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.[1][4]
Samuel Conrad Schwach was born circa 1731 in Szczecin, 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 on 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 as the editor of the newspaper until his death in 1781.[1][2] After his death in 1781, his stepson, Jens Ørbek Berg, took the role as 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 (1724–1771), widow of Jens Andersen Berg, in 1758. Schwach had two children with Jessina, priest Immanuel Schwach (1760–1833)[4] and Johannes in 1762.[5][6] Schwach is the grandfather of Norwegian jurist and author Conrad Nicolai Schwach, whom is the son of Immanuel Schwach.[4] He died in 1781 in Christiania, Norway.[1]