Olaf Ditlev-Simonsen
Encyclopedia
Olaf Christian "Tit" Ditlev-Simonsen, Jr. (2 January 1897 – 19 February 1978) was a Norwegian
bandy player, footballer, sailor, sports administrator and businessperson.
as a son of ship-owner Olaf Ditlev-Simonsen, Sr. (1865–1960) and Magdalena Pedersen (1873–1920). He had eight siblings. The family moved to Kristiania
in 1902, and he joined the family company John P. Pedersen & Søn after finishing secondary education at Kristiania Commerce School
in 1917.
He was a brother of John Ditlev-Simonsen
and an uncle of Halfdan Ditlev-Simonsen, Jr. and Per Ditlev-Simonsen
. In 1920 he married Else Heyerdahl (1899–1985), and had Hieronymus Heyerdahl
as a father-in-law. He was also a first cousin once removed of Jan Staubo
. He died in January 1978 in Oslo.
. Olaf Ditlev-Simonsen's first national title came in 1913, and the last in 1927. He played two matches for the national team. He was also capped five times for the Norway national football team
, the first in 1915. He also competed in yacht racing. At the 1936 Summer Olympics
he won the silver medal as crew member of the Norwegian boat Silja in the 8 metre event
. He had taken his first King's Cup in Norway with that boat in 1930.
He was a board member of the Norwegian Tennis Federation from 1918 to 1919 and of the Football Association of Norway
for four years, chaired IF Ready from 1923 to 1927 and the Royal Norwegian Yacht Club
from 1947 to 1949. From 1948 to 1966 he was a member of the International Olympic Committee
, and he headed the organizational committee at the 1952 Winter Olympics
. In the IOC he took over for Thomas Fearnley, in a tradition since 1905 that Norway had one IOC member at any time.
for some time, and during the Second World War he worked in Sweden, from 1943 as regional head of Nortraship
. From 1945 to 1949 he chaired the supervisory council of Det Norske Veritas
.
He was decorated with the King's Medal of Merit in 1947 and was a Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav (1952), the Order of the Lion of Finland
, the Order of Vasa
, the Order of the Polar Star
, the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
and the Order of Orange-Nassau
. He was a Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog
.
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...
bandy player, footballer, sailor, sports administrator and businessperson.
Early and personal life
He was born in DypvågDypvåg
Dypvåg is a former municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It is currently located within the municipality of Tvedestrand in the traditional region of Sørlandet about east of the village of Tvedestrand.-Name:...
as a son of ship-owner Olaf Ditlev-Simonsen, Sr. (1865–1960) and Magdalena Pedersen (1873–1920). He had eight siblings. The family moved to Kristiania
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...
in 1902, and he joined the family company John P. Pedersen & Søn after finishing secondary education at Kristiania Commerce School
Oslo Commerce School
Oslo Commerce School is a public high school in Oslo, Norway, specialized to teach financial and business management....
in 1917.
He was a brother of John Ditlev-Simonsen
John Ditlev-Simonsen
John Peder Ditlev-Simonsen was a Norwegian sailor who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics. In 1936 he won the silver medal as crew member of the Norwegian boat Silja in the 8 metre class event.-References:...
and an uncle of Halfdan Ditlev-Simonsen, Jr. and Per Ditlev-Simonsen
Per Ditlev-Simonsen
Per Ditlev-Simonsen is a Norwegian politician. He was the mayor of Oslo, representing the Conservative Party, from 1995 to 2007. He stepped down on 23 August 2007 following the Swiss bank-account scandal....
. In 1920 he married Else Heyerdahl (1899–1985), and had Hieronymus Heyerdahl
Hieronymus Heyerdahl (1867–1959)
Hieronymus Heyerdahl was a Norwegian administrator and politician for the Conservative Party, born in Fredrikstad. His parents were Hieronymus Heyerdahl and Henriette Sophie Schou. He served as mayor of Oslo from 1912 to 1914. He was president of the Norwegian Red Cross from 1917 to...
as a father-in-law. He was also a first cousin once removed of Jan Staubo
Jan Staubo
Jan Staubo was a Norwegian sportsman, politician and sports official. As a sportsman he competed internationally in tennis and nationally in other sports...
. He died in January 1978 in Oslo.
Sports career
Olaf Ditlev-Simonsen practised different sports in the club IF Ready, and, partly together with his four brothers, he won several Norwegian championships in bandyBandy
Bandy is a team winter sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal.The rules of the game have many similarities to those of association football: the game is played on a rectangle of ice the same size as a football field. Each team has 11 players,...
