Johan Wollebæk
Encyclopedia
Johan Herman Wollebæk was a Norwegian jurist and diplomatist. He worked with international law
, and is known for his time as leader of the Norwegian legation in Stockholm
from 1921 to October 1940, a period which includes the early phase of the World War II
.
as the son of Colonel
Sigvard Polidor Wollebæk (1835–1920) and his wife Anine Julie Augusta Dahl (1834–1912). He was the brother of zoologist Alf Wollebæk, and on the maternal side he was a descendant of Carl Adolph Dahl
and Carl Adolf Dahl.
In December 1912 he married Ida Fredrikke Gram (1880–1967), a daughter of the former Prime Minister Gregers Winther Wulfsberg Gram
. Through his wife, he was the brother-in-law of Harald Gram
and uncle of Gregers Gram
.
and Lillehammer
. He finished
his secondary school in 1893, and graduated from the University of Kristiania
with the cand.jur. degree in 1898. He began his career in the foreign service a few years later, as a secretary in the Ministry of Trade. His first assignment abroad came while the Union between Sweden and Norway
still existed, as an attaché at the two countries' legation in Paris
. Following the dissolution of the union in 1905, Norway established its own Ministry of Foreign Affairs
, and he was promoted to subdirector in 1909 and deputy under-secretary of state in 1916.
He worked with international law, as chairman of Sjøgrensekommisjonen, and delegate to the Spitsbergen
conferences in 1912 and 1914. He was minister (leader) of the Norwegian legation
in Berlin
from 1920 to 1921, and in 1921 he was given the same position the Norwegian legation in Stockholm
, following the death of Francis Hagerup
. He remained here until 1940.
Following 9 April 1940, when Norway was invaded
and subsequently occupied by Nazi Germany
, Stockholm became an important city for Norwegian politics. Wollebæk had refused to obey the orders of Vidkun Quisling
—who during the German invasion declared a Fascist coup d'état—and the Norwegian legation in Stockholm was soon reinforced with additional personnel. Jens Bull
, the highest-ranking civil servant in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was sent to Stockholm, and the Norwegian government-in-exile
, once secure in London
, sent its representatives. Wollebæk participated in negotiations in the summer of 1940, but at the same time he fell ill. He died in October 1940, being succeeded by Jens Bull. Before the war ended, more than 50,000 Norwegians had fled to Sweden.
Wollebæk was decorated as a Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1922. He received the Grand Cross of the Swedish Order of the Polar Star
and the Spanish Order of Isabella the Catholic, and was Commander of the Danish Order of the Dannebrog
and the Swedish Order of Vasa
.
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
, and is known for his time as leader of the Norwegian legation in Stockholm
Norwegian legation in Stockholm
The Norwegian Legation in Stockholm played a significant role during the Second World War. Until 9 April 1940 the legation consisted of four persons, and at the end of the war about 1,100 persons were connected to the legation. Refugee cases were among the legation's most central tasks...
from 1921 to October 1940, a period which includes the early phase of the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Personal life
He was born in LierLier, Norway
Lier is an affluent municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Lier. The municipality of Lier was established on 1 January 1838...
as the son of Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Sigvard Polidor Wollebæk (1835–1920) and his wife Anine Julie Augusta Dahl (1834–1912). He was the brother of zoologist Alf Wollebæk, and on the maternal side he was a descendant of Carl Adolph Dahl
Carl Adolph Dahl
Carl Adolph Dahl was a Norwegian jurist and politician. He represented Friderichshald at the Norwegian Constituent Assembly at Eidsvoll in 1814.He was elected as a member of the Parliament in 1817.-References:...
and Carl Adolf Dahl.
In December 1912 he married Ida Fredrikke Gram (1880–1967), a daughter of the former Prime Minister Gregers Winther Wulfsberg Gram
Gregers Winther Wulfsberg Gram
Gregers Winther Wulfsberg Gram was a Norwegian jurist and politician, and international arbitrator. He was a Supreme Court Assessor, Norwegian Prime Minister in Stockholm from 1889 to 1891 and from 1893 to 1898 and County Governor from 1898 to 1915.-Personal life:Gram was born in Moss as the son...
. Through his wife, he was the brother-in-law of Harald Gram
Harald Gram
Harald Gram was a Norwegian jurist, politician and genealogist. He was secretary general for the Conservative Party of Norway for 22 years, deputy mayor of Aker, member of Parliament from 1928 to 1936, and stipendiary magistrate in Oslo from 1936 to 1957...
and uncle of Gregers Gram
Gregers Gram
Gregers Winther Wulfsberg Gram MC MM was a Norwegian resistance fighter and saboteur. A corporal and later second lieutenant in the Norwegian Independent Company 1 during the Second World War, he was killed in 1944....
