Hartvig Nissen (gymnast)

Hartvig Nissen in 1921

Hartvig Nissen (1857–1924) introduced the study of Swedish Gymnastics, and Swedish Massage to the United States in 1883.

Childhood

Born on a Sunday, mid July, 1857, [probably July 19] in "Kongshavn"—King's Haven near Christiana (Oslo), Norway, close by the fjord with Ekeberg—a small mountain—right behind it. His father was owner and head principal of a private school with 700 boys and 300 girls. Hartvig was the 8th child in a family of 10 children. He graduated high school in 1872. An injured eye, from a childhood snow ball fight, prevented him from entering military school.[1]

Youth

He was confirmed in the church in spring of 1872. As a young man he joined the following clubs: the Merchant's Club, Singing Club, Christiania (Oslo) Turnforening or Gymnastics Club. The first class that he taught in physical training was on April 15, 1875. He taught gymnastics as Instructor of Gymnastics in the Latin School of Drammen, and in the Gymnastic Clubs of the Cites of Drammen, Holmestrand. and Kongsberg in Norway, Europe. Later he was Assistant Teacher and Principal of Oslo [[:no:Oslo Turnforening}Oslo|Turnforening]].[2]

In about 1879 he studied the German system of gymnastics in Dresden, Saxony. In the late 1870s until he left Norway in January 1883 he was considered the strongest gymnast in Norway.

His father, Hartvig Nissen, was made chief of public schools of Norway in 1867. His father died on February 4, 1874 of heart failure. Hartvig left Christiana [Oslo] on January 26, 1883 for the USA. He arrived in New York City on February 15, 1883.

Working Days in Washington, D.C.[1]

In March 1883 he moved to Washington, DC where aa few days after arriving in DC he visited the German Gymnastic Club and obtained a position teaching a class of 14 ladies. In a couple of weeks he had 50 students, women from the ages of 13 to 50. He also gave classes in the Franklin School until spring of 1885.

The following September 1883 he opened a gymnasium in an armory on "E" street between 9 and 10 N.W.

The 4th of January, 1884, he gave an exhibition in his gymnasium by high school girls and boys, Swedish gymnastics, wands, dumbbells, fancy steps, folk dances and games. This was the first time Swedish gymnastics and folk dances were exhibited in the United States.

He read about General Grant's fall in New York on Xmas Eve, 1883, and the diagnosis of rheumatism. When Grant came to Fort Monroe, Virginia for treatment, he got a letter of introduction via the Swedish and Norwegian Minister. (Hartvig was Vice-Consul for those countries.) He treated the general with massage for about five weeks.

In September 1883 he hired the three-story building at 903 16th street, two blocks from the White House, and named it "The Swedish Health Institute." He married a Swedish lady, Miss Helene Peterson, in summer 1884. She had been his assistant since he opened the institute.

Bibliography

Nissen has an extensive bibliography. His best known books include:

References

  1. 1 2 AUTOBIOGRAPHY by Hartvig Nissen, February 15, 1921 (privately published)
  2. ↑ ABC of the Swedish Educational Gymnastics. A PRACTICAL HAND-BOOK FOR SCHOOL TEACHERS AND THE HOME. by Hartvig Nissen, 1892 by the Educational Publishing Company, Boston.

External links

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