2008 in Norway

Incumbents

• Monarch: Harald V
• Prime Minister: Jens Stoltenberg

Events

January

• January 1 – The Agency for Public Management and eGovernment is established.^[1]
• January 1 – Nordic Battlegroup consisting of military forces from Sweden, Finland, Norway, Republic of Ireland, and Estonia under the control of the European Union, is established.^[2]
• January 1 – Mercury becomes banned from use in Norway.^[3]
• January 11 –
  The Pocket Man.^[4]
• 13 January – A school in Lørenskog is closed after threats of a school shooting came from a video on YouTube. A 15-year-old was arrested for the threat.
• January 21 – The OBX Index drops 6.4%, then the second biggest fall since August 1991 and the third largest in its history.^[5][6]

February

• February 5 – The Standing Committee on Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs opens the case to decide whether three Supreme Court Justices will be impeached over their involvement in the Fritz Moen wrongful conviction.^[7]
• February 14 – A political case centering on
  Ombudsman for Children in Norway.^[8]
• February 21 – An earthquake measuring 6.1 on the
  Mercalli intensity of IV (Light) and was the strongest earthquake ever to hit Norway.^[9]
• February 23 – The 8 km Eiksund Tunnel near Volda in Møre og Romsdal is opened.^{[10][unreliable source?]}
• February 26 – The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is officially opened.^[11]
• 28 February – Three people were arrested in Oslo, accused of having participated in the financing of terrorist acts abroad.
• February 29 –
  Minister of Children and Equality.^[12]
• February – Former Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland is entangled in a political scandal over cancer treatments paid for by the Norwegian state, which she was not entitled to having previously changed her residency abroad.^[13]

March

• March 1 – Austrian
  World Cup Super-G run at Kvitfjell, resulting in injuries that lead to his left leg being amputated below the knee two days later.^[14]
• 28 March – Norway recognizes Kosovo as an independent state.

April

• 12 April – Official opening of the Oslo Opera House.

May

• 15 May –
  Ingeborg Synnøve Midtømme is appointed bishop of the diocese of Møre
  .

• June 11 – Norway legalises same-sex marriage.^[15]
• September – 2008 psychic phone call controversy: it was revealed that the Norwegian politician Saera Khan had racked up extremely high phone bills using the mobile phone with which she was provided for free by the Parliament.^[16]

July

August

September

• September 9 – The OBX Index drops 5.57%, then the fourth biggest drop ever.^[5][6]
• September 29 – In conjunction with the
  financial crisis of 2007–2008 the OBX Index of the Oslo Stock Exchange drops 8.3%, then its third largest drop ever in one day, but eclipsed only one week later.^[17]

• October 6 – The OBX Index drops 9.71%, the third largest drop ever in one day.^[6]
• October 8 – The OBX Index drops 6.44%^[18]
• October –
  Labour Party Saera Khan withdraws her candidacy for next year's elections when it is revealed that she has spent large sums using her parliament paid-for mobile phone to call psychic hotlines and then consistently lied to cover up the fact.^[19]
• October – Controversy erupts when British writer and Holocaust denier David Irving is invited to the 2009 Norwegian Festival of Literature at Lillehammer, to discuss his concept of truth,^[20] ending in Irving's invitation being withdrawn.^[21] Author Stig Sæterbakken resigns as the festival's content director in protest over the decision.^[22]
• October 15 – The OBX Index drops 8.81%^[23]
• October 24 – The OBX Index drops 9.24%^[24]

November

December

• December 13 – Six people died in a fire in an apartment building in Oslo.^[25]
• December 29 -
  2008–09 Oslo riots
  starts.

