A fact from Theodor von Holst appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the Did you know column on 26 April 2008, and was viewed approximately 1,718 times (disclaimer) (check views). The text of the entry was as follows:
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Was von Holst of German ancestry? I think there is a very high chance considering his Name and his conection to German Romance. Knarf-bz (talk) 14:52, 26 April 2008 (UTC)[reply]
Fascinating question. One ODNB life says that Matthias was of Livonian origin (presumably of German baronial stock), the other that he was a Norwegian who moved to St. Petersburgh (and suggests that he assumed the ennobling von without right). German romance would have been difficult for an early Romantic painter to avoid, particularly if he read German (not the same question). SeptentrionalisPMAnderson 17:31, 11 September 2008 (UTC)[reply]
Note that at least some of this page has been cut and pasted from ODNB. Most undesirable; I'll put rewriting it on my agenda. SeptentrionalisPMAnderson 22:55, 11 September 2008 (UTC)[reply]
I quoted when necessary, but it is acceptable to copy small, bland phrases such as "born in X" and whatnot. Awadewit (talk) 05:10, 15 September 2008 (UTC)[reply]
You may wish to collate; it is difficult to avoid the exact wording of a single source, and I think you have come closer to it than you intended. The curious inversion His great-nephew was the composer Gustav Holst. was a direct quote, for example, and it looks like there are other whole sentences. SeptentrionalisPMAnderson 16:12, 15 September 2008 (UTC)[reply]
To me, this seems like one of those sentences that can be copied without any problems. However, it is a very tricky area, particularly when one is dealing only with one source, as you point out. Perhaps the solution would be to do more research! :) Awadewit (talk) 04:34, 17 September 2008 (UTC)[reply]
