Sverre Krogh (Nazi)
Encyclopedia
Sverre Krogh was a Norwegian
actuary, newspaper editor and politician for the Labour
and Communist Labour
parties. He later became a Nazi, working for Norwegian and German Nazis during the Second World War.
as a son of Colonel Gerhard Christopher Krogh (1839–1916) and Thora Regine Clementine Angelica Neumann (1856–1928). He studied at the University of Karlsruhe and the University of Göttingen, graduating as an actuary
in 1905. He worked for a while as an actuary, but was a radical writer and member of the Norwegian labour movement. He was sentenced to three months in prison for revolutionary trade union propaganda in 1908, and to four months in jail for antimilitarist agitation in 1912. In 1920 he was convicted as responsible for the physical assault by some workers on Henrik Ameln
; they had attended a meeting where Krogh called for revolutionary actions.
In 1912 he was hired as subeditor in the Labour Party newspaper Arbeidet
. He was promoted to editor-in-chief in 1918. In 1920 he was a delegate (for Norges Socialdemokratiske Ungdomsforbund) at the Second Comintern
Congress. In the press he defended the Twenty-one Conditions
. He was also a member of Fana
municipal council from 1916 to 1922, and was elected to the Parliament of Norway from Hordaland in 1921
and 1924
. His last term ended in 1927. He stood for election in 1927, and was the communist candidate who came closest to winning a seat, but did not (three others did). He had joined the Communist Party in 1923, and stepped down as editor of Arbeidet in 1924.
as a consultant in the Norwegian Ministry of Culture and Enlightenment from 1940 to 1941. When the Nazis usurped control over the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
, they formed a group of former labour movementarians-turned-Nazis. Krogh was an informer for the Sicherheitspolizei
from 1941 to 1944, especially of situations in the trade unions.
From 1943 he was an office manager in Granskningskommisjonen av 1943, a commission that was tasked with scrutinizing the actions of Nygaardsvold's Cabinet prior to the war, and thus find legal grounds for the Nazi usurpation of power.
In 1948, during the legal purge in Norway after World War II
, Krogh was sentenced for treason, to two years and three months of forced labour.
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...
actuary, 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 Labour
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 later became a Nazi, working for Norwegian and German Nazis during the Second World War.
Early life and labour movement
He was born in KristianiaOslo
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...
as a son of Colonel Gerhard Christopher Krogh (1839–1916) and Thora Regine Clementine Angelica Neumann (1856–1928). He studied at the University of Karlsruhe and the University of Göttingen, graduating as an actuary
Actuary
An actuary is a business professional who deals with the financial impact of risk and uncertainty. Actuaries provide expert assessments of financial security systems, with a focus on their complexity, their mathematics, and their mechanisms ....
in 1905. He worked for a while as an actuary, but was a radical writer and member of the Norwegian labour movement. He was sentenced to three months in prison for revolutionary trade union propaganda in 1908, and to four months in jail for antimilitarist agitation in 1912. In 1920 he was convicted as responsible for the physical assault by some workers on Henrik Ameln
Henrik Ameln
Henrik Ameln was a Norwegian jurist and politician for the Conservative Party. He was a mayor of Bergen, and served five terms in the Norwegian Parliament.-Personal life:...
; they had attended a meeting where Krogh called for revolutionary actions.
In 1912 he was hired as subeditor in the Labour Party newspaper Arbeidet
Arbeidet
Arbeidet was a Norwegian newspaper, published in Bergen in Hordaland county.Arbeidet was started in Bergen as a socialist newspaper on 6 December 1893, by a grouping called . It was the first socialist daily newspaper in Norway...
. He was promoted to editor-in-chief in 1918. In 1920 he was a delegate (for Norges Socialdemokratiske Ungdomsforbund) at the Second Comintern
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
Congress. In the press he defended the Twenty-one Conditions
Twenty-one Conditions
The Twenty-one Conditions, officially the Conditions of Admission to the Communist International, refer to the conditions given by Vladimir Lenin to the adhesion of the socialists to the Third International created in 1919 after the 1917 October Revolution. The conditions were formally adopted by...
. He was also a member of Fana
Fana
Fana is a borough of the city of Bergen, Norway.-History:Prior to 1972, Fana was an independent municipality which territory also included today's boroughs of Ytrebygda, Fyllingsdalen, and the southernmost part of Årstad.-Geography:...
municipal council from 1916 to 1922, and was elected to the Parliament of Norway from Hordaland in 1921
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1921
-Results:-References:*...
and 1924
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1924
-Results:-References:*...
. His last term ended in 1927. He stood for election in 1927, and was the communist candidate who came closest to winning a seat, but did not (three others did). He had joined the Communist Party in 1923, and stepped down as editor of Arbeidet in 1924.
Nazi period
He later joined the Fascist party Nasjonal Samling, being persuaded by Birger Meidell. He found work during the occupation of Norway by Nazi GermanyOccupation 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...
as a consultant in the Norwegian Ministry of Culture and Enlightenment from 1940 to 1941. When the Nazis usurped control over 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...
, they formed a group of former labour movementarians-turned-Nazis. Krogh was an informer for the Sicherheitspolizei
Sicherheitspolizei
The Sicherheitspolizei , often abbreviated as SiPo, was a term used in Nazi Germany to describe the state political and criminal investigation security agencies. It was made up by the combined forces of the Gestapo and the Kripo between 1936 and 1939...
from 1941 to 1944, especially of situations in the trade unions.
From 1943 he was an office manager in Granskningskommisjonen av 1943, a commission that was tasked with scrutinizing the actions of Nygaardsvold's Cabinet prior to the war, and thus find legal grounds for the Nazi usurpation of power.
In 1948, during the legal purge in Norway after World War II
Legal purge in Norway after World War II
When the occupation of Norway ended in May 1945, several thousand Norwegians and foreign citizens were tried and convicted for various acts that the occupying powers sanctioned...
, Krogh was sentenced for treason, to two years and three months of forced labour.