Andreas’ short life
Andreas had difficulties in finding a permanent job as a doctor. His greatest wish was to travel to the distant tropics as a ship’s doctor. He also considered emigrating (1). However, in 1894, things started rolling in several respects. Early in the year, at age 29, he became engaged to barely 21-year-old Johanne Kinck (1873 – 1960), whose father was a headmaster at Lillehammer. Andreas filled in for a local town doctor, and family legend says that Johanne Kinck came to the young doctor from Kristiania with a sprained ankle, which he examined with the comment: «Oh, what shapely legs you have, miss» (1).
In the autumn of 1894, Andreas had in fact considered trying his luck in America or in the Belgian Congo, but the encounter with Johanne’s ankle put a stop to these plans. For a time, he had a trainee position at Rikshospitalet (the National Hospital in Kristiania) where he earned thirty kroner a month. He applied for several positions without success, but finally that autumn he found permanent employment as a doctor in Hadsel in the Vesterålen islands. He had not forgotten his plans to travel the world; he had only delayed them until he could save some money from his practice in Nordland county. He did not enjoy the first, lonely winter up there, he confided to Edvard. It was a «dreary and strenuous life», which he did not intend to endure for many years. First, he wished to save money for the wedding and to establish himself, and then make his way to the tropics and possibly settle there with his family (1).
The wedding took place in Lillehammer on 19 April 1895. Andreas was the first and only one of the Munch siblings to marry. Shortly after, the young couple left for Vesterålen. Johanne, became pregnant, but Andreas was still not happy. It was only the thought of the alluring journey to the South – he was now considering a one-year holiday in South America – that kept him there (1).
But he never made it to South America. In early winter Edvard Munch’s only brother fell ill. He developed pneumonia and died on 15 December 1895 at the age of 30, like his mother. Johanne was seven months pregnant, and was sent south to her family in Lillehammer. In her home town she gave birth to a daughter on 20 February 1896. This girl is Edvard Munch’s only known close relative of the next generation. Andrea (1896 – 1980) was named after the father she never had a chance to meet. The death of seemingly the most vital of the siblings was a profound shock to the entire family. Christmas 1895 was a very sad time (1). Andreas Munch is buried at the Krist cemetery in Oslo (4, 5).