Andreas Leigh Aabel

Who was Andreas Leigh Aabel?

Morten Andreas Leigh Aabel was a Norwegian physician and poet.

He was born in Sogndal as the son of priest Peter Pavels Aabel. He was a brother of Oluf Andreas Aabel. He enrolled as a student in 1848, graduated with the cand.med. degree in 1856. Whilwe studying he was a member of the Literary Association and the Norwegian Students' Society. He started writing poems and songs, and continued after graduation. Professionally, he worked as a physician from 1853 to 1899, and was a district physician in several Norwegian districts.

In 1857 he married Mina Collett, a descendant of Christian Ancher Collett. Their son Hauk Aabel was a notable actor, and through him, Andreas was a grandfather of Per and Andreas Aabel. Also, through his sister Christine he was the uncle of Hartvig Andreas, Gerhard, Margrethe and Carl Oscar Munthe.