Ole Kopreitan
Encyclopedia
Ole Andreas Kopreitan was a Norwegian political activist, best known as an anti-nuclear activist. For 30 years he led the anti-nuclear organization "No to Nuclear Weapons".
He was born in Stavanger
as a son of Christian missionary Ole August Kopreitan (1890–1940) and clothing worker Anna Ottervig (1907–1999). He grew up at Hitra
, but moved to Hurdal when he was nine years old. He take his education at the teacher's college in Sagene
.
He became a political activist in Oslo, and was among others known for storming Madserud tennis court
on 13 May 1964, with 50 others, to halt a tennis competition between Norway and South Africa, in protest of apartheid. For this he was convicted for civil disobedience
. At that time he was also involved in partisan politics, as chairman of the Socialist Youth Association
(SUF). He was a party secretary of the Socialist People's Party
from 1967. He later drifted away from partisan politics, mostly due to internal strife in the Socialist People's Party. He instead joined the popular movement Folkebevegelsen mot EF, which worked, successfully, to prevent Norwegian membership in the European Communities
.
For 30 years Kopreitan led the anti-nuclear organization Nei til Atomvåpen (No to Nuclear Weapons). Aside from managing organizational affairs in Nei til Atomvåpen, he was very well known for spreading leaflets and selling campaign button
s from a cart on Norway's main street, Karl Johans gate
. In 2002 he was awarded the Nuclear-Free Future Award
.
He was formerly married to Turid Evang, a daughter of Karl Evang
, but the marriage was dissolved. In 1999 he married nurse Isabel Ortiz.
He was born in Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
as a son of Christian missionary Ole August Kopreitan (1890–1940) and clothing worker Anna Ottervig (1907–1999). He grew up at Hitra
Hitra
Hitra is a municipality and an island in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The municipality covers the island of Hitra and several smaller islands, and is part of the Fosen region...
, but moved to Hurdal when he was nine years old. He take his education at the teacher's college in Sagene
Sagene
Sagene is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway. The area became part of the city of Oslo in 1859.The name Sagene itself is the plural of the Norwegian word for "saw", reflecting all the old industrial mechanical saws powered by the river Akerselvain this area in the 19th and early 20th...
.
He became a political activist in Oslo, and was among others known for storming Madserud tennis court
Tennis court
A tennis court is where the game of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles.-Dimensions:...
on 13 May 1964, with 50 others, to halt a tennis competition between Norway and South Africa, in protest of apartheid. For this he was convicted for civil disobedience
Civil disobedience
Civil disobedience is the active, professed refusal to obey certain laws, demands, and commands of a government, or of an occupying international power. Civil disobedience is commonly, though not always, defined as being nonviolent resistance. It is one form of civil resistance...
. At that time he was also involved in partisan politics, as chairman of the Socialist Youth Association
Red Youth (Norway)
Red Youth is a Norwegian revolutionary youth league. It is the youth organization of the party Red and former Red Electoral Alliance and the Workers' Communist Party. The current leader of Red Youth is Iver Aastebøl.-Politics:...
(SUF). He was a party secretary of the Socialist People's Party
Socialist People's Party (Norway)
Socialist People's Party was a splinter group of the Norwegian Labour Party . SF was principally dissatisfied with the pro-NATO/European Economic Community external policies of DNA. A group centered around the magazine Orientering had been expelled from DNA...
from 1967. He later drifted away from partisan politics, mostly due to internal strife in the Socialist People's Party. He instead joined the popular movement Folkebevegelsen mot EF, which worked, successfully, to prevent Norwegian membership in the European Communities
European Communities
The European Communities were three international organisations that were governed by the same set of institutions...
.
For 30 years Kopreitan led the anti-nuclear organization Nei til Atomvåpen (No to Nuclear Weapons). Aside from managing organizational affairs in Nei til Atomvåpen, he was very well known for spreading leaflets and selling campaign button
Campaign button
A campaign button is used in the United States during an election as political advertising for a candidate or political party, or to proclaim the issues that are part of the political platform. Political buttons date as far back as President George Washington. They have taken many forms as the...
s from a cart on Norway's main street, Karl Johans gate
Karl Johans gate
Karl Johans gate is the main street of the city of Oslo, Norway. The street was named in honor of King Karl Johan, who was King of Sweden and of Norway....
. In 2002 he was awarded the Nuclear-Free Future Award
Nuclear-Free Future Award
Since 1998 the Nuclear-Free Future Award is an award given to anti-nuclear activists, organizations and communities. The award is intended to promote the opposition to uranium mining, nuclear weapons and nuclear power....
.
He was formerly married to Turid Evang, a daughter of Karl Evang
Karl Evang
Karl Evang was a Norwegian physician and civil servant.He was born in Kristiania as a son of assisting secretary Jens Ingolf Evang and Anna Beate Wexelsen . He was a brother of Vilhelm Evang, and a relative of Vilhelm Andreas Wexelsen, Per Kvist and Gunnar Jahn. He met physician Gerda S...
, but the marriage was dissolved. In 1999 he married nurse Isabel Ortiz.