Gudmund Harlem
Encyclopedia
Gudmund Harlem was a Norwegian
physician and politician for the Labour Party
. He was the Norwegian Minister of Social Affairs from 1955 to 1961 and Norwegian Minister of Defence
from 1961 to 1965 (except for a short break from August to September 1963). As a physician he spent most of his career at Statens Attføringsinstitutt, serving as director from 1970 to 1977. He was then a professor at the Norwegian Institute of Technology
and director of NTNF. He was the father of former Norwegian Prime Minister
Gro Harlem Brundtland
and former Norwegian Minister of Justice
Hanne Harlem
.
as a son of Gudmund Harlem, Sr. (1885–1918) and Olga Haug (1887–1942). He finished his secondary education in 1935, enrolled as a student at the University of Oslo
in the same year, and graduated with the cand.med.
degree in 1946. He fled the country for Sweden
in 1943 because of the German occupation
, and stayed there until the end of war
. In the autumn of 1945 he was the leader of the Norwegian Students' Society. He was hired as a physician at Statens Attføringsinstitutt in 1946, and was promoted to chief physician in 1953.
He also became involved in politics. He was a member of the revolutionary group Mot Dag
from 1934 to its disestablishment in 1936, and then joined the Norwegian Labour Party
and sat on the Oslo city council from 1945 to 1947, and of the school district board from 1948 to 1955. He was also a member of the central committee of the Workers' Youth League
from 1946 to 1949, and of the International Union of Socialist Youth
board from 1946 to 1951. From 1949 to 1957 he was a deputy member of the Labour Party's central committee; he was deputy chairman of the Oslo branch from 1952 to 1957.
In 1938 he married Swedish citizen Inga Margareta Elisabet Brynolf (1918–2005), daughter of two lawyers. Their daughter Gro Harlem Brundtland
, born 1939, became Prime Minister of Norway
(1980–1981, 1986–1989, 1990–1996) and Director-General of the World Health Organization (1998–2003). A much younger daughter Hanne Harlem
, born 1964, has been Minister of Justice
(2000–2001).
. He held this position until August 1963, when John Lyng
's short-lived Cabinet took over. The Lyng cabinet was toppled after only a month, and Harlem became Defence Minister once again from September 1963 to October 1965, when Per Borten
's Cabinet took over.
After the end of his political career, Harlem returned to the Statens Attføringsinstitutt. He also doubled as assistant physician at Rikshospitalet
from 1965 to 1966. In 1970 he was promoted to director of Statens Attføringsinstitutt, a position he held until 1977. He was a candidate to succeed Karl Evang
as leader of the Norwegian Directorate for Health
in 1972, but Torbjørn Mork
was chosen. He took the Doctor of Medicine
degree in 1976 with the thesis Studies on the Relation between Impairment, Disability and Dependency, and was a professor at the Norwegian Institute of Technology
from 1977 to 1980. He rounded off his career as director of NTNF from 1980 to 1986, and then with two years as a general physician in Oslo. He died in March 1988.
Harlem was a member of the board of NAVF from 1949 to 1957, and chaired two special committees in the NTNF (on pollution from 1970 to 1976; on working environment from 1977 to 1980) before becoming director. He chaired the board of directors of the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
from 1976 to 1988 and the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority
from 1977 to 1988, and was the deputy chair of Rikshospitalet
from 1970 to 1981 and the Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway
from 1985 to 1988. He was engaged in the disability rights movement
, and chaired the Sentralrådet for yrkesvalghemmede from 1955 to 1957 and 1966 to 1970. He was also president of the International Society for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled from 1966 to 1972.
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...
physician and politician for the Labour Party
Norwegian Labour Party
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....
. He was the Norwegian Minister of Social Affairs from 1955 to 1961 and Norwegian Minister of Defence
Minister of Defence (Norway)
The Norwegian Minister of Defence is a Councillor of the Council of State and Chief of the Norwegian Ministry of Defence, the position has existed since the Secretary of the Army and Secretary of the Navy was combined into the Minister of Defence...
from 1961 to 1965 (except for a short break from August to September 1963). As a physician he spent most of his career at Statens Attføringsinstitutt, serving as director from 1970 to 1977. He was then a professor at the Norwegian Institute of Technology
Norwegian Institute of Technology
The Norwegian Institute of Technology, known by its Norwegian abbrevation NTH was a science institute in Trondheim, Norway. It was established in 1910, and existed as an independent technical university for 85 years, after which it was merged into the University of Trondheim as an independent...
and director of NTNF. He was the father of former Norwegian Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Norway
The Prime Minister of Norway is the political leader of Norway and the Head of His Majesty's Government. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Stortinget , to their political party, and ultimately the...
