Arne Fjellbu
Encyclopedia
Arne Fjellbu was a Norwegian bishop
. During World War II
, he played a central role in the Church's resistance against the Nazi authorities
. He was bishop
of the Diocese of Nidaros
from 1945 to 1960.
in the United States
as a son of vicar
Karl Anton Fjellbu (1865–1933) and his wife Ellen Johanne Retvedt (1865–1941). In 1900, the family moved from the Red River Valley
to Norway
. He took his examen artium
at Kristiansand Cathedral School in 1909. He then graduated from the Royal Frederick University
with the cand.theol.
degree in 1914, completed the practical-theological seminary and was ordained
in 1916. In October 1918 he married Karen Christie (1892–1965). He was a priest in Berlin
from 1916 to 1917, acting vicar in Borge
from 1919-1921, and auxuliary priest in the Nidaros Cathedral
from 1921-1927. He was promoted to curate
in 1927 and dean
in 1937.
started, supported by the Norwegian political party Nasjonal Samling. Fjellbu was anti-Nasjonal Samling already in 1940, but continued in his job. On 1 February 1942, however, the authorities demanded that Nazi priest P. Blessing-Dahle preside over the church ceremony to celebrate the inauguration of the Quisling regime
. Fjellbu then held an alternative ceremony later the same day, and for that he was fired on 19 February. As a result, all bishops in the Church of Norway
stepped down in protest against the Nazi regime on 24 February 1942. Fjellbu was also imprisoned in Falstad concentration camp
from 9 March to 9 June 1942.
Fjellbu was expelled from the Diocese of Nidaros
on 1 May 1942, and moved to Hølen
before being expelled to Andøya
in June 1943. He was coerced from Andøya to Lillehammer
in the summer of 1944, but fled to Sweden
the same autumn. In December 1944, Fjellbu was appointed Bishop of the liberated parts of Northern Norway by the Norwegian government-in-exile. He arrived in Kirkenes
on 12 January 1945 and visited the burned-down cities of Vadsø
and Vardø
as well as other settlements. He stayed in Finnmark
until late March, when he was called to London
to speak at a memorial sermon in Westminster Abbey
on 9 April. He returned from the United Kingdom
to Stockholm
by plane on 1 May 1945, heading for Finnmark, but due to the events instead travelled to Trondheim
by train, arriving the 9th of May, and conducting a sermon in a crowded Nidaros Cathedral
the following day. A day after Germany's loss in the war, Fjellbu became "Acting Bishop" of Nidaros, and in November 1945 he got the position formally. He was inaugurated on 13 January 1946. During the war years, Fjellbu documented events in a secret diary, parts of which were published as Minner fra krigsårene in 1945.
Fjellbu remained a bishop until his retirement in 1960. He was a co-founder of the World Council of Churches
in 1948, and was a member of its executive committee in 1953. He was also involved in the Lutheran World Federation
. He wrote several books, and a Festschrift
to him was issued on his seventieth birthday. He held honorary degree
s from Lund University
and the University of St Andrews
, was a member of the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters
and an honorary member of the British and Foreign Bible Society
and the International Mark Twain Society. He was appointed as a Commander With Star of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1958, and also as a Commander of the Danish Order of the Dannebrog
. He died in October 1962 in Trondheim.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
. During 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 played a central role in the Church's resistance against the Nazi authorities
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...
. He was bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Diocese of Nidaros
Diocese of Nidaros
Nidaros is a diocese in the Lutheran Church of Norway. It covers Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag counties and its cathedral city is Trondheim, which houses the well-known Nidaros Cathedral. The diocese is divided into 12 deaneries . Finn Wagle was the bishop from 1991 to 2008...
from 1945 to 1960.
