Wesselstuen has its name from one of the most important writers in the Dano- Norwegian literature, Johan Herman Wessel (Oct 6. 1742 – Dec 29. 1785). He was born and raised in Akershus, Norway, but lived most of his life in a bohemian way in Copenhagen, doing casual work as a writer and private teacher. He was a popular figure in "The Norwegian Society", a group of Norwegian writers and poets cultivating their country’s national identity and proposing toasts. Wessel is best known for his humorous and satiric verse tales, like "The Smith and the Baker". It tells the story about a smith who is pardoned for manslaughter, because the village has only one smith. Somebody still has to be punished for the misdeed, and since there are two bakers in the village, one of them is executed instead. At Wesselstuen you can find excerpts and paintings from Johan Herman Wessels works.