Johan Strand Johansen
Encyclopedia
Johan Strand Johansen was Norwegian
Minister of Labour in 1945. From 1945-1949 and later from 1954-1957 he represented the Communist Party of Norway
in the Parliament of Norway. His importance to posterity has been intimately tied to the dramatic split of the Communist Party in 1949, the so-called Furubotn purge.
in Trondheim
, and starting that same year and until 1928 he was the secretary for the Young Communist League
. In 1930 he became editor of Hardanger Arbeiderblad
in Odda
, and from 1931 his base was in Oslo, as a co-worker of the Arbeideren
and as a member of the central board of the party. He was the representative of the central board on the strike rally which was later to become the Skirmish of Menstad, and in its aftermath he was given a prison sentence.
in 1941 and spent a major part of the war in Sachsenhausen
. In 1945 he became part secretary, and at the same time he was elected to the Storting, becoming one of two NKP representatives in the coalition government. He was a central figure in the failed coalition negotiations with the Labour Party the same year.
– the "Løvlien faction" as it was named after party chairman Emil Løvlien
. In the book Fiendebilde Wollweber (Enemy picture Wollweber) by Norwegian historian Lars Borgersrud
, Strand Johansen is portrayed as a vitriolic opponent of the Furubotn faction. The conflict climaxed on October 26, 1949 when Strand Johansen together with five or more people showed up in the party offices in Klingenberggata 4 and kicked out Furubotn's supporters. The purge began six days prior when he had initiated the move against Furubotn at a meeting of trustees of the Oslo party, levelling against the supporters of Peder Furubotn fierce accusations of factionalism and of having set up an illegitimate party leadership – "the second center". In the following days the attacks continued during other party meetings, and on October 25 the central board decided to investigate the accusations and present them to the leadership of Cominform
. In the meantime all individuals that had been accused by Strand Johansen would resign from their positions and a new central board was to be constituted. After the removal of Furubotn's people on October 26, assisted by among others Asbjørn Sunde
and Ragnar "Pelle" Sollie, Strand Johansen saw to it that Furubotn was excluded by the newly constituted central board which contained no supporters of Furubotn. Both during this commotion and during the next parliamentary campaign in 1953 witnesses described Johansen as mentally disturbed, initially as a natural reaction of disappointment at the obliteration of the communist representation in the parliament. In 1953 it was even suggested that Johansen should be sent off, either to the countryside or «exported» to the USSR. Asbjørn Sunde
even suggested that Johansen be assassinated but received no support for such a drastic measure. Hans I. Kleven who himself was excluded from the party in the purge but was later invited back and went on to become its leader in the 1980s, has characterized Strand Johansen as a "sick, yes, a hysterical person," attributing these traits to the concentration camp period.
. He remained in Moscow, together with his Russian-born wife Helena, until his death, and he did not have any political role after 1955.
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...
Minister of Labour in 1945. From 1945-1949 and later from 1954-1957 he represented the Communist Party of Norway
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...
in the Parliament of Norway. His importance to posterity has been intimately tied to the dramatic split of the Communist Party in 1949, the so-called Furubotn purge.
Early work and political career
In 1924 he became as journalist in the party daily newspaper Ny TidNy Tid (Trondheim)
Ny Tid was a Norwegian newspaper established in 1899 by the typographers Joh. Halseth and Alf Scheflo at the same time as they established their own printing office in Trondheim. The publishers meant to create a worker's newspaper, not a socialist paper...
in Trondheim
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 starting that same year and until 1928 he was the secretary for the Young Communist League
Young Communist League of Norway
Young Communist League of Norway was until April 2006 the youth league of Norges Kommunistiske Parti . April 1st 2006 NKP declared that NKU was no longer its youth organization, and that all youths interested in joining the movement should contact the party directly...
. In 1930 he became editor of Hardanger Arbeiderblad
Hardanger Arbeiderblad
Hardanger Arbeiderblad was a Norwegian newspaper, published in Odda in Hordaland county.Hardanger Arbeiderblad was started in 1919 as Hardanger Social-Demokrat. Its name was changed in 1923, the same year as a faction of the Labour Party left social democracy to form the Communist Party of Norway....
in Odda
Odda
is a municipality and town in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Odda was separated from Ullensvang on 1 July 1913 and on 1 January 1964 Røldal was merged with Odda. The town of Odda is the centre of the landscape of Hardanger, located at the end of the Hardangerfjord.In 1927, Erling Johnson,...
