Morgunblaðið Article
This article was brought in the Icelandic newspaper Morgunblaðið on November 23rd 2001.
Below is the translation into English.
TRANSLATION
FROM Morgunblaðið Newspaper, FRIDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2001.
translated
by Thorunn Kjerúlf
Ivey
(TCK-pg-69) and her daughter Eleanor
Kjerulf Ivey
The
Kjerulf Family, which has established roots all over the world, will come
together at a family reunion in Iceland summer 2002. Sveinn Guðjónsson found
out about the origin of the family and spoke with two Icelandic Kjerulfs
descendants about the reunion and the family relationships.
Kjærulff
is the Danish name of a great family which is scattered over many countries, and
a branch of that tree can also be found here in Iceland where the spelling of
the family name has, however, been changed to Kjerúlf to correspond with
Icelandic pronunciation of the Danish æ. We are talking about a strong stock,
and Kjærúlfs all over the world are proud of their origin; therefore, they
meet regularly at international family reunions, and the next one will be here
in this country the summer of 2002.
The
Kjærúlf family reunions are called "Kiermeet" in English, but their
instigator is Cap Kierulff who lives in California. That is where the
first reunion was held in 1986; since then the Kjærúlfs have met every four
years in those countries where Kjærúlfs are found. In 1990 the reunion was
held in Denmark, 1994 in the Virgin Islands in the Caribbean Sea, 1998 in Norway
& Denmark, 2002 in Iceland, and in 2006 the plan is to hold it in the
Philippine Islands where Kjærúlfs can also be found.
The
forefather was a German general.
The
story says that the Kjærúlf family is descended from a German general from
Schleswig-Holstein named Anders Ulff. He entered the picture at the
beginning of the 15th century when he proceeded with
who
are mentioned in annals were preachers, soldiers, lawyers or farmers.
That
branch of the Kjærúlf family which took root in Iceland comes from Norholm in
Denmark and started
According
to Sölvi Kjerúlf Eiríksson, who has taken interest in the family
history, two of the four children
Sölvi also said that in 1918 the book "Kjærulfske Studier" was published in Aalborg wherein the family is discussed and wherein among other things it appears that the Kjerúlfs are scattered all over the world: On the Polish plains, in Spanish monasteries, in the United States of America and other places. And, as strange as it may seem, they can also be found in the Philippines; but mostly though in the Nordic countries. The Kjerúlf name is spelled 17 different ways in the book, and that can be traced to the fact that the Danish æ does not exist in all languages, and also it has been adjusted according to the pronunciation in each country, as is the case in this country. Sölvi said that it is now known exactly when Kjærulff changed to Kjerúlf as it was handled by the Icelandic tongue. "In the book it is also said that if it is possible to talk about a common characteristic of the Kjerúlfs, it is foremost that we tend to accept where we are each time and that we want to be taken seriously. Some say that we are tough and extremely stubborn and I tend to agree that that could be right," Sölvi said.
Like
old fairy tales
The
foremother, Arnbjörg Bjarnadaughter, was daughter of Kristín Guðlaugsdaughter,
maid at Illugaplace, but she declared Bjarni Jónsson, farmer at Skálárhnjúki,
father of the child. Arnbjörg became a fosterchild of a Danish couple at Höfðatown
at Skagastönd and stayed there up to confirmation age.
Then she went to work for another Danish couple at Höfðatown, then for Jakob N. Hafstein at Hofsós and from there she went to the Hemmert-couple at Akureyri. Arnbjörg, thus, mastered Danish while she was growing up, which was to come in handy. Arnbjörg married Sigurður Jakobsson, but he drowned in Grímseyjar-Channel 1818. They had then had a son named Kristján Frímann. At the time Seheel and Frisak were surveying Eastern Iceland. They had been at Akureyri, and Arnbjörg became their housekeeper the summer of 1819, and no doubt the fact that she spoke Danish so well played a part. This same year Dr. Jörgen Kjærulff was appointed doctor for Iceland´s eastern quarter. He first settled at Eskifjörður and in the summer he visited Vopnafjörður and met the surveyors, his countrymen, and then got to know their housekeeper. Arnbjörg had a contract with them until the fall, but on the other hand Dr. Kjærulff was not married and needed a housekeeper. Arnbjörg went to him in the fall and they were married October 26th 1820. The next spring they moved to the doctor’s residence at Brekka in Fljótsdale, lived there 11 years and had four children: Andrés Hermann Kjerúlf 1821, Dórothea Lovísa Kjerúlf 1822, Jóhanna Sigríður Kjerúlf 1826 and Kristján Jörgen Kjerúlf 1832. Dr. Kjærulff died in the latter part of 1831 and Arnbjörg was then a widow the second time, with three children and the fourth on the way, but Kristján Frímann from the first marriage had reached maturity.
In the compilation of Droplaug J. Kjerúlf from Vallholt about the life of her foremother, which has been used here as a source, it is said for instance: “Arnbjörg Bjarnadaughter Kjerúlf was successful, had a dignified appearance and outstanding personality, quite impressive. Her story resembles the old fairy tales. At birth the maiden does not get her rightful place in her father’s house and is therefore taken into foster by unrelated people. A succession of events and varied experiences carry her forward to maturity and respect. And the neglected maiden becomes the foremother of a great familyline in a distant region.”
