Olav Rytter
Encyclopedia
Olav Rytter was a Norwegian newspaper editor, radio personality, foreign correspondent, philologist and translator.
He was born in Kristiansund
as the son of writer Henrik Rytter
. He took his philological education at the University of Oslo
and the University of Prague
, having specialized in Slavic
and Indic languages. He would translate several works written in such languages. After working as a teacher in the Norwegian language
in Prague and Warsaw, from 1928 to 1935, he returned to Norway in 1935 to edit the newspaper Norsk Tidend.
From 1938 to 1946 he was a programme secretary in the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK). When Norway was invaded by Germany
in April 1940, Rytter fled the country together with the Norwegian royal family
and cabinet
. After a short period in Stockholm he reunited with the Norwegian authorities-in-exile in London, where he worked for the NRK and BBC
until 1944. He received basic military training, in Scotland. He has also been credited with suggesting Martin Linge
as an SOE
agent in the fall of 1940. In 1944 Rytter travelled to Finnmark
to oversee the liberation of Northern Norway as an officer of information. Norway was fully liberated on 8 May 1945
.
From 1948 to 1963 Rytter worked with information for the United Nations
. He headed their Prague information office from 1948 to 1953, helped establishing new offices in Jakarta, Teheran and Afghanistan over the next years, before heading the Cairo office from 1959 to 1963. In 1963 he returned to Norway to edit the newspaper Dag og Tid
. He stepped down from this position after short time, but continued working from 1964 to 1974 as a foreign correspondent.
Rytter died in June 1992. He donated his entired literature collection to the University of Oslo.
He was born in Kristiansund
Kristiansund
Kristiansund is a city and municipality on the western coast of Norway, in the Nordmøre district of Møre og Romsdal county. It was officially awarded township status in 1742, and it is still the major town for the region. The administrative center of the municipality is the city of Kristiansund...
as the son of writer Henrik Rytter
Henrik Rytter
Henrik Grytnes Rytter was a Norwegian dramatist, lyricist and translator.He was born in Bjørnør. He made his debut in 1907, with the drama Dømde. Later plays include Bråhamaren , Herman Ravn , Våren , Elva and Prestegarden og øya . All were staged at Det Norske Teatret...
. He took his philological education 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...
and the University of Prague
Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1348, it was the first university in Central Europe and is also considered the earliest German university...
, having specialized in Slavic
Slavic languages
The Slavic languages , a group of closely related languages of the Slavic peoples and a subgroup of Indo-European languages, have speakers in most of Eastern Europe, in much of the Balkans, in parts of Central Europe, and in the northern part of Asia.-Branches:Scholars traditionally divide Slavic...
and Indic languages. He would translate several works written in such languages. After working as a teacher in the Norwegian language
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
in Prague and Warsaw, from 1928 to 1935, he returned to Norway in 1935 to edit the newspaper Norsk Tidend.
From 1938 to 1946 he was a programme secretary in the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK). When Norway was invaded by Germany
Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
in April 1940, Rytter fled the country together with the Norwegian royal family
Norwegian Royal Family
The Royal Family of Norway is the family of King Harald V of Norway. In Norway there is a distinction between the Royal House and the Royal Family. The Royal House includes only the King and his spouse, the Queen, the King's eldest son with spouse, being the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, and the...
and cabinet
Cabinet Nygaardsvold
Nygaardsvold's Cabinet was appointed on 20 March 1935, the second Labour cabinet in Norway. It closed the brought to an end the non-socialist, minority Governments that had been dominating politics since the introduction of the parliamentary system in 1884, and replaced it with stable, Labour...
. After a short period in Stockholm he reunited with the Norwegian authorities-in-exile in London, where he worked for the NRK and BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
until 1944. He received basic military training, in Scotland. He has also been credited with suggesting Martin Linge
Martin Linge
Martin Jensen Linge was a former Norwegian actor who, in World War II, became the commander of the Norwegian Independent Company 1 , formed in March 1941 for operations on behalf of the Special Operations Executive.-Biography:Martin Linge was born in Norddal, Møre og Romsdal County, Norway...
as an SOE
Special Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
agent in the fall of 1940. In 1944 Rytter travelled to Finnmark
Finnmark
or Finnmárku is a county in the extreme northeast of Norway. By land it borders Troms county to the west, Finland to the south and Russia to the east, and by water, the Norwegian Sea to the northwest, and the Barents Sea to the north and northeast.The county was formerly known as Finmarkens...
to oversee the liberation of Northern Norway as an officer of information. Norway was fully liberated on 8 May 1945
Victory in Europe Day
Victory in Europe Day commemorates 8 May 1945 , the date when the World War II Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany and the end of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. The formal surrender of the occupying German forces in the Channel Islands was not...
.
From 1948 to 1963 Rytter worked with information for the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. He headed their Prague information office from 1948 to 1953, helped establishing new offices in Jakarta, Teheran and Afghanistan over the next years, before heading the Cairo office from 1959 to 1963. In 1963 he returned to Norway to edit the newspaper Dag og Tid
Dag og Tid
Dag og Tid is a national weekly newspaper in Norway that uses the Nynorsk standard of the Norwegian language. The newspaper was founded in 1962, is politically independent but editorially radical and focuses on culture and politics. The current editor is Svein Gjerdåker. Its circulation is...
. He stepped down from this position after short time, but continued working from 1964 to 1974 as a foreign correspondent.
Rytter died in June 1992. He donated his entired literature collection to the University of Oslo.