Kåre Rein
Encyclopedia
Kåre Trygve Rein was a Norwegian
trade unionist.
He was a trade unionist before the war, a secretary in the Union of Employees in Commerce and Offices. He was also a member of the Norwegian Labour Party
, but together with people like Håkon Meyer he joined Fagopposisjonen av 1940 in 1940 and the Fascist party Nasjonal Samling in September 1941. From 1940 Norway was occupied by Nazi Germany
, and the Nazis controlled the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
. Following the Milk strike
a Nazi-friendly leadership was installed, with Odd Fossum
as leader, Erling Olsen
as deputy leader and Kåre Rein as secretary. Many years later, Rein claimed that he was ordered to take over as secretary by an armed German, and that he received threats of being arrested for sabotage if he declined. Rein remained secretary until New Year's in 1943. He was then acting leader until September 1943, when he became the leader of Sol i Arbeid. This was a Norwegian version of Schönheit der Arbeit (Kraft durch Freude
). In March 1945 he became Nazi-installed leader of the Confederation of Trade Unions
, succeeding Odd Fossum.
He lost all positions in 1945 at the war's end. However, according to Kjell Fjørtoft
he then worked as director of personnel in Ilebu prison, a detainment camp for Nazis, for a short time. During the legal purge in Norway after World War II
he was convicted of treason and in 1947 sentenced to six years of forced labour.
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...
trade unionist.
He was a trade unionist before the war, a secretary in the Union of Employees in Commerce and Offices. He was also a 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....
, but together with people like Håkon Meyer he joined Fagopposisjonen av 1940 in 1940 and the Fascist party Nasjonal Samling in September 1941. From 1940 Norway was 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...
, and the Nazis controlled the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions is a national trade union center, decidedly the largest and probably the most influential umbrella organization of labour unions in Norway. The 21 national unions affiliated to the LO have more than 850,000 members of a Norwegian population of 4.8 million...
. Following the Milk strike
Milk strike
The milk strike was a strike in Nazi occupied Oslo on 8 and 9 September 1941. It led to strong reprisals from the German occupiers, in the form of martial law, court-martial, mass arrests, two executions and several long-term jail sentences.-Start:...
a Nazi-friendly leadership was installed, with Odd Fossum
Odd Fossum
Odd Fossum was a Norwegian shop assistant, and leader of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions from 1941 to 1945, under Nazi regime during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany. He was also the leader of NS Faggruppeorganisasjon from 12 October 1940 to September 1944, when he was...
as leader, Erling Olsen
Erling Olsen (trade unionist)
Erling Olsen was a Norwegian trade unionist.He was a trade unionist before the war, a secretary in Norwegian Union of Municipal Employees. He was also a member of Mot Dag for some time.From 1940 Norway was occupied by Nazi Germany...
as deputy leader and Kåre Rein as secretary. Many years later, Rein claimed that he was ordered to take over as secretary by an armed German, and that he received threats of being arrested for sabotage if he declined. Rein remained secretary until New Year's in 1943. He was then acting leader until September 1943, when he became the leader of Sol i Arbeid. This was a Norwegian version of Schönheit der Arbeit (Kraft durch Freude
Kraft durch Freude
Kraft durch Freude was a large state-controlled leisure organization in Nazi Germany. It was a part of the German Labour Front , the national German labour organization at that time...
). In March 1945 he became Nazi-installed leader of the Confederation of Trade Unions
Leaders of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions was founded in 1899, and has had the following leaders:- Leaders :*1899-1900: Hans G. Jensen*1900-1901: Dines Jensen*1901-1904: Adolf Pedersen*1904-1905: Joh. Johansen*1905-1906: Adolf Pedersen*1906-1925: Ole O...
, succeeding Odd Fossum.
He lost all positions in 1945 at the war's end. However, according to Kjell Fjørtoft
Kjell Fjørtoft
Kjell Fjørtoft was a Norwegian journalist, non-fiction writer, photographer and film maker, born in Tromsø.Fjørtoft wrote books about themes such as World War II, espionage and hunters. Among his books are Spionfamilien from 1986, about the convicted spy Selmer Nilsen and his family...
he then worked as director of personnel in Ilebu prison, a detainment camp for Nazis, for a short time. During the legal purge in Norway after World War II
Legal purge in Norway after World War II
When the occupation of Norway ended in May 1945, several thousand Norwegians and foreign citizens were tried and convicted for various acts that the occupying powers sanctioned...
he was convicted of treason and in 1947 sentenced to six years of forced labour.