John Giaever
Encyclopedia
John Schjelderup Giæver (31 December 1901 – 9 November 1970) was a Norwegian author and polar researcher.
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John Schjelderup Giæver married Oddbjørg Jacobsen in March 1940, and they had a son in April the same year. However, the marriage was dissolved. Giæver married Anna Margrethe Gløersen in 1948; this time they had a daughter, born 1954.
from 1929 to 1934. In 1935 he was hired as secretary for Norges Svalbard- og Ishavsundersøkelser, the Norwegian institution for exploration of Svalbard
and the Arctic Sea, later renamed into the Norwegian Polar Institute
.
During World War II
, he first fled to London where he worked as a secretary for the exiled government. From 1941 to 1944, he served with the Royal Norwegian Air Force
-in-exile at Little Norway
, Canada. In 1944, with the rank of Major, he was sent to Northern Norway to participate in the successful liberation from Nazi occupation. In 1947 he returned to the Norwegian Polar Institute as secretary, and from 1948 to 1960 he was office manager. However, he was still involved in the field as well, leading the wintering party of the Norwegian-British-Swedish Antarctic Expedition
from 1949 to 1952.
Giæver published several books. His literary career began with Illgjæringsmann (A Misdeeder) (1921), which was translated into German in 1923. His book Maudheim. To år i Antarktis (1952), describing the Antarctic Expedition
was translated into English, French, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, German and Croatian. From 1955 of he renewed his literary authorship with numerous books of documetary and partly autobiographical topics, covering Arctic trapping, fishing, warfare, as well as childhood memoirs from Tromsø. Books include Ishavets glade borgere (1956); Langt der oppe mot nord (1958), Rabagaster under polarstjernen (1959), Fra min barndoms elv til fjerne veidemarker (1960), Fra Little Norway til Karasjok (1964), Med rev bak øret (1965), Dyretråkk og fugletrekk på 74° nord (1967), Lys og skygger i sjøgata (1969), Den gang jeg drog av sted (1970) and Soldøgn og mørketid (1971).
Giæver was awarded the Maudheim medal
in 1952 and the Royal Geographical Society
Founder's Gold Medal in 1956, both for his leadership in the Norwegian-British-Swedish Antarctic Expedition. He also held the St. Olav's Medal With Oak Branch
, the Defence Medal 1940 – 1945
, the Haakon VII 70th Anniversary Medal and Knight first class of the Order of Vasa
. He also received the King's Medal of Merit in gold and he was a member of the Explorer's Club in New York.
He died in November 1970 in Oslo
.
Personal life
He was born in Tromsø as the son of works manager John Schjelderup Giæver (1864–1914) and his wife Thyra Høegh (1879–1954). He was the great-great-great-grandson of Jens HolmboeJens Holmboe (bailiff)
Jens Holmboe was a Norwegian bailiff. He is notable for his role in the settling of Målselvdalen.-Personal life:...
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John Schjelderup Giæver married Oddbjørg Jacobsen in March 1940, and they had a son in April the same year. However, the marriage was dissolved. Giæver married Anna Margrethe Gløersen in 1948; this time they had a daughter, born 1954.
Career
He took his secondary education in Trondheim in 1920, and then moved back to Tromsø. He started a newspaper career, as subeditor of Tromsø Stiftstidende from 1921 to 1922. He was editor-in-chief in Vesteraalens Avis from 1922 to 1928 and Tromsø Stiftstidende from 1928 to 1929. He lived as a trapper in north-eastern GreenlandGreenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
from 1929 to 1934. In 1935 he was hired as secretary for Norges Svalbard- og Ishavsundersøkelser, the Norwegian institution for exploration of Svalbard
Svalbard
Svalbard is an archipelago in the Arctic, constituting the northernmost part of Norway. It is located north of mainland Europe, midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole. The group of islands range from 74° to 81° north latitude , and from 10° to 35° east longitude. Spitsbergen is the...
and the Arctic Sea, later renamed into the Norwegian Polar Institute
Norwegian Polar Institute
The Norwegian Polar Institute is Norway's national institution for polar research. It is run under the auspices of the Norwegian Ministry of Environment. The institute organizes expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic regions and runs a research station at Ny-Ålesund...
