Viggo Hansteen
Encyclopedia
Harald Viggo Hansteen was a Norwegian
lawyer who was executed by the Nazis during the five-year Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
.
, Norway. As a student he was a part of the establishment of Mot Dag
. When cooperation between Mot Dag and the Norwegian Communist Party came to an end in 1929, he stayed in the Communist Party. He became a Supreme Court
advocate in 1933 and judicial consultant for the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
in 1936. In 1940 he went with the government in exile to London
, but came back to Oslo in June. He contributed strongly to the prevention of the Nasjonal Samling's attempt to gain control of the Confederation of Trade Unions.
Hansteen was executed on 10 September 1941 during the state of martial law
which followed the so-called Milk Strike
(Melkestreiken). The reason for the strike was that food supplies had become increasingly worse by September 1941. Also executed at that same time was labour activist Rolf Wickstrøm
, who was the Union steward
and chairman for the union workers at the Skabo Jernbanevognfabrikk
in Oslo. Hansteen and Wickstrøm were the first two Norwegian citizens executed by the Nazis during the five-year occupation of Norway. Hansteen and Rolf Wickstrøm are buried in Vår Frelsers gravlund
.
Viggo Hansteen and Rolf Wickstrøm were honored by the naming of a section of road around Oslo which bears their names. Hansteen's widow Kirsten Hansteen
became a part of Einar Gerhardsen
's coalition government in 1945 and was Norway's first female cabinet member.
In 1948, a memorial was erected in granite with a bronze relief at the site of Hansteen's execution at Årvoll
in the Bjerke
district of Oslo
. The memorial was directed by Norwegian sculptor Nic Schiøll (1901–1984). It bears the following:
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...
lawyer who was executed by the Nazis during the five-year Occupation of Norway 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...
.
Biography
Harald Viggo Hansteen was born in OsloOslo
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...
, Norway. As a student he was a part of the establishment of Mot Dag
Mot Dag
Mot Dag was a Norwegian periodical and a communist organization with the same name.It was established in 1921 under the initiative of Erling Falk, partly with origins in the debate forum in the Social Democratic student government in Oslo ; partly from a Falk-led study circle which from 1919...
. When cooperation between Mot Dag and the Norwegian Communist Party came to an end in 1929, he stayed in the Communist Party. He became a 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...
advocate in 1933 and judicial consultant 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 1936. In 1940 he went with the government in exile to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, but came back to Oslo in June. He contributed strongly to the prevention of the Nasjonal Samling's attempt to gain control of the Confederation of Trade Unions.
Hansteen was executed on 10 September 1941 during the state of martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
which followed the so-called Milk Strike
Milk strike
The milk strike was a strike in Nazi occupied Oslo on 8 and 9 September 1941. It led to strong reprisals from the German occupiers, in the form of martial law, court-martial, mass arrests, two executions and several long-term jail sentences.-Start:...
(Melkestreiken). The reason for the strike was that food supplies had become increasingly worse by September 1941. Also executed at that same time was labour activist Rolf Wickstrøm
Rolf Wickstrøm
Rolf Wickstrøm was a Norwegian labour activist and a victim of the German occupation of Norway during World War II.-Biography:...
, who was the Union steward
Union steward
A union representative, union steward, or shop steward is an employee of an organization or company, who represents and defends the interests of her/his fellow employees but who is also a labor union official...
and chairman for the union workers at the Skabo Jernbanevognfabrikk
Skabo Jernbanevognfabrikk
Skabo Jernbanevognfabrikk was a mechanical workshop focusing on design and construction of railcars. It was established by Hans Skabo in Drammen, Norway in 1864; it became the first rail car factory in the country when it took delivery of the cars for Kongsvingerbanen...
in Oslo. Hansteen and Wickstrøm were the first two Norwegian citizens executed by the Nazis during the five-year occupation of Norway. Hansteen and Rolf Wickstrøm are buried in Vår Frelsers gravlund
Vår Frelsers gravlund
Vår Frelsers gravlund is a cemetery in Oslo, Norway, located north of Hammersborg in Gamle Aker district. It was created in 1808 as a result of the great famine and cholera epidemic of the Napoleonic Wars. Its grounds were extended in 1911. The cemetery has been full since 1952...
.
Viggo Hansteen and Rolf Wickstrøm were honored by the naming of a section of road around Oslo which bears their names. Hansteen's widow Kirsten Hansteen
Kirsten Hansteen
Kirsten Hansteen was the Norwegian appointed Minister of Social Affairs in 1945, and the first ever female member of cabinet in Norway. She represented the Communist Party of Norway. Her husband Viggo Hansteen was executed by the German occupation forces in 1941. She edited the underground...
became a part of Einar Gerhardsen
Einar Gerhardsen
was a Norwegian politician from the Labour Party of Norway. He was Prime Minister for three periods, 1945–1951, 1955–1963 and 1963–1965. With 17 years in office, he is the longest serving Prime Minister in Norway since the introduction of parliamentarism...
's coalition government in 1945 and was Norway's first female cabinet member.
In 1948, a memorial was erected in granite with a bronze relief at the site of Hansteen's execution at Årvoll
Årvoll
Årvoll is a residential community located in the Bjerke district of Oslo, Norway. The community is named for the historic Årvoll Gård , which still stands in the center of the community. This is also where anti-Nazi activists Viggo Hansteen and Rolf Wickstrøm were executed by the Germans on...
in the Bjerke
Bjerke
Bjerke is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway.The most densely populated residential areas are located along the Trondheimsveien, including the high-rise apartment blocks of Linderud. The shopping centre at Linderud is also home to the borough council's administration. The northern areas of the...
district of 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...
. The memorial was directed by Norwegian sculptor Nic Schiøll (1901–1984). It bears the following:
Other sources
- Berntsen, HaraldHarald BerntsenHarald Berntsen is a national historian and is active in the radical left in Norway.- Background, upbringing and work :...
(1995) To liv - én skjebne: Viggo Hansteen og Rolf Wickstrøm (Oslo: Aschehoug) ISBN 82-03-26002-0