1920 in Norway explained

Events in the year 1920 in Norway.

Incumbents

• Monarch – Haakon VII.^[1]

Events

• 9 February – The League of Nations gives the islands of Spitsbergen to Norway.
• 17–19 June – The Centre Party was founded.
• Aalesund ship is discovered embedded in the earth south of Ålesund.

Popular culture

Sports

See main article: 1920 in Norwegian football.

• Helge Løvland, won the Olympic gold medal in the decathlon.

Music

See main article: 1920 in Norwegian music.

Literature

• Knut Hamsund was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature for the novel Markens Grøde (Growth of the Soil, 1917).^[2]
• The Knut Hamsund novel Konerne ved Vandposten Volume 1 & 2 (The Women at the Pump), was published.
• The third Sigrid Undset for the trilogy of Kristin Lavransdatter was published.
• The Olav Duun novel Storbybryllope (The Big Wedding) from the work Juvikfolket (The People of Juvik, 1918–23), was published.

Notable births

January

• 2 January – Anne-Sofie Østvedt, resistance leader (died 2009)
• 7 January – Anders Bratholm, jurist and professor of jurisprudence (died 2010)
• 10 January – Rut Brandt, writer and second wife of the German Chancellor Willy Brandt (died 2006)
• 11 January – Ole Henrik Moe, pianist, art historian and art critic (died 2013).^[3]
• 14 January – Helge Rognlien, politician and Minister (died 2001)
• 19 January – Kåre Olafsen, resistance member, executed (died 1945)
• 20 January – Thorleif Schjelderup, ski jumper, Olympic bronze medallist and author (died 2006)
• 27 January – Gudmund Saxrud, civil servant and diplomat (died 2003)

February

• 4 February – Ole J. Kleppa, physical chemist (died 2007)
• 8 February – Sverre Farstad, speed skater and Olympic gold medallist (died 1978)
• 15 February – Anne-Catharina Vestly, children's author (died 2008)^[4]
• 16 February – Karsten Andersen, conductor (died 1997).^[5]
• 17 February – Ivo Caprino, film director and writer (died 2001)
• 21 February – Per Øisang, journalist and radio and television presenter (died 1967)

March

• 3 March – Henry Gundersen, resistance member, executed (died 1945)
• 10 March – Finn Ferner, sailor and Olympic silver medallist (died 2001).^[6]
• 11 March – Kåre Kristiansen, politician (died 2005)
• 19 March – Kjell Aukrust, author, poet and artist (died 2002)^[7]
• 21 March – Trygve Moe, politician (died 1998)
• 23 March – Lorentz Eldjarn, biochemist and medical doctor (died 2007)^[8]
• 27 March – Maren-Sofie Røstvig, literary historian (died 2014).^[9]
• 29 March – Hans Methlie Michelsen, judge (died 2014)

April

• 4 April – Dagfinn Grønoset, author (died 2008)^[10]
• 8 April – Kristian Asdahl, politician (died 2000)
• 9 April – Otto Nes, television manager (died 2014)^[11]
• 10 April – Jakob Aano, politician (died 2016)
• 12 April – Audun Hetland, illustrator (died 1998)^[12]
• 19 April – Ragnar Ulstein, journalist, writer and resistance member (died 2019).^[13]
• 22 April – Adolf Bogstad, resistance member, executed (died 1945)
• 28 April – Egil Endresen, jurist and politician (died 1992)

May

• 7 May – Einar Wøhni, politician (died 1987)
• 10 May – Olaf Kortner, politician (died 1998)
• 11 May − Per Jorsett, sports reporter (died 2019)^[14]
• 29 May – Bjarne Aagard Strøm, politician (died 2008)

June

• 1 June – Alexander Pihl, medical scientist (died 2009).^[15]
• 6 June – Tormod Førland, chemist (died 1995).^[16]
• 14 June – Ivar Mathisen, sprint canoer and Olympic silver medallist (died 2008)
• 30 June – Hans Kristian Seip, forester (died 2012)