, and from 1931 his base was in Oslo, as a co-worker of the 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...
and as a member of the central board of the party. He was the representative of the central board on the strike rally which was later to become the Skirmish of Menstad, and in its aftermath he was given a prison sentence.
Concentration camp and post-war politician
Strand Johansen was arrested by the GestapoGestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
in 1941 and spent a major part of the war in Sachsenhausen
Sachsenhausen concentration camp
Sachsenhausen or Sachsenhausen-Oranienburg was a Nazi concentration camp in Oranienburg, Germany, used primarily for political prisoners from 1936 to the end of the Third Reich in May, 1945. After World War II, when Oranienburg was in the Soviet Occupation Zone, the structure was used as an NKVD...
. In 1945 he became part secretary, and at the same time he was elected to the Storting, becoming one of two NKP representatives in the coalition government. He was a central figure in the failed coalition negotiations with the Labour Party the same year.
The Furubotn purge
"The Furubotn purge" (Furubotn-oppgjøret) is the term that has been applied to the turbulent split of the Norwegian Communist party in 1949. Strand Johansen, who was the main organizer of NKP's election campaign in 1949, was central also in the internal conflict that ensued and headed the faction that opposed Peder FurubotnPeder Furubotn
Peder Furubotn was a Norwegian cabinetmaker, politician for the Communist Party and resistance member during World War II.-Early and personal life:...
– the "Løvlien faction" as it was named after party chairman Emil Løvlien
Emil Løvlien
Emil H. Løvlien was a Norwegian forest worker, trade unionist and politician from Løten. He represented the Labour Party until the split in 1923, and the Communist Party thereafter...
. In the book Fiendebilde Wollweber (Enemy picture Wollweber) by Norwegian historian Lars Borgersrud
Lars Borgersrud
Lars Borgersrud is a Norwegian military historian. His work has largely centered on World War II in Norway. He has often taken controversial stands and expressed criticism of the work of other historians.-Family:...
, Strand Johansen is portrayed as a vitriolic opponent of the Furubotn faction. The conflict climaxed on October 26, 1949 when Strand Johansen together with five or more people showed up in the party offices in Klingenberggata 4 and kicked out Furubotn's supporters. The purge began six days prior when he had initiated the move against Furubotn at a meeting of trustees of the Oslo party, levelling against the supporters of Peder Furubotn fierce accusations of factionalism and of having set up an illegitimate party leadership – "the second center". In the following days the attacks continued during other party meetings, and on October 25 the central board decided to investigate the accusations and present them to the leadership of Cominform
Cominform
Founded in 1947, Cominform is the common name for what was officially referred to as the Information Bureau of the Communist and Workers' Parties...
. In the meantime all individuals that had been accused by Strand Johansen would resign from their positions and a new central board was to be constituted. After the removal of Furubotn's people on October 26, assisted by among others Asbjørn Sunde
Asbjørn Sunde
Asbjørn Edvin Sunde was a Norwegian sailor, communist, a saboteur against the Nazi occupation of Norway during the Second World War, and a convicted spy for the Soviet Union. During the war, from 1941 to 1944, Sunde's group - the Osvald Group - carried out approximately 200 acts of sabotage and...
and Ragnar "Pelle" Sollie, Strand Johansen saw to it that Furubotn was excluded by the newly constituted central board which contained no supporters of Furubotn. Both during this commotion and during the next parliamentary campaign in 1953 witnesses described Johansen as mentally disturbed, initially as a natural reaction of disappointment at the obliteration of the communist representation in the parliament. In 1953 it was even suggested that Johansen should be sent off, either to the countryside or «exported» to the USSR. Asbjørn Sunde
Asbjørn Sunde
Asbjørn Edvin Sunde was a Norwegian sailor, communist, a saboteur against the Nazi occupation of Norway during the Second World War, and a convicted spy for the Soviet Union. During the war, from 1941 to 1944, Sunde's group - the Osvald Group - carried out approximately 200 acts of sabotage and...
even suggested that Johansen be assassinated but received no support for such a drastic measure. Hans I. Kleven who himself was excluded from the party in the purge but was later invited back and went on to become its leader in the 1980s, has characterized Strand Johansen as a "sick, yes, a hysterical person," attributing these traits to the concentration camp period.
Exit politics
In 1953 he was elected deputy chairman of the party, but he resigned in 1955 after having been sent off to Moscow for a spa treatmentSpa town
A spa town is a town situated around a mineral spa . Patrons resorted to spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word comes from the Belgian town Spa. In continental Europe a spa was known as a ville d'eau...
. He remained in Moscow, together with his Russian-born wife Helena, until his death, and he did not have any political role after 1955.