2001 in Norway explained

Events in the year 2001 in Norway.

Incumbents

• Monarch – Harald V
• Prime Minister – Jens Stoltenberg (Labour Party) until 19 October, Kjell Magne Bondevik (Christian Democratic Party)

Events

January

• 26 January: Murder of Benjamin Hermansen.

February

• February – Former Prime Minister, then foreign affairs minister Thorbjørn Jagland makes a political scandal when he jokingly refers to Gabon's president Omar Bongo, due for a state visit to Norway, as "Bongo from Congo".^[1]
• February – Around 40,000 people in Oslo march in a rally to express their outrage and devastation over the racially motivated murder in Holmlia, Oslo of a young black Norwegian boy, Benjamin Hermansen at the hands of a group af neo-Nazis. Marches take place simultaneously all over Norway.

March

• 25 March – The Schengen Agreement treaty comes into force in Norway.

June

• 18 June – The state-owned oil and gas company Statoil is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange.

August

• August – The Bratsberg Line in Nedre Telemark closes down. It was opened in 1917.
• 25 August – Wedding of Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway, and Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby.

September

• 10 September – The 2001 Norwegian parliamentary election takes place. The Norwegian Labour Party won a plurality of votes and seats, closely followed by the Conservative Party. The Labour Party was unable to form a government, and a centre-right coalition of the Conservative Party, the Christian People's Party and the Liberal Party was formed, led by Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik of the Christian Democratic Party.

October

• 19 October – Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik's Second Cabinet was appointed.

November

• 3 November – Population Census: 4,520,900 inhabitants in Norway.
• 17 November – Eurasian harvest mouse is observed in Norway for the first time.

December

Popular culture

Music

See main article: 2001 in Norwegian music.

• Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2001

Literature

• Jan Kjærstad is awarded the Nordic Council Literature Prize, for The Discoverer.^[2]

Television

See main article: 2001 in Norwegian television.

Notable births

• 12 January – Vilde Nilsen, Paralympic cross-country skier and biathlete
• 16 April – Mia Svele, handball player
• 14 July – Maren Grøthe, politician.^[3]

Notable deaths

• 17 January – Sigurd Vestad, cross country skier (born 1907)
• 26 January – Benjamin Hermansen, murder victim (born 1985)
• 29 January – Ingebrigt Davik, children's writer (born 1925)
• 4 February – Asbjørn Antoni Holm, politician (born 1921)
• 8 February – Ivo Caprino, film director and writer (born 1920)
• 8 February – Torkell Tande, politician (born 1901)
• 13 February – Knut Theodor Gleditsch, sports commentator (born 1938)^[4]
• 14 February – Olav Reiersøl, statistician and econometrician (born 1908)
• 8 March – David Sandved, architect (born 1912)
• 11 March – Finn Ferner, sailor and Olympic silver medallist (born 1920)
• 22 March – Rolf Birger Pedersen, football player and coach (born 1939)
• 28 March – Alf Frotjold, trade unionist (born 1929)^[5]
• 29 March – Helge Ingstad, explorer (born 1899)
• 4 April – Sverre Engen, skier, ski coach, ski area manager and filmmaker in America (born 1911)
• 10 April – Knut Andreas Knudsen, politician (born 1919)
• 12 April – Reidar Hirsti, newspaper editor and politician (born 1925)
• 24 April – Gro Anita Schønn, singer (born 1950).^[6]
• 26 April – Sverre Walter Rostoft, politician and Minister (born 1912)
• 7 May – Thor Støre, politician (born 1924)
• 19 May – Vidkunn Hveding, politician and Minister (born 1921)
• 27 May – Knut Myrstad, politician (born 1913)
• 5 June – Sigmund P. Haave, politician (born 1916)
• 14 June – Andreas Wormdahl, politician (born 1911)
• 2 July – Fredrik Stabel, illustrator and satirical writer (born 2001).^[7]
• 15 July – Helge Rognlien, politician and Minister (born 1920)
• 21 July – Gudmund Grytøyr, politician (born 1920)
• 24 July – Sven Olsen, politician (born 1922)
• 31 August – Odd Steinar Holøs, politician (born 1922)
• 12 October – Gunnar Thorleif Hvashovd, politician (born 1924)
• 27 October – Ellisiv Steen, literary scholar (b. 1908).^[8]
• 1 November – Engly Lie, politician (born 1919)
• 3 November – Liv Paulsen, sprinter and shot putter (born 1925).
• 8 November – Alf Hellevik, philologist (born 1909).^[9]
• 18 November – Roar Hauglid, art historian (born 1910).^[10]
• 1 December – Olav Mosebekk, illustrator and painter (born 1910).^[11]
• 10 December – Knut Fægri, botanist (born 1909)
• 15 December – Leif Kolflaath, politician (born 1927)
• 19 December – Jakob Weidemann, painter (born 1923)
• 28 December – Arne Rettedal, politician and Minister (born 1926)

Full date unknown

• Odd Abrahamsen, poet (born 1924)
• Håkon Flood, professor of inorganic chemistry (born 1905)
• Henriette Bie Lorentzen, humanist, peace activist, feminist and editor (born 1911)
• Anfinn Lund, civil servant and politician (born 1926)
• Nils Slaatto, architect (born 1923)

Notes and References

1. News: Ytterst pinlig. Dagbladet. 7 February 2001. 3 March 2008. no.
2. Web site: Nordic Council Literature Prize . norden.org . 27 November 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151127125825/http://www.norden.org/en/nordic-council/nordic-council-prizes/nordisk-raads-litteraturpris/winners-of-the-nordic-council-literature-prize/2001 . 17 November 2020 .
3. Web site: Grøthe, Maren (2001-) . stortinget.no . no . 15 October 2021.
4. News: Markant sportsreporter . Asker og Bærums budstikke. 38. 14 February 2001. 6. no.
5. Hansen. Stig-Audun. 1999. Alf Frotjold (1929–2001). Arbeiderhistorie. 2001. 252–253. Norwegian.
6. Encyclopedia: Gro Anita Schønn . Jon Vidar . Bergan . . Bolstad . Erik . Norsk nettleksikon . Oslo . no . 6 April 2024.
7. Encyclopedia: Fredrik Stabel . Norsk biografisk leksikon. Øystein . Øystå . Helle, Knut . Knut Helle . Kunnskapsforlaget . Oslo . no . 28 January 2013.
8. Encyclopedia: Ellisiv Andrea Steen . . Bolstad . Erik . Norsk nettleksikon . Oslo . no . 15 November 2020.
9. Encyclopedia: Alf Hellevik . . Bolstad . Erik . Norsk nettleksikon . Oslo . no . 22 May 2021.
10. Encyclopedia: Roar Hauglid . Norsk biografisk leksikon. Lauritz . Opstad . Helle, Knut . Knut Helle . Kunnskapsforlaget . Oslo. no. 7 November 2012.
11. Encyclopedia: Olav Mosebekk . Norsk biografisk leksikon. Lill-Ann . Jensen . Helle, Knut . Knut Helle . Kunnskapsforlaget . Oslo . no . 6 November 2012.