Finn Palmstrøm
Encyclopedia
Finn Palmstrøm was a Norwegian
jurist. He was a lawyer and judge before and during the Second World War, and also fought as a soldier. After the war he was a civil servant and judge, serving as district stipendiary magistrate between 1946 and 1973. He also had a short period in local politics.
as a son of professor Arnfinn Palmstrøm (1867–1922) and Henrikke Qvigstad (1864–1907), and younger brother of actuary Henrik Palmstrøm
. He finished
his secondary education in 1922 and took the cand.jur. degree at the University of Oslo
in 1926. After working the years 1926 to 1929 as a junior solicitor, he started his own law firm together with Richard August Riekeles
in 1930. Palmstrøm was a deputy judge in Vest-Telemark District Court from 1935 to 1937, and then returned to the law firm.
During the Winter War
, which lasted from 1939 to 1940, Palmstrøm was a volunteer on the Finnish side, fighting against the Soviet Union. He returned to Norway to find his country invaded by Germany
on 9 April 1940, and Palmstrøm took part in the subsequent fighting
. He soon fled to the United Kingdom, where he joined the military Norwegian Independent Company 1
("Kompani Linge"). He trained with the company in 1941 and 1942, and participated in the Måløy Raid. From 1942 to 1945 he was a defender in the Norwegian military court in London
. He held the rank of lieutenant colonel
. From 1944 to 1946 he also headed the "Norwegian national office", an office tasked with registering people whom the Norwegian government-in-exile regarded as war criminals.
of 1945 and 1946, and wrote the Report on Germany's Crimes against Norway together with Rolf Normann Torgersen
. He was also one of four Norwegian members of the United Nations War Crimes Commission
, together with Jacob Aars Rynning, Erik Colban
and Terje Wold
.
In 1946 he finally quit the law firm as he was appointed as the district stipendiary magistrate of Tana District Court. From 1946 to 1952 he was also a judge in cases pertaining to war affairs in Finnmark
. From 1952 to 1973 he was the district stipendiary magistrate of Solør District Court
. While serving here, he was also a member of Åsnes
municipal council from 1960 to 1962. After retiring, he moved back to Oslo where he functioned as a civil servant in the Ministry of Agriculture.
He was decorated with the Defence Medal 1940–1945, the 1939–45 Star, the Haakon VII 70th Anniversary Medal and a Finnish war medal. He was married to British citizen Bettine Marie Louise Ridley since 1937. He died in January 1987.
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...
jurist. He was a lawyer and judge before and during the Second World War, and also fought as a soldier. After the war he was a civil servant and judge, serving as district stipendiary magistrate between 1946 and 1973. He also had a short period in local politics.
Pre-war life and career
He 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...
as a son of professor Arnfinn Palmstrøm (1867–1922) and Henrikke Qvigstad (1864–1907), and younger brother of actuary Henrik Palmstrøm
Henrik Palmstrøm
Henrik Palmstrøm was a Norwegian actuary and statistician.He was born in Ås as a son of professor Arnfinn Palmstrøm and Henrikke Qvigstad , and older brother of judge Finn Palmstrøm...
. He finished
Examen 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...
his secondary education in 1922 and took the cand.jur. degree 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...
in 1926. After working the years 1926 to 1929 as a junior solicitor, he started his own law firm together with Richard August Riekeles
Richard August Riekeles
Richard August Riekeles was a Norwegian barrister.He took the cand.jur. degree in 1926. After working as a deputy judge and junior solicitor he started his own law firm together with Finn Palmstrøm in 1930. He later partnered with Ludolf Næss, and from 1976 to 1991 with Øivind Fegth Knutsen and...
in 1930. Palmstrøm was a deputy judge in Vest-Telemark District Court from 1935 to 1937, and then returned to the law firm.
