Arvid G. Hansen
Encyclopedia
Arvid Gilbert Hansen was a Norwegian
newspaper editor and politician for the Labour
and Communist
parties.
as a tinsmith
's son. He spent his entire youth in Bergen
, before moving to Stavanger where he took the examen artium
in 1913 as a private candidate. He then studied philology for two years at the Royal Frederick University
, but quit the studies. He had joined Norges Socialdemokratiske Ungdomsforbund in 1910, and was secretary from 1915 and acting editor of Klassekampen
in 1916. He then chaired the organization for one year. From 1917 to 1919 he was editor-in-chief of the Labour Party
newspaper Akershus Social-Demokrat, and from 1921 to 1923 he edited the party's ideological periodical Det 20de Århundre
. In 1923 he took over Klassekampen again, returning to Norges Socialdemokratiske Ungdomsforbund to strengthen the left wing there.
He was also involved in socialist schooling. He wrote several books and pamphlets in this period. Haandbog i lags- og studiearbeidet (with Reinert Torgeirson
, 1916) was the first handbook of its kind. Skolen, kirken og dogmerne (1915) and Kampen for religionsfrihet (1918) were critical to the religious situation. Also in 1923 he wrote the propagandistic history book Den røde ungdom i kamp og seier. Norges kommunistiske ungdomsforbund gjennem 20 aar together with Eugène Olaussen
and Aksel Zachariassen
.
, and Hansen became a leading figure. Except for the period 1924 to 1926, he avidly followed Comintern
. He edited the magazine Proletaren
, then the newspaper Norges Kommunistblad
in 1929 (before it went defunct) and then Arbeideren
from 1929 to 1931. From 1931 to 1935 he stayed in Moscow
where he educated Scandinavians in the party line. In 1936 he returned to Norway to edit Arbeidet
. From 1937 the work became harder as the Communist Party prioritized Arbeideren financially. Johanna Bugge Olsen
took over as editor in 1938.
During the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
from 1940 to 1945 Hansen was exiled in Sweden. In 1949 he was notably excluded from the Communist Party, as a supporter of the former party leader Peder Furubotn
who had fallen from grace.
question. In 1960 he wrote a book about laborers in Norwegian poetry, Arbeideren i norsk diktning fra Wergeland til i dag. Hansen was married five times. He died in January 1966 in Oslo.
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...
newspaper editor and politician for the Labour
Norwegian Labour Party
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....
and Communist
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...
parties.
Early life and Labour Party career
He was born in KristiansandKristiansand
-History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040...
as a tinsmith
Tinsmith
A tinsmith, or tinner or tinker or tinplate worker, is a person who makes and repairs things made of light-coloured metal, particularly tinware...
's son. He spent his entire youth in Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, before moving to Stavanger where he took the 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...
in 1913 as a private candidate. He then studied philology for two years at 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...
, but quit the studies. He had joined Norges Socialdemokratiske Ungdomsforbund in 1910, and was secretary from 1915 and acting editor of Klassekampen
Klassekampen (1909–1940)
Klassekampen was a Norwegian newspaper. It was established in 1909 as an organ for the youth movement of the Norwegian Labour Party, Norges socialdemokratiske ungdomsforbund. Its editor-in-chief from 1911 to 1921 was Eugène Olaussen.At the Labour-Communist party split in 1923, the newspaper was...
in 1916. He then chaired the organization for one year. From 1917 to 1919 he was editor-in-chief of the Labour Party
Norwegian Labour Party
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....
newspaper Akershus Social-Demokrat, and from 1921 to 1923 he edited the party's ideological periodical Det 20de Århundre
Det 20de Århundre
Det 20de Århundre was a periodical published by the Norwegian Labour Party.Its purpose was to print background articles on ideology and issues. For news, the party had a full network of newspapers, with Arbeiderbladet as the leading organ.Editor from 1920 to 1923 was Arvid G. Hansen...
. In 1923 he took over Klassekampen again, returning to Norges Socialdemokratiske Ungdomsforbund to strengthen the left wing there.
He was also involved in socialist schooling. He wrote several books and pamphlets in this period. Haandbog i lags- og studiearbeidet (with Reinert Torgeirson
Reinert Torgeirson
Reinert Torgeirson was a Norwegian newspaper editor and politician for the Labour and Communist parties. He was also an active poet, playwright and novelist....
, 1916) was the first handbook of its kind. Skolen, kirken og dogmerne (1915) and Kampen for religionsfrihet (1918) were critical to the religious situation. Also in 1923 he wrote the propagandistic history book Den røde ungdom i kamp og seier. Norges kommunistiske ungdomsforbund gjennem 20 aar together with Eugène Olaussen
Eugène Olaussen
Ansgar Eugène Olaussen was a Norwegian newspaper editor, educated as a typographer, and politician. As a politician he started in Norges Socialdemokratiske Ungdomsforbund, and notably edited Klassekampen from 1911 to 1921...
and Aksel Zachariassen
Aksel Zachariassen
Aksel "Azach" Zachariassen was a Norwegian politician, newspaper editor, secretary and writer.He was born in Porsgrunn as a son of ship captain Aksel Zachariassen from Luleå and Karen Nilsen from Ulefoss. He began his journalistic career in Bratsberg-Demokraten...
.
Communist Party career
In 1923 the communists in the Labour Party broke away to form the Communist PartyCommunist 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...
, and Hansen became a leading figure. Except for the period 1924 to 1926, he avidly followed Comintern
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
. He edited the magazine Proletaren
Proletaren
Proletaren was a Norwegian periodical published by the Communist Party.Proletaren was started in September 1923 during the fraction in-fighting in the Labour Party which resulted in the breakaway of the Communist Party. Its purpose was to deliver ideological articles to party members. The first...
, then the newspaper Norges Kommunistblad
Norges Kommunistblad
Norges Kommunistblad was a daily newspaper published in Oslo, Norway.It was started on 5 November 1923 as the official party newspaper from the Communist Party, which was established that year after a split from the Labour Party. The first editor was Olav Scheflo...
in 1929 (before it went defunct) and then Arbeideren
Arbeideren
Arbeideren was a daily newspaper published in Oslo, Norway.It was started on 2 November 1929 as the official party newspaper from the Communist Party. It lent its name from a Hamar-based newspaper of the same name, which had gone defunct on 4 October. More directly, it replaced Norges...
from 1929 to 1931. From 1931 to 1935 he stayed in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
where he educated Scandinavians in the party line. In 1936 he returned to Norway to edit Arbeidet
Arbeidet
Arbeidet was a Norwegian newspaper, published in Bergen in Hordaland county.Arbeidet was started in Bergen as a socialist newspaper on 6 December 1893, by a grouping called . It was the first socialist daily newspaper in Norway...
. From 1937 the work became harder as the Communist Party prioritized Arbeideren financially. Johanna Bugge Olsen
Johanna Bugge Olsen
Johanna Bugge Olsen was a Norwegian writer, newspaper editor and politician for the Labour and the Communist parties.- Biography :...
took over as editor in 1938.
During the 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...
from 1940 to 1945 Hansen was exiled in Sweden. In 1949 he was notably excluded from the Communist Party, as a supporter of the former party leader 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:...
who had fallen from grace.
Later life
He continued releasing books. In 1949 he edited Boligreising i Norge og andre land and in 1953 he wrote Boligkooperasjon i Norden, both on the housingHouse
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
question. In 1960 he wrote a book about laborers in Norwegian poetry, Arbeideren i norsk diktning fra Wergeland til i dag. Hansen was married five times. He died in January 1966 in Oslo.