Karen Blixen’s Father, Wilhelm Dinesen (Boganis), As a Reporter and Writer
Karen Blixen's father, Wilhelm Dinesen, not only was a landowner and a member of the Danish Parliament, but he also published several books and articles on his exploits in various wars, the Danish-German war (1864), the Paris Commune (1871), the French-German war (1870-71) where he sided with the French, and the Russian-Turkish war (1877-78) where he sided with the Turks, but may not have been accepted in the army. His son, Thomas Dinesen, seems to doubt his acceptance in the book he wrote about him, "Boganis" (1972). (As may be known "Boganis" was one of the pennames of Wilhelm Dinesen). For some years he lived in Wisconsin, USA, taking part in the lives of the Indians and even fathering a secret, maybe deaf daughter with an Indian mother.
He published "Paris Under Communen" (1872) about his experiences in the Paris Commune. His writing style is lively and fresh, very engaged in the subject. It is obvious that he is exceedingly disappointed in the outcome of the Commune. The fact of the Assembly's victory is difficult for him to accept, but also the end of the adventure itself. He had enjoyed the battle and writes: "I wonder, shall I never take part in anything this great again." Even though he had seen his friends and soldiers perish he was hooked on this kind of exploit.
After this doomed fight for freedom in France he went to USA and this stay he reported in an article in "Tilskueren" (1887). It is interesting to follow his ways into the American society where he e.g. ends up in fights with the priest whom he gives a scolding. As to the Indians he seems to have seen them as some kind of happy-go-lucky Children of Nature-people. However, he likes and respects them and makes it clear that he finds the white man just as cruel as the Indians have been put down to be. In 1876 he published a story about his stay in Wisconsin, "Miska, En Fortaelling fra Urskovene" (: "Miska, A Story from the Jungle"; not translated)
Also he published "Fra Ottende Brigade" (1889) as well as "Jagtbreve" (1889) and "Nye Jagtbreve" (1892) and in all his works it is made clear that what he likes is the active, outdoor life, full of adventures of all kinds. A man should not be an indoor creature or someone who shuns the fights of life. No, on the contrary, but some of his fights may have earned him enemies in his own social sphere. Some may even have seen him as a "Traitor to his Class".
Gloss