Morten Luther Gudmund Korch (1876–1954) was a Danish writer who wrote populist stories and romances about rural Denmark. During his lifetime, he was the most widely read author in Denmark. Korch wrote 123 novels, several of which were made into popular films. In 1937, Korch was awarded a Danish knighthood in the Order of Dannebrog. He is listed in the book of The 20th century's 100 most important people in Denmark.

Early life Korch was born on 17 January 1876 in the small village of Over Holluf south east of Odense on the island of Fyn, Denmark. He was the son of a teacher and had seven siblings. At the age of 14, Korch left home and began an apprenticeship in business with his uncle in Nyborg. After finishing his apprenticeship, Korch worked for W. Løngreen in Odense, for whom he drove a horse-drawn wagon to farms selling various wares including porcelain and chemicals.

Writing career Korch's first story, Jule Toner (Sounds of Christmas) was published in 1892 and his first book of stories, Fyensk Humør (Humor of Fyn) was published in 1898. In 1916, at the age of 40, Korch decided to become a full-time author.

Korch was a writer of populist stories, which centered on the old-fashioned traditions of farms, small shops and rural merchants. His tales were built around the traditional adventure model of idyll-crisis-idyll. The characters tended to be stereotypes, and the problems clearly marked as a battle between good and evil which were always resolved happily. Beneath Korch's stories, there is a focus on the conservative patriarchal society and the belief in conservative Christian morals. Korch wrote 123 separate titles and sold more than 7 million books in Denmark alone. In 1937, Korch received a knighthood in the royal Danish society of Order of Dannebrog. By 1940, Korch was the mostly widely read author in Denmark, where he was known as "Denmark's Morten". From 1942 to 1947 he sat on the board of the Danish Writers Union.

Legacy Several of Korch's novels were developed into successful movies. In 1950, film director Alice O'Fredericks made the first film of a Korch novel: his 1943 book De røde heste (The Red Horses). The simple story—young newlyweds who try to save the family horse farm from bankruptcy by winning a racing derby—became the biggest box office success in Danish cinema. By 1976, eighteen films had been produced of Morten Korch stories. Danish Historian Ib Bundebjerg wrote that these combined "a special Danish popular comedy tradition with a reassuring portrayal of a rural environment at a time of frenzied modernisation."

In 1999, Korch was listed in the book of The 20th century's 100 most important people in Denmark.

Personal life In 1899 Korch married the niece of his first employer, Elna Marie Løngreen Fyrdendahl, with whom he had five children. After Elna died of tuberculosis in 1907, Korch married a second time, to Sophie Petrea Bruun in 1908 and they had two sons together. Sophie died in 1953, and one year later, on 8 October 1954, Korch died at the age of 78 in Hellerup near Copenhagen. He is buried in Fraugde, Fyn, the parish of his birth.Gravsted.dk - Morten Korch (Danish)

