Olav Meisdalshagen
Olav Meisdalshagen | |
---|---|
Harald Løbak | |
Personal details | |
Born | Norges Kooperative Landsforening | 17 March 1903
Profession | Jurist |
Olav Meisdalshagen (17 March 1903 – 21 November 1959) was a Norwegian politician for the
A jurist by profession, Meisdalshagen came from a humble family background, growing up at a former
Early life and career
Early life and education
Meisdalshagen was born on 17 March 1903 in
Pre-war political career
Meisdalshagen became involved in politics while attending school in Voss,
During the term 1934–1936 he served as a deputy representative to the
World War II
As the Parliament amended the
Germany gradually tightened the grip of Norwegian society, and the Parliament became defunct during the rest of the German occupation of Norway. In 1941 Meisdalshagen became a prominent figure in the Norwegian resistance movement against German rule, in the position of district leader of Milorg in Valdres. In 1944 he left Norway and fled to Sweden, where he was a secretary at Flyktningskontoret in Stockholm until 1945. Briefly in 1945 he served as an advisor in London for the coordination of Milorg cells.[2]
Post-war career
First post-war years
In the first parliamentary election after the war, in 1945, Meisdalshagen was re-elected for a second term in Parliament.[2] It was not clear that he would be nominated for the ballot, as this was not at all usual for those Labour Party members who in the summer of 1940 had agreed to the King's abdication. However, Meisdalshagen's service in Milorg probably tipped the scales in his favour.[1] He was a member of the Standing Committee on Finance and Customs and secretary of the Preparatory Credentials Committee, and also became a member of the Standing Committee on Justice in December 1946.[2] Meisdalshagen was also board chairman of the Norwegian State Housing Bank from 1946 to 1953.[2]
Minister of Finance
Midway through his four-year term, Meisdalshagen was appointed Minister of Finance in Gerhardsen's Second Cabinet. He served from 6 December 1947 to 19 November 1951,[2] when Torp's Cabinet was formed.[11] Prime Minister Einar Gerhardsen and former party secretary Martin Tranmæl were the architects behind his appointment.[1] Ultimately, Meisdalshagen's opposition to the Labour Party's foreign and defence policy in general, and extraordinary monetary grants for defence measures specifically, was cited as the reason for his resignation from the cabinet, and even for the entire cabinet shift.[12] During his period as minister, Meisdalshagen's parliamentary seat was occupied by Gunnar Kalrasten until June 1948 and then by Thorvald Ulsnæs.[2] He was succeeded as Minister of Finance by Trygve Bratteli; other candidates were discussed but rejected, including Meisdalshagen's old acquaintance[1] Klaus Sunnanå.[13]
As a politician, Meisdalshagen has been noted as being an opposite figure to his predecessor as Minister of Finance,
According to Prime Minister Einar Gerhardsen, it took long to persuade Meisdalshagen to even take the post as Minister of Finance, and he was more interested in agro-economical questions than traditional planning of the economy. It was even said that Gerhardsen's Cabinet had an interest in luring Meisdalshagen away from the Parliament, where he had driven through significant increases in farmer's income, threatening the overall balance and planning of the state finances.
During Meisdalshagen's time the lines between various parts of government were somewhat blurred. When the
Return to Parliament
Since 1913, parliamentarians who are appointed to the cabinet may return to Parliament later, provided that the four-year term has not expired.
Meisdalshagen was also chairman of the
Internal opposition
Meisdalshagen was regarded as an internal opponent of the Labour Party's foreign affairs and defence policy.
Meisdalshagen was also discontented with the
Halfway through his fifth term in Parliament, on 21 November 1959, Meisdalshagen suffered from a sudden indisposition after a parliamentary speech. He was hospitalized, but died later that same day. The cause of death was intracranial hemorrhage.[1] In Parliament he was replaced by Per Mellesmo, who advanced from deputy to regular representative. He was biographized in 1982 by Nils Oddvar Bergheim.[2]
References
- Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Jansen, Trine Søreide. "Olav Meisdalshagen". In Helle, Knut (ed.). Norsk biografisk leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 7 December 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Olav Meisdalshagen" (in Norwegian). Storting. Retrieved 7 December 2009.
- ^ Lie, 1995: pp. 107, 113
- ^ Lie, 1995: p. 220
- ^ a b Lie, 1995: p. 113
- Norsk krigsleksikon 1940-45. Oslo: Cappelen. Archived from the originalon 5 January 2010. Retrieved 7 December 2009.
- ^ Nøkleby, Berit (1995). "Bräuer, Curt". In Dahl, Hans Fredrik (ed.). Norsk krigsleksikon 1940-45. Oslo: Cappelen. Archived from the original on 25 May 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2009.
- ^ Hjelle, Eivind Otto (1995). "Elverumsfullmakten". In Dahl, Hans Fredrik (ed.). Norsk krigsleksikon 1940-45. Oslo: Cappelen. Archived from the original on 1 March 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2009.
- ^ Dahl, Hans Fredrik (1995). "riksrådsforhandlingene". In Dahl, Hans Fredrik (ed.). Norsk krigsleksikon 1940-45. Oslo: Cappelen. Archived from the original on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2009.
- ^ Nøkleby, Berit (1995). "Kongens nei". In Dahl, Hans Fredrik (ed.). Norsk krigsleksikon 1940-45. Oslo: Cappelen. Archived from the original on 25 May 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2009.
- ^ "Oscar Torp's Government". Government.no. 12 December 2006. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
- ^ a b Lie, 1995: p. 180
- ^ Lie, 1995: p. 181
- ^ a b c Sletten, Vegard (23 November 1959). "Ein opposisjonsmann er borte". Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). p. 9.
- ^ a b Lie, 1995: p. 100
- ^ Furre, 2000: p. 100
- ^ Lie, 1995: pp. 106–107
- ^ Lie, 1995: pp. 107, 112
- ^ Lie, 1995: p. 183
- ^ Lie, 1995: p. 224
- ^ Lie, 1995: pp. 112–113
- ^ Furre, 2000: p. 132
- Store norske leksikon(in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
- ^ Lie, 1995: pp. 135–136
- ^ Lie, 1995: p. 139
- ^ Geithus, 1999: p. 36
- ^ a b Lie, 1995: p. 194
- ^ "Norwegian Ministry of Finance. State Secretaries". Government.no. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
- ^ Lie, 1995: p. 197
- ^ Nordby, 2004: p. 99
- Store norske leksikon(in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 13 December 2009.
- ^ Lie, 1995: p. 355
- ^ Lie, 1995: pp. 178, 180
- ^ Lie, 1995: p. 243–245
- ^ Lie, 1995: p. 354
- ^ Lie, 1995: p. 357
- Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Archived from the originalon 30 September 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2010.
- ^ Norderval, Ingunn. "Olav Oksvik". In Helle, Knut (ed.). Norsk biografisk leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
- Bibliography
- ISBN 82-521-5187-6.
- Geithus, Tonje (1999). Statssekretærane. Intensjon og praksis 1945–1971 (in Norwegian). Bergen: LOS-senteret.
- Lie, Einar (1995). Ambisjon og tradisjon. Finansdepartementet 1945–1965 (in Norwegian). Oslo: Universitetsforlaget. ISBN 82-00-22622-0.
- ISBN 82-15-00651-5.