Gro Harlem Brundtland
Gro Harlem Brundtland
Gro Harlem Brundtland is a Norwegian Social democratic politician, diplomat, and physician, and an international leader in sustainable development and public health. She served three terms as Prime Minister of Norway , and has served as the Director General of the World Health Organization...
and former Norwegian Minister of Justice
Minister of Justice and the Police (Norway)
In Norway, the Minister of Justice and the Police is the head of the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Police and a member of Government of Norway. Current minister is Grete Faremo of the Norwegian Labour Party who is part of the second cabinet Stoltenberg...
Hanne Harlem
Hanne Harlem
Hanne Harlem is a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party. She was personal secretary to Minister of Family and Consumer Affairs in 1990, personal secretary to the Minister of Children and Family Affairs in 1991 and Minister of Justice from 2000 to 2001, in Jens Stoltenberg's first cabinet...
.
Early life and political career
He was born in KristianiaOslo
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...
as a son of Gudmund Harlem, Sr. (1885–1918) and Olga Haug (1887–1942). He finished his secondary education in 1935, enrolled as a student at the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
in the same year, and graduated with the cand.med.
Cand.med.
Candidate of Medicine , Candidata Medicinae , abbreviated Cand. Med.) is an academic degree awarded in Denmark, Iceland and Norway following a six-year medical school education....
degree in 1946. He fled the country for Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
in 1943 because of the German occupation
Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany started with the German invasion of Norway on April 9, 1940, and ended on May 8, 1945, after the capitulation of German forces in Europe. Throughout this period, Norway was continuously occupied by the Wehrmacht...
, and stayed there until the end of war
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In the autumn of 1945 he was the leader of the Norwegian Students' Society. He was hired as a physician at Statens Attføringsinstitutt in 1946, and was promoted to chief physician in 1953.
He also became involved in politics. He was a member of the revolutionary group Mot Dag
Mot Dag
Mot Dag was a Norwegian periodical and a communist organization with the same name.It was established in 1921 under the initiative of Erling Falk, partly with origins in the debate forum in the Social Democratic student government in Oslo ; partly from a Falk-led study circle which from 1919...
from 1934 to its disestablishment in 1936, and then joined the Norwegian Labour Party
Norwegian Labour Party
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....
and sat on the Oslo city council from 1945 to 1947, and of the school district board from 1948 to 1955. He was also a member of the central committee of the Workers' Youth League
Workers' Youth League (Norway)
The Workers' Youth League is Norways biggest political youth organization, and is affiliated with the Norwegian Labour Party.AUF took its current form in April 1927, following the merger of Left Communist Youth League and Socialist Youth League of Norway corresponding with the merger of its...
from 1946 to 1949, and of the International Union of Socialist Youth
International Union of Socialist Youth
The International Union of Socialist Youth encompasses socialist, social democratic and Labour Party youth organizations from more than 100 states of the world...
board from 1946 to 1951. From 1949 to 1957 he was a deputy member of the Labour Party's central committee; he was deputy chairman of the Oslo branch from 1952 to 1957.
In 1938 he married Swedish citizen Inga Margareta Elisabet Brynolf (1918–2005), daughter of two lawyers. Their daughter Gro Harlem Brundtland
Gro Harlem Brundtland
Gro Harlem Brundtland is a Norwegian Social democratic politician, diplomat, and physician, and an international leader in sustainable development and public health. She served three terms as Prime Minister of Norway , and has served as the Director General of the World Health Organization...
, born 1939, became Prime Minister of Norway
Prime Minister of Norway
The Prime Minister of Norway is the political leader of Norway and the Head of His Majesty's Government. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Stortinget , to their political party, and ultimately the...
(1980–1981, 1986–1989, 1990–1996) and Director-General of the World Health Organization (1998–2003). A much younger daughter Hanne Harlem
Hanne Harlem
Hanne Harlem is a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party. She was personal secretary to Minister of Family and Consumer Affairs in 1990, personal secretary to the Minister of Children and Family Affairs in 1991 and Minister of Justice from 2000 to 2001, in Jens Stoltenberg's first cabinet...
, born 1964, has been Minister of Justice
Minister of Justice and the Police (Norway)
In Norway, the Minister of Justice and the Police is the head of the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Police and a member of Government of Norway. Current minister is Grete Faremo of the Norwegian Labour Party who is part of the second cabinet Stoltenberg...
(2000–2001).
