Reidar Hirsti
Encyclopedia
Reidar Andreas Hirsti was a Norwegian newspaper editor and politician for the Labour Party
.
He was born in Tana, and his first language
was Sami
. During his childhood he experienced Norwegianization as well as the brutal scorched earth
retreat by Nazi German occupants
in 1944. He finished
his secondary education as late as in 1947. He enrolled in studies, but did not complete them. Instead he was the chairman of Workers' Youth League
, the youth wing of the Labour Party, from 1955 to 1958.
Hirsti then became known as editor-in-chief of Arbeiderbladet
. He was appointed at the Labour Party national convention in 1963, and the editor position also secured him a seat in the Labour Party central committee. From 1970 to 1974 he chaired the Association of Norwegian Editors. He was removed by people in the party in 1974. From 1974 to 1975, during the second cabinet Bratteli
, he served as State Secretary
in the Ministry of Industry. He then spent his career in the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. Most notably he was the programme editor from 1980 to 1987. From 1976 to 1980 he was a board member of the Arts Council Norway. He retired in 1995.
Hirsti authored many books, many about historical or Sami topics. He biographed Johan Nygaardsvold
, Gro Harlem Brundtland
and Yngve Hågensen
. His 1991 book Partipisken describes the inner discipline of the Labour Party and its newspaper. In 2000 he received the Fritt Ord Honorary Award.
His wife since 1954 died in October 1989. Hirsti died in April 2001 in Oslo.
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....
.
He was born in Tana, and his first language
First language
A first language is the language a person has learned from birth or within the critical period, or that a person speaks the best and so is often the basis for sociolinguistic identity...
was Sami
Sami languages
Sami or Saami is a general name for a group of Uralic languages spoken by the Sami people in parts of northern Finland, Norway, Sweden and extreme northwestern Russia, in Northern Europe. Sami is frequently and erroneously believed to be a single language. Several names are used for the Sami...
. During his childhood he experienced Norwegianization as well as the brutal scorched earth
Scorched earth
A scorched earth policy is a military strategy or operational method which involves destroying anything that might be useful to the enemy while advancing through or withdrawing from an area...
retreat by Nazi German occupants
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...
in 1944. He finished
Examen artium
Examen artium was the name of the academic certification conferred in Denmark and Norway, qualifying the student for admission to university studies. Examen artium was originally introduced as the entrance exam of the University of Copenhagen in 1630...
his secondary education as late as in 1947. He enrolled in studies, but did not complete them. Instead he was the chairman of 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...
, the youth wing of the Labour Party, from 1955 to 1958.
Hirsti then became known as editor-in-chief of Arbeiderbladet
Dagsavisen
Dagsavisen is a daily newspaper published in Oslo, Norway. The former party organ of the Norwegian Labour Party, the ties loosened over time from 1975 to 1999, and it is now fully independent...
. He was appointed at the Labour Party national convention in 1963, and the editor position also secured him a seat in the Labour Party central committee. From 1970 to 1974 he chaired the Association of Norwegian Editors. He was removed by people in the party in 1974. From 1974 to 1975, during the second cabinet Bratteli
Second cabinet Bratteli
Bratteli's Second Cabinet governed Norway between 16 October 1973 and 15 January 1976. The Labour Party cabinet was led by Trygve Bratteli. It had the following composition:-Cabinet members:-State Secretaries:-References:* - Regjeringen.no...
, he served as State Secretary
State Secretary (Norway)
In Norway, a State Secretary is a partisan political position within the executive branch of government. Contrary to the position Secretary of State in many other countries, the Norwegian State Secretary does not head his or her Ministry, rather, they are second in rank to a Minister...
in the Ministry of Industry. He then spent his career in the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. Most notably he was the programme editor from 1980 to 1987. From 1976 to 1980 he was a board member of the Arts Council Norway. He retired in 1995.
Hirsti authored many books, many about historical or Sami topics. He biographed Johan Nygaardsvold
Johan Nygaardsvold
Johan Nygaardsvold was a Norwegian politician from the Labour Party. He was Prime Minister of Norway from 1935 to 1945 , as head of the cabinet Nygaardsvold.-Political career:...
, Gro Harlem Brundtland
Gro Harlem Brundtland
Gro Harlem Brundtland is a Norwegian Social democratic politician, diplomat, and physician, and an international leader in sustainable development and public health. She served three terms as Prime Minister of Norway , and has served as the Director General of the World Health Organization...
and Yngve Hågensen
Yngve Hågensen
Yngve Hågensen is a retired Norwegian labour union leader.From an early age Hågensen has been active in Norwegian organization life and politics...
. His 1991 book Partipisken describes the inner discipline of the Labour Party and its newspaper. In 2000 he received the Fritt Ord Honorary Award.
His wife since 1954 died in October 1989. Hirsti died in April 2001 in Oslo.