Thomas Heftye

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the Norwegian businessman, politician and philanthropist, see Thomas Johannessen Heftye.
Thomas Heftye
Georg Stang
Succeeded byOscar Strugstad
Personal details
Born
Thomas Thomassen Heftye

(1860-04-10)10 April 1860
Vestre Aker, United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway
Died19 September 1921(1921-09-19) (aged 61)
Trondhjem, Sør-Trøndelag, Norway
Political partyLiberal
SpouseMarie Berghaus
RelationsThomas Johannessen Heftye (father)
Johannes Thomassen Heftye (grandfather)
Henrik Heftye (granduncle)
Children1
Alma materNorwegian Military Academy
OccupationMilitary officer
Engineer, telegrapher
Sports official
Arbitrator

Thomas Thomassen Heftye (10 April 1860 – 19 September 1921) was a Norwegian military officer, engineer, sports official and politician for the Liberal Party. He is best known as the Norwegian Minister of Defence from June to October 1903 and March to April 1908, as well as the director of Telegrafverket. He was killed in the Nidareid train disaster.

Personal life

He was born in Vestre Aker as the son of banker Thomas Johannessen Heftye (1822–1886) and his wife Marie Jacobine Meyer (1826–1895).[1] He was a grandson of banker and politician Johannes Thomassen Heftye. His great-grandfather migrated to Norway from Hätzingen, Switzerland in the late eighteenth century, and founded the family company Thos. Joh. Heftye & Søn.[2] He was also a grandnephew of Henrik Thomassen Heftye.[3] In May 1888 he married Marie Berghaus (1869–1931).[1]

Career

Heftye

Liberal Party, and was regarded as being on their radical wing.[1]

From 1900 to 1902 he served in

dissolution of the union between Norway and Sweden in 1905, which the Liberal Party supported. In 1905, then, he was made director of Telegrafverket, running the state monopoly on telegraph services.[1] Telegrafverket is considered a predecessor of today's telecommunications company Telenor.[5]

Heftye served one term in

vote of no confidence.[6]

Despite the disagreement in 1908, Heftye and Knudsen were not estranged. Knudsen would later sit as Prime Minister from 1913 to 1920, and he used Heftye as an arbitrator in both the national wages board and in irregular labour conflicts. Previously, during his time as telegraph director, Heftye had started the institution of non-legal

Northern and Southern Slesvig in 1920.[1]

Heftye was also involved in sports. He was a member of the

1906 and 1908 Summer Olympics. He was also Norway's member of the International Olympic Committee from 1907 to 1908. He also chaired the Landsforeningen for Reiselivet from 1912 to 1918 and the Norwegian Trekking Association from 1918 to 1921.[1]

Death

Main article: Nidareid train disaster

The Dovre Railway Line was officially opened in September 1921. On 19 September 1921, tragedy struck as two trains collided right outside the Nidareid tunnel in Trondhjem. Heftye was killed together with architect Erik Glosimodt and several others.[1]

Awards and legacy

Heftye was decorated with as a Knight, First Class of the

Légion d'honneur as well as other foreign orders of knighthood.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Espeli, Harald (2001). "Thomas Heftye". In Helle, Knut (ed.). Norsk biografisk leksikon (in Norwegian). Vol. 4. Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 8 April 2009.
  2. Store norske leksikon
    (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 8 April 2009.
  3. ^ Heftye, Christine C. (2001). "Henrik Heftye". In Helle, Knut (ed.). Norsk biografisk leksikon (in Norwegian). Vol. 4. Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 8 April 2009.
  4. ^ a b "Thomas Thomassen Heftye" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Social Science Data Services (NSD). Retrieved 8 April 2009.
  5. Store norske leksikon
    (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 8 April 2009.
  6. ^
    ISBN 82-15-00651-5
    .
  7. ^ Nordby, 2004: pp.106–107
Political offices
Preceded by
Hans Georg Jacob Stang
 Norwegian Minister of Defence
June 1903–October 1903 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Norwegian Minister of Defence
March 1908–April 1908 		Succeeded by
Sporting positions
Preceded by Norway's member of the International Olympic Committee
1907–1908 		Succeeded by
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