Sven Arntzen
Encyclopedia
Sven Arntzen was a Norwegian barrister. He was also the acting director general of the Norwegian Prosecuting Authority
from 1945 ot 1946, and played an important role in the legal purge in Norway after World War II
.
as the son of banker Per Arntzen (1864–1924) and his wife Aasta Høst (1869–1945). He was a distant descendant of Andreas Arntzen
. He took the cand.jur. degree with excellent grades in 1920, and then worked as a deputy judge. From 1922 to 1924 he studied in France
. He then settled in Kristiania/Oslo as a lawyer, and gained access to Supreme Court
cases in 1927. He also worked with law candidates at the University of Oslo
, and was a prominent member of the Norwegian Bar Association
.
and occupied by Nazi Germany
. Arntzen worked to spread resistance to the occupation throughout his profession. In 1942 he was recruited by Haakon Sund
as a police organizer within the Norwegian resistance movement
. Arntzen became a member of Milorg
's military council and Hjemmefrontens Ledelse. From May 1944 to September 1944 he was incarcerated at Bredtveit prison
. The authorities not being aware of his association with Milorg and Hjemmefrontens Ledelse, he was then released from prison, only to continue his resistance work. He helped plan the situation which would come after a German loss in World War II.
, Arntzen immediately became the acting national chief of police. One week later he became acting Director of Public Prosecutions. As such he played an important role in the legal purge in Norway after World War II
. He withdrew in October 1946, and returned to his barrister's office, where he spent the rest of his career. He also represented the state of Norway in various arbitrations in the International Court of Justice
. During a razzia in November 1948 it was revealed that the already-imprisoned Nazi agents, Gard Holtskog, Sten Blom Westberg and Hans Johann Krijom, had fabricated documents which tied Arntzen to the Nazis.
Arntzen chaired the Norwegian Bar Association from 1959 to 1961, as well as Storebrand
and Norsk Jernverk
. He received the King's Medal for Courage, the Norwegian Defence Medal
and was decorated as a Commander with Star of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav. In 1961 he stood forward as a member of Landsforbundet for folkeavstemning
, a lobby organization which worked to include the institution of referenda
in the Norwegian Constitution.
Since 1922 he was married to Ellinor Bergfeldt (1897–1983). In his later life, one of his sons worked in his barrister's office. He died in November 1976 of heart failure in Aix-en-Provence
, and was buried at Vestre gravlund
.
Norwegian Prosecuting Authority
Norwegian Prosecuting Authority is a body subordinate to the Norwegian Council of State.This body is responsible for legal prosecutions in Norway. It is divided into three branches. The third branch is the Prosecuting Authority in the Police. The first two, the Office of the Director of Public...
from 1945 ot 1946, and played an important role in 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...
.
Pre-war life
He was born in KristianiaOslo
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...
as the son of banker Per Arntzen (1864–1924) and his wife Aasta Høst (1869–1945). He was a distant descendant of Andreas Arntzen
Andreas Arntzen
Andreas Arntzen was a Norwegian politician.He was born in Grue, and graduated as cand.jur. in Copenhagen in 1802. He then worked as an attorney, chief of police of Christiania, Supreme Court judge and also timber merchant....
. He took the cand.jur. degree with excellent grades in 1920, and then worked as a deputy judge. From 1922 to 1924 he studied in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He then settled in Kristiania/Oslo as a lawyer, and gained access to 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...
cases in 1927. He also worked with law candidates 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 was a prominent member of the Norwegian Bar Association
Norwegian Bar Association
The Norwegian Bar Association is an association of Norwegian lawyers. It was established in 1908 as , and assumed its current name from 1965. As of 2008 the association had about 7,000 members. Among its publications are the journals Norsk Retstidende and Rettens Gang....
.
World War II
In 1940 Norway was invadedOperation 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...
and occupied by Nazi Germany
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...
. Arntzen worked to spread resistance to the occupation throughout his profession. In 1942 he was recruited by Haakon Sund
Haakon Sund
Haakon Ragnvald Olsen Sund was a Norwegian judge and prosecutor.He took the cand.jur. degree in 1895, and became police chief in Bodø in 1904. In 1913 he was promoted to Public Prosecutor in Nordland...
as a police organizer within 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:...
. Arntzen became a member of Milorg
Milorg
Milorg was the main Norwegian resistance movement in World War II....
's military council and Hjemmefrontens Ledelse. From May 1944 to September 1944 he was incarcerated at Bredtveit prison
Bredtveit prison
Bredtveit Prison is a prison in Bredtvet, Oslo, Norway. During World War II it was a concentration camp.-Pre-World War II:It originated at Bredtvet farm as a lærehjem for young boys, erected 1918 and in use from 1919 to 1923. In 1923 the state took over the property from Det norske lærehjem- og...
. The authorities not being aware of his association with Milorg and Hjemmefrontens Ledelse, he was then released from prison, only to continue his resistance work. He helped plan the situation which would come after a German loss in World War II.
Post-war life
When the war ended on 8 May 1945Victory 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...
, Arntzen immediately became the acting national chief of police. One week later he became acting Director of Public Prosecutions. As such he played an important role in 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...
. He withdrew in October 1946, and returned to his barrister's office, where he spent the rest of his career. He also represented the state of Norway in various arbitrations in the International Court of Justice
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands...
. During a razzia in November 1948 it was revealed that the already-imprisoned Nazi agents, Gard Holtskog, Sten Blom Westberg and Hans Johann Krijom, had fabricated documents which tied Arntzen to the Nazis.
Arntzen chaired the Norwegian Bar Association from 1959 to 1961, as well as Storebrand
Storebrand
Storebrand is a financial services company in Norway. By volume, the company's main activities are related to life insurance and pension savings. However, the company also has major divisions working on investments, banking and, since 2006, P&C insurance products...
and Norsk Jernverk
Norsk Jernverk
Norsk Jernverk is a former Norwegian industrial company which was founded in 1946 in Mo i Rana, fully owned by the State of Norway. The production started in 1955. In 1985 it acquired the steel company Christiania Spigerverk, which was later again sold out as a separate company...
. He received the King's Medal for Courage, the Norwegian Defence Medal
Defence Medal 1940 – 1945
The Defence Medal 1940 – 1945 is the award rewarded to those military and civilian personnel who participated in the fight against the German invasion and occupation of Norway between 1940 and 1945....
and was decorated as a Commander with Star of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav. In 1961 he stood forward as a member of Landsforbundet for folkeavstemning
Landsforbundet for folkeavstemning
Landsforbundet for folkeavstemning was a Norwegian lobby organization.-Inception:It was founded in April 1961 with the goal of including the institution of referenda in the Norwegian Constitution...
, a lobby organization which worked to include the institution of referenda
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
in the Norwegian Constitution.
Since 1922 he was married to Ellinor Bergfeldt (1897–1983). In his later life, one of his sons worked in his barrister's office. He died in November 1976 of heart failure in Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence
Aix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
, and was buried at Vestre gravlund
Vestre gravlund
Vestre gravlund is a cemetery in the Frogner borough of Oslo, Norway, located next to the Borgen metro station. At , it is the largest cemetery in Norway...
.