.
Career
Wollebæk went to school in DrammenDrammen
Drammen is a city in Buskerud County, Norway. The port and river city of Drammen is centrally located in the eastern and most populated part of Norway.-Location:...
and Lillehammer
Lillehammer
is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
. 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 school in 1893, and graduated from the University of Kristiania
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...
with the cand.jur. degree in 1898. He began his career in the foreign service a few years later, as a secretary in the Ministry of Trade. His first assignment abroad came while the Union between Sweden and Norway
Union between Sweden and Norway
The Union between Sweden and Norway , officially the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, consisted of present-day Sweden and Norway between 1814 and 1905, when they were united under one monarch in a personal union....
still existed, as an attaché at the two countries' legation in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Following the dissolution of the union in 1905, Norway established its own Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the foreign ministry of the Kingdom of Norway...
, and he was promoted to subdirector in 1909 and deputy under-secretary of state in 1916.
He worked with international law, as chairman of Sjøgrensekommisjonen, and delegate to the Spitsbergen
Spitsbergen
Spitsbergen is the largest and only permanently populated island of the Svalbard archipelago in Norway. Constituting the western-most bulk of the archipelago, it borders the Arctic Ocean, the Norwegian Sea and the Greenland Sea...
conferences in 1912 and 1914. He was minister (leader) of the Norwegian legation
Legation
A legation was the term used in diplomacy to denote a diplomatic representative office lower than an embassy. Where an embassy was headed by an Ambassador, a legation was headed by a Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary....
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
from 1920 to 1921, and in 1921 he was given the same position the Norwegian legation in Stockholm
Norwegian legation in Stockholm
The Norwegian Legation in Stockholm played a significant role during the Second World War. Until 9 April 1940 the legation consisted of four persons, and at the end of the war about 1,100 persons were connected to the legation. Refugee cases were among the legation's most central tasks...
, following the death of Francis Hagerup
Francis Hagerup
George Francis Hagerup was a Norwegian lawyer, diplomat and politician for the Conservative Party. He was Prime Minister of Norway from 14 October 1895 to 17 February 1898 and from 22 October 1903 to 11 March 1905.Francis Hagerup grew up in Trondheim...
. He remained here until 1940.
Following 9 April 1940, when Norway was invaded
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...
and subsequently occupied 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...
, Stockholm became an important city for Norwegian politics. Wollebæk had refused to obey the orders of Vidkun Quisling
Vidkun Quisling
Vidkun Abraham Lauritz Jonssøn Quisling was a Norwegian politician. On 9 April 1940, with the German invasion of Norway in progress, he seized power in a Nazi-backed coup d'etat that garnered him international infamy. From 1942 to 1945 he served as Minister-President, working with the occupying...
—who during the German invasion declared a Fascist coup d'état—and the Norwegian legation in Stockholm was soon reinforced with additional personnel. Jens Bull
Jens Bull
Jens Steenberg Bull was a Norwegian jurist and diplomatist. He played his most important role during World War II, when he represented his country in Stockholm, Sweden.-Personal life:...
, the highest-ranking civil servant in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was sent to Stockholm, and the Norwegian government-in-exile
Cabinet Nygaardsvold
Nygaardsvold's Cabinet was appointed on 20 March 1935, the second Labour cabinet in Norway. It closed the brought to an end the non-socialist, minority Governments that had been dominating politics since the introduction of the parliamentary system in 1884, and replaced it with stable, Labour...
, once secure 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...
, sent its representatives. Wollebæk participated in negotiations in the summer of 1940, but at the same time he fell ill. He died in October 1940, being succeeded by Jens Bull. Before the war ended, more than 50,000 Norwegians had fled to Sweden.
Wollebæk was decorated as a Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1922. He received the Grand Cross of the Swedish Order of the Polar Star
Order of the Polar Star
The Order of the Polar Star is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I of Sweden on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Seraphim....
and the Spanish Order of Isabella the Catholic, and was Commander of the Danish Order of the Dannebrog
Order of the Dannebrog
The Order of the Dannebrog is an Order of Denmark, instituted in 1671 by Christian V. It resulted from a move in 1660 to break the absolutism of the nobility. The Order was only to comprise 50 noble Knights in one class plus the Master of the Order, i.e. the Danish monarch, and his sons...
and the Swedish Order of Vasa
Order of Vasa
The Royal Order of Vasa was a Swedish Royal order of chivalry, awarded to citizens of Sweden for service to state and society especially in the fields of agriculture, mining and commerce. It was instituted on 29 May 1772 by King Gustav III of Sweden...
.