Elisabeth Schweigaard Selmer
Encyclopedia
Ragnhild Elisabeth Schweigaard Selmer (18 October 1923 – 18 June 2009) was a Norwegian jurist and politician for the Conservative Party
.
to Niels Anker Stang Schweigaard (1884–1955) and his wife Betty Reimers (1886–1968). She had two older sisters, and was a great-granddaughter of Tellef Dahll Schweigaard
and great-granduncle of Anton Martin Schweigaard. Born as Ragnhild Elisabeth Schweigaard, she married law professor Knut Sejersted Selmer. Through him she was a daughter-in-law of Ernst W. Selmer.
, but then worked as an attorney from 1950 to 1955. She then returned to the Ministry of Justice, being promoted to assisting secretary in 1962. On the local political level Selmer had been a member of Oslo
city council during the term 1951–1955.
In 1965 she was appointed Minister of Justice and the Police
as a part of the centre-right cabinet
of Per Borten
, as the first woman to hold this position. She left the Minister of Justice position on 3 October 1970, when replaced by Egil Endresen
. She then served as a Supreme Court
Justice from 1971 to 1990, having been appointed in 1970.
Schweigaard Selmer was a member of many boards and councils. She was vice president of the Norse Federation from 1975 to 1978, and a long-time board member. She also sat on the boards of Oslo City Museum
, the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History and Norway's Resistance Museum
. A Riksmål proponent, she was a member of the Norwegian Academy for Language and Literature
. She was proclaimed Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1980, and has the Defence Medal 1940 – 1945
.
Conservative Party of Norway
The Conservative Party is a Norwegian political party. The current leader is Erna Solberg. The party was since the 1920s consistently the second largest party in Norway, but has been surpassed by the growth of the Progress Party in the late 1990s and 2000s...
.
Personal life
She 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...
to Niels Anker Stang Schweigaard (1884–1955) and his wife Betty Reimers (1886–1968). She had two older sisters, and was a great-granddaughter of Tellef Dahll Schweigaard
Tellef Dahll Schweigaard
Tellef Dahll Schweigaard was a Norwegian politician.-Personal life:Schweigaard was born in Kragerø as the oldest son and second child of merchant Jørgen Fredrich Schweigaard and his wife Johanne Marie Dahll . His paternal grandfather had immigrated to Norway from Holstein...
and great-granduncle of Anton Martin Schweigaard. Born as Ragnhild Elisabeth Schweigaard, she married law professor Knut Sejersted Selmer. Through him she was a daughter-in-law of Ernst W. Selmer.
Career
She enrolled as a student in 1942 and graduated as cand.jur. in 1949. During the German occupation of Norway she had been involved in the Norwegian resistance, in the illegal radio. After graduation she started working as a secretary in the Ministry of Justice and the PoliceNorwegian Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Police is a Norwegian government ministry in charge of justice, police and domestic intelligence. The main purpose of the Ministry is to provide for the maintenance and development of the basic guarantees of the rule of law...
, but then worked as an attorney from 1950 to 1955. She then returned to the Ministry of Justice, being promoted to assisting secretary in 1962. On the local political level Selmer had been a member 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...
city council during the term 1951–1955.
In 1965 she was appointed Minister of Justice and the Police
Minister of Justice and the Police (Norway)
In Norway, the Minister of Justice and the Police is the head of the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Police and a member of Government of Norway. Current minister is Grete Faremo of the Norwegian Labour Party who is part of the second cabinet Stoltenberg...
as a part of the centre-right cabinet
Cabinet Borten
Borten's Cabinet governed Norway between 12 October 1965 and 17 March 1971. The cabinet wes led by Per Borten and consisted of the Conservative Party, the Centre Party, the Liberal Party and the Christian Democratic Party. It had the following composition:...
of Per Borten
Per Borten
was a Norwegian politician from the Centre Party and Prime Minister of Norway from 1965 to 1971. Per Borten is credited for leading the modernization of what was then named Bondepartiet into today's Centre Party...
, as the first woman to hold this position. She left the Minister of Justice position on 3 October 1970, when replaced by Egil Endresen
Egil Endresen
Egil Endresen was a Norwegian judge and politician for the Conservative Party.He was born in Stavanger as a son of Gustav Adolf Emil Endresen and Alida Anda . He took his examen artium 1940, commerce school in 1941 and also took military training as a Captain. He studied law at the University of...
. She then served as 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...
Justice from 1971 to 1990, having been appointed in 1970.
Schweigaard Selmer was a member of many boards and councils. She was vice president of the Norse Federation from 1975 to 1978, and a long-time board member. She also sat on the boards of Oslo City Museum
Oslo City Museum
Oslo City Museum is located in the Frogner Manor in Oslo, the capital of Norway.The museum has an extensive library with the purpose of documenting the history of the City of Oslo, as well as the former municipality Aker. The museum also has one of the largest and most important photo collections...
, the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History and Norway's Resistance Museum
Norway's Resistance Museum
Norway's Resistance Museum also known as the Norwegian Home Front Museum is a museum located at the Akershus Fortress in Oslo.The museum collection focuses on Norwegian resistance during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany from 1940 to 1945. The museum displays equipment, photos and documents...
. A Riksmål proponent, she was a member of the Norwegian Academy for Language and Literature
Norwegian Academy for Language and Literature
The Norwegian Academy for Language and Literature is a Norwegian learned body on matters pertaining to the Dano-Norwegian language. Its primary role is regulating the written standard known as Riksmål ....
. She was proclaimed Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1980, and has the Defence Medal 1940 – 1945
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....
.