acquitted for "Den gamle Adam" but ordered to serve two months for the publication of the "Messias" article. Pontoppidan, who was not charged, admitted himself as the author of the two articles when the matter was brought to trial, but faced no penalty despite his admission and had offered to claim legal responsibility in Brandes' place. The defense argued that Brandes was being singled out as a prominent Brandes brother and a person of Jewish background. The controversial case finally made its way to the Danish Supreme Court, which again acquitted Brandes for the Adam article but upheld the conviction for "Messias" while softening the earlier sentence of two months' imprisonment to a fine of 300 kroner in December 1891. Despondent for months afterward, he committed suicide by taking poison in Copenhagen on 6 August 1892. References External links 1886 lecture by Ernst Brandes on Henry George Ernst Brandes' letters to Henrik Pontoppidan Entry on Brandes at JewishEncyclopedia.com 1844 births 1892 deaths Danish economists Danish Jews 19th-century Danish journalists 19th-century Danish newspaper editors 19th-century Danish non-fiction writers 20th-century Danish non-fiction writers People convicted of blasphemy People from Copenhagen Suicides in Denmark Male journalists 19th-century male writers Politiken people 1890s suicides Suicides by poison