Early life and career
He was born in Decorah, IowaDecorah, Iowa
Decorah is a city in and the county seat of Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 8,172 at the 2000 census. Decorah is located at the intersection of State Highway 9 and U.S...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as a son of vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
Karl Anton Fjellbu (1865–1933) and his wife Ellen Johanne Retvedt (1865–1941). In 1900, the family moved from the Red River Valley
Red River Valley
The Red River Valley is a region in central North America that is drained by the Red River of the North. It is significant in the geography of North Dakota, Minnesota, and Manitoba for its relatively fertile lands and the population centers of Fargo, Moorhead, Grand Forks, and Winnipeg...
to Norway
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...
. He took his examen artium
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...
at Kristiansand Cathedral School in 1909. He then graduated from the Royal Frederick University
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...
with the cand.theol.
Cand.theol.
Candidatus theologiæ , Candidata theologiæ , abbreviated cand. theol. is an academic degree with a long tradition, awarded after a six year higher education in theology in Denmark and Norway. In Norway, the title has remained after the "Quality Reform", though it is equivalent to a Master of...
degree in 1914, completed the practical-theological seminary and was ordained
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
in 1916. In October 1918 he married Karen Christie (1892–1965). He was a priest in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
from 1916 to 1917, acting vicar in Borge
Borge, Østfold
Borge is a parish and former municipality in Østfold county, Norway.-History:The parish of Borge was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 . The district of Torsnes was separated from Borge as a municipality of its own January 1, 1910. The split left Borge with a population of 6,466...
from 1919-1921, and auxuliary priest in the Nidaros Cathedral
Nidaros Cathedral
Nidaros Cathedral is a Church of Norway cathedral located in the city of Trondheim in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It was the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nidaros from its establishment in 1152 until its abolition in 1537. Since the Reformation, it has been the cathedral of the...
from 1921-1927. He was promoted to curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
in 1927 and dean
Dean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
in 1937.
Later career
In April 1940 the occupation of Norway by Nazi GermanyOccupation 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...
started, supported by the Norwegian political party Nasjonal Samling. Fjellbu was anti-Nasjonal Samling already in 1940, but continued in his job. On 1 February 1942, however, the authorities demanded that Nazi priest P. Blessing-Dahle preside over the church ceremony to celebrate the inauguration of the Quisling regime
Quisling regime
The Quisling regime, or the Quisling government are common names used to refer to the collaborationist government led by Vidkun Quisling in occupied Norway during the Second World War. The official name of the regime from 1 February 1942 until its dissolution in May 1945 was Nasjonale regjering...
. Fjellbu then held an alternative ceremony later the same day, and for that he was fired on 19 February. As a result, all bishops in the Church of Norway
Church of Norway
The Church of Norway is the state church of Norway, established after the Lutheran reformation in Denmark-Norway in 1536-1537 broke the ties to the Holy See. The church confesses the Lutheran Christian faith...
stepped down in protest against the Nazi regime on 24 February 1942. Fjellbu was also imprisoned in Falstad concentration camp
Falstad concentration camp
Falstad concentration camp was a prison camp in the village of Ekne in what was the municipality of Skogn in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway...
from 9 March to 9 June 1942.
Fjellbu was expelled from the Diocese of Nidaros
Diocese of Nidaros
Nidaros is a diocese in the Lutheran Church of Norway. It covers Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag counties and its cathedral city is Trondheim, which houses the well-known Nidaros Cathedral. The diocese is divided into 12 deaneries . Finn Wagle was the bishop from 1991 to 2008...
on 1 May 1942, and moved to Hølen
Hølen
Hølen is a former town and municipality in Akershus county, Norway.Hølen was in early times known for the production of timber, and from the 17th century important trade took place. Timber was floated on the river Såna...
before being expelled to Andøya
Andøya
Andøya is the northernmost island in the archipelago of Vesterålen. Andøya is located in the Andøy municipality in Nordland county, Norway.The island has an area of 489 km², making it the tenth largest island in Norway. The island is connected to the neighboring island of Hinnøya using the...
