Trygve Lie
Encyclopedia
Trygve Halvdan Lie (ˌtɾyɡʋə ˈliː; 16 July 1896 – 30 December 1968) was a Norwegian
politician, labour leader, government official and author. He served as Norwegian Foreign minister during the critical years of the Norwegian government in exile in London
from 1940 to 1945. From 1946 to 1952 he was the first Secretary-General of the United Nations
. Lie earned a reputation as a pragmatic, determined politician.
on 16 July 1896. His father, carpenter Martin Lie, left the family to emigrate to the United States
in 1902, never to be heard of again. He grew up in simple circumstances with his mother and a six year old sister. His mother Hulda ran a boarding house and café in Grorud
near Oslo.
Lie joined the Labour Party
in 1911 and was named as the party's national secretary soon after receiving his law degree from the University of Oslo
in 1919. Lie was editor-in-chief for Det 20 århundre ('The 20th Century') from 1919 to 1921. From 1922 to 1935 he was a legal consultant for the Workers' National Trade Union (named Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
from 1957). He chaired the Norwegian Workers' Confederation of Sports from 1931 to 1935.
municipality council from 1922 to 1931. He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Akershus
in 1937. He was appointed Minister of Justice when a Labour Party government was formed by Johan Nygaardsvold
in 1935. Lie was later appointed Minister of Trade (July to October 1939) and Minister of Supplies (October 1939 to 1941).
A socialist from an early age, Lie once met Vladimir Lenin
while on a Labour Party visit to Moscow and gave permission for Leon Trotsky
to settle in Norway after he was exiled from the Soviet Union
. However, because of pressure from Joseph Stalin
, he forced Trotsky to leave the country.
In 1940, when Norway was invaded by Nazi Germany
, Lie ordered all Norwegian ships to sail to Allied ports. In 1941 Lie was named as Foreign Minister of the Norwegian government-in-exile, and he remained in this position until 1946.
conference in San Francisco in 1946 and was a leader in drafting the provisions of the United Nations Security Council
. He was the leader of the Norwegian delegation to the United Nations general assembly in 1946. On 1 February 1946, he was elected as the first Secretary General of the United Nations
as a result of a compromise between the major powers, having missed being elected President of the first General Assembly
by only a small margin.
As Secretary General, Lie supported the foundations of Israel
and Indonesia
. His passionate support for Israel included passing secret military and diplomatic information to Israeli officials. He worked for the withdrawal of Soviet forces in Iran
and a ceasefire to fighting in Kashmir
. He attracted the ire of the Soviet Union when he helped gather support for the defence of South Korea
after it was invaded
in 1950 and later worked to end the Soviet boycott of UN meetings, though his involvement had little to do with the eventual return of the Soviet Union to the UN. He was opposed to Spain
's entry into the United Nations because of his opposition to Francisco Franco
's government.
He also sought to have the People's Republic of China
recognized by the United Nations after the Nationalist government
was exiled to Taiwan
, arguing that the People's Republic was the only government that could fulfill the membership obligations in full.
He has been criticized for his failures to facilitate negotiation in the Berlin Blockade
, as well as his failure to bring about a swifter end to the Korean War. His critics argue that he was under the influence of a select few in the UN Secretariat. He has also been criticized for his arrogance and stubbornness.
On 1 November 1950, over objections from the Soviet Union, the UN General Assembly voted by 46 votes to 5 (and 8 abstentions) to extend Lie's term of office. The vote was a consequence of an impasse in the Security Council in which the US refused to accept any candidate except Lie while the Soviet Union refused to consider Lie due to his involvement in the Korean War
. The Soviet Union subsequently refused to acknowledge Lie as Secretary General and, having been accused by Joseph McCarthy
of hiring "disloyal" Americans an allegation that he attributed to the pressing need for civil servants following the establishment of the UN Lie resigned on November 10, 1952.
. He wrote a number of books.
Lie died on 30 December 1968 of a heart attack in Geilo
, Norway. He was 72 years old.
