Jørgen Finne-Grønn
Encyclopedia
Jørgen Magnus Finne-Grønn (30 July 1905 – 3 October 1998) was a Norwegian diplomat.
He was born in Kristiania
as a son of genealogist Stian Herlofsen Finne-Grønn
(1869–1953) and Margrethe Borchgrevink (1873–1963). He was a brother of painter Hans Finne-Grønn
and a grandson of Sofie Borchgrevink. 1947 he married Margareta Christiansen, a daughter of businessperson Christian Christiansen.
He finished his secondary education in 1924, and gradutated from the Royal Frederick University
with the cand.jur. degree in 1931. He started working in the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
in the same year, and he was stationed as a secretary at the consulate in Marseille
from 1933 to 1934, the legation in Ankara
from 1934 to 1936, in Norway from 1936 to 1937, in New York City
in 1937, the legation in London
from 1941 to 1946, and in Brussels
from 1946.
He became an assistant secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1948. He was the Norwegian ambassador to Czechoslovakia
and Hungary
from 1952 to 1958, to Chile
, Peru
and Bolivia
from 1960 to 1966, and Portugal
from 1966 to 1975. During his time as ambassador to Czechoslovakia, there was a spying scandal. Czechoslovak citizen Vladimír Veselý was convicted for spying for Norway, and sentenced to 25 years of prison. Veselý had allegedly had contact with Norwegian intelligence officer Einar Nord Stenersen, who had indeed been dispatched to the Norwegian embassy, officially to locate surveillance bugs (which he did), but Finne-Grønn was aware of the clandestine nature of Stenersen's work.
Finne-Grønn was decorated as a Commander of the Order of St. Olav (1967) and the Order of the Polar Star
, Officer of the Order of the Crown of Belgium
, Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of Ecuador and held the Grand Cross of the Order of the Merit of Chile
. He died in October 1998 and was buried at Vestre gravlund
.
He 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...
as a son of genealogist Stian Herlofsen Finne-Grønn
Stian Herlofsen Finne-Grønn
Stian Herlofsen Finne-Grønn was a Norwegian genealogist.He was born in Risør as the son of engineer Samuel Grønn and Jacobine Finne . In October 1900 he married Margrethe Borchgrevink , a daughter of Sofie Borchgrevink...
(1869–1953) and Margrethe Borchgrevink (1873–1963). He was a brother of painter Hans Finne-Grønn
Hans Finne-Grønn
Hans Fredrik Leganger Finne-Grønn was a Norwegian painter.He was born in Kristiania as a son of genealogist Stian Herlofsen Finne-Grønn and Margrethe Borchgrevink . He was a brother of ambassador Jørgen Finne-Grønn and a grandson of Sofie Borchgrevink...
and a grandson of Sofie Borchgrevink. 1947 he married Margareta Christiansen, a daughter of businessperson Christian Christiansen.
He finished his secondary education in 1924, and gradutated from the Royal Frederick University
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 1931. He started working in the Norwegian 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...
in the same year, and he was stationed as a secretary at the consulate in Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
from 1933 to 1934, the legation in Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
from 1934 to 1936, in Norway from 1936 to 1937, in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1937, the legation 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...
from 1941 to 1946, and in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
from 1946.
He became an assistant secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1948. He was the Norwegian ambassador to Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
from 1952 to 1958, to Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
from 1960 to 1966, and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
from 1966 to 1975. During his time as ambassador to Czechoslovakia, there was a spying scandal. Czechoslovak citizen Vladimír Veselý was convicted for spying for Norway, and sentenced to 25 years of prison. Veselý had allegedly had contact with Norwegian intelligence officer Einar Nord Stenersen, who had indeed been dispatched to the Norwegian embassy, officially to locate surveillance bugs (which he did), but Finne-Grønn was aware of the clandestine nature of Stenersen's work.
Finne-Grønn was decorated as a Commander of the Order of St. Olav (1967) and the 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....
, Officer of the Order of the Crown of Belgium
Order of the Crown (Belgium)
The Order of the Crown is an Order of Belgium which was created on 15 October 1897 by King Leopold II in his capacity as ruler of the Congo Free State. The order was first intended to recognize heroic deeds and distinguished service achieved from service in the Congo Free State - many of which acts...
, Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of Ecuador and held the Grand Cross of the Order of the Merit of Chile
Order of the Merit of Chile
The Order of the Merit of Chile is a Chilean military decoration and was created in 1929. Succeeding the Medal of the Merit, it was created during the term of the President Germán Riesco through the Minister of War decree No. 1350 on September 4, 1906...
. He died in October 1998 and was buried at Vestre gravlund
Vestre gravlund
Vestre gravlund is a cemetery in the Frogner borough of Oslo, Norway, located next to the Borgen metro station. At , it is the largest cemetery in Norway...
.