March 30 2005
1905: Norway's Defining Moment (3/3)
Sigurd Ibsen, the son of Henrik Ibsen, a diplomat, essayist, and politician who, in the 1890s was among the most radical opponents of the Union. In his ground-breaking article, “National Monarchy,” in 1898, he outlined the policy that the Norwegian government of Christian Michelsen would follow in 1905. Always outspoken, he objected to Michelsen's confrontational style toward the Swedish monarchy and alienated himself from most Norwegians who considered him too friendly to Swedish interests. Misunderstood and ignored he remained active writing essays and even a play produced at the National Theater in 1914. He died in 1930.
Carl Berner, president of the Norwegian Storting, formally proclaimed the June 7 proclamation in Parliament. An elegant speaker and stickler for detail, he often frustrated his contemporaries by procrastinating and never seeming to be able to make a decision. In 1905, when he only had to read the script and didn't have to it, he became a prominent public symbol of Norway's strong actions. His picture frequently appeared along with Michelsen and Fridtjof Nansen as the trinity of the dissolution.
Jørgen Løvland served as one of the Michelsen government ministers in Stockholm until June 7. Returning to Kristiania, he was appointed Norway first foreign minister on June 15, 1905. An active proponent of nynorsk, he was also an outspoken advocate of a peaceful resolution of the Union crisis. Løvland led the Norwegian cabinet's campaign to establish a monarchical form of government in 1905. He served as Norwegian Prime Minister in 1907 - 08 after Michelsen stepped down and later was a member of the Norwegian Nobel Peace Prize Committee.
Fridtjof Nansen was arguably the most famous Norwegian in 1905. Three inflammatory newspaper articles titled: “Will,” “Courage,” and “Action,” articulated the Norwegian frustration with the negotiations while calling on his countrymen to take a stand for immediate resolution to the Union crisis. Because of his international renown as a scientist and explorer, he penned a small pamphlet articulating Norway's cause that was translated into several languages and widely distributed. Shortly after June 7, Michelsen asked Nansen to negotiate secretly with Prince Carl of Denmark to get him to accept the throne of Norway. A monarchist, he defended Michelsen's moderate policies and spoke forcefully in favor of electing a king in November, 1905. After dissolution, Nansen became Norway's ambassador to the Court of St. James. Active with the League of Nations after the First World War, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1922.
Erik Boström was Swedish Prime Minister druing the 1890s and again from 1902 - 1905. Although he supported negotiations with Norway, he believed fervently in the necessity of a united Norway-Sweden internationally. That meant no separate consulate service and no separate Norwegian foreign office. In November, 1904, he presented Sweden's position for negotiations which insisted on Sweden's leading role in the Union. The reaction in Norway was swift. Boström's “dependency clauses,” were the final straw that broke the Union's back. Conservative opinion shifted and joined with Union radicals and moderates in the belief that Norway would only achieve equality by rejecting negotiations and taking matters into their own hands. Boström's actions significantly radicalized Norwegian opinion and thereby made the events of 1905 possible.
Alfred Lagerheim served as Swedish foreign minister from 1899 to 1904. A moderate in the Union debate, he was considered too conciliatory by Swedish conservatives. A supporter of negotiations with Norway, Lagerheim believed that if Norwegians should be allowed to establish their own consulate service in order to avoid the more radical solution of a separate foreign office or dissolution of the Union. His resignation in November, 1904, signalled the end of Swedish moderation and ensured a radicalizing of Norwegian opinion, especially among Norwegian conservatives.
Johan Castberg, member of Parliament from Oppland he was a member of the radical Left and an outspoken critic of Michelsen's pragmatic policy. A defense hawk, he joined Wollert Konow (H) as the most outspoken opponents of the Karlstad negotiations and the decision to demilitarize the border fortifications. As a republican, he vehemently opposed the election of Haakon to be king, objecting to a continuation of the monarchical constitution.
Gunnar Knudsen served as Minister of Finance in the Michelsen government after several other leading positions in earlier cabinets. A staunch supporter of Michelsen's policy of dissolution, he resigned in October, 1905, in order to campaign for a republic. Knudsen would later serve two terms as Norwegian prime minister,. 1908-10 and again 1913-20.
Gina Krog founded the Norwegian Association for Women's Rights in 1884. Along with Fredrikke Qvam, she established the National Association for Women's Suffrage in 1898. An active speaker and writer, she edited several journals and published extensively on women's issues. In 1905, together with Fredrikke Qvam, she actively supported a petition campaign that resulted in the signatures of 279, 878 women in favor of the dissolution of the Union.
Prince Carl of Denmark/King Haakon VII of Norway. Identified early during the dissolution crisis as a potential candidate for Norway's throne, Prince Carl fulfilled all the requirements needed. He was married to the youngest daughter of England's King Edward VII, understood Norwegian, had a young son who could grow up to be a Norwegian king. Initially brought to Christian Michelsen's attention by Fritz Wedel Jarlsberg, former ambassador to Spain, he spent the summer in negotiations with Fridtjof Nansen over the prospect of accepting the Norwegian throne. Although initially eager to go to Norway, he insisted on a plebiscite on his candidacy. Following an overwhelming vote in favor, he chose the name Haakon VII and stepped ashore in Norway on November 25. He took the oath on November 27 and was crowned in a splendid ceremony in Nidaros Cathedral in 1906. He ruled until his death in 1957 when he was succeeded by his son, Olav.
Professor Terje I. Leiren joined the University of Washington in 1977 and has been Chair of the Department of Scandinavian Studies since 1995. Prof. Leiren received his Ph.D. degree from the University of North Texas in modern European history in 1978. His dissertation was a study of the development of the modern Norwegian monarchy in 1905. For his contributions to Norway and Norwegian culture, Leiren was made a knight in the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit by King Harald V in 1996.
Author: Dr. Terje I. Leiren
Source: Norwegian American Foundation
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