Olav Aukrust
Olav Aukrust (21 January 1883 – 3 November 1929) was a Norwegian poet and teacher. He popularized the use of Nynorsk as a literary language and is most commonly associated with his poem Himmelvarden (1916). Biography Aukrust was born in the parish of Lom in Oppland, Norway. He was raised in the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. His parents Olav Olavsson Aukrust (1851–1931) and Mari Pålsdatter Andvord (1864–1936) were farmers on the Nordgard Aukrust farm in the valley of Bøverdalen. His brother Lars Olsen Aukrust (1886–1965) was a teacher and local official. His nephews Odd Aukrust (1915 –2008) was an economist and Kjell Aukrust (1920–2002) was an author, poet and artist. Aukrust was a student of the folk college at Romundgard in Sel operated by priest and educator Christopher Bruun (1839–1920). From 1915 to 1917, he worked as a teacher at the folk high school at Dovre where future novelist Ingeborg Møller (1878–1964) was also a teacher. He later taught at Gausdal. In 1911, he married Gudrun Blekastad (1887–1984), daughter of Haugean businessman Ivar Blekastad (1850–1936). She was the sister of artist Hallvard Blekastad (1883–1966) and sister-in-law of literary historian Milada Blekastad (1917–2003). He was strongly influenced by priest and author