Peter Feilberg
Peter Fredrik Feilberg | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Tønsberg, Norway |
| Died | August 5, 1863 (aged 63) |
| Occupation(s) | Newspaper editor, bookseller, printer, politician |
| Known for | Founding Skiens Ugeblad and Bratsberg Amtstidende; mayor of Skien |
Peter Fredrik Feilberg (7 April 1800 – 5 August 1863) was a prominent Norwegian figure known for his roles as a newspaper editor, bookseller, printer, and mayor of Skien.
Biography
Feilberg was born in Tønsberg, Norway, to parents Jacob Feilberg and Anna Granberg, with ancestral origins tracing back to Flensburg, Southern Schleswig. Although originally trained as a dyer, he diversified his career by operating a printing press, managing a bookstore, and overseeing a rental library.
In 1830, he established Skiens Ugeblad, which became the first newspaper in Skien. In 1837, following a libel accusation brought by County Governor Frederik Wilhelm Wedel Jarlsberg, Feilberg was found guilty and imposed a fine of 60 Norwegian speciedaler. Additionally, his attorney faced penalties for procedural violations.
After the closure of Skiens Ugeblad in 1839, Feilberg launched Bratsberg Amtstidende the following year. By 1843, co-editor Herman Bagger joined the venture, prompting a name change to Bratsberg Amtstidende og Correspondent. Bagger departed in 1844 to create the competing paper Bratsberg Amts Correspondent (which was later renamed Correspondenten), heightening rivalry between the two publications.
With the establishment of local governance in 1837, Feilberg was elected to serve on Skien's inaugural city council and held the mayoral office from 1838 until 1840. He formed a political alliance with parliamentarian Frederik Charlow Sophus Borchsenius. Subsequently, Bagger also served as mayor of Skien and maintained a lengthy parliamentary career.
Personal life
In 1824, Feilberg wed his cousin Henrikke Fransiska Feilberg (1800–1872). His daughter Eleonora Amanda Feilberg (1833–1883) and her son Peter Fredrik Feilberg-Hansen (1862–1935) both pursued careers in photography. His son Karl-Fredrik Feilberg (1828–190 ) held the position of Rector at Kristiansand Cathedral School.