Omar Gjesteby
Encyclopedia
Omar Anton Pedersen Gjesteby (4 June 1899 – 28 October 1979) was Norwegian
trade unionist and politician for the Labour Party
.
as a son of farmers Olaf Pedersen Ugjesteby (1867–1918) and Anette Grasmoen (1868–1954). He finished commerce school at Treider in Kristiania
in 1915, and worked in a shop, in a warehouse and with newspaper sales between 1915 and 1926. He was a board member of the trade union Avis-, bok- og papirfunksjonærers forening, and from 1926 he worked as a secretary in the trade union Union of Employees in Commerce and Offices. He was also active in the International Organisation of Good Templars
. From 1923 to 1927 he was a national board member of the Social Democratic Youth League of Norway
(the youth wing of the Social Democratic Labour Party
), and from 1927 to 1929 he was a central board member of the Workers' Youth League
.
In the Labour Party he was a supervisory council member in the Oslo branch from 1932 to 1968. He was a member of the executive committee of Oslo city council from 1934, and also a deputy representative to the Parliament of Norway during the term 1934–1936. He also advanced to deputy leader of the Union of Employees in Commerce and Offices.
, Gjesteby showed signs of willingness to cooperate economically with the invaders. However, in November 1940, some time into the German occupation of Norway, he was removed by the Nazi authorities as deputy leader of his union. Shortly after, he was arrested because the Labour Party fraction in the executive committee of Oslo city council criticized the Nazification of the County Governor post. He was later released. He found work as office manager in the fish food company Erling Moe, but had to flee the country in 1944. He fled to Sweden
where he worked in Svenska Norgeshjälpen
until the end of the Second World War. He was a member of the secretariat-in-exile for the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
in Stockholm
.
. He continued working in Erling Moe until 1949. From 1949 to 1950 he worked as a manager in the Norwegian Federation of Co-operative Housing Associations. From 1951 to 1972 he was the manager of the company Gjesteby Manufaktur og Trikotasje. He was a supervisory council member of Oslo Sporveier
from 1935 to 1947, the Østfold Line from 1935 to 1940, Oslo Bolig- og Sparelag from 1938 to 1940 and 1944 to 1947. He chaired the board of Oslo- Bolig og Sparelag from 1948 to 1951 as well as Oslo Commerce School
.
He was the father of Odd Gjesteby, Arne Gjesteby and Kari Gjesteby
. His son Odd was a police investigator during the legal purge in Norway after World War II
, which meant that he investigated and interrogated several people involved in the removal of Omar Gjesteby as a unionist. This was criticized by defenders of those who were interrogated, but nothing happened.
Gjesteby was decorated with the Medal of St. Hallvard
in 1974. He died in October 1979.
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 and politician for the 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....
.
Pre-war career
He was born in Berg, ØstfoldBerg, Østfold
Berg is a former parish and municipality which now forms part of Halden municipality in Østfold county, Norway.-History:Berg was the main parish in a district which included Rokke and Halden until 1721. Halden subsequently became the main parish in the district. By a royal proclamation in 1769,...
as a son of farmers Olaf Pedersen Ugjesteby (1867–1918) and Anette Grasmoen (1868–1954). He finished commerce school at Treider in Kristiania
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
in 1915, and worked in a shop, in a warehouse and with newspaper sales between 1915 and 1926. He was a board member of the trade union Avis-, bok- og papirfunksjonærers forening, and from 1926 he worked as a secretary in the trade union Union of Employees in Commerce and Offices. He was also active in the International Organisation of Good Templars
International Organisation of Good Templars
The IOGT International is an international non-governmental organisation working in the field of temperance...
. From 1923 to 1927 he was a national board member of the Social Democratic Youth League of Norway
Socialist Youth League of Norway
Socialist Youth League of Norway , initially founded as the Social Democratic Youth League of Norway , was the youth wing of the Social Democratic Labour Party of Norway...
