Pieces from the Diary of Christian Schierbeck 1901 – 1902

Reykjavík Museum of Photography

He finished  the first part of medical examination  at the University of Copenhagen in 1894 and the final part at the Reykjavík School of Medicine in 1900. He was a doctor in Reykjavík from 1901 – 1902. He lived on Laufásvegur with his wife Berthe Sofie Hostrup – Schultz, who he married here in Reykjavík in 1900. Bertha, also a Dane, was  born in Copenhagen in 1900 into a wealthy family.


Besides from practicing medicine, Schierbeck photographed extensively and kept some sort of a diary where he wrote down various information and personal remarks for each photo. In some cases the text  is obviously written to his mother-in-law. Thus,  it can be presumed that he systematically photographed 
to show her how they lived and the surroundings in Reykjavík.


Schierbeck´s opinion on contemporary issues can be read in many of his remarks and he doesn´t seem to have been shy to tell his opinion. To illustrate this, he wrote an article in Danish newspaper Illustreret Tidende in 1900 where he describes Reykjavík in unflattering words, which shocked and hurt many Icelanders. In this peroid Reykjavík was more like a village than a town and in foreign eyes, quite peasant. 

Schierbeck manages to capture moments in the lives of the people of Reykjavík quite excellently, as he photographs them going about their daily lives.  Children on Skólavörðustígur with the „Skólavarða“ in background, girl on her way home from the bakery, a fire brigade practice on the field above the  Journeymen  association, horses in front of Consul Ziemsen´s store and more.

Schierbeck went to Norway in 1902 after his stay in Iceland.  He died in Australia in 1917.


Pieces from the Di­ary of Chris­tian Schi­er­beck 1901 – 1902

Christian Schierbeck (1872 – 1917) was born in Elsinore, Denmark.

Pieces from the Diary of Christian Schierbeck 1901 – 1902