Samuel Conrad Schwach

Samuel Conrad Schwach (c. 1731–1781) was a Norwegian newspaper publisher. He founded the first Norwegian newspaper, Norske Intelligenz-Seddeler, which published its first issue on 25 May 1763.^[1][2][3] He is the grandfather of Norwegian jurist and author Conrad Nicolai Schwach [no].^[1][4]

Samuel Conrad Schwach was born circa 1731 in Stettin, Prussia, present-day Poland. He graduated in 1747–1750 in Copenhagen as a printer and later moved to Norway in 1751 to work with printer Jens Andersen Berg in Christiania, present-day Oslo.^[1]

Schwach founded the newspaper Norske Intelligenz-Seddeler, publishing its first issue on 25 May 1763.^[1][2] During the early years of Norske Intelligenz-Seddeler, Schwach only published advertisements and entertainment in the newspaper.^[1] In the 1770s, Schwach started to criticize the government in Norske Intelligenz-Seddeler.^[1] In protest of demands made by the amtmann to censor Norske Intelligenz-Seddeler, Schwach would make two pages empty in his next issue, which would land him a fine.^[1] He remained the editor of the newspaper until he died in 1781.^[1][2] After his death, his stepson, Jens Ørbek Berg, became the publisher of Norske Intelligenz-Seddeler.^[1] Norske Intelligenz-Seddeler went defunct in 1920 after being acquired by Verdens Gang.^[2][3]

Schwach married Jessina Maria Jensdatter Ørbeck, widow of Jens Andersen Berg, in 1758. Schwach had two children with Jessina, priest Immanuel Schwach in 1760,^[4] and Johannes in 1762.^[5][6] Schwach is the grandfather of Norwegian jurist and author Conrad Nicolai Schwach [no], the son of Immanuel Schwach.^[4] He died in 1781 in Christiania, Norway.^[1]