Kristian Ottosen
Encyclopedia
Kristian Ottosen was a Norwegian
non-fiction writer and public servant.
While still a student, he was also active in the Norwegian resistance movement
during World War II
and was imprisoned as a Nacht und Nebel
inmate. He was imprisoned in Veiten from June to July 1942, then in Bergen
from July to September, then in Grini concentration camp from September to December. From December 1942 to June 1944 he was in Sachsenhausen concentration camp
, then until September 1944 in Natzweiler-Struthof
. He was then in Dachau concentration camp for three days, and Ottobrunn
for one day. He was lastly in Dautmergen
from September to November 1944 and Vaihingen
until the war's end.
After the war, he finished his studies at the University of Bergen
, where he became the leader of the Det Norske Studentersamfund
first in Bergen, and then as a full-time employee at the University of Oslo
. He was the manager of the Foundation for Student Life in Oslo
from 1950 to 1979. He led the commission that recommended the founding of regional university colleges throughout Norway and for establishment of the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund
. He also chaired the board of NRK from 1972 to 1979, and Nationaltheatret
from 1981 to 1989.
After he retired, Ottosen wrote a series of historical accounts from World War II. These included memoirs from his work in the Norwegian resistance as well as thorough historical surveys of Norwegians who were arrested and detained by Nazi authorities during the war. For this work he was honored with the Fritt Ord Honorary Award in 2004, was made commander in the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav, and named honorary member of the Norwegian Labour Party
.
Ottosen's works include:
- about the work of the resistance group known as Theta Theta. - about the Nacht und Nebel prisoners in the Natzweiler concentration camp, with an emphasis on the Norwegians held there. - about the Sachsenhausen concentration camp
. - about the Ravensbrück concentration camp, primarily for women. - about the deportation and imprisonment of Norwegian men and women in prisons throughout Germany. - about the deportation and fate
of Jews from Norway. - an authoritative list of Norwegian individuals who had been held in German captivity during World War II. - about Norwegian prisoners held in Japanese captivity during World War II.
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...
non-fiction writer and public servant.
While still a student, he was also active in the Norwegian resistance movement
Norwegian resistance movement
The Norwegian resistance to the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany began after Operation Weserübung in 1940 and ended in 1945. It took several forms:...
during 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...
and was imprisoned as a Nacht und Nebel
Nacht und Nebel
Nacht und Nebel was a directive of Adolf Hitler on 7 December 1941 signed and implemented by Armed Forces High Command Chief Wilhelm Keitel, resulting in the kidnapping and forced disappearance of many political activists and resistance 'helpers' throughout Nazi Germany's occupied...
inmate. He was imprisoned in Veiten from June to July 1942, then in Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
from July to September, then in Grini concentration camp from September to December. From December 1942 to June 1944 he was in 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...
, then until September 1944 in Natzweiler-Struthof
Natzweiler-Struthof
Natzweiler-Struthof was a German concentration camp located in the Vosges Mountains close to the Alsatian village of Natzwiller in France, and the town of Schirmeck, about 50 km south west from the city of Strasbourg....
. He was then in Dachau concentration camp for three days, and Ottobrunn
Ottobrunn
Ottobrunn is a municipality southeast of Munich, Bavaria, Germany, founded in 1955. Ottobrunn consists of mainly semi-detached and detached houses, and lots of gardens...
for one day. He was lastly in Dautmergen
Dautmergen
Dautmergen is a municipality in the Zollernalbkreis district, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany....
from September to November 1944 and Vaihingen
Vaihingen an der Enz concentration camp
Vaihingen an der Enz concentration camp, near the city of Vaihingen an der Enz in the Neckar region of Germany, was a slave labor camp for armament manufacturing built by the Todt organization, and then became an extermination camp.The camp was built in late 1943 - early 1944 as part of a secret...
until the war's end.
After the war, he finished his studies at the University of Bergen
University of Bergen
The University of Bergen is located in Bergen, Norway. Although founded as late as 1946, academic activity had taken place at Bergen Museum as far back as 1825. The university today serves more than 14,500 students...
, where he became the leader of the Det Norske Studentersamfund
Det Norske Studentersamfund
The Norwegian Students' Society is Norway's oldest student society. Established in 1813 in Oslo, it has been the centre of debate, culture and politics for nearly 200 years....
first in Bergen, and then as a full-time employee at the University of Oslo
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...
. He was the manager of the Foundation for Student Life in Oslo
Foundation for Student Life in Oslo
The Foundation for Student Life in Oslo is the student welfare organisation in Oslo, Norway.It was established in 1939 as the first of its kind in Norway...
from 1950 to 1979. He led the commission that recommended the founding of regional university colleges throughout Norway and for establishment of the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund
Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund
The Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund is a government agency that provides loans and grants to Norwegian and certain foreign students for their education...
. He also chaired the board of NRK from 1972 to 1979, and Nationaltheatret
Nationaltheatret
The National Theatre in Oslo is one of Norway's largest and most prominent venues for performance of dramatic arts.The theatre had its first performance on 1 September 1899 but can trace its origins to Christiania Theatre, which was founded in 1829...
from 1981 to 1989.
After he retired, Ottosen wrote a series of historical accounts from World War II. These included memoirs from his work in the Norwegian resistance as well as thorough historical surveys of Norwegians who were arrested and detained by Nazi authorities during the war. For this work he was honored with the Fritt Ord Honorary Award in 2004, was made commander in the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav, and named honorary member of 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....
.
Ottosen's works include:
- about the work of the resistance group known as Theta Theta. - about the Nacht und Nebel prisoners in the Natzweiler concentration camp, with an emphasis on the Norwegians held there. - about the 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...
. - about the Ravensbrück concentration camp, primarily for women. - about the deportation and imprisonment of Norwegian men and women in prisons throughout Germany. - about the deportation and fate
Jewish deportees from Norway during World War II
During the Nazi occupation of Norway, German authorities deported about 768 individuals of Jewish background to concentration camps outside of Norway. 28 of these survived World War Two.-Deportation:The deportation schedule for the major transports was:...
of Jews from Norway. - an authoritative list of Norwegian individuals who had been held in German captivity during World War II. - about Norwegian prisoners held in Japanese captivity during World War II.