Trygve Lies plass is located in Furuset
center in Oslo. In the square stands statue in bronze of Trygve Lie, by Norwegian artist Nicolaus Widerberg which was erected in 1994. Trygve Lie Gallery and Trygve Lie Plaza are both located in New York City.
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...
politician, labour leader, government official and author. He served as Norwegian Foreign minister during the critical years of the Norwegian government in exile in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
from 1940 to 1945. From 1946 to 1952 he was the first Secretary-General of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. Lie earned a reputation as a pragmatic, determined politician.
Early life
Lie 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...
on 16 July 1896. His father, carpenter Martin Lie, left the family to emigrate to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1902, never to be heard of again. He grew up in simple circumstances with his mother and a six year old sister. His mother Hulda ran a boarding house and café in Grorud
Grorud
Grorud is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway.The borough contains the Ammerud, Grorud, Kalbakken, Rødtvet, Nordtvet and Romsås areas. Traditionally a borough inhabited by the working class, Grorud has in the last few decades had a great influx of immigrants. 40% of the population are first or...
near Oslo.
Lie 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....
in 1911 and was named as the party's national secretary soon after receiving his law degree from the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
in 1919. Lie was editor-in-chief for Det 20 århundre ('The 20th Century') from 1919 to 1921. From 1922 to 1935 he was a legal consultant for the Workers' National Trade Union (named 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...
from 1957). He chaired the Norwegian Workers' Confederation of Sports from 1931 to 1935.
Political career
In local politics he served as a member of the executive committee of AkerAker, Norway
Aker is a former municipality in Akershus, which lends its name to a municipality and a county in Norway. The name originally belonged to a farm which was located near the current Old Aker Church...
municipality council from 1922 to 1931. He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from 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...
in 1937. He was appointed Minister of Justice when a Labour Party government was formed by Johan Nygaardsvold
Johan Nygaardsvold
Johan Nygaardsvold was a Norwegian politician from the Labour Party. He was Prime Minister of Norway from 1935 to 1945 , as head of the cabinet Nygaardsvold.-Political career:...
in 1935. Lie was later appointed Minister of Trade (July to October 1939) and Minister of Supplies (October 1939 to 1941).
A socialist from an early age, Lie once met Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and communist politician who led the October Revolution of 1917. As leader of the Bolsheviks, he headed the Soviet state during its initial years , as it fought to establish control of Russia in the Russian Civil War and worked to create a...
while on a Labour Party visit to Moscow and gave permission for Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky , born Lev Davidovich Bronshtein, was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and theorist, Soviet politician, and the founder and first leader of the Red Army....
to settle in Norway after he was exiled from the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. However, because of pressure from Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
, he forced Trotsky to leave the country.
In 1940, when Norway was invaded by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, Lie ordered all Norwegian ships to sail to Allied ports. In 1941 Lie was named as Foreign Minister of the Norwegian government-in-exile, and he remained in this position until 1946.
United Nations career
Lie led the Norwegian delegation to the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
conference in San Francisco in 1946 and was a leader in drafting the provisions of the United Nations Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
. He was the leader of the Norwegian delegation to the United Nations general assembly in 1946. On 1 February 1946, he was elected as the first Secretary General of the United Nations
United Nations Secretary-General
The Secretary-General of the United Nations is the head of the Secretariat of the United Nations, one of the principal organs of the United Nations. The Secretary-General also acts as the de facto spokesperson and leader of the United Nations....
as a result of a compromise between the major powers, having missed being elected President of the first General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
by only a small margin.
As Secretary General, Lie supported the foundations of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
. His passionate support for Israel included passing secret military and diplomatic information to Israeli officials. He worked for the withdrawal of Soviet forces in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
and a ceasefire to fighting in Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
. He attracted the ire of the Soviet Union when he helped gather support for the defence of South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
after it was invaded
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
in 1950 and later worked to end the Soviet boycott of UN meetings, though his involvement had little to do with the eventual return of the Soviet Union to the UN. He was opposed to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
's entry into the United Nations because of his opposition to Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
's government.
