Jens Evensen
Encyclopedia
Jens Ingebret Evensen was a Norwegian lawyer
, judge
, politician
(for the Labour Party), trade minister
, international offshore rights expert, member of the International Law Commission
and judge at the International Court of Justice
in The Hague
, member of The Swedish Order of the Polar Star and Commander Of The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav.
He negotiated Norway's trading deal with EF in 1972 as minister of commerce, serving in this role in the governments of both Trygve Brattelis and Odvar Nordli
. He then served as ocean minister until 1979. He worked to secure government income from Norwegian oil discoveries. The "Gray Zone" deal was also his work. UN's oceans treaty (1982) is greatly fundamental based on Evensen's work. Former Labour Party politician and head of Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) Einar Førde called Jens Evensen "one of the great Norwegians of the last century."
(called Kristiania until 1925). He was the son of a successful butcher, Jens Ingebret Evensen, in Grønland
. His father routinely gave out meat and sausages to the underprivileged on the east side of Oslo and Evensen himself helped out to support those who had no work or food.
Evensen was originally to take over his father's butcher business, but his mother had other ambitions for him. Evensen thus started at law school at the University of Oslo
in 1936. His first job after he graduated was at the law firm Folkvard Bugge. The firm specialized in helping tenants
to enforce their legal right to buy the apartments they lived in. Evensen helped the tenants, many of whom were illiterate, and explained the rights they had.
During the Second World War, Evensen vounteered the Norwegian resistance movement
, helping, among other things, to create false identity papers. After World War II, he was appointed attorney in fact and prosecutor a number of treasons trials the Norwegian government brought against collaborators during the post-war legal purge
. Here he began the extensive work of finding what collaborationist leader Vidkun Quisling
and his minors had stolen during the war. Nonetheless, Evensen distanced himself from the death penalty eventually handed to Quisling.
In 1947, he went to the United States to further his education. He was granted a scholarship by John D. Rockefeller, Jr.
and began his study at Harvard University
. This was an international environment where he got to know and befriend many people from the oil business. This made Evensen's interest in oil grow.
He later became a politician, campaigning against joining the European Community (now the European Union). He also served as trade minister for the Labour Party. He was both respected and controversial, angering fellow Labour Party officials when he agreed to shared management of fishing resources in the Barents Sea
with the Soviet Union
.
His top aide, Arne Treholt, was later convicted of spying for the Soviet Union, and Evensen reportedly never got over the shock and disappointment.
Evensen also came into conflict with foreign minister Knut Frydenlund
in 1980 when he supported a nuclear-free zone in the Nordic Countries.
He remained an international expert on offshore rights, and contributed to the creation of economic zones extending 200 nautical miles (370.4 km) out to sea. He later became a judge at the international court in The Hague
, sitting until 1993. He died in February 2004.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
(for the Labour Party), trade minister
Minister of Trade and Shipping (Norway)
The Norwegian Minister of Trade and Shipping is a defunct minister who was head of the Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Shipping between 6 December 1947 and 1 January 1988 when it was merged with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The function of trade has since been transferred to the...
, international offshore rights expert, member of the International Law Commission
International Law Commission
The International Law Commission was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948 for the "promotion of the progressive development of international law and its codification."It holds an annual session at the United Nations Office at Geneva....
and judge at the International Court of Justice
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands...
in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, member of The Swedish Order of the Polar Star and Commander Of The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav.
He negotiated Norway's trading deal with EF in 1972 as minister of commerce, serving in this role in the governments of both Trygve Brattelis and Odvar Nordli
Odvar Nordli
is a Norwegian politician from the Labour Party. He was Prime Minister of Norway from 1976 to 1981.Nordli grew up in Tangen in Stange, Hedmark. After World War II he served in the Independent Norwegian Brigade Group in Germany, part of the Allied forces occupying post-war Germany...
. He then served as ocean minister until 1979. He worked to secure government income from Norwegian oil discoveries. The "Gray Zone" deal was also his work. UN's oceans treaty (1982) is greatly fundamental based on Evensen's work. Former Labour Party politician and head of Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) Einar Førde called Jens Evensen "one of the great Norwegians of the last century."
Early life
Evensen grew up in a labour environment in OsloOslo
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...
(called Kristiania until 1925). He was the son of a successful butcher, Jens Ingebret Evensen, in Grønland
Grønland
Grønland is a neighbourhood in central Oslo, Norway. It is served by several tram and bus lines, as well as the Oslo Metro at the Grønland Station....
