Rolf Normann Torgersen
Encyclopedia
Rolf Normann Torgersen was a Norwegian
jurist and civil servant.
He was born in Kristiania
, finished
his secondary education i 1936 and took the cand.jur. degree in 1941. He studied at the Cambridge University from 1947 to 1948, the Hague Academy of International Law
in 1947 and 1952 and at Columbia University
from 1952 to 1953. He was a deputy judge and junior solicitor in his early career, and after the Second World War he was a secretary in the Compensation Department of the Ministry of Justice. The Compensation Department was tasked with returning or otherwise compensating for items that had been confiscated during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
. Torgersen was also present at the Nuremberg Trials
of 1945 and 1946, and wrote the process document Germany's Crimes against Norway together with Finn Palmstrøm
.
From 1948 to 1962 Torgersen was an assistant secretary in the Ministry of Justice. From 1961 to 1963 he aided the Ministry of Transport and the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport
with working out the new Public Roads Act. From 1962 to 1971 he was a head of department in the Norwegian Directorate of Public Roads. From 1971 to 1981 he was the director of the Secretariat on Traffic Safety in the Ministry of Transport, and from 1981 to 1988 he was a special adviser. After his official retirement at age 70, he became an adviser in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and Administration, where he worked for six years.
When turning 70 years old, Torgersen stated that after writing eight books up to then, he had an ambition to write eight more. He managed to write 15 books in total. He edited the journal Nordisk Administrativt Tidsskrift from 1973 to 1977, and chaired the Norwegian branch of Det nordiske administrative forbund from 1977 to 1979. He was also a member of Norwegian and Nordic committees such as Statens Rasjonaliseringsråd and the Nordic Road Safety Council. His most marked contribution to society was developments in traffic safety. During his time as director of the Secretariat on Traffic Safety, numerous improvements to traffic safety were made, including mandatory seat belt
s, lowered speed limit
s and the introduction of traffic enforcement cameras (colloquially in Norwegian: "photoboxes"). It has been claimed that Torgersen was "the father of the photobox" in Norway, but this particular claim has been disputed.
Torgersen resided in Uranienborg, Oslo. He died in January 2010.
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...
jurist and civil servant.
He was born in Kristiania
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...
, finished
Examen artium
Examen artium was the name of the academic certification conferred in Denmark and Norway, qualifying the student for admission to university studies. Examen artium was originally introduced as the entrance exam of the University of Copenhagen in 1630...
his secondary education i 1936 and took the cand.jur. degree in 1941. He studied at the Cambridge University from 1947 to 1948, the Hague Academy of International Law
Hague Academy of International Law
The Hague Academy of International Law is a center for high-level education in both public and private international law housed in the Peace Palace in The Hague, The Netherlands...
in 1947 and 1952 and at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
from 1952 to 1953. He was a deputy judge and junior solicitor in his early career, and after the Second World War he was a secretary in the Compensation Department of the Ministry of Justice. The Compensation Department was tasked with returning or otherwise compensating for items that had been confiscated 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...
. Torgersen was also present at the Nuremberg Trials
Nuremberg Trials
The Nuremberg Trials were a series of military tribunals, held by the victorious Allied forces of World War II, most notable for the prosecution of prominent members of the political, military, and economic leadership of the defeated Nazi Germany....
of 1945 and 1946, and wrote the process document Germany's Crimes against Norway together with Finn Palmstrøm
Finn Palmstrøm
Finn Palmstrøm was a Norwegian jurist. He was a lawyer and judge before and during the Second World War, and also fought as a soldier. After the war he was a civil servant and judge, serving as district stipendiary magistrate between 1946 and 1973...
.
From 1948 to 1962 Torgersen was an assistant secretary in the Ministry of Justice. From 1961 to 1963 he aided the Ministry of Transport and the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport
Standing Committee on Transport and Communications
The Standing Committee on Transport and Communications is a standing committee of the Parliament of Norway. It is responsible for policies relating to transport, postal services, telecommunications, electronic communication and the responsibilities of the Norwegian National Coastal Administration...
with working out the new Public Roads Act. From 1962 to 1971 he was a head of department in the Norwegian Directorate of Public Roads. From 1971 to 1981 he was the director of the Secretariat on Traffic Safety in the Ministry of Transport, and from 1981 to 1988 he was a special adviser. After his official retirement at age 70, he became an adviser in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and Administration, where he worked for six years.
When turning 70 years old, Torgersen stated that after writing eight books up to then, he had an ambition to write eight more. He managed to write 15 books in total. He edited the journal Nordisk Administrativt Tidsskrift from 1973 to 1977, and chaired the Norwegian branch of Det nordiske administrative forbund from 1977 to 1979. He was also a member of Norwegian and Nordic committees such as Statens Rasjonaliseringsråd and the Nordic Road Safety Council. His most marked contribution to society was developments in traffic safety. During his time as director of the Secretariat on Traffic Safety, numerous improvements to traffic safety were made, including mandatory seat belt
Seat belt
A seat belt or seatbelt, sometimes called a safety belt, is a safety harness designed to secure the occupant of a vehicle against harmful movement that may result from a collision or a sudden stop...
s, lowered speed limit
Speed limit
Road speed limits are used in most countries to regulate the speed of road vehicles. Speed limits may define maximum , minimum or no speed limit and are normally indicated using a traffic sign...
s and the introduction of traffic enforcement cameras (colloquially in Norwegian: "photoboxes"). It has been claimed that Torgersen was "the father of the photobox" in Norway, but this particular claim has been disputed.
Torgersen resided in Uranienborg, Oslo. He died in January 2010.