Reykjavík Grapevine - 10.04.2015, Qupperneq 34

Collect
'Em All!
When Reykjavík’s bums
appeared on postcards
ARTISAN BAKERY
& COFFEE HOUSE
OPEN EVERYDAY 6.30 - 21.00
LAUGAVEGUR 36 · 101 REYKJAVIK
Being able to live anonymously is one of
the great perks of modern civilisation. In
a big city today, it’s possible to go about
your life outside of the scrutiny and
control of others. Although it can some-
times seem like your life is constantly on
display in Reykjavík, a relatively small
city, just imagine what it would have
been like in the early 20th century, when
far fewer people inhabited the city. At
that time, even the homeless and drunks
appear to have been celebrities whose
photos graced collectible postcards in
the 1930s. It’s as if the “strange” were
celebrated in the same way that sports
heroes are celebrated on trading cards
today. Many of the men depicted on
these postcards suffered from men-
tal illnesses at a time when there was
next to no help available, but instead of
slipping through the cracks, unnoticed,
as they might today, it seems that they
were well-known characters about
town. We thank Þórunn Jónsdóttir, who
inherited these postcards from her fa-
ther and allowed us to use her scanned
copies of them.
1. Jón söðli (“Jón, the saddler”):
Believed in the existence of dangerous
outlaws in the Central Highlands of
Iceland, whom he wanted to eradicate
with the help of the government.
2. Dabbi í Nesi: A milkman who made
famous drinking stops on his way.
3. Gísli, þingmaður Bolvíkinga
(“Gísli, MP of Bolungarvík”): A
mentally challenged man who thought
he was a Member of Parliament for the
non-existent constituency of Bolun-
garvík.
4. Símon Dalaskáld: A peculiar poet
with an extraordinary memory for old
verses.
5. Stutti Bjarni (“Bjarni, the
shorty”): A drifter.
6. Brynki Hólm: A famous drunk in
Reykjavík.
7. Óli prammi: A “naive and strange
man” who was “constantly searching
for luck, love and the keys to heaven.”
8. Eyjólfur ljóstollur (“Eyjólfur sun-
shine taxer”): A drifter and poet.
9. Óli gossari: A “crippled” drifter
with a drinking problem.
10. Sæfinnur með sextán skó
(“Sæfinnur with sixteen shoes”):
The most famous water carrier of the
late 19th century. An eccentric man
whose wizard-like looks made him a
local celebrity.
34 The Reykjavík GrapevineIssue 4 — 2015LEMÚRINN
Lemúrinn is an Icelandic web magazine (it's also the Icelandic word for the native
primate of Madagascar). A winner of the 2012 Web Awards, Lemúrinn.is covers
all things strangeand interesting. Go check it out at www.lemurinn.is
Words
Helgi Hrafn Guðmundsson
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