Roald Halvorsen
Encyclopedia
Roald Halvorsen was a Norwegian typographer, Communist Party
politician and resistance member from World War II
.
He finished his typographer's education before World War II, and was a board member of his local union in Oslo
, Oslo Typografiske Fagforening. He was not a member of any political party. During the German occupation of Norway in World War II, Halvorsen joined the communist part of the Norwegian resistance movement
in 1942. In March 1942 he got a warning that the German police had tried to contact him at his home, and started to live undercover. When he disappeared from the police, his wife Fanny was incarcerated at the Grini concentration camp for sixteen months, as a hostage. Halvorsen participated in the production of the underground newspaper Avantgarden, which reached a peak circulation of 18,000 in 1942. Avantgarden was printed in Oslo. Halvorsen was responsible for the type-setting, and during the summer and autumn 1942 this was done from a summer hut at the beach Bestemorstranda at the eastern side of Bunnefjorden
. During the winter 1942–1943 he operated from a hut annex at Krokskogen
. He later worked out of Skriulægeret in Valdres
fjella, in the central headquarters of the communist resistance. The encampment was raided by the German occupiers in Operation Almenrausch
in June 1944, but Halvorsen escaped. He fled to Sweden and was a part of the Communist Party leadership-in-exile there. In 1988 he was an editor and contributor to the book De trykte illegale avisene, about the illegal press during the war.
After the end of the war he became chairman of the Young Communist League of Norway
. He served as a deputy representative to the Parliament of Norway from Akershus
during the term 1945–1949. In total he met during 66 days of parliamentary session. He was the vice chairman of the Communist Party from 1946, and doubled as manager of the party offices, but was expelled during the purge of Peder Furubotn
and his supporters in 1949/1950.
He was active in trade unionism for many years. He chaired the local union in Oslo
, Oslo Typografiske Fagforening from 1961, and advanced to become leader of the Norwegian Union of Typographists in 1963. When this trade union merged to form the Norwegian Graphical Union in 1967, Halvorsen became chairman there. He was the manager of the Socialist Electoral League (SV) from 1973, and deputy chairman of the new Socialist Left Party
(SV) from 1975 to 1977. He died in October 2010, at the age of 96.
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...
politician and resistance member from World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
He finished his typographer's education before World War II, and was a board member of his local union in Oslo
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...
, Oslo Typografiske Fagforening. He was not a member of any political party. During the German occupation of Norway in World War II, Halvorsen joined the communist part of the Norwegian resistance movement
Norwegian resistance movement
The Norwegian resistance to the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany began after Operation Weserübung in 1940 and ended in 1945. It took several forms:...
in 1942. In March 1942 he got a warning that the German police had tried to contact him at his home, and started to live undercover. When he disappeared from the police, his wife Fanny was incarcerated at the Grini concentration camp for sixteen months, as a hostage. Halvorsen participated in the production of the underground newspaper Avantgarden, which reached a peak circulation of 18,000 in 1942. Avantgarden was printed in Oslo. Halvorsen was responsible for the type-setting, and during the summer and autumn 1942 this was done from a summer hut at the beach Bestemorstranda at the eastern side of Bunnefjorden
Bunnefjorden
Bunnefjorden is the part of Oslofjorden placed east of Nesodden. North east part is in Oslo and the south part in Ås, Frogn and the middle part is in Nesodden and Oppegård.Bunnefjorden has a very long water residence time and the water is of poor quality....
. During the winter 1942–1943 he operated from a hut annex at Krokskogen
Krokskogen
Krokskogen is a wooden area of around 300 square kilometres, a part of Oslomarka area in Oslo, the capital of Norway, and the neighbour municipalities Ringerike, Hole and Bærum. The old road through Krokskogen was part of the King's Road from Oslo to Bergen, opened in 1805....
. He later worked out of Skriulægeret in Valdres
Valdres
Valdres is a traditional district in central, southern Norway, situated between Gudbrandsdal and Hallingdal.Administratively, Valdres belongs to Oppland. It consists of the municipalities Nord-Aurdal, Sør-Aurdal, Øystre Slidre, Vestre Slidre, Vang and Etnedal. The main town in the region is...
fjella, in the central headquarters of the communist resistance. The encampment was raided by the German occupiers in Operation Almenrausch
Operation Almenrausch
Operation Almenrausch was a counter-resistance operation in occupied Norway, planned and carried out by the Wehrmacht and the Nazi-controlled Norwegian Statspolitiet on 13 June 1944...
in June 1944, but Halvorsen escaped. He fled to Sweden and was a part of the Communist Party leadership-in-exile there. In 1988 he was an editor and contributor to the book De trykte illegale avisene, about the illegal press during the war.
After the end of the war he became chairman of the Young Communist League of Norway
Young Communist League of Norway
Young Communist League of Norway was until April 2006 the youth league of Norges Kommunistiske Parti . April 1st 2006 NKP declared that NKU was no longer its youth organization, and that all youths interested in joining the movement should contact the party directly...
. He served as a deputy representative to the Parliament of Norway from Akershus
Akershus
- Geography :The county is conventionally divided into the traditional districts Follo and Romerike, which fill the vast part of the county, as well as the small exclave west of Oslo that consists of Asker and Bærum...
during the term 1945–1949. In total he met during 66 days of parliamentary session. He was the vice chairman of the Communist Party from 1946, and doubled as manager of the party offices, but was expelled during the purge of Peder Furubotn
Peder Furubotn
Peder Furubotn was a Norwegian cabinetmaker, politician for the Communist Party and resistance member during World War II.-Early and personal life:...
and his supporters in 1949/1950.
He was active in trade unionism for many years. He chaired the local union in Oslo
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...
, Oslo Typografiske Fagforening from 1961, and advanced to become leader of the Norwegian Union of Typographists in 1963. When this trade union merged to form the Norwegian Graphical Union in 1967, Halvorsen became chairman there. He was the manager of the Socialist Electoral League (SV) from 1973, and deputy chairman of the new Socialist Left Party
Socialist Left Party (Norway)
The Socialist Left Party or SV, is a Norwegian left-wing political party. At one point one of the smallest parties in Parliament, it became the fourth-largest political party in Norway for the first time in the 2001 parliamentary election, and has been so ever since...
(SV) from 1975 to 1977. He died in October 2010, at the age of 96.