Lars Evensen
Encyclopedia
Lars Samuel Myhrer Evensen (12 November 1896 – 19 January 1969) was a Norwegian
trade unionist and politician. He belonged to the Communist Party in the 1920s, but later joined the Labour Party
. He was also deputy chairman of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
. After the Second World War he served for many years as Minister of Industry.
as the son of smith
master Samuel Anton Evensen (1858-1943) and his wife Laura Myhrer (1864-1931). He worked as a sausage maker from 1914 to 1924, and became involved in his corresponding trade union
from 1920.
He also entered local politics, as a member of Lørenskog
municipal council from 1922 to 1928. He became a high-ranked member of the Communist Party, which was formed in 1923 by a split from the Labour Party
. He served as party secretary from 1925 to 1927, and from 1925 to 1928 he was a member of its central committee. He chaired the regional chapter in Oslo and Akershus from 1926 to 1927.
From 1925 he was also a member of the council (representantskap) of the Confederation of Trade Unions
. From 1927 to 1934 he chaired his trade union Norges kjøttindustriarbeiderforbund. He was among the founders of the sports club Kjøttindustriens IL in 1930 and the temperance group
Kjøttindustriens avholdslag in 1932.
Evensen eventually joined the Labour Party, and was a board member of the local party chapter in Oslo in 1932. At the same time he rose in the hierarchy of the Confederation of Trade Unions to become secretary from 1934 to 1939, and deputy chairman from 1939 to 1945—from 1940 in exile
. From 1940 to 1945, during the German occupation of Norway, Evensen was a member of the Norwegian resistance movement
(Hjemmefronten) and worked at the Norwegian legation in Stockholm
. He also chaired the Stockholm-based secretariat of the Confederation of Trade Unions from 1941 to 1945.
After the occupation he was selected as Minister of Trade in 1945 during the first cabinet Gerhardsen
. He continued in the position after the free general election of 1945, serving as a member of the second cabinet Gerhardsen and the cabinet Torp from 1945 to May 1953 and September 1953 to November 1953. The position was renamed Minister of Industry in 1947. For some months in 1951 Arne Drogseth was acting Minister of Industry, and Erik Brofoss
filled the position from May to September 1953.
In 1954 he was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Oslo
, and sat through one term. During this term, he chaired the Standing Committee on Forestry, Water Resources and Industry.
His career in politics ended with the post of County Governor of Vest-Agder, which he held from 1954 to 1966. He succeeded Alf Frydenberg
, who had been appointed County Governor of Hedmark. From 1957 to 1966 he was also a member of the board of Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani
.
He died in January 1969.
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...
trade unionist and politician. He belonged to the Communist Party in the 1920s, but later joined the Labour Party
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....
. He was also deputy chairman of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions is a national trade union center, decidedly the largest and probably the most influential umbrella organization of labour unions in Norway. The 21 national unions affiliated to the LO have more than 850,000 members of a Norwegian population of 4.8 million...
. After the Second World War he served for many years as Minister of Industry.
Career
Evensen was born in DrøbakDrøbak
Drøbak is an unincorporated city and the centre of the municipality of Frogn, in Akershus county, Norway. The city is located along the Oslofjord, and has 13,358 inhabitants....
as the son of smith
Smith (metalwork)
A metalsmith, often shortened to smith, is a person involved in making metal objects. In contemporary use a metalsmith is a person who uses metal as a material, uses traditional metalsmithing techniques , whose work thematically relates to the practice or history of the practice, or who engages in...
master Samuel Anton Evensen (1858-1943) and his wife Laura Myhrer (1864-1931). He worked as a sausage maker from 1914 to 1924, and became involved in his corresponding trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
from 1920.
He also entered local politics, as a member of Lørenskog
Lørenskog
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Romerike. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Lørenskog. Lørenskog was separated from the municipality of Skedsmo on 1 January 1908.-Name:...
municipal council from 1922 to 1928. He became a high-ranked member of the Communist Party, which was formed in 1923 by a split from the Labour Party
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....
. He served as party secretary from 1925 to 1927, and from 1925 to 1928 he was a member of its central committee. He chaired the regional chapter in Oslo and Akershus from 1926 to 1927.
From 1925 he was also a member of the council (representantskap) of the Confederation of Trade Unions
Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions is a national trade union center, decidedly the largest and probably the most influential umbrella organization of labour unions in Norway. The 21 national unions affiliated to the LO have more than 850,000 members of a Norwegian population of 4.8 million...
. From 1927 to 1934 he chaired his trade union Norges kjøttindustriarbeiderforbund. He was among the founders of the sports club Kjøttindustriens IL in 1930 and the temperance group
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
Kjøttindustriens avholdslag in 1932.
Evensen eventually joined the Labour Party, and was a board member of the local party chapter in Oslo in 1932. At the same time he rose in the hierarchy of the Confederation of Trade Unions to become secretary from 1934 to 1939, and deputy chairman from 1939 to 1945—from 1940 in exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
. From 1940 to 1945, during the German occupation of Norway, Evensen was a member of 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:...
(Hjemmefronten) and worked at the Norwegian legation in Stockholm
Norwegian legation in Stockholm
The Norwegian Legation in Stockholm played a significant role during the Second World War. Until 9 April 1940 the legation consisted of four persons, and at the end of the war about 1,100 persons were connected to the legation. Refugee cases were among the legation's most central tasks...
. He also chaired the Stockholm-based secretariat of the Confederation of Trade Unions from 1941 to 1945.
After the occupation he was selected as Minister of Trade in 1945 during the first cabinet Gerhardsen
First cabinet Gerhardsen
Gerhardsen's First Cabinet, often called the Unification Cabinet , was a Norwegian government appointed to serve under Prime Minister Einar Gerhardsen between 25 July and 5 November 1945, in the aftermath of the Second World War....
. He continued in the position after the free general election of 1945, serving as a member of the second cabinet Gerhardsen and the cabinet Torp from 1945 to May 1953 and September 1953 to November 1953. The position was renamed Minister of Industry in 1947. For some months in 1951 Arne Drogseth was acting Minister of Industry, and Erik Brofoss
Erik Brofoss
Erik Brofoss was a Norwegian economist and politician for the Labour Party.Brofoss was born in Kongsberg. In his younger days he was an athlete who competed national level in the 100 metres. He represented Kongsberg IF, and won a silver medal at the Norwegian championships in 1928...
filled the position from May to September 1953.
In 1954 he was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from 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...
, and sat through one term. During this term, he chaired the Standing Committee on Forestry, Water Resources and Industry.
His career in politics ended with the post of County Governor of Vest-Agder, which he held from 1954 to 1966. He succeeded Alf Frydenberg
Alf Frydenberg
Alf Birger Frydenberg was a Norwegian civil servant.He was born in Furnes as a son of Bernt Frydenberg and Benedicte Charlotte Christiansen . In 1931 he married Major's daughter Marie Catharina Knap. He studied from 1917 and graduated from the Royal Frederick University with the cand.jur. degree...
, who had been appointed County Governor of Hedmark. From 1957 to 1966 he was also a member of the board of Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani
Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani
Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani , or simply Store Norske, is a Norwegian coal mining company based on the Svalbard archipelago. It was formed in 1916, after a Norwegian purchase of the American Arctic Coal Company ....
.
He died in January 1969.