Torgeir Vraa
Encyclopedia
Torgeir Tarjei Olavsson Vraa (16 May 1868 – 21 June 1934) was a Norwegian
educator, newspaper editor and politician for the Labour Party
.
He was born as Torgeir Rui in Fyresdal
as a son of farmers. Upon graduating from Asker Teachers' College in 1889, he was hired as a school teacher in Modum
. Here he married Maren Sofie Hansen (1870–1935) in October 1892. Vraa joined the Liberal Party, where Christopher Hornsrud
was a leading figure on the left wing, but in 1897 the two joined the Labour Party
.
From 1902 to 1904 he was a journalist in the Labour Party newspaper Social-Demokraten
in Kristiania
. From 17 May 1905 he was the first editor-in-chief of the newly established Labour Party newspaper Fremtiden
in Drammen, where he contributed to defining local journalism as a genre.
Vraa was elected to the Parliament of Norway in 1906
for the constituency Strømsø og Tangen. He prevailed in the second round of voting
, having won the endorsement from the local Liberals who pulled their candidate. He was a member of the Protocol Committee. In the next election in 1909
he lost this support and was not re-elected. He instead served as deputy mayor of Drammen from 1910 to 1913. In total he was a city council member from 1910 to 1919 and 1922 to 1928. He was also county chairman for a period, and national board member from 1904 to 1912 and 1918 to 1920.
He did not join any splinter party in 1921 to 1923, but stayed in the Labour Party, and gained a parliamentary seat in the elections 1924
and 1930
, representing the constituency Market towns of Buskerud county
. For both terms he was a member of the Standing Committee on Forestry and Waterways. He died in June 1934 in Drammen, and was editor-in-chief until his death. The collected writings Artikler og petiter were published posthumously in 1936. A statue of him was raised in Drammen in 1936, and streets or squares have been named after him in Drammen and Skien
.
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, newspaper editor 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 born as Torgeir Rui in Fyresdal
Fyresdal
Fyresdal is a municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Vest-Telemark. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Moland. The municipality of Moland was established on 1 January 1838 . In 1879, the name was changed to...
as a son of farmers. Upon graduating from Asker Teachers' College in 1889, he was hired as a school teacher in Modum
Modum
Modum is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hallingdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Vikersund. The municipality of Modum was established on 1 January 1838 .The area has a long tradition of skiing with several famous...
. Here he married Maren Sofie Hansen (1870–1935) in October 1892. Vraa joined the Liberal Party, where Christopher Hornsrud
Christopher Hornsrud
Christopher Andersen Hornsrud served as Prime Minister of Norway from January to February 1928. He combined the post of prime minister with that of minister of finance. Although his tenure as Prime Minister was brief, his list of political accomplishments is not...
was a leading figure on the left wing, but in 1897 the two joined 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....
.
From 1902 to 1904 he was a journalist in the Labour Party newspaper Social-Demokraten
Dagsavisen
Dagsavisen is a daily newspaper published in Oslo, Norway. The former party organ of the Norwegian Labour Party, the ties loosened over time from 1975 to 1999, and it is now fully independent...
in 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...
. From 17 May 1905 he was the first editor-in-chief of the newly established Labour Party newspaper Fremtiden
Fremtiden
Fremtiden was a Norwegian newspaper, published in Drammen.Fremtiden was started in 1905. Its first editor was Torgeir Vraa, who edited the newspaper from its start until his death in 1934. Fremtiden became the main organ for tne Norwegian Labour Party in Buskerud. During the 1980s the newspaper had...
in Drammen, where he contributed to defining local journalism as a genre.
Vraa was elected to the Parliament of Norway in 1906
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1906
-Results:-References:**...
for the constituency Strømsø og Tangen. He prevailed in the second round of voting
Two-round system
The two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate...
, having won the endorsement from the local Liberals who pulled their candidate. He was a member of the Protocol Committee. In the next election in 1909
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1909
-Results: Liberal Left Party is part of coalition with Conservative Party-References:***...
he lost this support and was not re-elected. He instead served as deputy mayor of Drammen from 1910 to 1913. In total he was a city council member from 1910 to 1919 and 1922 to 1928. He was also county chairman for a period, and national board member from 1904 to 1912 and 1918 to 1920.
He did not join any splinter party in 1921 to 1923, but stayed in the Labour Party, and gained a parliamentary seat in the elections 1924
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1924
-Results:-References:*...
and 1930
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1930
-Results:*...
, representing the constituency Market towns of Buskerud county
Market towns of Buskerud county
The Market towns of Buskerud county was an electoral district for parliamentary elections in Norway. It comprised the market towns of Drammen, Hønefoss and Kongsberg in Buskerud county....
. For both terms he was a member of the Standing Committee on Forestry and Waterways. He died in June 1934 in Drammen, and was editor-in-chief until his death. The collected writings Artikler og petiter were published posthumously in 1936. A statue of him was raised in Drammen in 1936, and streets or squares have been named after him in Drammen and Skien
Skien
' is a city and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Skien. Skien is also the administrative centre of Telemark county....
.