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During World War II
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...
, he first fled to London where he worked as a secretary for the exiled government. From 1941 to 1944, he served with the Royal Norwegian Air Force
Royal Norwegian Air Force
The Royal Norwegian Air Force is the air force of Norway. It was established as a separate arm of the Norwegian armed forces on 10 November 1944. The RNoAF's peace force is approximately 1,430 employees . 600 personnel also serve their draft period in the RNoAF...
-in-exile at Little Norway
Little Norway
The Flyvåpnenes Treningsleir , the official name) or "Little Norway" was a Norwegian Army Air Service/Royal Norwegian Air Force training camp in Canada during the Second World War.-Origins:...
, Canada. In 1944, with the rank of Major, he was sent to Northern Norway to participate in the successful liberation from Nazi occupation. In 1947 he returned to the Norwegian Polar Institute as secretary, and from 1948 to 1960 he was office manager. However, he was still involved in the field as well, leading the wintering party of the Norwegian-British-Swedish Antarctic Expedition
Norwegian-British-Swedish Antarctic Expedition
Norwegian–British–Swedish Antarctic Expedition the first Antarctica expedition involving an international team of scientists...
from 1949 to 1952.
Giæver published several books. His literary career began with Illgjæringsmann (A Misdeeder) (1921), which was translated into German in 1923. His book Maudheim. To år i Antarktis (1952), describing the Antarctic Expedition
Norwegian-British-Swedish Antarctic Expedition
Norwegian–British–Swedish Antarctic Expedition the first Antarctica expedition involving an international team of scientists...
was translated into English, French, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, German and Croatian. From 1955 of he renewed his literary authorship with numerous books of documetary and partly autobiographical topics, covering Arctic trapping, fishing, warfare, as well as childhood memoirs from Tromsø. Books include Ishavets glade borgere (1956); Langt der oppe mot nord (1958), Rabagaster under polarstjernen (1959), Fra min barndoms elv til fjerne veidemarker (1960), Fra Little Norway til Karasjok (1964), Med rev bak øret (1965), Dyretråkk og fugletrekk på 74° nord (1967), Lys og skygger i sjøgata (1969), Den gang jeg drog av sted (1970) and Soldøgn og mørketid (1971).
Giæver was awarded the Maudheim medal
Maudheim medal
The Maudheim medal was instituted by King Haakon VII of Norway on 14 November 1951 in memory of the Norwegian-British-Swedish Antarctic Expedition of 1949-1952, awarded to the participants of the expedition...
in 1952 and the Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
Founder's Gold Medal in 1956, both for his leadership in the Norwegian-British-Swedish Antarctic Expedition. He also held the St. Olav's Medal With Oak Branch
St. Olav's Medal With Oak Branch
St. Olav's Medal with Oak Branch is a Norwegian military award, which was instituted by King Haakon VII of Norway on 6 February 1942. In Norway, the medal is considered as a separate award from the civilian St...
, the Defence Medal 1940 – 1945
Defence Medal 1940 – 1945
The Defence Medal 1940 – 1945 is the award rewarded to those military and civilian personnel who participated in the fight against the German invasion and occupation of Norway between 1940 and 1945....
, the Haakon VII 70th Anniversary Medal and Knight first class of the Order of Vasa
Order of Vasa
The Royal Order of Vasa was a Swedish Royal order of chivalry, awarded to citizens of Sweden for service to state and society especially in the fields of agriculture, mining and commerce. It was instituted on 29 May 1772 by King Gustav III of Sweden...
. He also received the King's Medal of Merit in gold and he was a member of the Explorer's Club in New York.
He died in November 1970 in Oslo
Oslo
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...
.