Olaf Rye
portrayed by August Jerndorff (1895)
Country Norway
 Denmark
Born(1791-11-16)16 November 1791
Bø, Telemark, Denmark-Norway
Died6 July 1849(1849-07-06) (aged 57)
Fredericia, Denmark
Personal best9.5 m (31 ft)
Eidsberg Church, Norway
(22 November 1808)
Bust by Herman Wilhelm Bissen at Garrison Cemetery, Copenhagen

Olaf Rye (16 November 1791 – 6 July 1849) was a Norwegian-Danish military officer. He died in battle during the First Schleswig War and is considered to have been a Danish war hero.[1]

Biography

Olaf Rye was born at Bø in Telemark, Norway. He was raised on the Nerbø farm. He was one of the sons of Matthias Andreas Rye (1793–1860) and Elisabeth Johanne Lind. His father was a captain and battalion manager of the Telemark Infantry Regiment (Telemarkens Infanteriregiment). His brother Johan Henrik Rye (1787–1868) was a jurist and civil servant.[2][3]

In 1804, he started his military career as a cadet with the Norwegian Cadastre Corps in Kristiania (now Oslo). In 1813, he was appointed captain. He left Norway in 1815 and enlisted in the service of the Prussian General Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher. In 1817, Rye re-joined the Fynian Infantry Regiment of the Royal Danish Army. From 1819 to 1842, he was assigned to the Oldenborg Regiment. He was nominated for knighthood in the Order of the Dannebrog 1840 and was awarded the Dannebrogordenens Hæderstegn in 1848. In 1849, he served as a major-general and played a decisive role in the Battle of Fredericia which broke the Schleswig-Holstein siege of the town. He died during this battle. He was buried at Garrison Cemetery in Copenhagen.[4][5][6]

In his spare time, skiing was his great passion. In November 1808, he reportedly launched himself 9.5 metres in the air in front of an audience of other soldiers at a location near the Eidsberg Church.[7]

Legacy

Ski jumping world record

The first ever world record from first ever mentioned ski jump in history.

Date Hill Location Metres Feet
22 November 1808   Eidsberg church Eidsberg, Norway 9.5 31

References

  1. ↑ Carl Frederik Bricka. "Olaf Rye (1791–1849)". Dansk biografisk Lexikon. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  2. ↑ Jon Gunnar Arntzen. "Rye". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 Ryes gate Archived 2008-06-13 at the Wayback Machine. Hosted by Kongsberg municipality.
  4. ↑ "Nerbø. Drangedal herad. Telemark". Matrikkelutkastet av 1950. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  5. ↑ Erik F. Rønnebech. "Olaf Rye". Fredericia Historie. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  6. ↑ "Garnisons Kirkegård". garnisonskirkegaard.dk. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  7. ↑ "Verdens første skihopp minnes". Dagbladet. 12 November 2008. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  8. ↑ "Olaf Ryes Skanser (0,9 km)". OplevSyddjurs.dk. Retrieved 19 December 2023.

Note

  • This article is based on the corresponding articles on the Danish and Norwegian Wikipedias
  • Nick Svendsen (2010) The First Schleswig-Holstein War 1848-50 Helion and Company) ISBN 9781906033446
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