Bernt Moe (1 June 1814 – 5 June 1850) was a Norwegian historian, editor, and encyclopedist notable for his contributions to 19th‑century Norwegian personal history and biographical literature.
Early life and education
Moe was born in Oslo (then Christiania), Norway. Details of his formal education are not extensively documented, but his later professional roles indicate a background in historical research and archival work.
Career
Moe began his career as an assistant at the National Archives of Norway (Riksarkivet), where he gained experience in handling historical documents and records. He became a prominent figure in the emerging field of Norwegian personal historiography, editing and publishing works that compiled biographical information on notable individuals.
Major works
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Tidsskrift for den norske personalhistorie (Journal for Norwegian Personal History) – Published in two volumes between 1840 and 1850, this periodical was the first dedicated Norwegian journal focusing on personal and genealogical history. It featured articles, biographies, and genealogical data concerning Norwegian figures.
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Biographiske Efterretninger om Eidsvolds‑Repræsentanter og Storthingsmænd i Tidsrummet 1814–1845 (Biographical Notices about the Representatives of the Eidsvoll Assembly and Members of the Storting in the Period 1814–1845) – This work compiled biographical entries for the members of Norway’s constitutional assembly and early parliamentary representatives, serving as an important reference for scholars of Norwegian political history.
Moe also edited Norges Stats‑Calendar (the Norwegian State Calendar) for the years 1848–1850 and produced a travel guide, Veiviser for Reisende i Christiania By og Omegn (Guide for Travelers in Christiania and Its Surroundings) in 1848.
Death and legacy
Bernt Moe died in Oslo on 5 June 1850 at the age of 36. Although his life was brief, his editorial efforts laid groundwork for systematic biographical and genealogical research in Norway. His publications remain cited in later historical and genealogical studies, and he is recognized in Norwegian reference works such as the Store norske leksikon and Nordisk familjebok.
References
- Store norske leksikon entry on Bernt Moe.
- “Bernt Moe.” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
- Warburg, K. (1913). “Moe, Bernt.” In Nordisk familjebok (vol. 15). Stockholm.