He was born in Halden Jan 1, 1911, graduated from Halden Latinskole 1930with top grades. Then he studied languages and language science at Oslo University for 6 or 7 years. He knew 42 languages and could communicate in an additional 20. Attestation from two of his teachers, and from L.L. Hammerich, the only one that has published critical comments to Melberg's work:
From Professor Dr. Sten Konow, Oslo University, Dec 23, 1937 (extract):
'.. 1931 - 1936 Håkon Melberg attended my lectures
and classes in Sanskrit, Avestan, "Tokharian", and a short time also in
Saka .. he always gave proofs of a clear and unbiased understanding and
a great faculty of seeing the problems and not leaving them before they
had been mastered. He has acquired a good knowledge of (list of languages),
and I know that his knowledge of Irish is far beyond the average. I am
absolutely confident that he will be able to make important contributions
to our understanding of those linguistic and philological problems to which
he will devote his great energy and solid training'.
Dr Sten Konow (signed)
From Professor Dr. C. Marstrander, Oslo University, Dec
18, 1937
(unauthorised translation from Norwegian):
'Håkon Melberg has for several years been studying
Celtic languages and Comparative linguistics (? Sammenlignende sprogvidenskap)
with me at the University in Oslo.
Some years ago he received a Royal gold medal for
a scientific work.*) He is one of the most promising young linguists we
have had at the university during the last 30 years (? den siste menneskealder).
All who have learned to know him deeply regret that he is leaving the university.
I can no better recommendation give him.'
C. Marstrander (signed)
*) This was for a treatise titled 'Genitivus qualitatis en Latin et des langues Indo-europeennes', 1932
From Professor Dr. L.L. Hammerich, President i Det Kgl.
Danske
Videnskabers Selskab, København, May 23, 1953
(Extract, unauthorised translation from Danish):
'Mr. Håkon Melberg is a scientist with exceptionally
(?særdeles) good knowledge of Celtic and old German philology, and
in the Scandinavian and other German peoples' elder history. He is also
a man rich on ideas
and with a gift for comprehensive methodical work. That
I, even on essential points, not always agree with him, does not shake
(?rokke) this evaluation. He will no doubt also sometimes disagree with
me. ...'
L.L.Hammerich (signed)
Håkon Melberg was given a scholarship to study modern
English in London (recruitment for professorate in English?), wrote the
novel 'Solen går aldri ned', 1938.
http://wgate.bibsys.no/gate1/SHOW?objd=94232210x
Then he got research funding to study Celtic
languages, and he stayed in Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and Bretagne for
long periods. To support a rather meagre economy and to encourage the work
with Celtic languages, Lord Glenantar and the Earl of Bute gave him
a sum of money that he did not use himself, but handed over to Oslo University
in support of a Celtic institute (department) there.
During the war, Håkon Melberg was one of the leaders
of XU-Pan, a spy organisation collecting secret German information and
transmitting it to London. Due to secrecy-obligation, the public knowledge of
Melberg's war engagement was limited until he broke the silence obligation in 1988
by publishing the book 'Dobbeltspill
- Nazilensmannen som lurte tyskerne', together with T. Brynildsen.http://wgate.bibsys.no/gate1/SHOW?objd=884200337
During the first war years, 1940-43, Håkon assisted as jiu jitsu instructor (or zyuzyutu, soft zyudo) at his brother's, Sam Melberg's training institute in Oslo. Håkon wrote the introductory chapter titled "Vitenskapen å slåss", to Sam's book "Jiu Jitsu". Author's foreword.
In Sept. 1945 he presented the first version of his hypothesis
on the origin of the Scandinavian nations to the Norwegian Science Academy
in Oslo. It was met with silence. A year later it was presented to the
Danish Science Academy in Copenhagen where it caused animated discussions.
Due to misunderstandings and need for background information that became
apparent during these discussions, Melberg decided to present his work
complete, with all the information required to evaluate
the hypothesis. The outcome was the two-volume work 'Origin of the Scandinavian
Nations and Languages' , 1953.
http://wgate.bibsys.no/gate1/SHOW?objd=921271042
After this Melberg continued his work with Celtic languages
for some years. The rest of his active life he spent on work with and for
children in Halden. From 1945 he and his wife ran an activity center for
children:
Barnas hus with Barnas scene, Barnas galleri, Barnas
tiltak. He wrote the text for an opera for children, 'Nattmannens barn',
presented first in 1960. Some of this is described in ’Barnas hus – Barnas
gåtefulle verden’ by Anne-Kari Melberg, Ask Forlag, Halden,1995
http://wgate.bibsys.no/gate1/FIND?FO=melberg,+anne+kari
Håkon Melberg died November 1990.
-- This was just a brief summary to show that Håkon
Melberg was a top qualified scientist, and he was a lot more. I look forward
to someone writing his biography!
