Background
She was born in Copenhagen and grew up in the working-class neighbourhood of Vesterbro.
She was born in Copenhagen and grew up in the working-class neighbourhood of Vesterbro.
Her childhood experiences were the focal points of her work. She published 29 books including short stories, novels, poetry and memoirs. She was awarded the Tagea Brandt Rejselegat in 1953.
Her poem "Blinkende Lygter", from the book of the same name, is featured in the 2000 film Flickering Lights, directed by Anders Thomas Jensen.
Her novel Barndommens gade was made into a film in mid-1980s and Anne Linnet released an album with poems by Ditlevsen, sung by Linnet. The music from the album was also used in the movie Barndommens gade.
She died by suicide in 1976 by taking an overdose of sleeping pills. 1942 - Carl Møllers Legat.
1942 - Carl Møllers Legat 1942 - Emma Bærentzens Legat 1942 - Astrid Goldschmidts Legat 1945 - Forfatterforbundets Legat 1945 - Holger Drachmann-legatet 1950 - Edith Rode Legatet 1952 - Direktør Justice of the Peace Lund og hustru Vilhelmine Bugge"s Legat 1953 - Otto Benzons Forfatterlegat 1953 - Tagea Brandt Rejselegat 1954 - Emil Aarestrup Medaillen 1955 - Tipsmidler 1956 - De Gyldne Laurbær 1958 - Jeanne og Henri Nathansens Mindelegat 1958 - Morten Nielsens Mindelegat 1959 - Forlaget Fremads folkebiblioteks legat 1959 - Ministry of Culture"s children book prize (Denmark) (Kulturministeriets Børnebogspris) for her Children"s book Annelise - tretten år 1966 - Rektor frk. Ingrid Jespersens Legat 1971 - Biblioteksafgiftens top 25: 10 (She was number 10 on the top-25 list over library books 1971 - Søren Gyldendal Prize 1975 - Dansk Forfatterforenings hockey club Andersen Legat 1975 - Jeanne og Henri Nathansens Mindelegat 1999 – 23 years after her death, the readers of Politiken could chose a book as "Danish book of the Century". Ditlevsen"s book Barndommens gade was number 21.
