Gustav Berg-Jæger
Encyclopedia
Carl Gustav Berg-Jæger was a Norwegian journalist, actor, cultural director and Nazi collaborator. He is best known as director of Oslo Kinematografer
, the National Theatre and briefly the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
. Before the occupation he was among others the editor of Norway's first magazine devoted to broadcast programming.
as a son of Hans Henrik Berg-Jæger (1855–1925) and Thora Bull (1855–1906). He worked as a journalist and theatre critic for Morgenbladet
from 1905, and as an actor at Fahlströms Teater from 1908. From 1911 to 1922 he worked in the movie theatre Bio-Kino, which was founded by his father. He edited the monthly magazine Film og Kino from 1916 to 1919 and later Filmen og vi. From 1922 he led an impresario
company named Musik-Centralen, and in 1925 he was employed a few months at the first Norwegian broadcasting company, Kringkastingselskapet. He also edited a magazine named Hallo-Hallo!; this was Norway's first magazine devoted to broadcast programming. After resigning in protest from Kringkastingselskapet he worked as an actor as well as in the Norwegian branches of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
and Paramount Pictures
.
by Reichskommissar
Josef Terboven
in 1940, when the previous managing director Kristoffer Aamot
had been fired the same day. Berg-Jæger had joined Nasjonal Samling a week in advance. He was installed as theatre director at the National Theatre by the Nazi authorities from 1941 to 1945, and led the theatre in a difficult period, when the theatre was more or less boycotted by the public. He was also national program director (director of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation) in six weeks in 1941–1942. From 1942 he was the chairman of Norsk Film, and he was also a member of Kulturtinget. In 1941 he was the screenwriter
for the film Kjærlighet og vennskap, which was directed by fellow Nazi Leif Sinding
and starred Sonja Wigert
, Georg Løkkeberg, Per Aabel
and Rønnaug Alten among others.
After the end of the German occupation on 8 May 1945
, he was arrested by the Norwegian authorities on 14 May and imprisoned at Ilebu prison until 1946. As a part of the legal purge after the war
he was convicted for his Nazi collaboration in 1947. The sentence was three and a half years of forced labour—albeit suspended
—and confiscation of . He died in 1957 in Bærum
.
Oslo Kino
-History:Its creation was agreed to by the city authorities of Oslo in 1925, and the company was inaugurated on 1 January 1926 as Oslo Kinematografer. It was a part of the Norwegian system of municipal-owned cinemas, superseding private ownership in the field. Only the Conservative Party and the...
, the National Theatre and briefly the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation 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...
. Before the occupation he was among others the editor of Norway's first magazine devoted to broadcast programming.
Early 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 Hans Henrik Berg-Jæger (1855–1925) and Thora Bull (1855–1906). He worked as a journalist and theatre critic for Morgenbladet
Morgenbladet
Morgenbladet is a Norwegian weekly newspaper. It was founded in 1819 by the book printer Niels Wulfsberg, and was the country's first daily newspaper. For a long time, it was also the country's biggest newspaper. It was closed down by the German Wehrmacht during World War II...
from 1905, and as an actor at Fahlströms Teater from 1908. From 1911 to 1922 he worked in the movie theatre Bio-Kino, which was founded by his father. He edited the monthly magazine Film og Kino from 1916 to 1919 and later Filmen og vi. From 1922 he led an impresario
Impresario
An impresario is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays or operas; analogous to a film producer in filmmaking, television production and an angel investor in business...
company named Musik-Centralen, and in 1925 he was employed a few months at the first Norwegian broadcasting company, Kringkastingselskapet. He also edited a magazine named Hallo-Hallo!; this was Norway's first magazine devoted to broadcast programming. After resigning in protest from Kringkastingselskapet he worked as an actor as well as in the Norwegian branches of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
and Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
.
War and post-war career
He was appointed as managing director of Oslo KinematograferOslo Kino
-History:Its creation was agreed to by the city authorities of Oslo in 1925, and the company was inaugurated on 1 January 1926 as Oslo Kinematografer. It was a part of the Norwegian system of municipal-owned cinemas, superseding private ownership in the field. Only the Conservative Party and the...
by Reichskommissar
Reichskommissar
Reichskommissar , in German history, was an official gubernatorial title used for various public offices during the period of the German Empire and the Nazi Third Reich....
Josef Terboven
Josef Terboven
Josef Antonius Heinrich Terboven was a Nazi leader, best known as the Reichskommissar during the German occupation of Norway.-Early life:...
in 1940, when the previous managing director Kristoffer Aamot
Kristoffer Aamot
Kristoffer Aamot was a Norwegian journalist, magazine editor, politician and cinema administrator. As a young journalist he was sentenced to one year imprisonment for his writings. He was a member of the Oslo City Council from 1917 to 1937. He was a director of Oslo Kinematografer from 1934 to...
had been fired the same day. Berg-Jæger had joined Nasjonal Samling a week in advance. He was installed as theatre director at the National Theatre by the Nazi authorities from 1941 to 1945, and led the theatre in a difficult period, when the theatre was more or less boycotted by the public. He was also national program director (director of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation) in six weeks in 1941–1942. From 1942 he was the chairman of Norsk Film, and he was also a member of Kulturtinget. In 1941 he was the screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
for the film Kjærlighet og vennskap, which was directed by fellow Nazi Leif Sinding
Leif Sinding
Leif Sinding was a Norwegian journalist and film director.He worked for the newspapers Verdens Gang, Aftenposten and Morgenbladet. Among his silent films are Himmeluret from 1925, based on Gabriel Scott's comedy, and Fjeldeventyret from 1926...
and starred Sonja Wigert
Sonja Wigert
Sonja Wigert was a Norwegian actress. She appeared in 34 films between 1934 and 1960.-Selected filmography:* Blood and Fire * Onsdagsväninnan * Letter from the Dead...
, Georg Løkkeberg, Per Aabel
Per Aabel
Per Pavels Aabel was a respected and honored Norwegian actor, artist, dancer, choreographer and instructor.-Biography:...
and Rønnaug Alten among others.
After the end of the German occupation on 8 May 1945
Victory in Europe Day
Victory in Europe Day commemorates 8 May 1945 , the date when the World War II Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany and the end of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. The formal surrender of the occupying German forces in the Channel Islands was not...
, he was arrested by the Norwegian authorities on 14 May and imprisoned at Ilebu prison until 1946. As a part of the legal purge after the war
Legal purge in Norway after World War II
When the occupation of Norway ended in May 1945, several thousand Norwegians and foreign citizens were tried and convicted for various acts that the occupying powers sanctioned...
he was convicted for his Nazi collaboration in 1947. The sentence was three and a half years of forced labour—albeit suspended
Suspended sentence
A suspended sentence is a legal term for a judge's delaying of a defendant's serving of a sentence after they have been found guilty, in order to allow the defendant to perform a period of probation...
—and confiscation of . He died in 1957 in Bærum
Bærum
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandvika. Bærum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838. A suburb of Oslo, Bærum is located on the west coast of the city....
.