Nils Hjelmtveit
Encyclopedia
Nils Hjelmtveit was a Norwegian
educator and politician for the Labour Party
. He was mayor of Stokken
, MP from 1925 to 1930, Minister of Education and Church Affairs from 1935 to 1945 and County Governor of Aust-Agder from 1945 to 1961.
as a son of farmer Nils Hjelmtveit, Sr. (1861–1911) and his wife Ingebjørg Herland (1865–1893). He graduated from Stord Teacher's College
in 1913, and was hired as a teacher in Eydehamn
in the same year. He was promoted to headmaster in 1918. From 1919 to 1920 he also published the temperance
weekly magazine Egden.
municipal council from 1919 to 1937, and served as mayor from 1923 to 1928 and 1932 to 1935. He also chaired the school board from 1921 to 1922. He was elected to the Parliament of Norway from Aust-Agder
in 1924
and 1927
, serving two terms. In 1935, when Nygaardsvold's Cabinet assumed office, Hjelmtveit was appointed Minister of Education and Church Affairs. He reportedly had to be strongly persuaded by Johan Nygaardsvold
. Some of the cases that were decided during Hjelmtveit's tenure were naming of the committees that prepared the University of Bergen
, Riksteatret
and the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund
, closing of the teachers' colleges at Hamar
and Notodden
, the language reform of 1938, poet's grant to Arnulf Øverland
, construction of Kringkastingshuset and the signing of a Norwegian-Czechoslovak
cultural cooperation treaty.
From 1940 to 1945 Hjelmtveit was exiled in London together with the rest of Nygaardsvold's Cabinet, because of the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
. Hjelmtveit later defended the cabinet's actions on 9 April 1940, when they fled from the invading Germans
. The war memoirs Vekstår og vargtid came in 1969. While exiled he wrote the book Education in Norway, published 1946. Between the war's end (8 May 1945
) and Hjelmtveit's return to Norway, Alv Harald Helland and Terje Wold
filled in as Minister of Education and Research. He stepped down in June 1945, when Gerhardsen's First Cabinet took over. On 1 December 1945 he became County Governor of Aust-Agder, a post he held until 1961. He headed the Norwegian delegation to found UNESCO
in London in 1945, and also headed the delegation for UNESCO's 1st General Conference in Paris
in 1946.
Hjelmtveit was a temperance activist, and was a local board member of the International Organisation of Good Templars
. He was a member of the council of Vinmonopolet
from 1929, deputy chair from 1932 to 1935, and then chair from 1946. He was also a board chairman of the newspaper Tiden from 1929 to 1934, a board member of the Norse Federation
, deputy chair of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation from 1946 to 1957 and chair from 1957 to 1965. In the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s he wrote local history books about Nordhordland
. He was decorated with the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1954, and died in 1985 in Flosta
. He left behind his wife since December 1918, who became 96 years old.
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...
educator and politician for 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 mayor of Stokken
Stokken
Stokken is a former municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It is located in the present-day municipality of Arendal in the Sørlandet region. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Eydehavn.-History:...
, MP from 1925 to 1930, Minister of Education and Church Affairs from 1935 to 1945 and County Governor of Aust-Agder from 1945 to 1961.
Early career
He was born at Hopland in AlversundAlversund
Alversund is a village in Lindås municipality in Hordaland county, Norway.Alversund was formerly a municipality. Alversund was separated from Hamre January 1, 1885 - and the annex of Seim was transferred from Hosanger to Alversund the same date. Meland was separated from Alversund October 15, 1923...
as a son of farmer Nils Hjelmtveit, Sr. (1861–1911) and his wife Ingebjørg Herland (1865–1893). He graduated from Stord Teacher's College
Stord/Haugesund University College
Stord/Haugesund University College , Norwegian: Høgskolen Stord/Haugesund) is a medium sized state university college in Norway, with around 2700 students and 260 employees...
in 1913, and was hired as a teacher in Eydehamn
Eydehavn
Eydehavn is a village area in the municipality of Arendal in Aust-Agder county, Norway. The population of the village area is about 4,080 people. It is the former administrative centre of both Moland and Stokken municipalities. Both municipalities have since been incorporated into Arendal...
in the same year. He was promoted to headmaster in 1918. From 1919 to 1920 he also published the temperance
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...
weekly magazine Egden.
National politics
Hjelmtveit was a member of StokkenStokken
Stokken is a former municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It is located in the present-day municipality of Arendal in the Sørlandet region. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Eydehavn.-History:...
municipal council from 1919 to 1937, and served as mayor from 1923 to 1928 and 1932 to 1935. He also chaired the school board from 1921 to 1922. He was elected to the Parliament of Norway from Aust-Agder
Aust-Agder
is a county in Norway, bordering Telemark, Rogaland, and Vest-Agder. In 2002, there were 102,945 inhabitants, which is 2.2% of the total population in Norway. Its area is . The administrative center of the county is in Arendal....
in 1924
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1924
-Results:-References:*...
and 1927
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1927
-Results:-References:*...
