Paal Berg

Paal Olav Berg
Paal Berg (by Thorleif Wardenær / Oslo Museum)
Born	18 January 1873 Hammerfest, Norway
Died	24 May 1968 (aged 95) Bærum
Nationality	Norwegian
Occupation	Judge, politician, resistance leader
Known for	Minister of Social Affairs Minister of Justice Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Norway Civil resistance leader during the German occupation of Norway

Paal Olav Berg (18 January 1873 – 24 May 1968), born in Hammerfest,^[1] was a Norwegian politician for the Liberal Party. He was Minister of Social Affairs 1919-1920, and Minister of Justice 1924-1926. He was the 12th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1929 to 1946.^[2][3]

Paal Berg was instrumental in the German Dismissal of pro-Nazi puppet regime of Vidkun Quisling to be replaced by a council of Norwegian citizens, including himself on April 15, 1940. This was overseen after April 24 by Hitler's appointee Josef Terboven. Despite holding this position in the occupied government, Berg was far from a collaborator. Indeed, William L. Shirer names him the secret leader of the Norwegian Resistance.^[4] He was elected a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1947.^[5]

Notes

1. Paal Berg, Norgeslexi Encyclopedia (Norwegian)
2. Henriksen, Petter, ed. (2007). "Paal Olav Berg". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
3. Lødrup, Peter. "Paal Berg". In Helle, Knut. Norsk biografisk leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
4. Shirer 1990: pg. 935
5. "Book of Members, 1780–2010: Chapter B" (PDF). American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 16 June 2011.

Literature

• William L. Shirer: "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich", Simon & Schuster, New York 1990 ISBN 0-671-72868-7
• Hem, Per E (2012). Megleren: Paal Berg 1873-1968. Oslo: Aschehoug. ISBN 978-82-03-23427-9.