Olaus Michael Schmidt
Encyclopedia
Olaus Michael Schmidt was a Norwegian
judge and politician. A Supreme Court
Assessor
by profession, he served one term in the Norwegian Parliament, and was the Minister of Justice and the Police
for four non-consecutive terms between 1838 and 1848.
as the son of Claus Pedersen Schmidt and Johanne Christine Beck. Claus was originally from Flensborg
in Slesvig
. Olaus had several brothers, including the Constitutional Founding Father Peter Schmidt, Jr..
In 1816 he married Sophie Magdalene Carite Sommerfeldt, who hailed from Østre Toten
. She was the daughter of Christian Sommerfeldt and Anna Sophie Hagerup. On the paternal side she was a niece of politician Ole Hannibal Sommerfeldt and an aunt of priest and politician Christian Sommerfeldt. On the maternal side she was a first cousin of Wolfgang Wenzel von Haffner
.
degree in 1806. He was hired as a school teacher, but left this job in 1810 to study law at the University of Copenhagen
. He graduated with the cand.jur. degree in 1812. He became an assessor
in the district court of Christianssand
in 1817, and was promoted to Chief Justice at the same place in 1828. He had been elected to the Parliament of Norway in 1827, to represent his city. He only served one term. In 1829 he became national Supreme Court
Assessor
.
However, he was not finished on national political scene. On 22 January 1838 he was appointed Minister of Justice and the Police
. He held this post until 1 July the same year, when he was appointed as a member of the Council of State Division in Stockholm
. On 1 August 1839 he returned as Minister of Justice. On 1 September 1842 he returned to serve one year in Stockholm. He then got his third spell as Minister of Justice from 1 September 1843 to 1 April 1845. One final tenure in Stockholm followed; he then returned to Norway to become Minister of Finance and Customs
from 1 May 1846 to 1 July 1847, and then Minister of Justice for the fourth time, from 1847 to 18 April 1848. He then retired.
Olaus Michael Schmidt died in 1851 in Töplitz, three years after the death of his wife.
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...
judge and politician. A Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Norway
The Supreme Court of Norway was established in 1815 on the basis of the Constitution of Norway's §88, prescribing an independent judiciary. It is located in Oslo and is Norway's highest court...
Assessor
Assessor (law)
In some jurisdictions, an assessor is a judge's or magistrate's assistant. This is in fact the historical meaning of this word.-By country:In Denmark, it was the former title given to Supreme Court judges. Today the title is given to Deputy Judges...
by profession, he served one term in the Norwegian Parliament, and was the 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...
for four non-consecutive terms between 1838 and 1848.
Personal life
Schmidt was born in TrondhjemTrondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
as the son of Claus Pedersen Schmidt and Johanne Christine Beck. Claus was originally from Flensborg
Flensburg
Flensburg is an independent town in the north of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Flensburg is the centre of the region of Southern Schleswig...
in Slesvig
Slesvig
Slesvig is the Danish name for:* Schleswig, Schleswig-Holstein, a German city* The former Duchy of Schleswig * A former name for Hedeby, a Viking Age trading center, originally the largest town in the Nordic Countries...
. Olaus had several brothers, including the Constitutional Founding Father Peter Schmidt, Jr..
In 1816 he married Sophie Magdalene Carite Sommerfeldt, who hailed from Østre Toten
Østre Toten
Østre Toten is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Toten. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Lena.-Name:...
. She was the daughter of Christian Sommerfeldt and Anna Sophie Hagerup. On the paternal side she was a niece of politician Ole Hannibal Sommerfeldt and an aunt of priest and politician Christian Sommerfeldt. On the maternal side she was a first cousin of Wolfgang Wenzel von Haffner
Wolfgang Wenzel von Haffner
Wolfgang Wenzel von Haffner was a Norwegian naval officer and politician.-Early life and career:He was born in Christiania in 1806, as the son of Lieutenant Colonel Johan Friedrich Wilhelm Haffner and Sara Vilhelmine, née Hagerup...
.
Career
Olaus Michael Schmidt enrolled as a student in 1801, and graduated with the cand.theol.Cand.theol.
Candidatus theologiæ , Candidata theologiæ , abbreviated cand. theol. is an academic degree with a long tradition, awarded after a six year higher education in theology in Denmark and Norway. In Norway, the title has remained after the "Quality Reform", though it is equivalent to a Master of...
degree in 1806. He was hired as a school teacher, but left this job in 1810 to study law at the University of Copenhagen
University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
. He graduated with the cand.jur. degree in 1812. He became an assessor
Assessor (law)
In some jurisdictions, an assessor is a judge's or magistrate's assistant. This is in fact the historical meaning of this word.-By country:In Denmark, it was the former title given to Supreme Court judges. Today the title is given to Deputy Judges...
in the district court of Christianssand
Kristiansand
-History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040...
in 1817, and was promoted to Chief Justice at the same place in 1828. He had been elected to the Parliament of Norway in 1827, to represent his city. He only served one term. In 1829 he became national Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Norway
The Supreme Court of Norway was established in 1815 on the basis of the Constitution of Norway's §88, prescribing an independent judiciary. It is located in Oslo and is Norway's highest court...
Assessor
Assessor (law)
In some jurisdictions, an assessor is a judge's or magistrate's assistant. This is in fact the historical meaning of this word.-By country:In Denmark, it was the former title given to Supreme Court judges. Today the title is given to Deputy Judges...
.
However, he was not finished on national political scene. On 22 January 1838 he was appointed 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...
. He held this post until 1 July the same year, when he was appointed as a member of the Council of State Division in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. On 1 August 1839 he returned as Minister of Justice. On 1 September 1842 he returned to serve one year in Stockholm. He then got his third spell as Minister of Justice from 1 September 1843 to 1 April 1845. One final tenure in Stockholm followed; he then returned to Norway to become Minister of Finance and Customs
Minister of Finance (Norway)
- 1st Ministry :- 5th Ministry :- Ministry of Finance, Trade and Customs :- Ministry of Finance and Customs :- Ministry of Finance :...
from 1 May 1846 to 1 July 1847, and then Minister of Justice for the fourth time, from 1847 to 18 April 1848. He then retired.
Olaus Michael Schmidt died in 1851 in Töplitz, three years after the death of his wife.