He also sought to have the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
recognized by the United Nations after the Nationalist government
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
was exiled to Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, arguing that the People's Republic was the only government that could fulfill the membership obligations in full.
He has been criticized for his failures to facilitate negotiation in the Berlin Blockade
Berlin Blockade
The Berlin Blockade was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War and the first resulting in casualties. During the multinational occupation of post-World War II Germany, the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies' railway and road access to the sectors of Berlin under Allied...
, as well as his failure to bring about a swifter end to the Korean War. His critics argue that he was under the influence of a select few in the UN Secretariat. He has also been criticized for his arrogance and stubbornness.
On 1 November 1950, over objections from the Soviet Union, the UN General Assembly voted by 46 votes to 5 (and 8 abstentions) to extend Lie's term of office. The vote was a consequence of an impasse in the Security Council in which the US refused to accept any candidate except Lie while the Soviet Union refused to consider Lie due to his involvement in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. The Soviet Union subsequently refused to acknowledge Lie as Secretary General and, having been accused by Joseph McCarthy
Joseph McCarthy
Joseph Raymond "Joe" McCarthy was an American politician who served as a Republican U.S. Senator from the state of Wisconsin from 1947 until his death in 1957...
of hiring "disloyal" Americans an allegation that he attributed to the pressing need for civil servants following the establishment of the UN Lie resigned on November 10, 1952.
After the United Nations
Lie remained active in Norwegian politics after his resignation from the UN. He was the County Governor of Oslo and Akershus, Chairman of the Board of Energy, Minister of Industry, and Minister of Trade and ShippingMinister of Trade and Shipping (Norway)
The Norwegian Minister of Trade and Shipping is a defunct minister who was head of the Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Shipping between 6 December 1947 and 1 January 1988 when it was merged with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The function of trade has since been transferred to the...
. He wrote a number of books.
Personal life
He married Hjørdis Jørgensen (1900-1960), in 1921. The couple had three daughters, Sissel, Guri, and Mette.Lie died on 30 December 1968 of a heart attack in Geilo
Geilo
is a centre in the municipality of Hol in Norway, in the valley of Hallingdal, with around 2300 inhabitants.Geilo is primarily a ski resort town, but also offers summer activities. Geilo is in a valley with mountain ranges on each side. The center of the town lies at 800 meters above sea level, and...
, Norway. He was 72 years old.
Awards and honors
Trygve Lie was awarded a large number of Norwegian and foreign orders. Among these, the Norwegian highest civilian award Medal for Outstanding Civic Service (Medaljen for borgerdåd) (1966), the Grand Cross of the Order of Dannebrog (1954) and Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav (1953). He was awarded numerous honorary doctorates by universities throughout the U.S. and Europe. Trygve Lie was the holder of a number of other orders, decorations and other honors.Trygve Lies plass is located in Furuset
Furuset
Furuset was a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway up to January 1, 2004, when it became part of the new borough of Alna....
center in Oslo. In the square stands statue in bronze of Trygve Lie, by Norwegian artist Nicolaus Widerberg which was erected in 1994. Trygve Lie Gallery and Trygve Lie Plaza are both located in New York City.
Selected works
- Den nye arbeidstvistlov, 1933
- De forente nasjoner, 1949
- Syv år for freden, 1954 (published in English as In the Cause of Peace: Seven Years With the United Nations)
- Internasjonal politikk, 1955
- Leve eller dø. Norge i krig, 1955
- Med England i ildlinjen 1940–42, 1956
- Hjemover, 1958
- Oslo–Moskva–London, 1968
Other sources
- Gaglione, Anthony (2001) The United Nations under Trygve Lie, 1945-1953 (The Scarecrow Press, Inc.) ISBN 978-0810836983
- Barros, James (1989) Trygve Lie and the Cold War: The UN Secretary-General Pursues Peace, 1946-1953 (Northern Illinois Univ Press) ISBN 978-0875801483