Popular culture

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2010)

Sports

• October – Tromsø's bid to become host city to the 2018 Winter Olympics is cancelled when the sports board of Norwegian Confederation of Sports votes 9 against 3 to withdraw the application for government financial guarantee.^[26]

Music

• Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008

Film

Literature

• Headhunters - Jo Nesbø

Television

Anniversaries

• 200 years since the birth of the poet Henrik Wergeland on June 17, 1808^[27]
• 100 years since Norway national football team played its first international game on July 12, 1908, in Gothenburg, Sweden^[28]
• 100 years since the sports club SK Brann was established (September 26).^[29]
• 100 years since the birth of the poet Olav H. Hauge on August 18, 1908^[30]
• 100 years since the birth of the composer and pianist Geirr Tveitt October 19, 1908^[31]
• 70 years since the death of Queen Maud of Norway on November 20, 1938^[32]

Sport

• January – The 2008 European Men's Handball Championship is hosted by the Norwegian Handball Federation with venues in Bergen, Drammen, Lillehammer, Stavanger and Trondheim.

Notable births

• September 29 –
  Emma Tallulah Behn, the daughter of Princess Märtha Louise of Norway and Ari Behn.^[33]

• 3 January – Bjarne Aagaard Strøm, politician (b. 1920).^[34]
• 4 January – Bjørn Odmar Andersen, footballer (b. 1943).^[35]
• 13 January – Ragnhild Langmyr, painter (b. 1907).^[36]
• 14 January – Ingvar Heggsum, painter (b. 1918).^[37]
• 14 January – Bjørn Paulson, high jumper and jurist (b. 1923).^[38]
• 14 January – Carsten Thomassen, journalist, killed in terrorist attack (b. 1969).^[39]
• 19 January – Astrid Løken, entomologist (b. 1911)
• 23 January – Stein Rønning, karateka (b. 1965).^[40]
• 23 January – Odd Henrik Sælen, oceanographer (b. 1920).^[41]
• 24 January – Johannes Heggland, author and politician (b. 1919).^[42]
• 26 January – Einar Sverre Pedersen, aviator (b. 1919).^[43]
• 26 January – Einar Løchen, Supreme Court justice (b. 1918).^[44]
• 28 January – Dagfinn Grønoset, author (b. 1920).^[45]
• 28 January – Marie Takvam, author and actor (b. 1926).^[46]
• 30 January – Knut Haugmark, actor (b. 1952).^[47]
• 9 February – Nils Retterstøl, psychiatrist (b. 1924).^[48]
• 10 February – Ove Jørstad, footballer (b. 1970).^[49]
• 10 February – Arne Barhaugen, Nordic combined skier (b. 1932).^[50]
• 13 February – Thorvald Gressum, politician (b. 1914).^[51]
• 15 February – Inge Thun, footballer (b. 1945).^[52]
• 15 February – Magnar Hellebust, politician (b. 1914).^[53]
• 16 February – Per Erik Monsen, politician (b. 1946).^[54]
• 22 February – Gerd Olaug Berger, politician (b. 1915).^[55]
• 4 March – Bjørn Jenseg, actor (b. 1932).^[56]
• 5 March – Erik Wiik-Hansen, yacht racer (b. 1934).^[57]
• 7 March – Julius Paltiel, Holocaust survivor (b. 1924).^[58]
• 10 March – Marianne Gullestad, social anthropologist (b. 1946).^[59]
• 12 March – Steinar Kvale, psychologist (b. 1938).^[60]
• 14 March – Ingvald Ulveseth, politician (b. 1924).^[61]
• 14 March – Harald Trefall, anti-immigration activist (b. 1925).^[62]
• 14 March – Guri Tambs-Lyche, activist (b. 1917).^[63]
