Johannes H. Berg, Jr.

Who was Johannes H. Berg, Jr.?

Johannes H. Berg Jr. was a Norwegian science fiction and fantasy fandom enthusiast, club founder, convention organiser, fanzine writer, and translator.

Berg, from Oslo, Norway, was a cornerstone of the Norwegian science fiction and fantasy fandom scene from the 1970s, with Oslo's SF club Aniara and through the next several decades until his death from liver cancer in 2004. He was active in the Scandinavian fandom community, organising and participating in SF/F conventions over a period of more than twenty five years. Berg was also a knowledgeable and highly regarded founding member of the Norwegian Tolkien society, Arthedain, and he translated Tolkien's books Tree and Leaf and Smith of Wootton Major into Norwegian; both were published in 1995. He also acted as a consultant for the subtitling of The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. Additionally, he translated Katharine Kerr's Deverry cycle into Norwegian.

In addition to his interests in science fiction and fantasy literature, Berg was an accomplished role player, board game player, and wargamer, and was a central figure in Oslo's role & board playing society Ares and its annual convention Arcon. As the translator of the Dungeons & Dragons basic set to Norwegian, he was instrumental in the introduction and popularization of role-playing games in Norway.