Later career
On 1 August 1955 he became Norwegian Minister of Social Affairs as a part of Gerhardsen's Third Cabinet. In February 1961 he was reshuffled to become Norwegian Minister of DefenceMinister of Defence (Norway)
The Norwegian Minister of Defence is a Councillor of the Council of State and Chief of the Norwegian Ministry of Defence, the position has existed since the Secretary of the Army and Secretary of the Navy was combined into the Minister of Defence...
. He held this position until August 1963, when John Lyng
John Lyng
was a Norwegian politician from the Conservative Party. He was Prime Minister of Norway from 28 August to 25 September 1963 in a coalition government consisting of the Conservative, Centre, Christian Democratic, and Liberal parties.He was originally a member of the Liberal Left Party, heading the...
's short-lived Cabinet took over. The Lyng cabinet was toppled after only a month, and Harlem became Defence Minister once again from September 1963 to October 1965, when Per Borten
Per Borten
was a Norwegian politician from the Centre Party and Prime Minister of Norway from 1965 to 1971. Per Borten is credited for leading the modernization of what was then named Bondepartiet into today's Centre Party...
's Cabinet took over.
After the end of his political career, Harlem returned to the Statens Attføringsinstitutt. He also doubled as assistant physician at Rikshospitalet
Rikshospitalet
Rikshospitalet is located in Oslo, Norway. From January 1, 2009, the hospital is part of Oslo University Hospital....
from 1965 to 1966. In 1970 he was promoted to director of Statens Attføringsinstitutt, a position he held until 1977. He was a candidate to succeed Karl Evang
Karl Evang
Karl Evang was a Norwegian physician and civil servant.He was born in Kristiania as a son of assisting secretary Jens Ingolf Evang and Anna Beate Wexelsen . He was a brother of Vilhelm Evang, and a relative of Vilhelm Andreas Wexelsen, Per Kvist and Gunnar Jahn. He met physician Gerda S...
as leader of the Norwegian Directorate for Health
Norwegian Board of Health Supervision
The Norwegian Board of Health Supervision is a national government institution under the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services. The name was altered from Norwegian Board of Health on 1 January 2007....
in 1972, but Torbjørn Mork
Torbjørn Mork
Torbjørn Mork was a Norwegian physician and civil servant.He was born in Odda as a son of Guttorm Mork and Inga Skadsem . He took the examen artium in 1948 and graduated with the cand.med. degree from the University of Bergen in 1954...
was chosen. He took the Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
degree in 1976 with the thesis Studies on the Relation between Impairment, Disability and Dependency, and was a professor at the Norwegian Institute of Technology
Norwegian Institute of Technology
The Norwegian Institute of Technology, known by its Norwegian abbrevation NTH was a science institute in Trondheim, Norway. It was established in 1910, and existed as an independent technical university for 85 years, after which it was merged into the University of Trondheim as an independent...
from 1977 to 1980. He rounded off his career as director of NTNF from 1980 to 1986, and then with two years as a general physician in Oslo. He died in March 1988.
Harlem was a member of the board of NAVF from 1949 to 1957, and chaired two special committees in the NTNF (on pollution from 1970 to 1976; on working environment from 1977 to 1980) before becoming director. He chaired the board of directors of the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
The Norwegian School of Sport Sciences is a public university located at Sognsvann in Oslo, Norway. It has the national responsibility for education and research related within sport sciences. It provides education at Bachelor, Master and Doctorate level....
from 1976 to 1988 and the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority
Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority
The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority is Norwegian government agency under the Ministry of Labour. It is responsible for supervising the Working Environment Act, the Annual Holidays Act, the National Holidays Act as well as certain sections of the Smoking Act.The organization consists of a...
from 1977 to 1988, and was the deputy chair of Rikshospitalet
Rikshospitalet
Rikshospitalet is located in Oslo, Norway. From January 1, 2009, the hospital is part of Oslo University Hospital....
from 1970 to 1981 and the Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway
Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway
The Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway is a Norwegian government agency responsible for supervision of financial companies within Norway based on law and regulations from Storting, the Norwegian Ministry of Finance and international accounting standards...
from 1985 to 1988. He was engaged in the disability rights movement
Disability rights movement
The disability rights movement is the movement to secure equal opportunities and equal rights for people with disabilities. The specific goals and demands of the movement are: accessibility and safety in transportation, architecture, and the physical environment, equal opportunities in independent...
, and chaired the Sentralrådet for yrkesvalghemmede from 1955 to 1957 and 1966 to 1970. He was also president of the International Society for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled from 1966 to 1972.