Memorable Manitobans: Christian Andrew Edward Jensen (1920-2009)

University professor.

Born at Hamburg, Germany on 22 December 1920, to a Danish father and Polish mother, the family emigrated to London, Ontario in the summer of 1929. He graduated from London South Collegiate, University of Western Ontario (BA), University of Toronto (MA), and the University of Chicago (PhD). In January 1946, he began his career as a lecturer in the Department of French, Spanish and Italian at the University of Manitoba, rising to become Full Professor and later Head of the Department for many years. He was known internationally as an interpreter of the Romantic Movement of 19th century French literature.

He served several terms as a member of the University Senate. He became an Honourary Life Member of the Humanities Association of Canada, an Honourary Fellow of St. John’s College, and he served several years as a member and then Chairman and an Honourary Life member of the Modern Language Association. He was awarded the Palmes Academiques as an Officier Dans L’Ordre by the Government of France. For several years he was on the Board and the Chairman of the editorial board of Mosaic, the literary publication of the University of Manitoba. He was a vestryman of All Saints Anglican Church.

He died on 20 January 2009 and was buried in the Old St. Andrew’s Cemetery on River Road.

Sources:

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 22 January 2009.

“The ’09 honour roll”, Winnipeg Free Press, 2 January 2010, page H3.

This profile was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Profile revised: 17 January 2010

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