Bergen marked the beginning of Wittgenstein’s long-standing connection to Norway, and in particular to Skjolden, in 1913.

The Austrian consul in Bergen, Kroepelien, was in contact with the manufacturer Drægni from Skjolden and facilitated their introduction. Thus began Wittgenstein’s journey to Skjolden, situated by the Lustrafjord (Sognefjord) – the starting point of a remarkable chapter in his life.

Kroepelien’s office was located near the harbour, on the opposite side of the famous Bryggen.

External link: Historian Harald Vatne on Wittgenstein and Norway (Youtube/in Norwegian)

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In Øystese on the Hardangerfjord, Ludwig Wittgenstein spent his first holiday in Norway in the summer of 1913, together with David Pinsent. One photograph shows the village, the other likely depicts the offshore islands the two explored during their stay on boat trips. Øystese lies in a bay, the mouth of which can be seen in the background on the right, at the level of the islands.

Source: Pinsent, D. H. (1994). Reise mit Wittgenstein in den Norden: Tagebuchauszüge, Briefe (Hrsg. von G. H. von Wright). Folio Verlag.

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During his stay in Skjolden, Ludwig Wittgenstein occasionally lodged with Anna Rebni at Eide Gard. The room in which he stayed is still known as the "Blue Room" and has been preserved. From Eide Gard, there is an impressive view of the village of Skjolden, the Sognefjord, and the lake, along whose shore Wittgenstein’s house is situated.

External link: 

Historian Harald Vatne on Wittgenstein in Norway (in Norwegian) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2noqOBua9OA

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“Wittgenstein’s boat” on Lake Eidsvatnet in Skjolden, with Wittgenstein’s house visible in the background, situated approximately 30 metres above the lake. In August 2022, we had the privilege of rowing the boat across the lake. The local Wittgenstein Foundation and the regional newspaper Sogn Avis reported on the occasion.

External links (in Norwegian):

• Martin kom heilt frå Austerrike for å ro over til «Østerrike» i Skjolden (Stiftinga Wittgenstein i Skjolden / Internet Archive)
• Den vesle staden høgt over Skjolden fekk rekordmange besøkjande i år: – Stor og gledeleg overrasking (Sogn Avis)

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Ludwig Wittgenstein’s house in Norway, once known to the locals as “Østerrike” (Norwegian for “Austria”), now stands once more on its original site. Thanks to the efforts of the local Wittgenstein Foundation (Stiftinga Wittgenstein i Skjolden), the building – dismantled in 1958 – was reconstructed and re-erected in its original location. Since its reopening in 2019, the house has grown steadily in popularity, drawing an increasing number of visitors each year. In 2022, we too had the privilege of visiting Skjolden and viewing the house. We were kindly invited to share our impressions with the Stiftinga Wittgenstein.

Wittgenstein designed the house himself following his first stay in Skjolden in 1913, and it was completed as early as 1914. However, due to his service in the First World War, he was only able to make full use of it several years later.

P.S. I’m building myself a little house here in solitude.

Ludwig Wittgenstein, letter to Bertrand Russell, April 1914

Throughout his life, Wittgenstein sought out places of retreat that would allow him to concentrate undisturbed on his philosophical work. What he valued most about Norway was its “quiet seriousness,” as he noted in a letter from 1936.

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In September 1913, Ludwig Wittgenstein and David Pinsent spent the night at the Grand Hotel in Oslo, which was then known as Christiania. Their journey continued by train to Bergen and on to the Hardangerfjord.

The Grand Hotel is located right next to the Norwegian Parliament building (Storting).

In the Oslo City Library, looking out over the Oslofjord and the Opera House by Snøhetta, Wittgenstein is prominently featured in the philosophy section.

Source: Pinsent, D. H. (1994). Reise mit Wittgenstein in den Norden: Tagebuchauszüge, Briefe (Hrsg. von G. H. von Wright). Folio Verlag.

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Ludwig Wittgenstein lived in the house of the postmaster Klingenberg during his first stays in Skjolden. He had a study in the left-hand part of the house and a bedroom on the upper floor.

Sources:

• Vatne, H. (2016). Ludwig Wittgenstein and the people of Skjolden / Ludwig Wittgenstein og skjoldingane. Self-published by Harald Vatne. ISBN 978-82-690659-0-9
• Wittgensten i Skjolden (Youtube)

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Wittgenstein stayed with the manufacturer Halvard Drægni during his first stays in Skjolden.

Juice factory: front row, left, with the long roof.

Drægni house: back row, first house from the right.

Source: Vatne, H. (2016). Ludwig Wittgenstein and the people of Skjolden / Ludwig Wittgenstein og skjoldingane. Self-published by Harald Vatne. ISBN 978-82-690659-0-9

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Skjolden on the Sognefjord – the place that captivated Ludwig Wittgenstein, seen from a bird’s-eye view. In the centre of the image, the Klingenberg House can be seen, where Wittgenstein initially lived.

Eidsvatnet, the lake on whose shore Wittgenstein later had his own house built, stretches for just over a kilometre eastward from the edge of the village. The Eidselvi river forms the connection between the lake and the fjord.

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