Alexander Jóhannesson

Alexander Jóhannesson (15. júlí 1888 – 7. júní 1965) was a professor and doctor of linguistics and three times rector of the University of Iceland.

Alexander was born at Gili in Borgarsveit in Skagafjörður and was the son of Jóhannes Davíð Ólafsson, a county governor, and his wife Margrét Guðmundsdóttir. The couple were first cousins and their fathers were both brothers of Ingibjörg, the wife of Jón Sigurðsson, the president. Alexander became a student from the Menntaskólinn in Reykjavík in 1907 and subsequently studied German at the University of Copenhagen and completed his master's degree in 1913. He then went to study in Leipzig and Halle in Germany and completed his doctorate from the University of Halle in 1915. He subsequently taught German at the University of Iceland and also Icelandic grammar and comparative Germanic linguistics. He became a docent in 1926, a professor in 1930 and served as rector 1932-1935, 1939-1942 and 1948-1954.

Dr. Alexander played a major role in shaping the university campus as chairman of the building committee of the University of Iceland and the building committee of Nýi Garður, the National Museum and the University Sports Hall. He also served on the board of the University Cinema and the University Lottery, the Icelandic Literary Society and the General Book Society and was chairman of the Dictionary Committee. He was also chairman of the Republic Anniversary Committee which organized the preparations for the Republic Anniversary celebration at Þingvellir on 17 June 1944.

Dr. Alexander wrote various books, both academic works and textbooks, as well as writing about literature and translating poetry. He also wrote extensively in newspapers and magazines.

He was a great enthusiast of aviation and the main driving force behind the founding of Flugfélag Íslands (number two) in 1928 and was its managing director. Alexandersflugvöllur at Sauðárkrók, which is just near Alexander's birthplace at Gili, is named after him. Also, one of the airline's flying boats, Atlanta, was given Alexander's name in 1998.