Wolfgang Wenzel von Haffner
Encyclopedia
Wolfgang Wenzel von Haffner (23 November 1806 – 11 November 1892) was a Norwegian
naval officer and politician.
in 1806, as the son of Lieutenant Colonel Johan Friedrich Wilhelm Haffner and Sara Vilhelmine, née Hagerup. In 1834 in Ullensaker
he married Louise Claudia le Normand Malthe (1806, Solum
– 1872, Kristiania.
His career began in the navy
. He became Sub-Lieutenant (second lieutenant
or fenrik) in 1824, and Lieutenant
in 1830. From 1839 to 1848 he had an interlude as a private tutor in Norwegian language
and mathematics
to the three eldest sons of Crown Prince Oscar of Sweden
, namely Charles
, Gustaf
and Oscar
. After this period, Haffner returned to the navy in 1848. He was promoted to Commodore
in 1860.
. Johan Sverdrup
set forward a motion of no confidence
, and this motion passed in what has been called a "foreplay of parliamentarism".
In May 1875, July 1875 and 1881 King Oscar II (whom Haffner had formerly tutored) appointed Haffner an acting member of the interim governments in Stockholm. Such interim governments were established when the King travelled abroad. On 21 March 1884, when Selmer's Cabinet fell due to the impeachment trial, Haffner was again named a member of the Council of State Division in Stockholm. He was also appointed acting Prime Minister in Stockholm, as the previous Prime Minister in Stockholm, Otto Richard Kierulf
, went down in the Selmer impeachment case. Over Haffner, two people served as acting Prime Ministers in Kristiania: Ole Bachke from 11 to 29 March and Niels Mathias Rye
from 29 March to 3 April 1884. On 3 April a new cabinet, Schweigaard's Cabinet, was finally constituted, and Haffner was relieved of both his positions. The Schweigaard's Cabinet lasted only two months, being replaced by the Liberal Sverdrup's Cabinet on 26 June.
Haffner died in his birth city in 1892. He was buried at Vår Frelsers gravlund
.
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...
naval officer and politician.
Early life and career
He was born in ChristianiaOslo
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 1806, as the son of Lieutenant Colonel Johan Friedrich Wilhelm Haffner and Sara Vilhelmine, née Hagerup. In 1834 in Ullensaker
Ullensaker
Ullensaker is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Romerike. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Jessheim. It has a population of approximately 30,000 inhabitants...
he married Louise Claudia le Normand Malthe (1806, Solum
Solum
The solum in soil science consists of the surface and subsoil layers that have undergone the same soil forming conditions. The base of the solum is the relatively unweathered parent material, termed substratum....
– 1872, Kristiania.
His career began in the navy
Royal Norwegian Navy
The Royal Norwegian Navy is the branch of the Norwegian Defence Force responsible for naval operations. , the RNoN consists of approximately 3,700 personnel and 70 vessels, including 5 heavy frigates, 6 submarines, 14 patrol boats, 4 minesweepers, 4 minehunters, 1 mine detection vessel, 4 support...
. He became Sub-Lieutenant (second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
or fenrik) in 1824, and Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in 1830. From 1839 to 1848 he had an interlude as a private tutor in Norwegian language
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
and mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
to the three eldest sons of Crown Prince Oscar of Sweden
Oscar I of Sweden
Oscar I was King of Sweden and Norway from 1844 to his death. When, in August 1810, his father Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte was elected Crown Prince of Sweden, Oscar and his mother moved from Paris to Stockholm . Oscar's father was the first ruler of the current House of Bernadotte...
, namely Charles
Charles XV of Sweden
Charles XV & IV also Carl ; Swedish and Norwegian: Karl was King of Sweden and Norway from 1859 until his death....
, Gustaf
Prince Gustaf, Duke of Uppland
Prince Frans Gustaf Oscar of Sweden and Norway, Duke of Uppland was the second son of Oscar I of Sweden and Josephine of Leuchtenberg and younger brother to Prince Charles.Prince Gustaf was a trained musician and composer...
and Oscar
Oscar II of Sweden
Oscar II , baptised Oscar Fredrik was King of Sweden from 1872 until his death and King of Norway from 1872 until 1905. The third son of King Oscar I of Sweden and Josephine of Leuchtenberg, he was a descendant of Gustav I of Sweden through his mother.-Early life:At his birth in Stockholm, Oscar...
. After this period, Haffner returned to the navy in 1848. He was promoted to Commodore
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
in 1860.
Political career
In 1861 he entered politics. He was appointed chief of the Ministry of the Navy and Postal Affairs in December 1861, being the fourth person to hold that position that year. In October 1863 he left to serve as a member of the Council of State Division in Stockholm. The next year he returned as Minister of the Navy and Postal Affairs, only to return to Stockholm in 1867. He returned one final time to the Ministry of the Navy and Postal Affairs to head it from June 1868 to March 1869. During this final period, the Parliament of Norway became severely disappointed with monetary amounts granted to enlargement of KarljohansvernKarljohansvern
Karjohansvern in Horten was the main base for the Royal Norwegian Navy from 1819 to 1963.It was first called Hortens verft, and later Marinens Hovedværft until King Oscar I named it Carljohansværn værft in 1854...
. Johan Sverdrup
Johan Sverdrup
Johan Sverdrup was a Norwegian politician from the Liberal Party. He was the first Prime Minister of Norway after the introduction of parliamentarism. Sverdrup was Prime Minister from 1884 to 1889.- Early years :...
set forward a motion of no confidence
Motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
, and this motion passed in what has been called a "foreplay of parliamentarism".
In May 1875, July 1875 and 1881 King Oscar II (whom Haffner had formerly tutored) appointed Haffner an acting member of the interim governments in Stockholm. Such interim governments were established when the King travelled abroad. On 21 March 1884, when Selmer's Cabinet fell due to the impeachment trial, Haffner was again named a member of the Council of State Division in Stockholm. He was also appointed acting Prime Minister in Stockholm, as the previous Prime Minister in Stockholm, Otto Richard Kierulf
Otto Richard Kierulf
Otto Richard Kierulf was a Norwegian military officer, politician and sports administrator.He was the first leader of Centralforeningen for Udbredelse af Legemsøvelser og Vaabenbrug, first from 1861 to 1864, and again from 1867 to 1869.He was a member of Frederik Stang's cabinet from 1871, as...
, went down in the Selmer impeachment case. Over Haffner, two people served as acting Prime Ministers in Kristiania: Ole Bachke from 11 to 29 March and Niels Mathias Rye
Niels Mathias Rye
Niels Mathias Rye was a Norwegian politician.He was born at Bø i Telemark in 1824, as the son of Lieutenant Colonel Johan Mathias Rye and Christiane Elisabeth Sparre, née Gasmann. He married Thale Cathrine Rye, daughter of former President of the Storting Johan Henrik Rye.Having graduated as...
from 29 March to 3 April 1884. On 3 April a new cabinet, Schweigaard's Cabinet, was finally constituted, and Haffner was relieved of both his positions. The Schweigaard's Cabinet lasted only two months, being replaced by the Liberal Sverdrup's Cabinet on 26 June.
Haffner died in his birth city in 1892. He was buried at Vår Frelsers gravlund
Vår Frelsers gravlund
Vår Frelsers gravlund is a cemetery in Oslo, Norway, located north of Hammersborg in Gamle Aker district. It was created in 1808 as a result of the great famine and cholera epidemic of the Napoleonic Wars. Its grounds were extended in 1911. The cemetery has been full since 1952...
.