July

• 2 July – Lars T. Platou, electrical engineer and politician (died 2003)
• 6 July – Carl Nesjar, painter, sculptor and printmaker (died 2015).^[17]
• 9 July – Ragnhild Magerøy, novelist and essayist (died 2010).^[18]
• 13 July – Jens Christian Magnus, military officer and politician (died 2017)^[19]
• 15 July – Gudmund Grytøyr, politician (died 2001)
• 21 July – Gunnar Thoresen, international soccer player (died 2017)
• 21 July – Harald Warholm, politician (died 1967)
• 22 July – Ingvar Bakken, politician (died 1982)
• 25 July – Merete Skavlan, actress, theatre instructor and director (died 2018)^[20]
• 27 July – Olaf Poulsen, speed skater and president of the International Skating Union (died 2008)
• 31 July – Per Hysing-Dahl, politician (died 1989)

August

• 3 August – Jonas Brunvoll Jr., opera singer and actor (died 1982).^[21]
• 9 August
  • Kjeld Langeland, politician (died 1973)
  • Tormod Skagestad, writer, actor and theatre director (died 1997).^[22]

September

• 6 September – Sigurd Helle, topographer and explorer (died 2013).^[23]
• 20 September – Rolf Kirkvaag, journalist and radio and television personality (died 2003)

October

• 6 October – Edvard Beyer, literary historian, literary critic and professor (died 2003)
• 9 October
  • Jens Bjørneboe, writer (died 1976)
  • Jens Boyesen, diplomat and politician (died 1996)
• 24 October – Per Saugstad, psychologist and professor (died 2010)
• 26 October – Anne Valen Hestetun, politician (died 2009)

November

• 3 November
  • Guttorm Hansen, writer and politician (died 2009)
  • Gerhard Knoop, stage producer and theatre director (died 2009).^[24]
• 26 November – Sven Oluf Sørensen, physicist (died 2017).^[25]
• 27 November – Johannes Bråten, politician (died 1997)
• 29 November – Eva Børresen, ceramist (died 2022).^[26]

December

• 5 December – Hallvard Eika, politician and Minister (died 1989)
• 8 December – Ivar Martinsen, speed skater (died 2018)
• 12 December – Tollef Landsverk, judge and civil servant (died 1988)
• 19 December – Trygve Brudevold, bobsledder (died 2021)
• 20 December – Ludvig Eikaas, painter, sculptor and printmaker (died 2010).^[27]

Full date missing

• Sverre Bergh, spy in Nazi Germany during World War II (died 2006)
• Bjarte Birkeland, literary researcher (died 2000)
• Jens-Halvard Bratz, businessman, politician and Minister (died 2005)
• Rolf Arthur Hansen, politician and minister (died 2006)
• Simen Skjønsberg, journalist and writer (died 1993)

Notable deaths

• 24 January – Hagbard Berner, lawyer, politician and newspaper editor (born 1839).^[28]
• 3 April – Fernanda Nissen, journalist, literary critic, theatre critic, politician and feminist pioneer (born 1862)
• 18 May – Johan Henrik Paasche Thorne, businessperson and politician (born 1843)
• 17 July – Christopher Bruun, Norwegian priest and educator.

Full date unknown

• Anders Bergene, businessperson (born 1855)
• Oskar Fredriksen, speed skater (born 1872)
• Knut Gunnarsson Helland, Hardanger fiddle maker (born 1880)
• Baard Iversen, businessperson and politician (born 1836)
• Olaj Olsen, jurist and politician (born 1851)
• Steinar Schjøtt, philologist and lexicographer (born 1844)
• Andreas Lauritz Thune, engineer and businessman (born 1848)

