Eggert Olafsson 250th Anniversary

Eggert Ólafsson (1726-1768) was a poet, a writer and a naturalist from Svefneyjar islands in the northwest of Iceland. He was one of the first advocates of the Enlightenment in Iceland. Eggert studied natural sciences and various other subjects at the University of Copenhagen. He was a staunch nationalist and his writings, especially his poetry, burn with patriotic fervour. Eggert is best known for his book on Iceland which he co-wrote with Bjarni Pálsson, one of his schoolmates in Copenhagen. They travelled all over Iceland in 1752-1777 collecting practical information about the country and its people, intent on improving the state of affairs in the country.

This was an epoch-making work which still today is of great historical value. As a champion of the Enlightenment Eggert aroused his countrymen, making them aware of the country‘s dismal condition. Eggert and his wife, Ingibjörg Halldórsdóttir, drowned in 1768 when sailing back home from a winter sojourn in Sauðlauksdalur. Eggert was deeply mourned by Icelanders but his ideas lived on, not least because Fjölnis - menn, a group of young Icelandic intellectuals, championed his name.