Olaf Rye

Olaf Rye

Olaf Rye (November 16, 1791, Bø, Telemark – July 6, 1849, Fredericia) was a Norwegian-Danish military officer. He served as a major-general and played a decisive role in the 1849 Battle of Fredericia which broke the Schleswig-Holstein siege of the town. He died during this battle and is considered a Danish war hero. He is buried at the military Garrison Cemetery in Copenhagen..

His brother Johan Henrik Rye was a civil servant and politician in Norway.

Olaf is also the first known ski jumper. In 1809, he launched himself 9.5 metres in the air in front of an audience of other soldiers. By 1862, ski jumpers were tackling much larger jumps, travelling longer and competing in ski jumping contests.

Places and things named in his honour

• The Danish KFOR camp in Kosovo, Camp Olaf Rye.
• One of the two barracks in Fredericia, Ryes Kaserne.
• A square in Oslo, Norway, Olaf Ryes plass.
• One of the lodges in the Fredericia chapter of the Odd Fellow Order.
• A street in Bergen, Norway, Olaf Ryes vei.
• A street in Kongsberg, Norway, Ryes gate.
• A street in Odense, Denmark, Olaf Ryes Gade.
• A street in Copenhagen, Denmark,
• A street in Århus, Denmark,
• A street in AAlborg, Denmark,

References

• This article is based on the corresponding articles on the Danish and Norwegian Wikipedias.
• Dansk Biografisk Leksikon (Danish)