Background
Johan Falkberget was born near the city of Röros, an old mining community, on September 30, 1879.
Johan Falkberget was born near the city of Röros, an old mining community, on September 30, 1879.
From the age of eight Falkberget worked in the copper mines, and he had become thoroughly familiar with the lives of the miners by 1905, when he went into journalistic and literary work. His first book had appeared in 1902, but not until 1907, when he issued the novel Svarte fjelde ("Black Mountains"), a story of mining, did he achieve publication in Oslo. The many novels that followed this work showed his deep sympathy with his own mountain folk and a social consciousness shot through with Christian idealism; the best known of this group is Lisbet paa Jarnfjeld (1915) (Lisbeth on Jarnfjeld, 1930).
Beginning with Den fjerde nattevakt (1923) ("The Fourth Watch") he turned to the past and produced a series of novels which depicted the early life of his mining community. Later he wove together historical documents, folklore, and personal and family reminiscences into a massive trilogy, named Christianus Sextus (1927 - 1935). This epic is set in the 18th century and glorifies the virtues of peace and labor.