, serving two terms. In 1935, when Nygaardsvold's Cabinet assumed office, Hjelmtveit was appointed Minister of Education and Church Affairs. He reportedly had to be strongly persuaded by Johan Nygaardsvold
Johan Nygaardsvold
Johan Nygaardsvold was a Norwegian politician from the Labour Party. He was Prime Minister of Norway from 1935 to 1945 , as head of the cabinet Nygaardsvold.-Political career:...
. Some of the cases that were decided during Hjelmtveit's tenure were naming of the committees that prepared the University of Bergen
University of Bergen
The University of Bergen is located in Bergen, Norway. Although founded as late as 1946, academic activity had taken place at Bergen Museum as far back as 1825. The university today serves more than 14,500 students...
, Riksteatret
Riksteatret
Riksteatret is a Norwegian touring theatre. It was established by law in 1948. Its first performance was in Kirkenes in 1949, with Sigurd Christiansen's play En reise i natten. The theatre plays on about 200 different stages throughout the country. Its first theatre director was Fritz von der...
and the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund
Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund
The Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund is a government agency that provides loans and grants to Norwegian and certain foreign students for their education...
, closing of the teachers' colleges at 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...
and Notodden
Notodden
is a town and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Øst-Telemark. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Notodden....
, the language reform of 1938, poet's grant to Arnulf Øverland
Arnulf Øverland
Ole Peter Arnulf Øverland was a Norwegian author born in Kristiansund and raised in Bergen. His works include Berget det blå and Hustavler .-Life:...
, construction of Kringkastingshuset and the signing of a Norwegian-Czechoslovak
Czechoslovakia–Norway relations
Czechoslovakia–Norway relations refers to the foreign relations between Norway and the now-defunct state Czechoslovakia.-Up to World War I:Norway was an independent country since 1905, at the dissolution of the union between Norway and Sweden in 1905...
cultural cooperation treaty.
From 1940 to 1945 Hjelmtveit was exiled in London together with the rest of Nygaardsvold's Cabinet, because of the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany started with the German invasion of Norway on April 9, 1940, and ended on May 8, 1945, after the capitulation of German forces in Europe. Throughout this period, Norway was continuously occupied by the Wehrmacht...
. Hjelmtveit later defended the cabinet's actions on 9 April 1940, when they fled from the invading Germans
Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
. The war memoirs Vekstår og vargtid came in 1969. While exiled he wrote the book Education in Norway, published 1946. Between the war's end (8 May 1945
Victory in Europe Day
Victory in Europe Day commemorates 8 May 1945 , the date when the World War II Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany and the end of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. The formal surrender of the occupying German forces in the Channel Islands was not...
) and Hjelmtveit's return to Norway, Alv Harald Helland and Terje Wold
Terje Wold
Terje Wold was a Norwegian judge and politician for the Labour Party.Terje Wold was born in Evenes. He graduated as cand.jur. in 1921. He worked as a jurist, becoming a Supreme Court Justice of Norway in 1950. From 1958 to 1969 he was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court...
filled in as Minister of Education and Research. He stepped down in June 1945, when Gerhardsen's First Cabinet took over. On 1 December 1945 he became County Governor of Aust-Agder, a post he held until 1961. He headed the Norwegian delegation to found UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
in London in 1945, and also headed the delegation for UNESCO's 1st General Conference in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1946.
Hjelmtveit was a temperance activist, and was a local board member of the International Organisation of Good Templars
International Organisation of Good Templars
The IOGT International is an international non-governmental organisation working in the field of temperance...
. He was a member of the council of Vinmonopolet
Vinmonopolet
Vinmonopolet , symbolized by Ⓥ and colloquially shortened to Polet, is a government owned alcoholic beverage retailer and the only company allowed to sell beverages containing an alcohol content higher than 4.75% in Norway....
from 1929, deputy chair from 1932 to 1935, and then chair from 1946. He was also a board chairman of the newspaper Tiden from 1929 to 1934, a board member of the Norse Federation
Norse Federation
The Norse Federation is a Norwegian non-profit organization that was founded it 1907. The organization states that its purpose is to "unit[e] friends of Norway throughout the world". , the organization has approximately 3500 members. It publishes a periodical which is named The Norseman....
, deputy chair of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation from 1946 to 1957 and chair from 1957 to 1965. In the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s he wrote local history books about Nordhordland
Nordhordland
Nordhordland is a traditional district in the western part of Norway, consisting of the northern portion of the county of Hordaland. It includes the municipalities Austrheim, Fedje, Lindås, Masfjorden, Meland, Modalen, Osterøy, Radøy and Vaksdal....
. He was decorated with the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1954, and died in 1985 in Flosta
Flosta
Flosta is a former municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It is currently part of the municipality of Arendal in the Sørlandet region. The administrative center of Flosta was the village of Kilsund.-Name:...
. He left behind his wife since December 1918, who became 96 years old.