Jeanette Olsen
Encyclopedia
Jeanette Martine Olsen was a Norwegian
editor and politician for the Labour
and Communist
parties.
She was born in Kristiania
. Her first political position was as leader of the local women's branch in Skien
Labour Party from 1907 to 1912. From 1911 to 1913 she was a national board member of the Labour Party women's association. She was also a board member of the county branch in Bratsberg
. In 1913 she was hired as manager of the newspaper Haugesunds Folkeblad, and she became editor-in-chief in the same year.
The family moved to Tromsø
in 1914, where she became manager in Nordlys
and then secretary of Nord-Norsk Fiskerforbund from 1917 to 1919. She was also a member of Tromsø city council from 1916 to 1919. In 1919 she was hired as manager in Fremover
, and sat for some time as a member of Narvik
city council. While living in Northern Norway she was also involved in smuggling from the Russian SFSR.
She was a national board member of the Labour Party from 1918 to 1923, and was a delegate at the Third Comintern
Congress in 1921, but in September 1923 she was excluded for half a year for writing an "open letter" to Martin Tranmæl
, in which she stated that if not Tranmæl subordinated himself to Comintern, he would pave way for Fascism. Before the exclusion was lifted, the Communist Party had formed as a splinter party, and she joined it. From 1923 to 1928 she led the women's secretariat in the party. She was a delegate at the Fifth Comintern
Congress, and also edited the party's magazine for women, Gnisten
, from 1925. In 1928 she resigned her party membership, together with high-profile politicians Emil Stang, Jr. and Olav Scheflo
, since the Communist Party was against the formation of Hornsrud's Cabinet. She joined the Revolusjonære fagopposisjon, Clarté
and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
. She rejoined the Communist Party in 1936, but was excluded after three months (in September) for defending Lev Trotsky. She was now a Trotskyist, and edited the periodical Oktober from April 1937 to September 1939. She also worked as a seamstress.
She was married to Aksel Olsen (1869–1928), and had seven children. She died in September 1959 in Oslo.
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...
editor 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.
She was born in Kristiania
Oslo
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...
. Her first political position was as leader of the local women's branch in Skien
Skien
' is a city and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Skien. Skien is also the administrative centre of Telemark county....
Labour Party from 1907 to 1912. From 1911 to 1913 she was a national board member of the Labour Party women's association. She was also a board member of the county branch in Bratsberg
Telemark
is a county in Norway, bordering Vestfold, Buskerud, Hordaland, Rogaland and Aust-Agder. The county administration is in Skien. Until 1919 the county was known as Bratsberg amt.-Location:...
. In 1913 she was hired as manager of the newspaper Haugesunds Folkeblad, and she became editor-in-chief in the same year.
The family moved to Tromsø
Tromsø
Tromsø is a city and municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø.Tromsø city is the ninth largest urban area in Norway by population, and the seventh largest city in Norway by population...
in 1914, where she became manager in Nordlys
Nordlys
Nordlys is a Norwegian newspaper published in Tromsø, covering the region of Troms, and the largest newspaper in Northern Norway. Chief editor is Anders Opdahl. Nordlys was founded in 1902 by Alfred Eriksen, who also was its first editor-in-chief. Among the later editors are Ivan Kristoffersen, who...
and then secretary of Nord-Norsk Fiskerforbund from 1917 to 1919. She was also a member of Tromsø city council from 1916 to 1919. In 1919 she was hired as manager in Fremover
Fremover
Fremover is a regional newspaper published in Narvik, Norway. It has been published for more than 100 years, having been founded on May 27, 1903....
, and sat for some time as a member of Narvik
Narvik
is the third largest city and municipality in Nordland county, Norway by population. Narvik is located on the shores of the Narvik Fjord . The municipality is part of the Ofoten traditional region of North Norway, inside the arctic circle...
city council. While living in Northern Norway she was also involved in smuggling from the Russian SFSR.
She was a national board member of the Labour Party from 1918 to 1923, and was a delegate at the Third Comintern
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
Congress in 1921, but in September 1923 she was excluded for half a year for writing an "open letter" to Martin Tranmæl
Martin Tranmæl
Martin Olsen Tranmæl was a radical Norwegian socialist leader.-Biography:Martin Tranmæl grew up in a middle-sized farm in Melhus, in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. He started working as a painter and construction worker. In the early 20th century, Tranmæl lived for a while in the USA where he came...
, in which she stated that if not Tranmæl subordinated himself to Comintern, he would pave way for Fascism. Before the exclusion was lifted, the Communist Party had formed as a splinter party, and she joined it. From 1923 to 1928 she led the women's secretariat in the party. She was a delegate at the Fifth Comintern
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
Congress, and also edited the party's magazine for women, Gnisten
Gnisten
Gnisten was a Norwegian periodical published by the Communist Party.Gnisten was started in March 1925 after a lengthy fund-raising campaign. It was started by women in the Communist Party who were not satisfied with the coverage of women's affairs in the Communist Party newspapers, such as Norges...
, from 1925. In 1928 she resigned her party membership, together with high-profile politicians Emil Stang, Jr. and Olav Scheflo
Olav Scheflo
Olav Scheflo was a Norwegian Communist politician and journalist.Olav Scheflo was a member of the Norwegian Labour Party from 1905...
, since the Communist Party was against the formation of Hornsrud's Cabinet. She joined the Revolusjonære fagopposisjon, Clarté
Clarté (Norway)
Clarté was a socialist and pacifist organisation in Norway.It was founded in 1925, and had its roots in a French-based international organization of the same name...
and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom was established in the United States in January 1915 as the Woman's Peace Party...
. She rejoined the Communist Party in 1936, but was excluded after three months (in September) for defending Lev Trotsky. She was now a Trotskyist, and edited the periodical Oktober from April 1937 to September 1939. She also worked as a seamstress.
She was married to Aksel Olsen (1869–1928), and had seven children. She died in September 1959 in Oslo.