in June 1943. He was coerced from Andøya to Lillehammer
Lillehammer
is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
in the summer of 1944, but fled to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
the same autumn. In December 1944, Fjellbu was appointed Bishop of the liberated parts of Northern Norway by the Norwegian government-in-exile. He arrived in Kirkenes
Kirkenes
is a town in the municipality of Sør-Varanger in the county of Finnmark in the far northeast of Norway...
on 12 January 1945 and visited the burned-down cities of Vadsø
Vadsø
is a city and municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The city is the administrative centre of the municipality and the county of Finnmark....
and Vardø
Vardø
is a town and a municipality in Finnmark county in the extreme northeast part of Norway.Vardø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . The law required that all cities should be separated from their rural districts, but because of a low population and very few voters, this was...
as well as other settlements. He stayed in Finnmark
Finnmark
or Finnmárku is a county in the extreme northeast of Norway. By land it borders Troms county to the west, Finland to the south and Russia to the east, and by water, the Norwegian Sea to the northwest, and the Barents Sea to the north and northeast.The county was formerly known as Finmarkens...
until late March, when he was called 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...
to speak at a memorial sermon in Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
on 9 April. He returned from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
by plane on 1 May 1945, heading for Finnmark, but due to the events instead travelled to Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
by train, arriving the 9th of May, and conducting a sermon in a crowded Nidaros Cathedral
Nidaros Cathedral
Nidaros Cathedral is a Church of Norway cathedral located in the city of Trondheim in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It was the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nidaros from its establishment in 1152 until its abolition in 1537. Since the Reformation, it has been the cathedral of the...
the following day. A day after Germany's loss in the war, Fjellbu became "Acting Bishop" of Nidaros, and in November 1945 he got the position formally. He was inaugurated on 13 January 1946. During the war years, Fjellbu documented events in a secret diary, parts of which were published as Minner fra krigsårene in 1945.
Fjellbu remained a bishop until his retirement in 1960. He was a co-founder of the World Council of Churches
World Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
in 1948, and was a member of its executive committee in 1953. He was also involved in the Lutheran World Federation
Lutheran World Federation
The Lutheran World Federation is a global communion of national and regional Lutheran churches headquartered in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. The federation was founded in the Swedish city of Lund in the aftermath of the Second World War in 1947 to coordinate the activities of the...
. He wrote several books, and a Festschrift
Festschrift
In academia, a Festschrift , is a book honoring a respected person, especially an academic, and presented during his or her lifetime. The term, borrowed from German, could be translated as celebration publication or celebratory writing...
to him was issued on his seventieth birthday. He held honorary degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
s from Lund University
Lund University
Lund University , located in the city of Lund in the province of Scania, Sweden, is one of northern Europe's most prestigious universities and one of Scandinavia's largest institutions for education and research, frequently ranked among the world's top 100 universities...
and the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
, was a member of the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters
Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters
The Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters is a learned society based in Trondheim, Norway.-History:DKNVS was founded in 1760 by bishop of Nidaros Johan Ernst Gunnerus, headmaster at the Trondheim Cathedral School Gerhard Schøning and Councillor of State Peter Frederik Suhm under the name...
and an honorary member of the British and Foreign Bible Society
British and Foreign Bible Society
The British and Foreign Bible Society, often known in England and Wales as simply as Bible Society, is a non-denominational Christian Bible society with charity status whose purpose is to make the Bible available throughout the world....
and the International Mark Twain Society. He was appointed as a Commander With Star of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1958, and also as a Commander of the Danish Order of the Dannebrog
Order of the Dannebrog
The Order of the Dannebrog is an Order of Denmark, instituted in 1671 by Christian V. It resulted from a move in 1660 to break the absolutism of the nobility. The Order was only to comprise 50 noble Knights in one class plus the Master of the Order, i.e. the Danish monarch, and his sons...
. He died in October 1962 in Trondheim.