Alfred B. Skar
Encyclopedia
Alfred B. Skar was a Norwegian
newspaper editor, writer, trade unionist and politician for the Labour
and Communist
parties.
He was born in Sørfold
, and worked as a fisherman, construction worker and farm worker in his early career. He edited the newspapers Folkets Frihet from 1918 to 1919, Folkeviljen
from 1919 to 1922 and Nordlands Fremtid from 1922 to 1923. In 1923 he joined the Communist Party
and edited Friheten
from 1923 to 1927 as well as briefly in 1928. He also chaired the county party chapter from 1924 to 1926, was a member of the Communist Party national board and central board and headed the ballot for the 1927 parliamentary election
.
In 1928 he left the Communist Party and rejoined the Labour Party, but he soon joined the communists again and headed the ballot in Akershus
for the 1930 parliamentary election
. From 1928 to 1932 he worked in the newspapers Norges Kommunistblad
and Arbeideren
, from 1932 he was in charge of the Communist Party publishing business, until he fell from grace in the party in 1933. From 1934 he worked in Arbeidermagasinet
.
During the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
, Skar edited the illegal newspaper Fri Fagbevegelse from October 1943 to 1944. He succeeded Oddvar Halvorsen and was succeeded by Gunnar Ousland
.
From 1946 to 1961 he was the director of press and information in the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
. He published both novels and short story collections before and after the Second World War, and released several books about trade unions: Fagorganisasjonen under okkupasjonen (1949), Norsk lokomotivmannsforbund gjennom 60 år 1893–1953 (1953), Fagbevegelsen – en av demokratiets hjørnesteiner (1957), Norsk fagbevegelse. Dens oppbygging og virkemåte (1963) and På vei mot den gryende dag. Norsk kommuneforbund gjennom 50 år (1969). He died in December 1969, and was buried in Gamlebyen.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
newspaper editor, writer, trade unionist and politician for the Labour
Norwegian Labour Party
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....
and Communist
Communist Party of Norway
The Communist Party of Norway is a political party in Norway without parliamentary representation. It was formed in 1923, following a split in the Norwegian Labour Party. The party played an important role in the resistance to German occupation during the Second World War, and experienced a brief...
parties.
He was born in Sørfold
Sørfold
Sørfold is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Straumen. The old municipality of Folden was divided into Sørfold and Nordfold-Kjerringøy on 1 January 1887.-General...
, and worked as a fisherman, construction worker and farm worker in his early career. He edited the newspapers Folkets Frihet from 1918 to 1919, Folkeviljen
Folkeviljen
Folkeviljen is a former Norwegian newspaper. Labour Party organ and was established by parish priest and later Member of Parliament Kristian Tønder in Sjøvegan 1911, and published in Harstad from 1917. Among its later editors were Harald Langhelle, Alfred Skar, Sigurd Simensen, Alfons Johansen and...
from 1919 to 1922 and Nordlands Fremtid from 1922 to 1923. In 1923 he joined the Communist Party
Communist Party of Norway
The Communist Party of Norway is a political party in Norway without parliamentary representation. It was formed in 1923, following a split in the Norwegian Labour Party. The party played an important role in the resistance to German occupation during the Second World War, and experienced a brief...
and edited Friheten
Friheten (Nordland)
Friheten was a Norwegian newspaper, published in Nordland county.Friheten was started on 6 December 1923 as the Communist Party organ in the county. It was published weekly; from 1925 twice a week. However, the party struggled economically and the newspaper went defunct after its last issue on 6...
from 1923 to 1927 as well as briefly in 1928. He also chaired the county party chapter from 1924 to 1926, was a member of the Communist Party national board and central board and headed the ballot for the 1927 parliamentary election
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1927
-Results:-References:*...
.
In 1928 he left the Communist Party and rejoined the Labour Party, but he soon joined the communists again and headed the ballot in Akershus
Akershus
- Geography :The county is conventionally divided into the traditional districts Follo and Romerike, which fill the vast part of the county, as well as the small exclave west of Oslo that consists of Asker and Bærum...
for the 1930 parliamentary election
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1930
-Results:*...
. From 1928 to 1932 he worked in the newspapers Norges Kommunistblad
Norges Kommunistblad
Norges Kommunistblad was a daily newspaper published in Oslo, Norway.It was started on 5 November 1923 as the official party newspaper from the Communist Party, which was established that year after a split from the Labour Party. The first editor was Olav Scheflo...
and Arbeideren
Arbeideren
Arbeideren was a daily newspaper published in Oslo, Norway.It was started on 2 November 1929 as the official party newspaper from the Communist Party. It lent its name from a Hamar-based newspaper of the same name, which had gone defunct on 4 October. More directly, it replaced Norges...
, from 1932 he was in charge of the Communist Party publishing business, until he fell from grace in the party in 1933. From 1934 he worked in Arbeidermagasinet
Arbeidermagasinet
Arbeidermagasinet was a Norwegian weekly magazine established in 1927. It changed its name to Magasinet For Alle in 1953, and ceased publication in 1970. The magazine is especially noted for its literary quality and its promotion of the short story.-Editors:Arbeidermagasinet's first editor from...
.
During the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany started with the German invasion of Norway on April 9, 1940, and ended on May 8, 1945, after the capitulation of German forces in Europe. Throughout this period, Norway was continuously occupied by the Wehrmacht...
, Skar edited the illegal newspaper Fri Fagbevegelse from October 1943 to 1944. He succeeded Oddvar Halvorsen and was succeeded by Gunnar Ousland
Gunnar Ousland
Gunnar Ousland was a Norwegian editor, writer, trade unionist and politician for the Labour Party. He started out as a temperance activist and trade unionist before serving as a politician and in the party press. He edited several magazines and newspapers, including an illegal newspaper during...
.
From 1946 to 1961 he was the director of press and information in the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions is a national trade union center, decidedly the largest and probably the most influential umbrella organization of labour unions in Norway. The 21 national unions affiliated to the LO have more than 850,000 members of a Norwegian population of 4.8 million...
. He published both novels and short story collections before and after the Second World War, and released several books about trade unions: Fagorganisasjonen under okkupasjonen (1949), Norsk lokomotivmannsforbund gjennom 60 år 1893–1953 (1953), Fagbevegelsen – en av demokratiets hjørnesteiner (1957), Norsk fagbevegelse. Dens oppbygging og virkemåte (1963) and På vei mot den gryende dag. Norsk kommuneforbund gjennom 50 år (1969). He died in December 1969, and was buried in Gamlebyen.