Rikard Berge

Rikard Gjermundsen Berge was born in Rauland in Vinje, Telemark, Norway. He was the son of Geirmund Hallvordsson (1857–1926) and Sigrid Rikardsdotter Berge (1854–1943). [1]

Berge started writing down traditional folklore from the rural districts of Telemark from he was twelve years old. In 1908 he was married to Johanna Bugge (1874–1961), daughter of Sophus Bugge (1833–1907) and Karen Sophie Schreiner (1835–1897). Her father was professor of philology, Indo-European linguistics and Old Norse at Christiania University (now University of Oslo). Berge inherited the collections of folk songs from his father-in-law. [2]

In 1907 Berge helped establish the Kviteseid District Museum and in 1909 the Fyresdal Local History Museum. He was curator of the Telemark Museum from 1916 to 1951.[3] [4][5]

Berge wrote mostly about of folk culture and music. He published two journals: Norsk bondesylv from 1925 and the series Bygdedikting fraa Telemarki (23 volumes, from 1907 to 1933). Among his works are biographies of the fiddlers Myllarguten (1908) and Håvard Gibøen (1932). He also edited the magazine Norsk folkekultur from 1915 to 1935. [6][7]