. His father routinely gave out meat and sausages to the underprivileged on the east side of Oslo and Evensen himself helped out to support those who had no work or food.
Evensen was originally to take over his father's butcher business, but his mother had other ambitions for him. Evensen thus started at law school at the University of Oslo
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...
in 1936. His first job after he graduated was at the law firm Folkvard Bugge. The firm specialized in helping tenants
Tenement (law)
A tenement , in law, is anything that is held, rather than owned. This usage is a holdover from feudalism, which still forms the basis of all real-estate law in the English-speaking world, in which the monarch alone owned the allodial title to all the land within his kingdom.Under feudalism, land...
to enforce their legal right to buy the apartments they lived in. Evensen helped the tenants, many of whom were illiterate, and explained the rights they had.
During the Second World War, Evensen vounteered the Norwegian resistance movement
Norwegian resistance movement
The Norwegian resistance to the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany began after Operation Weserübung in 1940 and ended in 1945. It took several forms:...
, helping, among other things, to create false identity papers. After World War II, he was appointed attorney in fact and prosecutor a number of treasons trials the Norwegian government brought against collaborators during the post-war legal purge
Legal purge in Norway after World War II
When the occupation of Norway ended in May 1945, several thousand Norwegians and foreign citizens were tried and convicted for various acts that the occupying powers sanctioned...
. Here he began the extensive work of finding what collaborationist leader Vidkun Quisling
Vidkun Quisling
Vidkun Abraham Lauritz Jonssøn Quisling was a Norwegian politician. On 9 April 1940, with the German invasion of Norway in progress, he seized power in a Nazi-backed coup d'etat that garnered him international infamy. From 1942 to 1945 he served as Minister-President, working with the occupying...
and his minors had stolen during the war. Nonetheless, Evensen distanced himself from the death penalty eventually handed to Quisling.
In 1947, he went to the United States to further his education. He was granted a scholarship by John D. Rockefeller, Jr.
John D. Rockefeller, Jr.
John Davison Rockefeller, Jr. was a major philanthropist and a pivotal member of the prominent Rockefeller family. He was the sole son among the five children of businessman and Standard Oil industrialist John D. Rockefeller and the father of the five famous Rockefeller brothers...
and began his study at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. This was an international environment where he got to know and befriend many people from the oil business. This made Evensen's interest in oil grow.
Career
Evensen led the Norwegian Foreign Ministry's legal department from 1961 to 1973. Norway was unprepared when representatives from Phillips Petroleum in the US came to Norway in 1962 to request oil exploration rights in the North Sea. Evensen took up the challenge, and proceeded to develop the foundation for the country's legal claims to the Norwegian continental shelf. Former prime ministers Odvar Nordli and Kaare Willoch praised Evensen's work on securing Norway's rights to offshore resources, which in turn spawned the country's oil industry.He later became a politician, campaigning against joining the European Community (now the European Union). He also served as trade minister for the Labour Party. He was both respected and controversial, angering fellow Labour Party officials when he agreed to shared management of fishing resources in the Barents Sea
Barents Sea
The Barents Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located north of Norway and Russia. Known in the Middle Ages as the Murman Sea, the sea takes its current name from the Dutch navigator Willem Barents...
with the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
His top aide, Arne Treholt, was later convicted of spying for the Soviet Union, and Evensen reportedly never got over the shock and disappointment.
Evensen also came into conflict with foreign minister Knut Frydenlund
Knut Frydenlund
Knut Frydenlund was a Norwegian diplomat. His most significant achievement was as Norwegian foreign minister between 1973 and 1981, and again between 1986 and 1987....
in 1980 when he supported a nuclear-free zone in the Nordic Countries.
He remained an international expert on offshore rights, and contributed to the creation of economic zones extending 200 nautical miles (370.4 km) out to sea. He later became a judge at the international court in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, sitting until 1993. He died in February 2004.
External links
- "Norway mourns death of Jens Evensen", AftenpostenAftenpostenAftenposten is Norway's largest newspaper. It retook this position in 2010, taking it from the tabloid Verdens Gang which had been the largest newspaper for several decades. It is based in Oslo. The morning edition, which is distributed across all of Norway, had a circulation of 250,179 in 2007...
, 17 February 2004.