Niels Ødegaard
Encyclopedia
Niels Ødegaard was a Norwegian
educator, newspaper editor and politician for the Labour
and Communist
parties.
He was born in Gjøvik
as a son of shoemaker Anton Ødegaard (1865–1931) and his wife Pauline Josefine Nielsen (1863–1943). He
started his working career in a printing press from 1906 to 1909 and then as an office clerk for O. Mustad & Søn from 1909 to 1911. He then studied and graduated from Elverum Teachers' College in 1913, and was hired as a school teacher in Gjøvik. He also worked as a substitute teacher in Tyldalen, Fluberg
and Vardal
. From 1916 to 1934 he chaired the local Labour Party chapter. In 1919 he became editor-in-chief of the newspaper Ny Dag
, He was also a member of Gjøvik city council from 1919, and served as mayor from 1922 to 1940. He left Ny Dag in 1924, and from 1926 to 1940 he was the editor-in-chief of Opland Arbeiderblad
.
He also chaired Gjøvik's school board, and was deputy chair of the supervisory council of Kommunenes Filmcentral
and Norsk Film. He chaired several local companies: Gjøvik Støperi og mek. Verksted, Gjøvik Skifabrik, Gjøvik Auto and Byggeleverandøren, and was a board member of Gumælius og Reklame and Gjøvik Bruk, as well as the Federation of Norwegian Industries
.
He was a deputy representative to the Parliament of Norway in the terms 1925–1927 and 1928–1930, representing the Market towns of Hedmark and Oppland counties
. He was elected on the ballot of the Communist Party
(which he had joined), but right after the Norwegian parliamentary election, 1924
he gave up this party and rejoined the Labour Party. He was elected to Parliament in 1933
and 1936
. His last term was ended by the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
, during which he was also removed as mayor. He instead became manager of the company Hunton Bruk, where he remained until 1961. He returned as mayor after the Second World War, and sat from 1945 to 1967. In total, he is the longest-sitting mayor in any Norwegian municipality
. He also spearheaded policies, branded "Ødegaardianism", that bore the characteristics of a mixed economy
(i.e. not really socialism).
In 1967 he was proclaimed an honorary citizen of Gjøvik, and in 1972 a monument to him was unveiled. He died in 1976.
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...
educator, newspaper editor and politician for the Labour
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....
and Communist
Communist Party of Norway
The Communist Party of Norway is a political party in Norway without parliamentary representation. It was formed in 1923, following a split in the Norwegian Labour Party. The party played an important role in the resistance to German occupation during the Second World War, and experienced a brief...
parties.
He was born in Gjøvik
Gjøvik
is a town and a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Gjøvik.In 1861, the village of Gjøvik in the municipality of Vardal was granted town status and was separated from Vardal to form a separate municipality...
as a son of shoemaker Anton Ødegaard (1865–1931) and his wife Pauline Josefine Nielsen (1863–1943). He
started his working career in a printing press from 1906 to 1909 and then as an office clerk for O. Mustad & Søn from 1909 to 1911. He then studied and graduated from Elverum Teachers' College in 1913, and was hired as a school teacher in Gjøvik. He also worked as a substitute teacher in Tyldalen, Fluberg
Fluberg
Fluberg is a village, a parish and a former municipality, now part of the municipality of Søndre Land in Oppland, Norway.-History:Fluberg municipality was created January 1, 1914 when it was separated from Søndre Land. Fluberg had a population of 2.027 at this point. On January 1, 1962 the...
and Vardal
Vardal
Vardal is a former municipality in Oppland county, Norway.It was created in 1837 as Vardal formannskapsdistrikt. According to the 1835 census the municipality had a population of 2,921...
. From 1916 to 1934 he chaired the local Labour Party chapter. In 1919 he became editor-in-chief of the newspaper Ny Dag
Ny Dag (Norwegian newspaper)
Ny Dag was a Norwegian newspaper, published in Gjøvik in Oppland county.Ny Dag was started in June 1913 as a Labour Party newspaper. It had no editor-in-chief right from the start, but an editorial committee. Eivind Reiersen was the editor from 1916 to 1919...
, He was also a member of Gjøvik city council from 1919, and served as mayor from 1922 to 1940. He left Ny Dag in 1924, and from 1926 to 1940 he was the editor-in-chief of Opland Arbeiderblad
Oppland Arbeiderblad
Oppland Arbeiderblad or OA is a newspaper in Norway, with its headquarters located in Gjøvik....
.
He also chaired Gjøvik's school board, and was deputy chair of the supervisory council of Kommunenes Filmcentral
Kommunenes Filmcentral
Kommunenes Filmcentral was a film distributor in Norway.It was established in 1919 when Kommunale Kinematografers Landsforbund, an association of municipal-owned cinemas, bought the private-owned Nerliens Filmbureau. It distributed films by Universum Film AG and United Artists, later the Walt...
and Norsk Film. He chaired several local companies: Gjøvik Støperi og mek. Verksted, Gjøvik Skifabrik, Gjøvik Auto and Byggeleverandøren, and was a board member of Gumælius og Reklame and Gjøvik Bruk, as well as the Federation of Norwegian Industries
Federation of Norwegian Industries (1919–1989)
The Federation of Norwegian Industries was an employers' organisation in Norway. It existed between 1919 and 1989, and was one of the main organisations in the field. In 1989 it became a part of the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise through a merger....
.
He was a deputy representative to the Parliament of Norway in the terms 1925–1927 and 1928–1930, representing the Market towns of Hedmark and Oppland counties
Market towns of Hedmark and Oppland counties
The Market towns of Hedmark and Oppland counties was an electoral district for parliamentary elections in Norway. It comprised the market towns of Hamar and Kongsvinger in Hedmark county and Lillehammer and Gjøvik in Oppland county....
. He was elected on the ballot of the Communist Party
Communist Party of Norway
The Communist Party of Norway is a political party in Norway without parliamentary representation. It was formed in 1923, following a split in the Norwegian Labour Party. The party played an important role in the resistance to German occupation during the Second World War, and experienced a brief...
(which he had joined), but right after the Norwegian parliamentary election, 1924
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1924
-Results:-References:*...
he gave up this party and rejoined the Labour Party. He was elected to Parliament in 1933
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1933
-Results:- References :...
and 1936
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1936
The parliamentary election of 1936 was the last one held in Norway before World War II and the German invasion of Norway.-Results:*...
. His last term was ended by the occupation of Norway 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...
, during which he was also removed as mayor. He instead became manager of the company Hunton Bruk, where he remained until 1961. He returned as mayor after the Second World War, and sat from 1945 to 1967. In total, he is the longest-sitting mayor in any Norwegian municipality
Municipalities of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties , and 430 municipalities...
. He also spearheaded policies, branded "Ødegaardianism", that bore the characteristics of a mixed economy
Mixed economy
Mixed economy is an economic system in which both the state and private sector direct the economy, reflecting characteristics of both market economies and planned economies. Most mixed economies can be described as market economies with strong regulatory oversight, in addition to having a variety...
(i.e. not really socialism).
In 1967 he was proclaimed an honorary citizen of Gjøvik, and in 1972 a monument to him was unveiled. He died in 1976.