Tore Pryser
Encyclopedia
Tore Pryser is a Norwegian historian, professor at the Lillehammer University College
since 1993.
Pryser was born in Oslo
, and took the cand.philol. degree at the University of Oslo
. He was appointed at the Lillehammer University College
in 1975, became associate professor in 1978, and was promoted to professor in 1993.
Pryser has specialized in several fields. In the field of Norwegian nineteenth and twentieth century history, he published the general overview Norsk historie 1800-1870. Frå standssamfunn til klassesamfunn in 1985. It was later remade into Norsk historie 1814-1860, Frå standssamfunn mot klassesamfunn, published in 1999 as volume four of Samlagets norske historie
, a series on Norwegian history spanning the years 800 to 2000. As the title indicates, Pryser's book has a social
perspective on the period.
In the field of Norwegian labor history
, his publications include Klassebevegelse eller folkebevegelse? En sosialhistorisk undersøkelse av thranittene i Ullensaker (1977, an expanded version of his master's degree thesis) and Klassen og nasjonen 1935-1946 (1988, volume four of Arbeiderbevegelsens historie i Norge
). The 1991 work Arbeiderbevegelsen og Nasjonal Samling explores the connection between parts of the worker's movement and Nasjonal Samling, the Norwegian Fascist party which during the German occupation of Norway from 1940 to 1945 was the only legal party in Norway. Other war-related publications include Fra varm til kald krig (1994) and Hitlers hemmelige agenter: tysk etterretning i Norge 1939-1945 (2001). Pryser also contributed to the Norsk krigsleksikon 1940–45, an encyclopedia published in 1995.
As a historian of Norway during World War II, Pryser has been critical to several historiographical
aspects of the period. The importance of several resistance
members, hailed as heroes after the war's end, has, according to Pryser, been exaggerated for nation-building
purposes. He has also stated that several companies went largely unpunished for their economic cooperation, so-called "economic high treason", with the German occupants.
Lillehammer University College
Lillehammer University College is a Norwegian state-run university college located at Storhove in Lillehammer. It was established in 1971 as Oppland College and took its current form in 1995. It is located in the television and radio center built for the 1994 Winter Olympic Games...
since 1993.
Pryser was born 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...
, and took the cand.philol. degree 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...
. He was appointed at the Lillehammer University College
Lillehammer University College
Lillehammer University College is a Norwegian state-run university college located at Storhove in Lillehammer. It was established in 1971 as Oppland College and took its current form in 1995. It is located in the television and radio center built for the 1994 Winter Olympic Games...
in 1975, became associate professor in 1978, and was promoted to professor in 1993.
Pryser has specialized in several fields. In the field of Norwegian nineteenth and twentieth century history, he published the general overview Norsk historie 1800-1870. Frå standssamfunn til klassesamfunn in 1985. It was later remade into Norsk historie 1814-1860, Frå standssamfunn mot klassesamfunn, published in 1999 as volume four of Samlagets norske historie
Norsk historie (Samlaget)
Norsk historie is a six-volume work about the general history of Norway. It was released in 1999 by Det Norske Samlaget.The books who became volumes four, five and six in the series had been published before, but the time spans covered in those books were modified slightly. Some of the books have...
, a series on Norwegian history spanning the years 800 to 2000. As the title indicates, Pryser's book has a social
Social history
Social history, often called the new social history, is a branch of History that includes history of ordinary people and their strategies of coping with life. In its "golden age" it was a major growth field in the 1960s and 1970s among scholars, and still is well represented in history departments...
perspective on the period.
In the field of Norwegian labor history
Labor history
Labor history may refer to:* Labor history , a subfield of the discipline of history**Labor history of the United States, describes the history of organized labor, as well as the more general history of working people, in the United States...
, his publications include Klassebevegelse eller folkebevegelse? En sosialhistorisk undersøkelse av thranittene i Ullensaker (1977, an expanded version of his master's degree thesis) and Klassen og nasjonen 1935-1946 (1988, volume four of Arbeiderbevegelsens historie i Norge
Arbeiderbevegelsens historie i Norge
Arbeiderbevegelsens historie i Norge is a six-volume work about the labour movement history of Norway. It was released between 1985 and 1990 by Tiden Norsk Forlag....
). The 1991 work Arbeiderbevegelsen og Nasjonal Samling explores the connection between parts of the worker's movement and Nasjonal Samling, the Norwegian Fascist party which during the German occupation of Norway from 1940 to 1945 was the only legal party in Norway. Other war-related publications include Fra varm til kald krig (1994) and Hitlers hemmelige agenter: tysk etterretning i Norge 1939-1945 (2001). Pryser also contributed to the Norsk krigsleksikon 1940–45, an encyclopedia published in 1995.
As a historian of Norway during World War II, Pryser has been critical to several historiographical
Historiography
Historiography refers either to the study of the history and methodology of history as a discipline, or to a body of historical work on a specialized topic...
aspects of the period. The importance of several resistance
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:...
members, hailed as heroes after the war's end, has, according to Pryser, been exaggerated for nation-building
Nation-building
For nation-building in the sense of enhancing the capacity of state institutions, building state-society relations, and also external interventions see State-building....
purposes. He has also stated that several companies went largely unpunished for their economic cooperation, so-called "economic high treason", with the German occupants.