Kristoffer Nilsen Svartbækken Grindalen

Svartbækken's tombstone at the graveyard by Løten Church. For his burial, the coffin was not taken through the gate of the graveyard but rather hoisted over the wall and put down away from the other graves as was the custom with executed criminals.

Kristoffer Nilsen Svartbækken Grindalen (9 September 1804 – 25 February 1876) was a Norwegian criminal, killer and thief. He was born at the crofter's farm Nordre Svartbækken in Elverum, and spent 41 years of his life in prisons. He was convicted for a murder and robbery near Ekrumstormyra in Løten in 1875, and was beheaded by axe at the site of the murder in 1876, witnessed by estimated 2,500 spectators, in the last public execution in Norway. Moments before his beheading he confessed to the murder.[1][2]

Henrik Sørensen's painting Svartbækken from 1908, inspired by the incident, was much discussed, but is regarded as Sørensen's breakthrough.[3][4]

References

  1. "Kristoffer Nilsen Grindalen". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
  2. Sandmo, Erling. "Kristoffer Grindalen". In Helle, Knut. Norsk biografisk leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
  3. Haverkamp, Frode Ernst. "Henrik Sørensen". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
  4. Flor, Harald. "Henrik Sørensen". In Helle, Knut. Norsk biografisk leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 7 April 2011.

Further reading


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