Notes and References

1. Encyclopedia: Haakon 7. . Ole Kristian . Grimnes . Ole Kristian Grimnes . Knut . Dørum . . Bolstad . Erik . Norsk nettleksikon . Oslo . no . 19 January 2024.
2. Web site: The Nobel Prize in Literature 1920 . Nobelprize.org . 2017-04-13.
3. Encyclopedia: Ole Henrik Moe . . Bolstad . Erik . Norsk nettleksikon . Oslo . no . 20 July 2021.
4. News: Anders . Hedeman . Anne-Cath. Vestly er død . December 15, 2008 . . 2008-12-15 . Norwegian . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081219234330/http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/article2824292.ece . December 19, 2008 .
5. Encyclopedia: Karsten Andersen . Trond Olav . Svendsen . . Bolstad . Erik . Norsk nettleksikon . Oslo . no . 31 March 2023.
6. Web site: Finn Ferner . olympedia.org . 31 December 2023 .
7. Encyclopedia: Kjell Aukrust . . Finn . Jor . Finn Jor . Knut Helle . Helle . Knut . Kunnskapsforlaget . Oslo. Norwegian . 1 January 2020.
8. Encyclopedia: Lorentz Eldjarn . Norsk biografisk leksikon. Lars . Walløe . Lars Walløe . Helle, Knut . Knut Helle . Kunnskapsforlaget . Oslo . Norwegian . 17 June 2013.
9. Encyclopedia: Maren-Sofie Røstvig . Kristian . Smidt . Kristian Smidt . . Bolstad . Erik . Norsk nettleksikon . Oslo . no . 29 March 2023.
10. News: Banken, Jan Roger . Så det store i det små . Lokalavisa Sør-Østerdal . 22 November 2008 . Norwegian . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110724181258/http://www.lokal-avisa.no/artikkel.asp?ArtID=146332 . 24 July 2011 .
11. Encyclopedia: Otto Nes . Norsk biografisk leksikon. Hans Fredrik . Dahl . Hans Fredrik Dahl . Helle, Knut . Knut Helle . Kunnskapsforlaget . Oslo . Norwegian . 21 June 2013.
12. Encyclopedia: Audun Hetland . Norsk biografisk leksikon. Alf H . Madsen . Helle, Knut . Knut Helle . Kunnskapsforlaget . Oslo . Norwegian . 26 December 2014.
13. Encyclopedia: Ragnar Ulstein . . Bolstad . Erik . Norsk nettleksikon . Oslo . no . 17 July 2021.
14. Encyclopedia: Per Jorsett . Store norske leksikon. Erik . Bolstad . Norwegian. 22 February 2019.
15. Encyclopedia: Alexander Pihl . . Bolstad . Erik . Norsk nettleksikon . Oslo . no . 3 January 2024.
16. Encyclopedia: Tormod Førland . Bjørn . Pedersen . Bjørn Pedersen . . Bolstad . Erik . Norsk nettleksikon . Oslo . no . 18 June 2021.
17. Encyclopedia: Carl Nesjar . . Bolstad . Erik . Norsk nettleksikon . Oslo . no . 5 April 2023.
18. Encyclopedia: Ragnhild Magerøy . . Bolstad . Erik . Norsk nettleksikon . Oslo . no . 14 July 2021.
19. Web site: Jens Christian Magnus . Wang. 18 January 2017.
20. Encyclopedia: Merete Skavlan . Store norske leksikon. Erik . Bolstad . Norwegian. 22 February 2019.
21. Encyclopedia: Jonas Brunvoll . . Bolstad . Erik . Norsk nettleksikon . Oslo . no . 30 March 2023.
22. Encyclopedia: Tormod Skagestad . Alfred . Fidjestøl . . Bolstad . Erik . Norsk nettleksikon . Oslo . no . 6 April 2023.
23. Encyclopedia: Sigurd Gunnarson Helle . Susan . Barr . . Bolstad . Erik . Norsk nettleksikon . Oslo . no . 31 March 2023.
24. Encyclopedia: Gerhard H Knoop . Norsk biografisk leksikon. Merete . Skavlan . Merete Skavlan . Helle, Knut . Knut Helle . Kunnskapsforlaget . Oslo. Norwegian. 6 February 2018.
25. Encyclopedia: Sven Oluf Sørensen . Øyvind . Grøn . . Bolstad . Erik . Norsk nettleksikon . Oslo . no . 2 April 2023.
26. Encyclopedia: Eva Børresen . Mats . Linder . . Bolstad . Erik . Norsk nettleksikon . Oslo . no . 31 December 2023.
27. Encyclopedia: Ludvig Eikaas . Frode Ernst . Haverkamp . Jon . Grepstad . . Bolstad . Erik . Norsk nettleksikon . Oslo . no . 2 April 2023.
28. Encyclopedia: Hagbard Berner . Sindre . Hovdenakk . . Bolstad . Erik . Norsk nettleksikon . Oslo . no . 5 April 2023.