Petter Carl Reinsnes
Encyclopedia
Petter Carl Reinsnes (born 4 October 1904, died 12 March 1976) was a Norwegian politician (Norwegian Labour Party
), mayor of the Sortland
municipality, county mayor of Nordland
, and a member of the Storting.
Petter Ovald Karlsen (later Petter Carl Reinsnes) was born in the Reinsnes district of the Sortland
municipality. He was voted into the Sortland
county council in the fall of 1931, and became mayor in 1935. He was removed from office by the Nazis in 1941, during the German occupation of Norway
, and in 1944 he was forced to escape to Sweden
. When the war was over, he returned to the Sortland
municipality, and worked as mayor until 1959. His party, the Norwegian Labour Party
, lost the municipal election in 1959, and Reinsnes consequently lost his position as mayor. Reinsnes retained his position on the municipal council. After the election in 1963, he was chosen to become the county mayor again, and kept this position until 1975. He was also county mayor of Nordland
between 1970 and 1972.
Reinsnes was voted into the Norwegian Parliament in 1957 and remained there for two periods (eight years). In the Parliament, Reinsnes spent most of his time as a member of the foreign affairs committee. He campaigned for the construction of an agriculture school in Vesterålen
, and he was a chairman for Vesterålens power group from the start in 1939 until his death in 1976.
In the 1960s, he took the initiative to connect the islands in Vesterålen by a bridge. The Andøy
and Kvalsaukan Bridge
s were opened in 1974, and Sortland Bridge
was opened in 1975. Hadsel Bridge
was opened in 1978, after his death. He was a chairman in Vesterålsbruene A/S from 1970 until his death. Reinsnes was also engaged in work to obtain an airport for Vesterålen
. Stokmarknes Airport was opened in 1972.
Reinsnes was awarded The King's Medal of Merit
in gold a short time before his death. He died 12 March 1976 of cancer.
On 26 August 1978, a bust of Reinsnes, made by Nils Aas
, was unveiled outside Sortland
municipal hall, the same day that the Vesteråls bridges were officially opened by King Olav V.
He was biographed in P. C. Reinsnes - samfunnsbyggeren, by Alf Oxem 2006. ISBN 978-82-991889-2-0
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....
), mayor of the Sortland
Sortland
is a town and municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Vesterålen traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sortland. In 1997, the municipality decided to declare township for Sortland...
municipality, county mayor of Nordland
Nordland
is a county in Norway in the North Norway region, bordering Troms in the north, Nord-Trøndelag in the south, Norrbottens län in Sweden to the east, Västerbottens län to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The county was formerly known as Nordlandene amt. The county administration is...
, and a member of the Storting.
Petter Ovald Karlsen (later Petter Carl Reinsnes) was born in the Reinsnes district of the Sortland
Sortland
is a town and municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Vesterålen traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sortland. In 1997, the municipality decided to declare township for Sortland...
municipality. He was voted into the Sortland
Sortland
is a town and municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Vesterålen traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sortland. In 1997, the municipality decided to declare township for Sortland...
county council in the fall of 1931, and became mayor in 1935. He was removed from office by the Nazis in 1941, during the German occupation of Norway
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 in 1944 he was forced to escape to 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....
. When the war was over, he returned to the Sortland
Sortland
is a town and municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Vesterålen traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sortland. In 1997, the municipality decided to declare township for Sortland...
municipality, and worked as mayor until 1959. His party, 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....
, lost the municipal election in 1959, and Reinsnes consequently lost his position as mayor. Reinsnes retained his position on the municipal council. After the election in 1963, he was chosen to become the county mayor again, and kept this position until 1975. He was also county mayor of Nordland
Nordland
is a county in Norway in the North Norway region, bordering Troms in the north, Nord-Trøndelag in the south, Norrbottens län in Sweden to the east, Västerbottens län to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The county was formerly known as Nordlandene amt. The county administration is...
between 1970 and 1972.
Reinsnes was voted into the Norwegian Parliament in 1957 and remained there for two periods (eight years). In the Parliament, Reinsnes spent most of his time as a member of the foreign affairs committee. He campaigned for the construction of an agriculture school in Vesterålen
Vesterålen
Vesterålen is a district and archipelago in Nordland, Norway, just north of Lofoten.-The name:The Norse forms of the name were Vestráll and Vestrálar . The first element is vestr n west, the last element is áll m ' sound, strait'...
, and he was a chairman for Vesterålens power group from the start in 1939 until his death in 1976.
In the 1960s, he took the initiative to connect the islands in Vesterålen by a bridge. The Andøy
Andøy Bridge
Andøy Bridge is a cantilever road bridge that crosses Risøysundet between Andøya and Hinnøya in Nordland county in Norway. The bridge is 750 metres long, the main span is 110 metres, and the maximum clearing to the sea is 30 metres. The bridge has 21 spans.Andøy Bridge was opened in 1974...
and Kvalsaukan Bridge
Kvalsaukan Bridge
Kvalsaukan Bridge is a bridge that crosses Hognfjorden in Nordland county in Norway, on the road between Sortland and Andøy. The bridge is 425 metres long, and the maximum clearance to the sea is 8 metres....
s were opened in 1974, and Sortland Bridge
Sortland Bridge
Sortland Bridge is a cantilever road bridge that crosses Sortlandssundet between Strand on Hinnøya and the town of Sortland on Langøya in Nordland county, Norway. The bridge is 948 metres long, the main span is 150 metres, and the maximum clearance to the sea is 30 metres. The bridge has 21...
was opened in 1975. Hadsel Bridge
Hadsel Bridge
Hadsel Bridge is a cantilever road bridge that crosses Langøysundet between Langøya and Børøya in Nordland county in Norway. Together with Børøy Bridge it connects Hadseløya and the town of Stokmarknes to Langøya. Hadsel Bridge is 1011 metres long, the main span is 150 metres, and the maximum...
was opened in 1978, after his death. He was a chairman in Vesterålsbruene A/S from 1970 until his death. Reinsnes was also engaged in work to obtain an airport for Vesterålen
Vesterålen
Vesterålen is a district and archipelago in Nordland, Norway, just north of Lofoten.-The name:The Norse forms of the name were Vestráll and Vestrálar . The first element is vestr n west, the last element is áll m ' sound, strait'...
. Stokmarknes Airport was opened in 1972.
Reinsnes was awarded The King's Medal of Merit
HM The King's Medal of Merit
The King's Medal of Merit is a Norwegian award. It was instituted in 1908 to reward meritorious achievements in the fields of art, science, business and public service. It is divided in two classes: gold and silver. The medal in gold is rewarded for extraordinary achievements of importance to the...
in gold a short time before his death. He died 12 March 1976 of cancer.
On 26 August 1978, a bust of Reinsnes, made by Nils Aas
Nils Aas
Nils Aas was a Norwegian sculptor. His art is featured in the public space in many parts of Norway, and he is represented with important works in the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design and the Trondheim Kunstmuseum.-Biography:Nils Sigurd Aas was born in Inderøy, in Nord-Trøndelag...
, was unveiled outside Sortland
Sortland
is a town and municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Vesterålen traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sortland. In 1997, the municipality decided to declare township for Sortland...
municipal hall, the same day that the Vesteråls bridges were officially opened by King Olav V.
He was biographed in P. C. Reinsnes - samfunnsbyggeren, by Alf Oxem 2006. ISBN 978-82-991889-2-0