(the youth wing of the Social Democratic Labour Party
Social Democratic Labour Party of Norway
The Social Democratic Labour Party of Norway was a Norwegian political party in the 1920s. Following the Labour Party's entry into the Comintern in 1919, its right wing left the party to form the Social Democratic Labour Party in 1921...
), and from 1927 to 1929 he was a central board member of the Workers' Youth League
Workers' Youth League (Norway)
The Workers' Youth League is Norways biggest political youth organization, and is affiliated with the Norwegian Labour Party.AUF took its current form in April 1927, following the merger of Left Communist Youth League and Socialist Youth League of Norway corresponding with the merger of its...
.
In the Labour Party he was a supervisory council member in the Oslo branch from 1932 to 1968. He was a member of the executive committee of Oslo city council from 1934, and also a deputy representative to the Parliament of Norway during the term 1934–1936. He also advanced to deputy leader of the Union of Employees in Commerce and Offices.
World War II
In April 1940, some days after the German invasion of NorwayOperation 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...
, Gjesteby showed signs of willingness to cooperate economically with the invaders. However, in November 1940, some time into the German occupation of Norway, he was removed by the Nazi authorities as deputy leader of his union. Shortly after, he was arrested because the Labour Party fraction in the executive committee of Oslo city council criticized the Nazification of the County Governor post. He was later released. He found work as office manager in the fish food company Erling Moe, but had to flee the country in 1944. He fled to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
where he worked in Svenska Norgeshjälpen
Swedish humanitarian aid to Norway during World War II
Swedish humanitarian aid to Norway during World War II, in Norway called and in Sweden called , amounted to around SEK 71 million. High priority was extra food for schoolchildren in Norway. In 1944 more than 100,000 portions of soup were administered daily from almost 1,000 distribution centrals....
until the end of the Second World War. He was a member of the secretariat-in-exile for 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...
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...
.
Post-war career
After the war he did not return as deputy leader of his union. He did return to the executive committee of Oslo city council, where he remained until 1947. He was a deputy parliamentary representative during the term 1950–1953, and met as a regular representative from November 1953 to January 1954 (end of the term) as a cover for government minister Trygve BratteliTrygve Bratteli
was a Norwegian politician from the Labour Party and Prime Minister of Norway in 1971–1972 and 1973–1976.-Early life and career:...
. He continued working in Erling Moe until 1949. From 1949 to 1950 he worked as a manager in the Norwegian Federation of Co-operative Housing Associations. From 1951 to 1972 he was the manager of the company Gjesteby Manufaktur og Trikotasje. He was a supervisory council member of Oslo Sporveier
Oslo Sporveier
Kollektivtransportproduksjon AS is a municipal owned public transport operator of Oslo, Norway, the name meaning simply "public transportation producer". It operates the trackage and maintains the stock of the Oslo Metro and Oslo Tramway, as well as owning eight operating subsidiaries...
from 1935 to 1947, the Østfold Line from 1935 to 1940, Oslo Bolig- og Sparelag from 1938 to 1940 and 1944 to 1947. He chaired the board of Oslo- Bolig og Sparelag from 1948 to 1951 as well as Oslo Commerce School
Oslo Commerce School
Oslo Commerce School is a public high school in Oslo, Norway, specialized to teach financial and business management....
.
He was the father of Odd Gjesteby, Arne Gjesteby and Kari Gjesteby
Kari Gjesteby
Kari Gjesteby is a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party. She has never been a member of the Norwegian Parliament, but has been State Secretary for three tenures, as well as Minister of Trade and Shipping from February to October 1981 and Minister of Justice and the Police from 1990 to 1992...
. His son Odd was a police investigator 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...
, which meant that he investigated and interrogated several people involved in the removal of Omar Gjesteby as a unionist. This was criticized by defenders of those who were interrogated, but nothing happened.
Gjesteby was decorated with the Medal of St. Hallvard
Medal of St. Hallvard
The Medal of St. Hallvard is the highest award of the city of Oslo. It is named after the city's patron, Saint Hallvard . The medal has been awarded since 1956.-Recipients:The following people have received the medal:...
in 1974. He died in October 1979.