Olav Brunvand
Encyclopedia
Olav Arnold Brunvand was a Norwegian newspaper editor and politician for the Labour Party
.
He was born in Kristiansand
. He worked as a journalist in Sørlandet
from 1934, and in Bergens Arbeiderblad from 1939. These newspapers belonged to the Labour Party
, and were thus subject to repression during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
from 1940 to 1945; Brunvand was imprisoned by the Germans from 1941 to 1945. He was arrested in October 1941, spent time in Ulven concentration camp
in November before being sent via Bergen
to Hamburg-Fuhlsbüttel in December. In August 1943 he was transferred to Rendsburg
, later to Dreibergen. During his stay in German prisons he made notes which were later published in newspaper articles, and issued in 1968 as the book Smil og tårer i tukthus. The manuscript was written on toilet paper and smuggled out by Hiltgunt Zassenhaus
, who buried it and sent it to Brunvand after he had returned to Bergen in 1945.
In 1945 he was promoted to subeditor in Bergens Arbeiderblad. He was then the editor and manager of the news agency
Arbeidernes Pressekontor from 1949 to 1952 and 1954 to 1978. From 1952 to 1954 he served as State Secretary
in the Ministry of Defence
as a part of the Labour cabinet Torp.
He was the father of Per Brunvand
.
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 born in Kristiansand
Kristiansand
-History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040...
. He worked as a journalist in Sørlandet
Sørlandet (newspaper)
Sørlandet was a Norwegian newspaper, published in Kristiansand in Vest-Agder county.Sørlandets Social-Democrat was started on 5 January 1907, after a trisal issue on 21 December 1906, as a Labour Party newspaper. It was weekly from the start, but daily from 1909. The name was changed to Sørlandet...
from 1934, and in Bergens Arbeiderblad from 1939. These newspapers belonged to 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....
, and were thus subject to repression during 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...
from 1940 to 1945; Brunvand was imprisoned by the Germans from 1941 to 1945. He was arrested in October 1941, spent time in Ulven concentration camp
Ulven concentration camp
Ulven concentration camp was established by the Nazi administration of occupied Norway in Os, Hordaland in June 1940, and was the first of its kind in Norway...
in November before being sent via Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
to Hamburg-Fuhlsbüttel in December. In August 1943 he was transferred to Rendsburg
Rendsburg
Rendsburg is a town on the River Eider and the Kiel Canal in the northeastern part of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is the capital of the Kreis of Rendsburg-Eckernförde. As of 2006, it had a population of 28,476.-History:...
, later to Dreibergen. During his stay in German prisons he made notes which were later published in newspaper articles, and issued in 1968 as the book Smil og tårer i tukthus. The manuscript was written on toilet paper and smuggled out by Hiltgunt Zassenhaus
Hiltgunt Zassenhaus
Hiltgunt Margret Zassenhaus was a German philologist who worked as an interpreter in Hamburg, Germany during World War II, and later as a physician in the United States. She was honoured for her efforts to aid prisoners in Nazi Germany during World War II.-Early life:Hiltgunt Zassenhaus was born...
, who buried it and sent it to Brunvand after he had returned to Bergen in 1945.
In 1945 he was promoted to subeditor in Bergens Arbeiderblad. He was then the editor and manager of the news agency
News agency
A news agency is an organization of journalists established to supply news reports to news organizations: newspapers, magazines, and radio and television broadcasters. Such an agency may also be referred to as a wire service, newswire or news service.-History:The oldest news agency is Agence...
Arbeidernes Pressekontor from 1949 to 1952 and 1954 to 1978. From 1952 to 1954 he served as State Secretary
State Secretary (Norway)
In Norway, a State Secretary is a partisan political position within the executive branch of government. Contrary to the position Secretary of State in many other countries, the Norwegian State Secretary does not head his or her Ministry, rather, they are second in rank to a Minister...
in the Ministry of Defence
Norwegian Ministry of Defence
The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Defence is a Norwegian government ministry in charge of the formation and implementation of national security and defence policy, and for the overall management and control of the activities of subordinate agencies. The ministry is located at Glacisgata 1, Oslo,...
as a part of the Labour cabinet Torp.
He was the father of Per Brunvand
Per Brunvand
Per Brunvand is a Norwegian newspaper editor.He was born in Kristiansand as the son of Olav Brunvand. He worked as a journalist from 1957, in Arbeidernes Pressekontor, Fremtiden and Arbeiderbladet. From 1970 to 1975 he was the editor-in-chief of Rogalands Avis, and from 1975 to 1991 he held the...
.