Psychological Self-Confessions, a collection of diaries deposited at Uppsala University by Pontus Wikner, provides an early account of homosexual identity and the experience of coming out. Written between 1853 and 1871, these private documents remained sealed until after the deaths of the author's wife and sons, eventually surfacing eighty years after his 1888 death.
Academic Career
Born in 1837 at Valbo-Ryr, Wikner pursued his education at Uppsala University. He eventually secured a position as a senior lecturer and associate professor of theoretical philosophy at the same institution. His professional trajectory led him to Norway in 1884, when he accepted an appointment as a professor of philosophy at Royal Frederick University in Christiania, a role he formally occupied starting the following year.
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Influenced by Christopher Jacob Boström, Wikner maintained an independent philosophical perspective throughout his career. His output included both formal scholarly texts and popular works characterized by religious themes and literary flair. Notable titles from this period include The Sacrifice of Culture and The Narcissus Saga, alongside historical novels such as My mother's testament and Mantegna's angel, which displayed his focus on formal beauty and religious spirit. He was an active member of the Nameless Society.
Personal Life and Private Confessions
In 1871, Wikner married his childhood friend Ida Weinberg, with whom he had two sons, Ernst and Hugo. He characterized the union as a marriage of convenience due to his homosexuality. During his final years, he managed four chronic health conditions, including a heart enlargement. He died in Christiania shortly before reaching his 51st birthday and is interred at the Uppsala Old Cemetery, where a monument in his honor was unveiled in 1902.
Fast facts
- Born: 1837, Valbo-Ryr, Sweden
- Died: 1888, Christiania
- Education: Uppsala University
- Spouse: Ida Weinberg
- Children: Ernst and Hugo
- Burial site: Uppsala Old Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What is the significance of Wikner's diaries?
They provide a foundational historical description of the challenges regarding homosexual identity and the process of coming out.
Why were his diaries published so late?
Wikner requested that his personal notes remain sealed until his wife and both sons had passed away.
Achievements
- Held posts at Uppsala University
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