Bibliography

Regnebog for Almueskolernes yngste afdeling 1897 Fyensk humør (short stories) 1898 Fyenbosnak (oral stories) 1900 Sin egen sti (short stories) 1911 Guldglasuren (short story) 1912 Sejrgaarden (novel) 1913 En husmand 1914 Grundlovsbogen 1914 En æreskrans (short story) 1916 Familien på Uglegården(novel) 1917 Flintesønnerne (novel), 1917 Hans med Sejrskjorten (novel) 1917 En vagabond (short story) 1918 Kongemøllen (novel) 1918 Skytten på Urup (novel) 1918 Fru Sara på Enø (short story) 1919 Studeprangeren (short story) 1919 Der brænder en ild (novel), 1920 Forklarende tekst 1920 Fra provinsen (short stories) 1920 Godtfolk (short stories) 1920 Krybskytten 1920 Kong Frederiks Korporal (novel and 2 stories) 1921 Uhrene i Rørby (novel)1921 Junker & Co (novel) 1922 Bent Billes løfte 1923 Det gamle guld (novel), 1923 Den grønne vogn 1924 Fortællinger og skitser (short stories) 1924 Godtfolk : ny samling 1924 Niels Dros (novel), 1924 Om fyenske dialekter 1925 Rolf Snare 1925 Palle Jarmer (novel) 1925 Kærlighed (2 stories) 1926 To juleaftener 1926 Lykkens hjul (novel) 1926 Den danske jul 1927 Manden på Brusholm 1927 Perler paa snor (novel), 1927 I stjerneskær (novel), 1928 Fynboer 1929 Landsbyprinsessen (stage play) 1929 Lykkesmeden (novel), 1929 Affæren i Mølleby (stage play) 1930 Ved Stillebækken (novel), 1930 Guldskoen (stage play) 1931 Kærlille (novel), 1931 I morgen får vi sol 1932 Klokkekilden 1933 Borgerlune 1934 Liv og lune (short stories) 1934 Blomstrende verden 1934 Byens bedste mand (short story) 1935 Møllen i Lunde 1935 Det fejreste træ 1935 De rige år 1936 Krisen på Rønnebæk (stage play) 1936 Lykkens luner (stage play) 1936 Troldsmeden (stage play) 1936 Fruen på Hamre 1937 Bonden fra Dige (novel) 1938 Pigen fra Dale 1938 Bertil Lynge 1939 Hammerprinsessen 1939 Kampen om Abildgaarden (novel), 1939 Indenfor voldene 1940 Under byens tage (novel) 1941 Lykkens hjul 1942 Det gamle teglværk 1942 De røde heste 1943 Den lille julegæst 1943 Landsbyfolk 1943 Ved den blaa fjord 1943 Sønnen fra Vingaarden 1944 Roman om Nikolaj (novel) 1944 Fynboer (short stories) 1946 Klokken paa Solbjerg 1946 Manden paa Naur 1946 Det store løb 1947 Fortryllende dage (short stories) 1948 Min moders minde (essays) 1948 Morten Korch : 1898 - 22. September 1948 1948 Mosekongen 1948 Doktor Ole 1949 Julekurven 1949 Fløjtespilleren (novel) 1950 Troldpigen 1951 Kampen om Torndal 1952 Frodige dage 1952

Notes

Further reading Lorentzen, Jørgen, "Fra farskapets historie i Norge 1850-1912", 2012. p.2o & p.32-33. Rytter, Maria, "Du må ikke græde far - Morten Korch som far omkring 1900", 2009. 143 pg. Rytter, Maria, "Den ukendte Morten Korch - Dagbøger, breve og optegnelser 1876-1914", 2000. 282 pg. Rytter, Maria, "Morten Korch på Møntergården - udstillingstekster", 1994. 62 pg. Berthelsen, Carsten, Morten og det danske guld. Morten Korch for begyndere. 1998. 80 pg. Lundbye, Vagn, Hundred år efter Morten Korchs første bog, (speech given at Odense Town hall) Bogens Verden, 1998, nr. 6, pg. 11-13. Johansen, Klaus, Morten Korch. En bibliografi. 1995. 62 pg. Mylius, Johan de, Traditionens guld - og Landmandsbankens, NORDICA, IV, 1987, pg. 65-94 (+ addendum pg. 95-99). Korch, Morten A., Min far Morten Korch, 1979. 153 pg Andersen, Frantz Smolle, Olav Harsløf, Freddie Pagh, Gitte Pedersen, Kirsten Dyssel Pedersen, Henrik V. Petersen & Ivan Z. Sørensen, Bogen om Morten Korch En smaaborgers virksomhed. 1977. 288 pg. Knudsen, Finn Bruun, Freddie Pagh & Ivan Zlebaci Sørensen, Fascismen i 30erne, Litteratur & Samfund, nr. 4-5, 1975, pg. 10-75. (pg. 42-66 address Morten Korch's I morgen får vi sol.) Korch, Morten A., Morten Korch, Folkeminder, nr. 14-15, 1969–71, pg. 213-20.