Torger Baardseth
Encyclopedia
Torger Baardseth was a Norwegian bookseller and publisher.
in Akershus
county, Norway
. His parents were Nils Baardseth (1839–1920) and Gunda Elisa Morris (1855–1926). After middle school examination in 1891, he was an apprentice at P. T.Malling bokhandel
in Christiania
. In 1899, he traveled to Copenhagen
to work at Det nordiske Forlag, one of Scandinavia's leading publishers.
III. Baardseth continued as chairman of Steenske. Baardseth made it a publishing company with great influence. One of the first major tasks he undertook was a complete release of all works Henrik Wergeland
had written.
Torger Baardseth was chairman of the Norwegian Booksellers Association
from 1902 to 1916, Assistant (with brief interruptions) in the Norwegian Publishers Association 1922-24 and 1929–36, chairman of the Norwegian Pension Fund and Bookstores Savings Bank from 1916 and the Norwegian Booksellers Association
1936-39. In many fields, he took up the fight to improve conditions of workers, from education and scholarship schemes to salary and pension. A central issue for many years was the worker's right to establish themselves as independent bookstore
s.
Background
Torger Baardseth was born in BærumBærum
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandvika. Bærum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838. A suburb of Oslo, Bærum is located on the west coast of the city....
in Akershus
Akershus
- Geography :The county is conventionally divided into the traditional districts Follo and Romerike, which fill the vast part of the county, as well as the small exclave west of Oslo that consists of Asker and Bærum...
county, Norway
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...
. His parents were Nils Baardseth (1839–1920) and Gunda Elisa Morris (1855–1926). After middle school examination in 1891, he was an apprentice at P. T.Malling bokhandel
Peter Tidemand Malling
Peter Tidemand Malling was a Norwegian bookseller, printer and publisher.-Background:Peter Tidemand Malling was born in Strømsø , in Buskerud County, Norway. His parents were Michael Malling and Maren Elisabeth Klein...
in Christiania
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 1899, he traveled to Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
to work at Det nordiske Forlag, one of Scandinavia's leading publishers.
Career
In January 1901 he began working at the publishing house of J. W. Cappelens Forlag. He was the director of J. W. Cappelens Forlag from 1904 to 1916 and 1919 to 1943. In between, Baardseth had the chance for self-employment when he took over leadership of Steenske Forlag, a small company that dated to 1829. After a half year, he offered to buy the publishing house, and he was able with financial help from Jørgen W. CappelenCappelen (family)
Cappelen is the surname of a prominent Norwegian family of merchants, land owners, civil servants and politicians. In the 18th and 19th century, it was one of the so-called patrician families in Norway, i.e...
III. Baardseth continued as chairman of Steenske. Baardseth made it a publishing company with great influence. One of the first major tasks he undertook was a complete release of all works Henrik Wergeland
Henrik Wergeland
Henrik Arnold Thaulow Wergeland was a Norwegian writer, most celebrated for his poetry but also a prolific playwright, polemicist, historian, and linguist...
had written.
Torger Baardseth was chairman of the Norwegian Booksellers Association
Norwegian Booksellers Association
The Norwegian Booksellers Association is a Norwegian interest group. Its purpose is "looking after the interests of the booksellers and working to strengthen the position of literature and books in society". It awards the annual Norwegian Booksellers' Prize .It was founded on 10 January 1851. The...
from 1902 to 1916, Assistant (with brief interruptions) in the Norwegian Publishers Association 1922-24 and 1929–36, chairman of the Norwegian Pension Fund and Bookstores Savings Bank from 1916 and the Norwegian Booksellers Association
Norwegian Booksellers Association
The Norwegian Booksellers Association is a Norwegian interest group. Its purpose is "looking after the interests of the booksellers and working to strengthen the position of literature and books in society". It awards the annual Norwegian Booksellers' Prize .It was founded on 10 January 1851. The...
1936-39. In many fields, he took up the fight to improve conditions of workers, from education and scholarship schemes to salary and pension. A central issue for many years was the worker's right to establish themselves as independent bookstore
Independent bookstore
An independent bookstore is a retail bookstore which is independently owned.-Literary and countercultural history:Author events at independent bookstores sometimes take the role of literary salons. The bookstores themselves, "have historically supported and cultivated the work of independent...
s.