersens Legat
  • 1971 – Biblioteksafgiftens top 25: 10 (She was number 10 on the top-25 list over library books
  • 1971 – Søren Gyldendal Prize
  • 1975 – Dansk Forfatterforenings H.C. Andersen Legat
  • 1975 – Jeanne og Henri Nathansens Mindelegat
  • 1999 – 23 years after her death, the readers of Politiken could chose a book as "Danish book of the Century". Ditlevsen’s book Barndommens gade was number 21. (Danish Literature Prizes)