Turning
point in relations in the family
Sölvi
Kjerúlf Eiríksson,
who lives in Reykjavík, was responsible with others for a Kjerúlf family
reunion that was held in Iceland 1992. At that time there were no real
connections between Icelandic Kjerúlfs and their relations abroad. "In
continuation of this reunion, my son, Sigurður, got very interested in
learning the history of the family and family relationships, and with computer
technology he got in touch with Cap Kierulff in California, who
headed the first international family reunion called "Kiermeet". A webpage
has been designed on the "net" where one can find various facts about the
family, but the address is "kiermeet.com". “Relations between Icelandic
Kjerúlfs and our relatives abroad have developed in the last few years and it
will be fun to meet these people next summer," Sölvi said.
Vilborg
Kjerúlf
at Neskaupsstaður, who is one of the links to the foreign Kjerúlfs in
connection with the planned reunion here in this country, agreed. As far as she
knows no Icelandic Kjerúlf has attended the KierMeet reunions up to now and,
therefore, the meet here in this country next summer will be a turning point as
far as connections between Icelandic Kjerúlfs and foreign ones are concerned.
"The Iceland trip for these people is in the planning stages, but they will
arrive in this country at the beginning of July and the plans call for
sightseeing trips to the Southwest and South of Iceland and one day will be
spent at Egilsstaðir and the Kjerúlf areas at Hérað will be visited. Finally
there will be a banquet at Valaskjálf in the evening. Following that we will
continue south, and the last evening there will be a farewell banquet at Naust
restaurant. I think that most of the relatives here at home are very excited
about meeting these people and I am sure that it is mutual," Vilborg
said.
For
fun it may be mentioned that Vilborg is daughter of Jón Guðmundsson
Kjerúlf, farmer at Hafursá and later Price Control Official at Reyðarfjörður.
He was son of Guðmundur Andrésson Kjerúlf, farmer at Hafursá, and his
father, Andrés, farmer at Melum in Fljótsdale, was son of Dr. Jörgen
Kjærulff and Arnbjörg Bjarnadaughter.
Sölvi
comes from the same branch, his great-great-grandfather was also Andrés
farmer at Melum, but Sölvi´s great-grandfather was Eiríkur Kjerúlf,
farmer at Ormarsplace in Fellum, who lived there with his brother Dr. Þorvarður
(Kjerulf). Sölvi’s grandfather was Jörgen Kjerúlf at Húsum in
Fljótsdale and Sölvi´s father was Eiríkur Kjerúlf, formerly farmer
at Húsum, but he moved to Reykjavík during the war years.
(WWII?)
Captions
under pictures in the Original Icelandic Article:
A
few of the participants in Norway 1998. Below is the coat of arms of Andreas
Christian Kjerulff which hangs in Fredericksborg Castle in Hilleroed,
Denmark.
The
farm “Fogedgaard” in Jutland where the forefather Anders Ulff settled
shortly after 1400.
Kiermeet
1998. From left: Fin Kierulff, Hans Kierulff-Hansen, Mogens Kjærulff, Ray Kjærulff
and Cap Kierulff, but he is the instigator of the Kiermeet family reunions.
With
the help of computer technology Sigurður Kjerúlf Sölvason got in
contact with Cap Kierulff in California,
but he is the instigator of international family
reunions of the Kjerulfs. Here is Sigurður with his father, Sölvi
Kjerúlf Eiríksson, studying the webpage for the family on the internet.
INSET:
FAMOUS KJERULFS
Halfdan
Kjerulf
(1815-1868), Norwegian composer. In annals and encyclopedias he is considered
one of influential people on Norwegian national culture in the 19th century. A
statue of him has been erected at a square in Oslo which bears his name,
“Halfdan Kjerulfs Plass”.
Otto
Richard Kierulff
(1825-1897), Prime Minister of Norway 1871-1884. He lived in Stockholm during
the period when Norway and Sweden were under one government. His picture appears
on a coin from that time.
Theodor
Kjerulf
(1825-1888), Norwegian geologist. “Kjerulf-Glacier” on the island of South
Georgia at the South Pole was named for him. His picture was printed on a
Norwegian stamp in 1974 in honour of his scientific research on behalf of
geology.
Helge
Kjærulff-Schmidt
(1906-1982), Danish actor and entertainer. He was very popular in Denmark as a
comedy actor, but he also played classical roles at the Royal Theater in
Copenhagen.
In
addition, two nationally known Danish songwriters may be mentioned. Willy
Kierulff (1900-1944) and Axel Kjerulf (1884-1964), but these two
wrote popular songs and music of lighter nature which were popular in Denmark.
For
fun it may also be mentioned that Skipper Klement (1484-1536) grandson of
the forefather Anders Ulff (his daughter’s son) was a legendary
person in Jutland as a rebel and leader of the people’s army in their uprising
against the Crown. There is a statue of him in Aalborg, Jutland, not far from
“Fogedgaard”
where
the forefather, Anders, settled shortly after 1400.