• 15 March – Fredrik Friis, impresario (b. 1923).
• 16 March – Victor Sparre, artist (b. 1919).^[64]
• 18 March – Bjørg Gaselle, children's writer (b. 1923, died in Spain).^[65]
• 19 March – Eivind Solberg, jazz trumpeter (b. 1933).^[66]
• 20 March – John Willem Gran, Catholic bishop (b. 1920, died in France).^[67]
• 22 March – Arne Skarpsno, "father of the street children" (b. 1926).^[68]
• 24 March – Odin Sivertsen, politician (b. 1914).^[69]
• 26 March – Sigmund Strømme, book publisher (b. 1923).^[70]
• 28 March – Knut Lier-Hansen, resistance member (b. 1916).
• 30 March – Halvor Roll, writer (b. 1929).^[71]
• 30 March – Aage Vestøl, chess player (b. 1922).^[72]
• 31 March – Stein Haugen, discus thrower (b. 1933).^[73]
• 5 April – Oskar Edøy, politician (b. 1916).^[74]
• 9 April –
  Haaken A. Christensen, art collector (b. 1924).^[75]
• 11 April – Magne Haraldstad, politician (b. 1937).^[76]
• 19 April – Klaus Halvorsen, politician (b. 1942).^[77]
• 21 April – Ola M. Hestenes, politician (b. 1919)
• 23 April – Haagen Ringnes, journalist and author (b. 1928).^[78]
• 29 April – Julie Ege, actress and model (b. 1943).^[79]
• 3 May – Åge Standal Holter, scholar of religion (b. 1919).^[80]
• 5 May – Astrid Gunhilde Karlsen, politician (b. 1920).^[81]
• 10 May – Erik Borge, film director and producer (b. 1924).^[82]
• 15 May – Tove Billington Bye, politician (b. 1928).^[83]
• 15 May – Ottar Grønvik, philologist and runologist (b. 1916).^[84]
• 18 May – Odd Strand, civil servant (b. 1925)
• 19 May – Kjell Kristian Rike, sports commentator (b. 1944).^[85]
• 29 May – Torbjørg Aas Gravalid, fiddler (b. 1916).^[86]
• 2 June – Geir Kjetsaa, literary historian, translator and author (b. 1937).^[87]
• 8 June – Tore Falch Nilsen, ice hockey player (b. 1948).^[88]
• 9 June – Christian Lerche, physician (b. 1917).^[89]
• 11 June – Gunnar Solum, politician (b. 1929).^[90]
• 13 June – Per Fuglum, historian (b. 1924).
• 15 June – Ole-Jørgen Nilsen, actor and theatre director (b. 1936).^[91]
• 19 June – Antonio Bibalo, pianist and composer (b. 1922).^[92]
• 22 June – Odd Aukrust, economist (b. 1915).^[93]
• 22 June – Jens Petter Ekornes, entrepreneur and politician (b. 1942).^[94]
• 22 June – Hans Haga, agrarian leader (b. 1924).^[95]
• 22 June – Einar W. Sissener, businessperson (b. 1929)
• 24 June – Kari Røhmen Langaas, painter and printmaker (b. 1920).^[96]
• 26 June – Asbjørn Haugstvedt, politician (b. 1926).^[97]
• 27 June – Sasha Gabor, pornographic actor (b. 1945).^[98]
• 29 June – Jørn Skille, civil servant (b. 1942).^[99]
• 30 June – Annemarie Lorentzen, politician (b. 1921).^[100]
• 2 July – Per Andersson, architect and city planner (b. 1921).^[101]
• 3 July – Harald Heide-Steen Jr., actor, comedian and singer (b. 1939).^[102]
• 5 July – Dagfinn Næss, boxer (b. 1934).^[103]
• 8 July – Erling Rønneberg, resistance member and politician (b. 1923).^[104]
• 8 July – Knut Bøckman, chess writer (b. 1932)
• 9 July – Hans Hjelle, politician (b. 1916).^[105]
• 10 July – Kåre Rodahl, physician (b. 1917).^[106]
• 14 July – Henki Kolstad, actor (b. 1915).^[107]
• 21 July – Knut Boye, civil economist (b. 1937).^[108]
• 25 July – Roy Blohm, painter (b. 1922).^[109]