During the Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
, which lasted from 1939 to 1940, Palmstrøm was a volunteer on the Finnish side, fighting against the Soviet Union. He returned to Norway to find his country invaded by Germany
Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
on 9 April 1940, and Palmstrøm took part in the subsequent fighting
Norwegian Campaign
The Norwegian Campaign was a military campaign that was fought in Norway during the Second World War between the Allies and Germany, after the latter's invasion of the country. In April 1940, the United Kingdom and France came to Norway's aid with an expeditionary force...
. He soon fled to the United Kingdom, where he joined the military Norwegian Independent Company 1
Norwegian Independent Company 1
Norwegian Independent Company 1 was a British SOE group formed in March 1941 originally for the purpose of performing commando raids during the Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany. It was organized under the leadership of Captain Martin Linge...
("Kompani Linge"). He trained with the company in 1941 and 1942, and participated in the Måløy Raid. From 1942 to 1945 he was a defender in the Norwegian military court in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He held the rank of lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
. From 1944 to 1946 he also headed the "Norwegian national office", an office tasked with registering people whom the Norwegian government-in-exile regarded as war criminals.
Post-war life and career
From 1945 to 1946 he was an acting assistant sectretary in the Norwegian Ministry of Justice. He was also present at the Nuremberg TrialsNuremberg Trials
The Nuremberg Trials were a series of military tribunals, held by the victorious Allied forces of World War II, most notable for the prosecution of prominent members of the political, military, and economic leadership of the defeated Nazi Germany....
of 1945 and 1946, and wrote the Report on Germany's Crimes against Norway together with Rolf Normann Torgersen
Rolf Normann Torgersen
Rolf Normann Torgersen was a Norwegian jurist and civil servant.He was born in Kristiania, finished his secondary education i 1936 and took the cand.jur. degree in 1941. He studied at the Cambridge University from 1947 to 1948, the Hague Academy of International Law in 1947 and 1952 and at...
. He was also one of four Norwegian members of the United Nations War Crimes Commission
United Nations War Crimes Commission
The United Nations War Crimes Commission was a commission of the United Nations that investigated allegations of war crimes committed by the Nazi Germany and its allies in World War II.The Commission began its work at the behest of the United States and the other Allied nations in 1943, prior to...
, together with Jacob Aars Rynning, Erik Colban
Erik Colban
Erik Andreas Colban was a highly decorated Norwegian diplomat. Colban had many important roles in Norwegian diplomacy; especially being named to the post of Norwegian Ambassador in London before and during the Second World War...
and Terje Wold
Terje Wold
Terje Wold was a Norwegian judge and politician for the Labour Party.Terje Wold was born in Evenes. He graduated as cand.jur. in 1921. He worked as a jurist, becoming a Supreme Court Justice of Norway in 1950. From 1958 to 1969 he was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court...
.
In 1946 he finally quit the law firm as he was appointed as the district stipendiary magistrate of Tana District Court. From 1946 to 1952 he was also a judge in cases pertaining to war affairs in Finnmark
Finnmark
or Finnmárku is a county in the extreme northeast of Norway. By land it borders Troms county to the west, Finland to the south and Russia to the east, and by water, the Norwegian Sea to the northwest, and the Barents Sea to the north and northeast.The county was formerly known as Finmarkens...
. From 1952 to 1973 he was the district stipendiary magistrate of Solør District Court
Solør District Court
Solør District Court was the district court serving the municipalities Våler, Åsnes and Grue in Norway.It was created in 1847 when Solør og Odalen District Court was split in two; Solør and Vinger and Odal. The headquarters were at Flisa. In 2006 Solør District Court ceased to exist...
. While serving here, he was also a member of Åsnes
Åsnes
Åsnes is a municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Solør. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Flisa, which is also the largest town in the municipality with around 2,100 people.-Name:...
municipal council from 1960 to 1962. After retiring, he moved back to Oslo where he functioned as a civil servant in the Ministry of Agriculture.
He was decorated with the Defence Medal 1940–1945, the 1939–45 Star, the Haakon VII 70th Anniversary Medal and a Finnish war medal. He was married to British citizen Bettine Marie Louise Ridley since 1937. He died in January 1987.