Karen Skovgaard-Petersen
Ludvig Holberg’s prolific writings occupy a central place in both Danish and Norwegian literary history. Today his comedies are the best known group of his writings, but Holberg published many other texts in a variety of literary genres. He wrote numerous historical works, among them a seminal history of Denmark, he wrote a utopian novel, Niels Klim’s Journey to the Underworld, he composed a large number of moral philosophical essays, whereby he introduced this genre into Danish – just to mention a selection of his rich literary production, which covers the period from 1711 to 1754, the year he died.
A modern edition of Holberg’s collected writings does, however, not exist. The last – and only – appearance of a critical edition of his complete works was Carl S. Petersen’s 18-volume edition, Ludvig Holbergs Samlede Skrifter (Copenhagen 1913-63). In 2009 a Norwegian-Danish collaboration was initiated between the University of Bergen (Norway) and the Society for Danish Language and Literature. The aim was to establish a new critical edition of Holberg’s collected writings, furnished with introductions and commentaries.
The present edition, Ludvig Holbergs Skrifter (The Writings of Ludvig Holberg), is the result of this collaboration. Version 1.0. has been published 12 August 2015.
The Danish and the Norwegian editorial groups divided Holberg’s writings between themselves in two groups of approximately equal size. The Norwegian group has been responsible for the non-fictional prose works, among them the many historical works and Holberg’s moral essays. The Danish group has taken care of the fictional works, among them the comedies, as well as Holberg’s autobiographies and his collection of historical biographies (Heltehistorier and Heltindehistorier). The two editorial groups have worked closely together following common principles of textual criticism and commentaries to Holberg’s texts.
The new edition is a critical edition based on Holberg’s first editions, of which facsimiles are available on the website. It is open and freely accessible.
The commentaries and introductions that accompany Holberg’s texts are intended to facilitate immediate understanding and to place Holberg’s writings into a broader literary and intellectual context. This accompanying material will be continuously expanded. The Latin writings are furnished with translations into Danish (later hopefully also into English). The utopian novel about Niels Klim is available in a new Danish translation, and the Latin epigrams will, for the first time since 1863, be translated into Danish in their entirety.
Commentaries and introductions are written both by members of the two editorial groups and by external contributors. The text critical work has been done only by members of the editorial groups (cf. below). In the colophons to the single texts the names of the contributors responsible for text, commentaries, and introduction, respectively, are listed.
In addition, a number of the texts will be published in print. So far the following books have been published: Niels Klims underjordiske rejse in Danish translation by Peter Zeeberg in 2012, Dannemarks og Norges Geistlige og Verdslige Staat in 2014 (both published by the Vandkunstens forlag) and Peder Paars in the series Danske Klassikere (Gyldendal) in 2015. Moreover, a printed edition of selected works by Holberg in modernized orthography is now under preparation. This edition is financed by Augustinus Fonden and A.P. Møller og Hustru Chastine Mc-Kinney Møllers Fond til almene Formaal.
Ludvig Holberg’s Writings is a Danish-Norwegian collaboration between the University of Bergen (Norway) and the Society for Danish Language and Literature. During the period 2009-13 the digital platform was established by Uni Computing (University of Bergen), which has specialised in language technology and digital textual editing. Since 2013 the University Library in Bergen has been in charge of digital support and development in a collaboration with the Royal Library in Copenhagen. The two libraries have furthermore delivered the digital facsimiles of the first editions that accompany the texts.
The Norwegian and the Danish branches of the project are separately financed, both by a combination of private and public funds. The Norwegian part is supported by the University of Bergen, the Meltzer Foundation, Sparebanken Vest, The Fritt Ord Foundation, and Arts Council Norway. The Danish part is financed by Augustinus Fonden, the Danish Ministery of Culture, and the Danish Agency of Culture.
Texts edited by the Danish editors have been supervised by members of the Society for Danish Language and Literature. Supervisors are:
E-mail: Jørgen Magnus Sejersted and Peter Zeeberg
E-mail: Digital development, University of Bergen Library; cc Tone Merete Bruvik and Øyvind Gjesdal
When referring to Ludvig Holbergs Skrifter please indicate version number and webaddress, e.g.:
LHS 1.0, http://holbergsskrifter.dk
It is also possible to make a reference to a particular part of a text by quoting the full webaddress to the passage in question.
The digital edition is updated and supplemented regularly. The versions are recorded successively in a list of changes.
Medallion in wax by M.G. Arbien, 1755. Sketch for a commemorative medal. Museum of Copenhagen.