3. Jón Stefán Sveinsson
Was born at Modruvellir, Iceland, and grew up
in Akureyri;
He received a scholarship to study in France
from a French aristocrat, a lover of Iceland;
At the age of twelve he moved to Denmark and
France;
Unfortunately his journey was delayed because
of the French-German War in 1870;
He waited in the residence of the Catholic
Bishop of Copenhagen, and became a Catholic
at the age of thirteen
4. He attended the
Jesuit School in
Amiens, France;
At the age of 21 he
entered the Society
of Jesus;
He and taught
French, Norse, sport,
and drawing at the
Andreas College in
Denmark
6. -Is “Nonni”a well-known
person outside Iceland ?
In Cologne, Germany, on June 18-30, 2011, there
was an exhibition of Nonni's life and work at the
cultural and information center and meeting point for
tourists and citizens likewise, located in the very
center of the city.
The exhibition was called “Nonni. Leben und Werk
(Life and Work). Jón Stefán Sveinsson (1857-
1944)” and recounts Nonni’s life and work by means
of photo panels plus text.
-Yes, he is…
7. A story-
teller?
It was serious gout that
forced him to give up
teaching and turn to writing
at the age of 55. He had a
wonderful gift for story-
telling, and a longing to see
the wide world
His first book,
Islandblomster [Iceland
Flowers], published in 1906,
was a cultural and literature
study of Iceland and its sagas
that Sveinsson regarded as
"flowers."
8. His portrait
became known
throughout the
world…
His first "Nonni" book was
Nonni. Erlebnisse eines
jungen Isländers, von ihm
selbst erzählt [Nonni:
Experiences of a Young
Icelander, Told by Himself]
published in German in 1913.
9. What is said about Nonni’s
books?
“What I like most about the
“Nonni books” is the clean
and simple language and
the fascinating way in which
the author Jón Sveinsson
takes the reader with him
right into the story: you can
picture yourself in the
middle of the beautiful and
breathtaking Icelandic
nature and you feel being
part of the whole adventurous
plot! Most stories are very
thrilling and even dramatic –
and at times also sad and
even cruel – yet there is no
ugly or shameful
vocabulary which in
modern books – even
children’s books – can be
“Friendship” and “family
ties” are also very
important in Jón
Sveinsson’s books and
last, but not least,
Nonni’s, Manni’s and their
mother’s absolute trust in
God is exemplary and
catching! <…>
A very good example of
the religious content of
Jón Sveinsson’s books is
the title “Lost in the Arctic.
Adventures of Two Boys”
Martin Barillas:
10.
11. Nonni museum in
Akureyri…
Nonni's House, which
was built in 1850, is
one of the oldest
houses in Akureyri. It
has been preserved as
an example of a typical
19th century Icelandic
town home.
12. Nonni´s House
The so called Nonni´s House, which the
author and the Jesuit priest Jón Sveinsson,
Nonni, lived in during his childhood in
Akureyri in northern Iceland, has been
carefully remodeled into a memorial
13. -Who is “Nonni”?
- A Jesuit Prayer…
- One of the most famous Icelandic
people in Iceland…
- A person well-known in France,
Denmark or Germany…
- A writer…
