Ministry of Culture and Enlightenment (Norway)
Encyclopedia
The Ministry of Culture and Enlightenment was a government ministry
during the German occupation of Norway
, established on 25 September 1940, and closed down at the end of World War II
.
The ministry was set up on 25 September 1940 by Reichskommissar
Josef Terboven
as a consequence of the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
during World War II. It consisted of three departments
and four directorates. The ministry was initially headed by Gulbrand Lunde until 30 November 1942, and thereafter by Rolf Jørgen Fuglesang
One of the departments, the Propaganda Department, was renamed Department for Popular Enlightenment in 1944.
The best known directorate was the Norwegian Press Directorate
. The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK), the National Gallery of Norway
, the Norwegian National Academy of Fine Arts
and all other non-scientific museums were subordinate to the Pressedirektoratet.
The department was modelled after the Reichskommissariats Hauptabteilung Volksaufklaerung und Propaganda ("Ministry for Popular Enlightenment and Propaganda"), trying to spread Nazi
ideology in Norway
.
Documents from this department are archived by the National Archival Services of Norway
.
Ministry (government department)
A ministry is a specialised organisation responsible for a sector of government public administration, sometimes led by a minister or a senior public servant, that can have responsibility for one or more departments, agencies, bureaus, commissions or other smaller executive, advisory, managerial or...
during the German occupation of Norway
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...
, established on 25 September 1940, and closed down at the end of 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...
.
The ministry was set up on 25 September 1940 by Reichskommissar
Reichskommissar
Reichskommissar , in German history, was an official gubernatorial title used for various public offices during the period of the German Empire and the Nazi Third Reich....
Josef Terboven
Josef Terboven
Josef Antonius Heinrich Terboven was a Nazi leader, best known as the Reichskommissar during the German occupation of Norway.-Early life:...
as a consequence of the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
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...
during World War II. It consisted of three departments
Departmentalization
Departmentalization refers to the process of grouping activities into departments.Division of labour creates specialists who need coordination. This coordination is facilitated by grouping specialists together in departments....
and four directorates. The ministry was initially headed by Gulbrand Lunde until 30 November 1942, and thereafter by Rolf Jørgen Fuglesang
Rolf Jørgen Fuglesang
Rolf Jørgen Fuglesang was a Norwegian secretary to the NS government of Vidkun Quisling 1940–1941 and minister 1941–1942 and 1942–1945...
One of the departments, the Propaganda Department, was renamed Department for Popular Enlightenment in 1944.
The best known directorate was the Norwegian Press Directorate
Norwegian Press Directorate
The Norwegian Press Directorate was a Norwegian government agency within the Ministry of Culture and Enlightenment between 1940 and 1945. Anders Beggerud was the director during the entire Second World War....
. The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK), the National Gallery of Norway
National Gallery of Norway
The National Gallery of Norway is a gallery in Oslo, Norway. Since 2003 it is administratively a part of the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.-History:...
, the Norwegian National Academy of Fine Arts
Norwegian National Academy of Fine Arts
The Norwegian National Academy of Fine Arts is a Norwegian university offering studies in the areas of specialization painting, photography / video / film, digital art, sound art, sculpture, installation, performance art, and art theory.-History:...
and all other non-scientific museums were subordinate to the Pressedirektoratet.
The department was modelled after the Reichskommissariats Hauptabteilung Volksaufklaerung und Propaganda ("Ministry for Popular Enlightenment and Propaganda"), trying to spread Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
ideology in Norway
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...
.
Documents from this department are archived by the National Archival Services of Norway
National Archival Services of Norway
The National Archival Services of Norway is a Norwegian government agency that is responsible for keeping state archives, conducts control of public archiving and works to preserve private archives. It is subordinate to the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs and consists of the National...
.