Hjalmar Söderberg

He was born in Stockholm and began his journey with the written word at the age of 20 in Svenska Dagbladet. Six years later, his first novel, Förvillelser, was published. In the autobiographical novel Martin Birck’s Youth (1901), he described how he lost his faith in God. In 1905, the book Doctor Glas, a story of passion and revenge, was released. The author's last conventional novel was Den allvarsamma leken (The Serious Game), which is considered one of the greatest Swedish love novels.

In his later years, the author turned to journalism and theological studies. He was a staunch critic of Nazism and strongly opposed it in his writings for Göteborgs Handels- och Sjöfartstidning.

Söderberg was married to Märta Abenius, with whom he had three children. Due to an affair with a Danish woman, Emelie Voss, he ended his first marriage in a disgraceful manner by insinuating that his wife suffered from mental illness, and later married Emelie. Over time, his third daughter, Betty Søderberg, who would later become an actress, was born.

For many years, he maintained a turbulent relationship with Maria von Platen, who inspired him to create characters such as Gertrud in his play Gertrud and Lydia in Den allvarsamma leken.

He passed away in Copenhagen, Denmark.