Harald Skavlan
Encyclopedia
Harald Skavlan was a Norwegian railroad engineer.
He was born in Herøy
as a son of dean
Aage Schavland (1806–1876) and his wife Gerhardine Pauline Bergh (1817–1884). He was a great-grandnephew of vicar Jacob Schavland, nephew of vicar Gerhard B. Bergh and a brother of Sigvald Skavlan, Einar Skavlan, Sr., Olaf Skavlan
and Aage Skavlan
.
He grew up in Trondhjem
, and from 1870 to 1872 he took an engineer's education in Gothenburg
. From 1876 to 1882 he worked as an engineering assistant on the Røros Line, and in the 1890s he participated in the construction of the Hamar–Otta Line and the Gjøvik Line. In 1898 he succeeded Thorbjørn Lekve as head engineer of the western part of the Bergen Line, which was under construction. The construction reached Krøderen before Skavlan's death. The opening of the entire Bergen Line took place in November 1909.
Skavlan advocated a type of countercyclical
economy, stating that the state should take particular care of hiring railroad workers and building railroads in downturn periods, as to prevent unemployment
. However, he also proposed to cut red tape
in administration, and that technical specialists be given more leeway. He was also a proponent of railroad electrification. He did not marry, and died in July 1908 in Voss
.
He was born in Herøy
Herøy, Møre og Romsdal
Herøy is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The administrative centre is the town of Fosnavåg on the island of Bergsøya. The industrial area of Eggesbønes is located south of Fosnavåg on the same island...
as a son of 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:...
Aage Schavland (1806–1876) and his wife Gerhardine Pauline Bergh (1817–1884). He was a great-grandnephew of vicar Jacob Schavland, nephew of vicar Gerhard B. Bergh and a brother of Sigvald Skavlan, Einar Skavlan, Sr., Olaf Skavlan
Olaf Skavlan
Olaf Skavlan was a Norwegian literary historian and playwright.-Personal life:He was born as Ole Skavlan in Stranda as a son of vicar and politician Aage Schavland and his wife Gerhardine Pauline Bergh...
and Aage Skavlan
Aage Skavlan
Aage Gerhard Skavlan was a Norwegian historian.He was born in Herøy as a son of dean Aage Schavland and his wife Gerhardine Pauline Bergh . He was a great-grandnephew of vicar Jacob Schavland, nephew of vicar Gerhard B...
.
He grew up in Trondhjem
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...
, and from 1870 to 1872 he took an engineer's education in Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
. From 1876 to 1882 he worked as an engineering assistant on the Røros Line, and in the 1890s he participated in the construction of the Hamar–Otta Line and the Gjøvik Line. In 1898 he succeeded Thorbjørn Lekve as head engineer of the western part of the Bergen Line, which was under construction. The construction reached Krøderen before Skavlan's death. The opening of the entire Bergen Line took place in November 1909.
Skavlan advocated a type of countercyclical
Countercyclical
Countercyclical is a term used in economics to describe how an economic quantity is related to economic fluctuations. It is the opposite of procyclical. However, it has more than one meaning.-Meaning in policy making:...
economy, stating that the state should take particular care of hiring railroad workers and building railroads in downturn periods, as to prevent unemployment
Unemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
. However, he also proposed to cut red tape
Red tape
Red tape is excessive regulation or rigid conformity to formal rules that is considered redundant or bureaucratic and hinders or prevents action or decision-making...
in administration, and that technical specialists be given more leeway. He was also a proponent of railroad electrification. He did not marry, and died in July 1908 in Voss
Voss
is a municipality in Hordaland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Voss. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Vossevangen....
.