• 30 July – Erik Himle, civil servant and politician (b. 1924).^[110]
• 30 July – Terje Thoen, ice hockey player (b. 1944).^[111]
• 1 August – Tore Breda Thoresen, theatre director (b. 1924).^[112]
• 1 August – Rolf Bae, mountaineer (b. 1975, died in Pakistan).^[113]
• 2 August – Helga Gitmark, politician (b. 1929).^[114]
• 2 August – Kåre Grøndahl Hagem, politician (b. 1915).^[115]
• 8 August – Ann-Mari Aasland, politician (b. 1915).^[116]
• 12 August – Helge Hagerup, writer (b. 1933).^[117]
• 15 August – Thor Pedersen, rower (b. 1924).^[118]
• 18 August – Ole Frithjof Klemsdal, politician (b. 1923).^[119]
• 31 August – Ragnhild Mikkelsen, speed skater (b. 1931).
• 1 September – Jens Sterri, civil servant (b. 1923).
• 2 September – Andreas Zeier Cappelen, politician (b. 1915).^[120]
• 6 September – Aril Edvardsen, evangelical preacher and missionary (b. 1938, died in Kenya).^[121]
• 11 September – Nils Johan Ringdal, historian (b. 1952, died in Indonesia).^[122]
• 14 September – Knut S. Heier, geochemist (b. 1929)
• 20 September – Arne Haugestad, barrister (b. 1935).^[123]
• 27 September –
  Olaf Poulsen
  , speed skater and official (b. 1920)
• 28 September – Ivar Kåre Mathisen, politician (b. 1921).^[124]
• 5 October – Erik Hultberg, architect (b. 1931).^[125]
• 6 October – Anne Margrethe Strømsheim, resistance member (b. 1914)
• 7 October – Ivar Mathisen, canoeist (b. 1920).^[126]
• 12 October – Vessa Hanssen, opera singer (b. 1937).^[127]
• 14 October – Bodil Finsveen, politician (b. 1934).^[128]
• 18 October – Tormod Haugen, author (b. 1945).^[129]
• 21 October – Helge Fæhn, theologian (b. 1918).^[130]
• 23 October – Liv Marit Moland, politician (b. 1948).^[131]
• 30 October – Nils Kåre Jacobsen, publisher (b. 1929).^[132]
• 31 October – John Klemetsen, boxing coach and promoter (b. 1938).^[133]
• 8 November – Bodil Aakre, jurist and politician (b. 1922).^[134]
• 14 November – Knut Bjørnsen, sports commentator and television presenter (b. 1932).^[135]
• 24 November – Rolf Ketil Bjørn, businessperson and politician (b. 1938).^[136]
• 13 December – Kjartan Slettemark, artist (b. 1932, died in Sweden).^[137]
• 15 December –
  Anne-Catharina Vestly, children's author (b. 1920).^[138]
• 23 December – Frank Krog, actor (b. 1954).^[139]
• 23 December – Paul M. Strande, military officer (b. 1912).^[140]
• 27 December – Arild Andresen, footballer and ice hockey player (b. 1928)

Full date missing

• Torbjørn Kristoffer Christiansen, diplomat (b. 1924).^[141]
• Bjørg Arisland, children's writer (b. 1929).
• Ruth Rye Josefsen, politician (b. 1923).
• Kjell Bygstad, politician (b. 1938).
• Torstein Bertelsen, ophthalmologist (b. 1923).
• Sigmund Kjos, industrialist and politician (b. 1931).
• Arnfinn Karlstad, ski jumper (b. 1932).
• Reidun Nortvedt, novelist (b. 1947).
• Gerd Pettersen, resistance member (b. 1914).
• Jon Strømsheim, politician (b. 1915).
• Hans Svartdahl, Pentecostal leader (b. 1920).
• Brit Sørensen, sculptor (b. 1923).
• Rolf Trøen, speed skater (b. 1935).
• Thor Volla, principal (b. 1929).
• Tor Vaa, sculptor (b. 1928).
• Torbjørn "Tobben" Willassen, musician (b. 1949).

References

External links

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