Sigurd Simensen
Encyclopedia
Sigurd Simensen was a Norwegian
newspaper editor and politician for the Labour
and Communist
parties.
He was born in Vestfossen
. He started his career as an iron and metalworker, working at Thunes Mekaniske Verksted. He first joined the Union of Iron and Metalworkers
in 1907, and was politically organized from 1908. He became a leading member of Norges Socialdemokratiske Ungdomsforbund, and was elected to their central board in 1916. He became subeditor of their newspaper Klassekampen
in 1917. In 1918 he was elected to the Labour Party central board, and was hired as travelling secretary for Northern Norway. He also chaired the national association of worker's councils which sprang up in the same year, post-Russian Revolution.
He left the Labour Party's central board in 1919. In 1920 he moved on to being subeditor in Folkeviljen
. He then edited Vestfinmarkens Social-Demokrat from 1920 to 1922. In 1921 he was the leader of a seamen's and dockworkers' strike in Hammerfest
, which saw intervention by the military. "Hammerfest was the only city where something resemblant to a revolutionary situation ensued", wrote historian Per Maurseth
. After the strikers had been subdued, Simensen was sentenced to 120 days of prison.
Simensen was hired as editor-in-chief in Folkeviljen in 1922. While he was in prison, Naftali Nilsen
was acting editor. He joined the new Communist Party
in 1923, and when the Communist Party failed to gain control over the Harstad
newspaper Folkeviljen, and also failed to run the Tromsø
newspaper Troms Fylkes Kommunistblad
, they started their own newspaper Dagens Nyheter
in Harstad in 1924. Simensen became editor-in-chief. He was also a member of the city council from 1926 to 1955 (except World War II), serving as deputy mayor of Harstad from 1929 to 1930 and mayor from 1946 to 1947. He unsuccessfully stood for parliamentary election in 1927
and 1933
. During the Second World War's German occupation of Norway, Simensen was engaged with forced labour. He died in 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...
newspaper editor and politician for the Labour
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....
and Communist
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...
parties.
He was born in Vestfossen
Vestfossen
Vestfossen is a village in the municipality of Øvre Eiker, in the county of Buskerud, Norway.-History:Vestfossen is a former industrial town with traditions dating back to...
. He started his career as an iron and metalworker, working at Thunes Mekaniske Verksted. He first joined the Union of Iron and Metalworkers
Norwegian Union of Iron and Metalworkers
The Norwegian Union of Iron and Metalworkers was a trade union in Norway, organized under the national Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions.It was founded in 1891...
in 1907, and was politically organized from 1908. He became a leading member of Norges Socialdemokratiske Ungdomsforbund, and was elected to their central board in 1916. He became subeditor of their newspaper Klassekampen
Klassekampen (1909–1940)
Klassekampen was a Norwegian newspaper. It was established in 1909 as an organ for the youth movement of the Norwegian Labour Party, Norges socialdemokratiske ungdomsforbund. Its editor-in-chief from 1911 to 1921 was Eugène Olaussen.At the Labour-Communist party split in 1923, the newspaper was...
in 1917. In 1918 he was elected to the Labour Party central board, and was hired as travelling secretary for Northern Norway. He also chaired the national association of worker's councils which sprang up in the same year, post-Russian Revolution.
He left the Labour Party's central board in 1919. In 1920 he moved on to being subeditor in Folkeviljen
Folkeviljen
Folkeviljen is a former Norwegian newspaper. Labour Party organ and was established by parish priest and later Member of Parliament Kristian Tønder in Sjøvegan 1911, and published in Harstad from 1917. Among its later editors were Harald Langhelle, Alfred Skar, Sigurd Simensen, Alfons Johansen and...
. He then edited Vestfinmarkens Social-Demokrat from 1920 to 1922. In 1921 he was the leader of a seamen's and dockworkers' strike in Hammerfest
Hammerfest
is a city and municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The municipality encompasses parts of three islands: Kvaløya, Sørøya, and Seiland. Hammerfest was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
, which saw intervention by the military. "Hammerfest was the only city where something resemblant to a revolutionary situation ensued", wrote historian Per Maurseth
Per Maurseth
Per Maurseth is a Norwegian historian. He lectured at the University of Oslo from 1971, and was appointed professor at the University of Trondheim from 1982...
. After the strikers had been subdued, Simensen was sentenced to 120 days of prison.
Simensen was hired as editor-in-chief in Folkeviljen in 1922. While he was in prison, Naftali Nilsen
Naftali Nilsen
Naftali Nilsen was a Norwegian newspaper editor and politician for the Labour Party.He was born in Trondenes. In 1910 he moved to the United States. He returned to Trondenes in 1917, and became chairman in the local Labour Party...
was acting editor. He joined the new Communist Party
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 1923, and when the Communist Party failed to gain control over the Harstad
Harstad
is the second largest city and municipality by population, in Troms county, Norway – the city is also the third largest in North Norway. Thus Harstad is the natural centre for its district. Situated approximately north of the Arctic Circle, the city celebrated its 100th anniversary in...
newspaper Folkeviljen, and also failed to run the Tromsø
Tromsø
Tromsø is a city and municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø.Tromsø city is the ninth largest urban area in Norway by population, and the seventh largest city in Norway by population...
newspaper Troms Fylkes Kommunistblad
Troms Fylkes Kommunistblad
Troms Fylkes Kommunistblad was a Norwegian newspaper, published in Tromsø in Troms county.Troms Fylkes Kommunistblad was started in a complicated situation. It belonged to the Communist Party which broke away from the Labour Party in 1923, but the Communist Party originally managed to usurp the...
, they started their own newspaper Dagens Nyheter
Dagens Nyheter (Norwegian newspaper)
Dagens Nyheter was a Norwegian newspaper, published in Harstad in Troms county.Dagens Nyheter was started on 20 March 1924 as the Communist Party organ in the county—Troms Fylkes Kommunistblad had capsized a month earlier. Dagens Nyheter was first published twice a week, but this was cut to once...
in Harstad in 1924. Simensen became editor-in-chief. He was also a member of the city council from 1926 to 1955 (except World War II), serving as deputy mayor of Harstad from 1929 to 1930 and mayor from 1946 to 1947. He unsuccessfully stood for parliamentary election in 1927
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1927
-Results:-References:*...
and 1933
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1933
-Results:- References :...
. During the Second World War's German occupation of Norway, Simensen was engaged with forced labour. He died in 1969.