. Olaf Ditlev-Simonsen's first national title came in 1913, and the last in 1927. He played two matches for the national team. He was also capped five times for the Norway national football team
Norway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
, the first in 1915. He also competed in yacht racing. At the 1936 Summer Olympics
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
he won the silver medal as crew member of the Norwegian boat Silja in the 8 metre event
Sailing at the 1936 Summer Olympics - 8 Metre
The 8 Metre was a sailing event on the Sailing at the 1936 Summer Olympics program in Firth of Kiel. Seven races were scheduled. 60 sailors, on 10 boats, from 10 nations competed.- Results :...
. He had taken his first King's Cup in Norway with that boat in 1930.
He was a board member of the Norwegian Tennis Federation from 1918 to 1919 and of the Football Association of Norway
Football Association of Norway
The Football Association of Norway is the governing body of football in Norway. Current FIFA World Champions It was formed in 1902 and organises the men's and women's national teams, as well as the Norwegian Premier League.The team are enjoying their best ever spell thanks to World Player of the...
for four years, chaired IF Ready from 1923 to 1927 and the Royal Norwegian Yacht Club
Royal Norwegian Yacht Club
The Royal Norwegian Yacht Club is a yacht club in Oslo, Norway . The club was established in 1883 and has some 4,000 members...
from 1947 to 1949. From 1948 to 1966 he was a member of the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
, and he headed the organizational committee at the 1952 Winter Olympics
1952 Winter Olympics
The 1952 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VI Olympic Winter Games, took place in Oslo, Norway, from 14 to 25 February 1952. Discussions about Oslo hosting the Winter Olympic Games began as early as 1935; the city wanted to host the 1948 Games, but World War II made that impossible...
. In the IOC he took over for Thomas Fearnley, in a tradition since 1905 that Norway had one IOC member at any time.
Shipping
In shipping, he started his own company in 1936. He was a board member of the Norwegian Shipowners' AssociationNorwegian Shipowners' Association
The Norwegian Shipowners Association is an employers' organization and interest group for Norwegian shipping and offshore companies. The organization's primary fields are national and international industry policies, employer issues, competence and recruitment, environmental issues and innovation...
for some time, and during the Second World War he worked in Sweden, from 1943 as regional head of Nortraship
Nortraship
The Norwegian Shipping and Trade Mission was established in London in April 1940 to administer the Norwegian merchant fleet outside German-controlled areas. Nortraship operated some 1,000 vessels and was the largest shipping company in the world. It is credited for giving a major contribution to...
. From 1945 to 1949 he chaired the supervisory council of Det Norske Veritas
Det Norske Veritas
Stiftelsen Det Norske Veritas is a classification society organized as a foundation, with the objective of "Safeguarding life, property, and the environment". The organization's history goes back to 1864, when the foundation was established in Norway to inspect and evaluate the technical condition...
.
He was decorated with the King's Medal of Merit in 1947 and was a Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav (1952), the Order of the Lion of Finland
Order of the Lion of Finland
There are three official orders in Finland: the Order of the Cross of Liberty, the Order of the White Rose of Finland and the Order of the Lion of Finland . The President of Finland is the Grand Master of all three orders. The orders are administered by boards consisting of a chancellor, a...
, the Order of Vasa
Order of Vasa
The Royal Order of Vasa was a Swedish Royal order of chivalry, awarded to citizens of Sweden for service to state and society especially in the fields of agriculture, mining and commerce. It was instituted on 29 May 1772 by King Gustav III of Sweden...
, the Order of the Polar Star
Order of the Polar Star
The Order of the Polar Star is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I of Sweden on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Seraphim....
, the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic was founded as the senior order of knighthood by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi in 1951...
and the Order of Orange-Nassau
Order of Orange-Nassau
The Order of Orange-Nassau is a military and civil order of the Netherlands which was created on 4 April 1892 by the Queen regent Emma of the Netherlands, acting on behalf of her under-age daughter Queen Wilhelmina. The Order is a chivalry order open to "everyone who have earned special merits for...
. He was a Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog
Order of the Dannebrog
The Order of the Dannebrog is an Order of Denmark, instituted in 1671 by Christian V. It resulted from a move in 1660 to break the absolutism of the nobility. The Order was only to comprise 50 noble Knights in one class plus the Master of the Order, i.e. the Danish monarch, and his sons...
.