Conrad Vogt-Svendsen
Encyclopedia
Conrad Vogt-Svendsen was a Norwegian priest. He was assistant seamen's priest in Hamburg during Second World War, helped with the White Buses
operation in 1945, and was later main priest for the deafs in Norway.
, the son of shipmaster Johan Fredrik Svendsen and Elisabeth Fredrikke Emilie Larsen. He was married to his cousin Randi Bonnevie-Svendsen from 1945 to 1965, and to Cecilie Torgersen (née Bonnevie) from 1966.
in 1933, and studied theology at the University of Oslo
, graduating in 1940. From 1942 to 1945 he was assistant priest at the seamen's church in Hamburg
. Together with seamen's priest Arne Berge
he also worked among Scandinavian prisoners in Nazi Germany
. The priests made thousands of visits on behalf of the prisoners' families. They helped the prisoners with clothes, and tons of food, fish oil and medicines, brought to Hamburg by ships and distributed to various prisons. They were not allowed to visit the incarcerated in concentration camps, but delivered food supplies such as herring, stockfish and fish oil to the camps. They compiled extensive lists of prisons and prisoners, which were later used as a basis for the White Buses
. Vogt-Svendsen was decorated Knight, First class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1945 for his war contributions. After the war, Vogt-Svendsen served as seamen's priest in the port city of Mobile, Alabama
from 1945 to 1947, and in the Italian seaport of Genoa
from 1947 to 1951. From 1951 he managed the institution Hjemmet for Døve, a home for the deaf in Nordstrand
, which had been founded by his grandfather Conrad Svendsen. In 1968 he was appointed to the position of main priest for the deaf in Norway . He participated in organizations for deaf people, both nationally and internationally in the World Federation of the Deaf
. He often worked as an interpreter for deaf, and was engaged in the development of sign language
.
White Buses
"White Buses" refers to a program undertaken by the Swedish Red Cross and the Danish government in the spring of 1945 to rescue concentration camp inmates in areas under Nazi control and transport them to Sweden, a neutral country...
operation in 1945, and was later main priest for the deafs in Norway.
Personal life
Vogt-Svendsen was born in KristianiaOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, the son of shipmaster Johan Fredrik Svendsen and Elisabeth Fredrikke Emilie Larsen. He was married to his cousin Randi Bonnevie-Svendsen from 1945 to 1965, and to Cecilie Torgersen (née Bonnevie) from 1966.
Career
Vogt-Svendsen took his examen artiumExamen artium
Examen artium was the name of the academic certification conferred in Denmark and Norway, qualifying the student for admission to university studies. Examen artium was originally introduced as the entrance exam of the University of Copenhagen in 1630...
in 1933, and studied theology at the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
, graduating in 1940. From 1942 to 1945 he was assistant priest at the seamen's church in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. Together with seamen's priest Arne Berge
Arne Berge
Arne Berge was a Norwegian priest. He was seamen's priest in Hamburg during World War II, when he also worked among Scandinavian prisoners in Germany, and helped planning and carrying out the White Buses operation....
he also worked among Scandinavian prisoners in Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. The priests made thousands of visits on behalf of the prisoners' families. They helped the prisoners with clothes, and tons of food, fish oil and medicines, brought to Hamburg by ships and distributed to various prisons. They were not allowed to visit the incarcerated in concentration camps, but delivered food supplies such as herring, stockfish and fish oil to the camps. They compiled extensive lists of prisons and prisoners, which were later used as a basis for the White Buses
White Buses
"White Buses" refers to a program undertaken by the Swedish Red Cross and the Danish government in the spring of 1945 to rescue concentration camp inmates in areas under Nazi control and transport them to Sweden, a neutral country...
. Vogt-Svendsen was decorated Knight, First class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1945 for his war contributions. After the war, Vogt-Svendsen served as seamen's priest in the port city of Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
from 1945 to 1947, and in the Italian seaport of Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
from 1947 to 1951. From 1951 he managed the institution Hjemmet for Døve, a home for the deaf in Nordstrand
Nordstrand, Norway
Nordstrand is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway.The borough is located in the southern part of the city and is the second most populated district of Oslo with over 40,000 inhabitants...
, which had been founded by his grandfather Conrad Svendsen. In 1968 he was appointed to the position of main priest for the deaf in Norway . He participated in organizations for deaf people, both nationally and internationally in the World Federation of the Deaf
World Federation of the Deaf
The World Federation of the Deaf is an international non-governmental organization that acts as a peak body for national associations of Deaf people, with a focus on Deaf people who use sign language and their family and friends...
. He often worked as an interpreter for deaf, and was engaged in the development of sign language
Sign language
A sign language is a language which, instead of acoustically conveyed sound patterns, uses visually transmitted sign patterns to convey meaning—simultaneously combining hand shapes, orientation and movement of the hands, arms or body, and facial expressions to fluidly express a speaker's...
.