Kai Birger Knudsen
Encyclopedia
Kai Birger Knudsen was a Norwegian judge and politician for the Labour Party
.
He was born in Vardø
as a son of kemner Kai Angell Knudsen (1869–1944) and Julie Huse (1873–1952). He enrolled as a student in 1922, and graduated with the cand.jur. degree in 1926. He worked as an audit in Haugesund
1926-1927, then deputy judge in Heddal 1928-1930 and junior solicitor in Notodden
1930-1935. After the war he was acting district stipendiary magistrate (sorenskriver) of Tinn and Heddal from 1945 to 1946, and also mayor of Notodden
during the same period. As an elected politician he served in the position of deputy representative to the Parliament of Norway from the Market towns of Telemark and Aust-Agder counties
during the term 1945–1949. He then worked in the Office of the State Conciliator of Norway from 1946 to 1948.
From 1948 he worked as a Secretary for the Prime Minister
(from 1956 known as "State Secretary
in the Office of the Prime Minister
"). During Torp's Cabinet
Knudsen became acting Minister of Justice and the Police
from 18 October 1952 to 20 December 1952, then on a permanent basis until 15 June 1954. His successor Gustav Sjaastad studied law in the same period as Knudsen, from 1922 to 1926. Knudsen served as Minister of Defence
until the cabinet change in 1955. In the new Gerhardsen's Third Cabinet Knudsen was appointed Secretary to the Prime Minister again, but left in late 1955.
Knudsen was then district stipendiary magistrate in Indre Follo from 1955 to 1973. He chaired the board of the Norwegian Directorate of Labour from 1950 to 1975 as well as the National Wages Board
from 1955 to 1968. He died in March 1977.
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....
.
He was born in Vardø
Vardø
is a town and a municipality in Finnmark county in the extreme northeast part of Norway.Vardø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . The law required that all cities should be separated from their rural districts, but because of a low population and very few voters, this was...
as a son of kemner Kai Angell Knudsen (1869–1944) and Julie Huse (1873–1952). He enrolled as a student in 1922, and graduated with the cand.jur. degree in 1926. He worked as an audit in Haugesund
Haugesund
is a town and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.-Location:Haugesund was separated from Torvastad as a town and municipality of its own in 1855. The rural municipality of Skåre was merged with Haugesund on January 1, 1958. Haugesund is a small municipality, only 73 km²...
1926-1927, then deputy judge in Heddal 1928-1930 and junior solicitor in Notodden
Notodden
is a town and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Øst-Telemark. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Notodden....
1930-1935. After the war he was acting district stipendiary magistrate (sorenskriver) of Tinn and Heddal from 1945 to 1946, and also mayor of Notodden
Notodden
is a town and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Øst-Telemark. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Notodden....
during the same period. As an elected politician he served in the position of deputy representative to the Parliament of Norway from the Market towns of Telemark and Aust-Agder counties
Market towns of Telemark and Aust-Agder counties
The Market towns of Telemark and Aust-Agder counties was an electoral district for parliamentary elections in Norway. It comprised the market towns of Brevik, Kragerø, Notodden, Porsgrunn and Skien in Telemark county and Arendal, Grimstad and Risør in Aust-Agder county.The district was...
during the term 1945–1949. He then worked in the Office of the State Conciliator of Norway from 1946 to 1948.
From 1948 he worked as a Secretary for the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Norway
The Prime Minister of Norway is the political leader of Norway and the Head of His Majesty's Government. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Stortinget , to their political party, and ultimately the...
(from 1956 known as "State Secretary
State Secretary (Norway)
In Norway, a State Secretary is a partisan political position within the executive branch of government. Contrary to the position Secretary of State in many other countries, the Norwegian State Secretary does not head his or her Ministry, rather, they are second in rank to a Minister...
in the Office of the Prime Minister
Norwegian Office of the Prime Minister
The Norwegian Office of the Prime Minister is a political and bureaucratic office that assists the Cabinet of Norway and the Prime Minister of Norway in the leadership of the Cabinet and Government. It has since 2005 been led by Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg . Minister and Chief of Staff is Karl...
"). During Torp's Cabinet
Torp's Cabinet
Torp's Cabinet governed Norway between 19 November 1951 and 21 January 1955. The Labour Party cabinet was led by Oscar Torp....
Knudsen became acting Minister of Justice and the Police
Minister of Justice and the Police (Norway)
In Norway, the Minister of Justice and the Police is the head of the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Police and a member of Government of Norway. Current minister is Grete Faremo of the Norwegian Labour Party who is part of the second cabinet Stoltenberg...
from 18 October 1952 to 20 December 1952, then on a permanent basis until 15 June 1954. His successor Gustav Sjaastad studied law in the same period as Knudsen, from 1922 to 1926. Knudsen served as Minister of Defence
Minister of Defence (Norway)
The Norwegian Minister of Defence is a Councillor of the Council of State and Chief of the Norwegian Ministry of Defence, the position has existed since the Secretary of the Army and Secretary of the Navy was combined into the Minister of Defence...
until the cabinet change in 1955. In the new Gerhardsen's Third Cabinet Knudsen was appointed Secretary to the Prime Minister again, but left in late 1955.
Knudsen was then district stipendiary magistrate in Indre Follo from 1955 to 1973. He chaired the board of the Norwegian Directorate of Labour from 1950 to 1975 as well as the National Wages Board
National Wages Board
The National Wages Board is a Norwegian body for resolving labour disputes.Its task is to perform a compulsory arbitration when negotiations of parties in Norwegian working life stall, and if the conflict has "consequences for life or health, or has other seriously damaging effects on society"...
from 1955 to 1968. He died in March 1977.