Halvor Sørum
Encyclopedia
Halvor Enok Sørum was a Norwegian
trade unionist and politician for the Communist Party
.
He was a painter by profession. He joined Norges Socialdemokratiske Ungdomsforbund (NSU) in 1914, the Norwegian Labour Party
in 1915. When NSU changed its name to the Young Communist League
in 1921, Sørum chaired the Hedmark
branch from 1922 to 1923. In 1923 he broke away from the Labour Party, joining the new Communist Party. He led the party's agitprop
committee, and was an editorial board member of Proletaren
from 1925 to 1927. He was a politburo member in 1929, and then from 1932. He was also a central board member; illegally so during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
which started in 1940.
At the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
national convention in 1934, he forwarded a motion of no confidence against the leader, former communist Halvard Olsen. The motion received only 41 votes, but another motion from Rolf Olsen
passed with 263 against 98 votes, uniting communists and "Tramælites" against the union leadership. In the late 1930s Sørum was "the leading trade unionist of the communists". In 1940 he was a member of the Trade Opposition of 1940
, which advocated a cooperative environment between trade unions and the occupational authorities, but he eventually took the stance that the trade unions should work illegally. In 1941 he formed a committee, together with Konrad Nordahl
and Lars Evensen
, to prepare illegality as well as a cooperation with Labour Party unionists. He worked underground for the illegal (non-Nazi) part of the Union of Building Industry Workers. He was eventually arrested on 10 January 1943 and imprisoned in Grini concentration camp before being sent to Sachsenhausen concentration camp
on 27 February 1944. He remained here until the end of World War II. The communist inmates in the camp formed a caucus
of sorts, and Sørum was among the leading members along with Kristian Mugaas, Johan Strand Johansen
, Olaf Skramstad
, Olaf Bjerke
and Erling Heiestad.
After the war, from 1946 to 1949, he was the deputy chairman of the Norwegian Union of Building Industry Workers
. In contrast to some wartime communist leaders, he remained in the party leadership. He died in 1965.
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...
trade unionist and politician for 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...
.
He was a painter by profession. He joined Norges Socialdemokratiske Ungdomsforbund (NSU) in 1914, the Norwegian Labour Party
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....
in 1915. When NSU changed its name to the Young Communist League
Young Communist League of Norway
Young Communist League of Norway was until April 2006 the youth league of Norges Kommunistiske Parti . April 1st 2006 NKP declared that NKU was no longer its youth organization, and that all youths interested in joining the movement should contact the party directly...
in 1921, Sørum chaired the Hedmark
Hedmark
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Akershus. The county administration is in Hamar.Hedmark makes up the northeastern part of Østlandet, the southeastern part of the country. It includes a long part of the borderline with Sweden, Dalarna County and Värmland County. The...
branch from 1922 to 1923. In 1923 he broke away from the Labour Party, joining the new Communist Party. He led the party's agitprop
Agitprop
Agitprop is derived from agitation and propaganda, and describes stage plays, pamphlets, motion pictures and other art forms with an explicitly political message....
committee, and was an editorial board member of Proletaren
Proletaren
Proletaren was a Norwegian periodical published by the Communist Party.Proletaren was started in September 1923 during the fraction in-fighting in the Labour Party which resulted in the breakaway of the Communist Party. Its purpose was to deliver ideological articles to party members. The first...
from 1925 to 1927. He was a politburo member in 1929, and then from 1932. He was also a central board member; illegally so 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...
which started in 1940.
At 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...
national convention in 1934, he forwarded a motion of no confidence against the leader, former communist Halvard Olsen. The motion received only 41 votes, but another motion from Rolf Olsen
Rolf Olsen
Rolf Olsen was a German actor, screenwriter and film director. He appeared in 60 films between 1949 and 1990...
passed with 263 against 98 votes, uniting communists and "Tramælites" against the union leadership. In the late 1930s Sørum was "the leading trade unionist of the communists". In 1940 he was a member of the Trade Opposition of 1940
Fagopposisjonen av 1940
Fagopposisjonen av 1940 was a grouping among Norwegian trade unionists in 1940, after the German invasion of Norway....
, which advocated a cooperative environment between trade unions and the occupational authorities, but he eventually took the stance that the trade unions should work illegally. In 1941 he formed a committee, together with Konrad Nordahl
Konrad Nordahl
Konrad Mathias Nordahl was a Norwegian trade unionist and politician for the Labour Party. He was the leader of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions from 1939 to 1965, and an MP from 1958 to 1965.-Early life:...
and Lars Evensen
Lars Evensen
Lars Samuel Myhrer Evensen was a Norwegian trade unionist and politician. He belonged to the Communist Party in the 1920s, but later joined the Labour Party. He was also deputy chairman of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions...
, to prepare illegality as well as a cooperation with Labour Party unionists. He worked underground for the illegal (non-Nazi) part of the Union of Building Industry Workers. He was eventually arrested on 10 January 1943 and imprisoned in Grini concentration camp before being sent to Sachsenhausen concentration camp
Sachsenhausen concentration camp
Sachsenhausen or Sachsenhausen-Oranienburg was a Nazi concentration camp in Oranienburg, Germany, used primarily for political prisoners from 1936 to the end of the Third Reich in May, 1945. After World War II, when Oranienburg was in the Soviet Occupation Zone, the structure was used as an NKVD...
on 27 February 1944. He remained here until the end of World War II. The communist inmates in the camp formed a caucus
Caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
of sorts, and Sørum was among the leading members along with Kristian Mugaas, Johan Strand Johansen
Johan Strand Johansen
Johan Strand Johansen was Norwegian Minister of Labour in 1945. From 1945-1949 and later from 1954-1957 he represented the Communist Party of Norway in the Parliament of Norway...
, Olaf Skramstad
Olaf Skramstad
Olaf Olsen Skramstad was a Norwegian politician for the Communist Party.He was organized in a trade union and the Norwegian Labour Party in 1915. He later joined the Communist Party and was a member of Åmot municipal council from 1926 to 1933. He was the secretary in the Norwegian Union of...
, Olaf Bjerke
Olaf Bjerke
Olaf Bjerke was a Norwegian trade unionist and politician for the Communist Party.During the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany he was arrested on 10 September 1941 after the milk strike. He was imprisoned at Møllergata 19, then in Grini concentration camp, then in Sachsenhausen concentration...
and Erling Heiestad.
After the war, from 1946 to 1949, he was the deputy chairman of the Norwegian Union of Building Industry Workers
Norwegian Union of Building Industry Workers
The Norwegian Union of Building Industry Workers was a trade union in Norway, organized under the national Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions....
. In contrast to some wartime communist leaders, he remained in the party leadership. He died in 1965.