Evald O. Solbakken
Encyclopedia
Evald O. Solbakken was a Norwegian
newspaper editor and politician for the Labour
and Communist
parties.
He joined the Labour Party through membership in the youth association Freidig in Storhamar in 1917. His first political position was to be secretary here. He was hired as secretary in the trade information office in Hamar
in 1920. In 1921 he was hired as subeditor in the Hamar newspaper Demokraten
, where he succeeded Georg Svendsen
. Solbakken's superior at the time, editor-in-chief Olav Larssen
, has made note that Solbakken was among the last journalists in the labour press to be hired with primary education only.
After a short period in 1923 as editor-in-chief of Østerdal Arbeiderblad, he joined the Communist Party
later in 1923 and became subeditor in Arbeideren (the new name of Demokraten). In 1927 he rejoined the Labour Party, and was hired as subeditor in Hamar Arbeiderblad
. He was then editor-in-chief of Tidens Krav
from 1928 to 1931, subeditor of Fremtiden
from 1931 to 1934, then a journalist in Arbeiderbladet
. From 1947 to 1961 he edited Hamar Arbeiderblad.
During World War II and the German occupation of Norway he was arrested on 4 December 1940, and imprisoned in Åkebergveien until 4 March 1941. He was arrested for the second time, and imprisoned in Møllergata 19
from 27 January to 23 April 1942, then in Grini concentration camp until 2 June 1942. He then spent time in exile in Sweden, where he helped lead the refugee centre Kjesäter
towards the end of the war.
After the war he released the memoirs I fengsel og landflyktighet (1945), and several historical books: 50 års samvirke i hovedstaden (1945), Hamar Arbeiderblad gjennom 25 år (1950), Hamar Jern- og Metallarbeiderforening 50 år: 1900-1950 (1950), Det røde fylke gjennom 100 år (1951), Hedmark fylkes arbeiderparti 1904–12. november 1954 (1954) and Hamar arbeiderparti 1907–27. januar 1957 (1957). He became blind in his later life. He died in March 1967, and was buried in Hamar.
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.
He joined the Labour Party through membership in the youth association Freidig in Storhamar in 1917. His first political position was to be secretary here. He was hired as secretary in the trade information office in Hamar
Hamar
is a town and municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hedmarken. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Hamar. The municipality of Hamar was separated from Vang as a town and municipality of its own in 1849...
in 1920. In 1921 he was hired as subeditor in the Hamar newspaper Demokraten
Arbeideren (Hamar)
Arbeideren was a Norwegian newspaper, published in Hamar, Hedmark county. It was started in 1909 as the press organ of the Labour Party in Hedemarken and its adjoining regions, and was called Demokraten until 1923...
, where he succeeded Georg Svendsen
Georg Svendsen
Georg "Mr. George" Svendsen was a Norwegian journalist and crime novelist.He was born in Eidanger, and started his journalistic career in Bratsberg-Demokraten before moving on to Demokraten where he was a subeditor. In 1921 he was hired in Fremtiden and replaced in Demokraten by Evald O....
. Solbakken's superior at the time, editor-in-chief Olav Larssen
Olav Larssen
Olav Larssen was a Norwegian newspaper editor.He was a typographer by education. He edited the Labour Party newspapers Demokraten in Hamar from 1920 to 1927, and Hamar Arbeiderblad from 1927 to 1935. In 1935 he was hired as a journalist in Arbeiderbladet...
, has made note that Solbakken was among the last journalists in the labour press to be hired with primary education only.
After a short period in 1923 as editor-in-chief of Østerdal Arbeiderblad, he joined the Communist Party
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...
later in 1923 and became subeditor in Arbeideren (the new name of Demokraten). In 1927 he rejoined the Labour Party, and was hired as subeditor in Hamar Arbeiderblad
Hamar Arbeiderblad
Hamar Arbeiderblad is a local newspaper published in Hamar, Norway. It is part of the media company Hamar Media. The newspaper was first published on 30 March 1925, in 1,200 copies. It was the local branches of the Labour Party that took the initiative to start up the publication. It is no longer a...
. He was then editor-in-chief of Tidens Krav
Tidens Krav
Tidens Krav ' is a local newspaper published in Kristiansund, Norway. It was founded in 1906, is published Monday through Saturday, and reports news from Nordmøre.-Circulation:...
from 1928 to 1931, subeditor of Fremtiden
Fremtiden
Fremtiden was a Norwegian newspaper, published in Drammen.Fremtiden was started in 1905. Its first editor was Torgeir Vraa, who edited the newspaper from its start until his death in 1934. Fremtiden became the main organ for tne Norwegian Labour Party in Buskerud. During the 1980s the newspaper had...
from 1931 to 1934, then a journalist in Arbeiderbladet
Dagsavisen
Dagsavisen is a daily newspaper published in Oslo, Norway. The former party organ of the Norwegian Labour Party, the ties loosened over time from 1975 to 1999, and it is now fully independent...
. From 1947 to 1961 he edited Hamar Arbeiderblad.
During World War II and the German occupation of Norway he was arrested on 4 December 1940, and imprisoned in Åkebergveien until 4 March 1941. He was arrested for the second time, and imprisoned in Møllergata 19
Møllergata 19
Møllergata 19 is an address in Oslo, Norway where the city's main police station and jail was located. The address gained notoriety during the German occupation from 1940 to 1945, when the Nazi security police kept its headquarters here...
from 27 January to 23 April 1942, then in Grini concentration camp until 2 June 1942. He then spent time in exile in Sweden, where he helped lead the refugee centre Kjesäter
Kjesäter
Kjesäter is a manor in the municipality of Vingåker in the county of Södermanland that now serves as a folkhögskola and youth hostel. During World War II, it served as a refugee camp and transit center for refugees fleeing Nazi persecution in Norway....
towards the end of the war.
After the war he released the memoirs I fengsel og landflyktighet (1945), and several historical books: 50 års samvirke i hovedstaden (1945), Hamar Arbeiderblad gjennom 25 år (1950), Hamar Jern- og Metallarbeiderforening 50 år: 1900-1950 (1950), Det røde fylke gjennom 100 år (1951), Hedmark fylkes arbeiderparti 1904–12. november 1954 (1954) and Hamar arbeiderparti 1907–27. januar 1957 (1957). He became blind in his later life. He died in March 1967, and was buried in Hamar.