Rolf Stranger
{{Short description|Norwegian businessman and politician (1891–1990)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Rolf Stranger
| honorific-suffix =
| image = Rolf Stranger, 1930.jpg
| caption =
| office1 = Mayor of Oslo
| term_start1 = 1940
| term_end1 = 1963
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1891|1|15}}
| birth_place = Oslo, Norway
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1990|6|18|1891|1|15}}
| death_place = Oslo, Norway
| nationality = Norwegian
| alma_mater = University of Oslo
| spouse =
| occupation =
}}
File:3971 Rolf Stranger og Brynjulf Bull.jpg (1982)]]
Rolf Stranger (15 January 1891 – 18 June 1990) was a Norwegian businessman and politician for the Conservative Party who served as Mayor of Oslo.{{cite web|url = https://snl.no/Rolf_Stranger|title= Rolf Stranger|publisher = Store norske leksikon|author= Knut Are Tvedt|accessdate= 1 March 2018}}
Biography
Rolf Stranger was born in Kristiania. He was the son of Anund Hanssen (1847–1931) and Hilda Theodora Jørgensen (1849–1910).
He attended St. Hans Haugen school graduating artium in 1909. He studied at University of Oslo graduating cand.jur. in 1914. After graduation, he joined the family business Hanssen & Bergh A / S, where he was manager from 1917 to 1953. The company was a wholesaler and clothing manufacturer .{{cite web|url = http://industrimuseum.no/bedrifter/hanssen_bergha_s|title= Hanssen & Bergh A/S|publisher = Industrimuseum |accessdate= 1 March 2018}}
During the Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany, he was imprisoned in Bredtveit concentration camp from November 1943 to May 1944.{{cite book|editor=Ottosen, Kristian|title=Nordmenn i fangenskap 1940–1945|edition=2nd|year=2004|publisher=Universitetsforlaget|location=Oslo|language=Norwegian|isbn=82-15-00288-9|page=647|editor-link=Kristian Ottosen}}
Stranger was a long-time member of the Oslo City Council serving from 1926–67. He served as Mayor of Oslo in the periods 1940–1941, 1945, 1955–1959 and 1962–1963. He represented Oslo in the Parliament of Norway in 1945 and was re-elected on one occasion. He had previously served in the position of deputy representative during the terms 1931–1933, 1934–1936 and 1937–1945.{{cite web|url = https://nbl.snl.no/Rolf_Stranger|title= Rolf Stranger|publisher = Norsk biografisk leksikon |author= Lars Hellberg|accessdate= 1 March 2018}}
Cultural and civic activities
Stranger maintained a strong interest in various cultural and civic activities throughout his lengthy career. His was active in film, theater, music and art.
From 1924 to 1971, he served as chairman of the Norwegian Trade Fair (Norges Varemesse).
He was chairman of the Oslo Nye Teater during the period 1959–84.
In 1982, he established an endowment, Rolf Strangers kulturfon, which finances scientific research in Oslo's cultural history.
In 1987, he produced his autobiography [https://books.google.com/books?id=SBl9AAAACAAJ Mitt hjertes Oslo] (Oslo: Aschehoug, 1987. {{ISBN|9788203154171}}). In his honor, the eastern part of Rådhusplassen in Oslo was named Rolf Strangers plass during 1998.{{cite web|url = https://snl.no/Norges_Varemesse|title= Norges Varemesse|publisher = Store norske leksikon |author= Roger Pihl|accessdate= 1 March 2018}}{{cite web|url = http://oslonye.no/historikk/|title= Historikk|publisher = Oslo Nye Teater|accessdate= 1 March 2018}}{{cite web|url = http://www.lokalhistorie.no/hendelser/rolf-strangers-kulturfond|title= Rolf Strangers kulturfond |publisher = Norsk lokalhistorisk institutt|accessdate= 1 March 2018}}
Honours and awards
Among his other honors, Stranger was awarded the King's Medal of Merit (Kongens fortjenstmedalje) in gold in 1957 and the Medal of St. Hallvard in 1960. He was made a Knight Grand Officer of the Order of St. Olav in 1965 and holder of Norwegian Commercial Association decorations in gold. He was made a Commander of the Order of Vasa (Sweden) and of the Order of the Dannebrog (Denmark). In 1961, he was awarded the Petter Dass Medal (Petter Dass -medaljen) for his active efforts in the reconstruction of the Northern Norwegian Student Foundation (Nordnorsk Student- og Elevhjem).{{cite web|url = https://lokalhistoriewiki.no/wiki/Kongens_fortjenstmedalje|title= Kongens fortjenstmedalje|publisher = lokalhistoriewiki.no |accessdate= 1 March 2018}}[http://www.nordnorsken.no/ Forhistorien til Nord-norsk student- og elevhjem (Nordnorsk Student- og Elevhjem)][http://www.ordforeren.oslo.kommune.no/st_hallvard/article67466-7479.html Tidligere mottakere av St. Hallvard-medaljen (Oslo kommune)]
=Foreign honours=
- {{flag|Austria}}: Grand Officer of the Order of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria
- {{flag|Belgium}}: Knight Commander of the Order of Leopold I
- {{flag|Finland}}: Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland
- {{flag|France}}: Officer of the Order of the Legion of Honour
- {{flag|Hungary}}: Commander of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary
- {{flag|Italy}}: Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
- {{flag|Romania}}: Recipient of the Medal for Merit
- {{flag|Spain}}: Knight Grand Officer of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
- {{flag|Thailand}}: Knight Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown
- {{flag|Tunisia}}: Grand Officer of the Order of the Republic
References
{{reflist}}
Other sources
- {{stortingetbio|ROST}}
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{{succession box | before=Einar Gerhardsen| title=Mayor of Oslo | years=1940–1941 | after=Einar Gerhardsen}}
{{succession box | before=Einar Gerhardsen| title=Mayor of Oslo | years=1945 | after=Arnfinn Vik}}
{{succession box | before=Brynjulf Bull| title=Mayor of Oslo | years=1956–1959 | after=Brynjulf Bull}}
{{succession box | before=Brynjulf Bull| title=Mayor of Oslo | years=1962–1963 | after=Brynjulf Bull}}
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{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stranger, Rolf}}
Category:University of Oslo alumni
Category:Norwegian resistance members
Category:Bredtveit concentration camp survivors
Category:Conservative Party (Norway) politicians
Category:Commanders of the Order of Vasa
Category:Commanders of the Order of the Dannebrog
Category:Recipients of the King's Medal of Merit in gold
Category:Commanders of the Order of the Lion of Finland
Category:Commander's Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary (civil)
Category:Officers of the Legion of Honour
Category:Recipients of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
Category:Recipients of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
Category:Commanders by Number of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
Category:Recipients of the Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria