Fredrik Georg Gade (4 June 1830 – 16 May 1905) was a Norwegian businessperson and politician for the Liberal Party. He was born in

Bergen Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula of ...

as the son of merchant Fredrik Georg Gade and his wife Anna. His ancestor had migrated to Norway from

Hannover Hanover (; german: Hannover ; nds, Hannober) is the capital and largest city of the German States of Germany, state of Lower Saxony. Its 535,932 (2021) inhabitants make it the List of cities in Germany by population, 13th-largest city in Germa ...

in the second half of the eighteenth century. In February 1854 he married Ingeborg Wallem (1830–1902), a sister of

Fredrik Meltzer Wallem Fredrik Meltzer Wallem (19 April 1837 – 2 April 1922) was a Norwegian journalist and writer, known for his work for fisheries of Norway. He was born in Bergen as the son of businessperson Johan Nordahl Wallem and his wife Emma Meltzer. He spent ...

. Gade began working in his father's manufacture business ''F. G. Gade'' around the age of

Confirmation In Christian denominations that practice infant baptism, confirmation is seen as the sealing of the covenant created in baptism. Those being confirmed are known as confirmands. For adults, it is an affirmation of belief. It involves laying on ...

, and took over the company in 1849. As he did not acquire burghership until 1853, the company was run by his first cousin

Herman Baars Herman Brunchorst Baars (13 April 1822 – 5 September 1896) was a Norwegian fisheries commissary. He was born in Bergen as a son of Søren Baars and his wife Divert Brunchorst. He was a cousin of Fredrik Georg Gade. In 1855 he married Margrethe ...

in the first phase. The company eventually went well, and in 1877 Gade retired from business, buying the farm Øvre Fantoft in Fana. He developed the surrounding area, and even bought a stave church which stood at Fortun in Sogn og Fjordane, had it moved and re-erected it as Fantoft stave church. This church burned down in 1993 under gloomy circumstances. Gade also took much of the initiative to found the Nesttun–Os Railway, and was an important shareholder. From 1880 to 1896 Gade was the

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states throug ...

for all of Western Norway, including the coast up to

Vardø ( fi, Vuoreija, fkv, Vuorea, se, Várggát) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county in the extreme northeastern part of Norway. Vardø is the easternmost town in Norway, more to the east than Saint Petersburg or Istanbul. The administra ...

in the north. He also served on Bergen city council from 1880 to 1895, being a member of the movement which would become the Liberal Party. He successfully stood for election in 1882, and served one term in the

Parliament of Norway The Storting ( no, Stortinget ) (lit. the Great Thing) is the supreme legislature of Norway, established in 1814 by the Constitution of Norway. It is located in Oslo. The unicameral parliament has 169 members and is elected every four years bas ...

, from 1883 to 1885. When Johan Sverdrup became

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

in 1884, Gade was a candidate for a

government minister A minister is a politician who heads a ministry, making and implementing decisions on policies in conjunction with the other ministers. In some jurisdictions the head of government is also a minister and is designated the ‘prime minister’, � ...

position, but declined the offer. He wanted to back out of national politics, and only served as a deputy representative during the term 1886–1888. Gade also founded two insurance companies, Vesta in 1880 and Hygea in 1884 (often branded as the same company, "Vesta-Hygea"), and was a board member of both companies until his death. He was also a board member of Den Nationale Scene. Gade was the father of Fredrik Georg Gade, Jr. and

Herman Gerhard Gade Herman Gerhard Gade (22 March 1870 – 8 February 1953) was a Norwegian physician, known for his work to fight tuberculosis. He was born in Bergen as the son of businessperson Fredrik Georg Gade (1830–1905) and his wife Ingeborg Wallem (1830– ...

, both notable physicians. His daughter Emma married Anders Lorange. Through his brother Gerhard he was an uncle of

Fredrik Herman Gade Fredrik Herman Gade (12 August 1871 – 20 February 1943) was a Norwegian-American attorney, elected official, diplomat and ambassador. Biography Fredrik Herman Gade was born at Frogner Manor near Christiania (now Oslo), Norway. He was a son of ...

and

John Allyne Gade John Allyne Gade (10 February 1875 – 16 August 1955) was an American architect, naval officer, diplomat, investment banker and author. Background John Gade was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts as the son of Gerhard Gade (1834–1909) of Chr ...

, and through his wife he was an uncle of

Fredrik Barbe Wallem Fredrik Barbe Wallem (29 November 1877 – 3 July 1945) was a Norwegian art historian. Biography He was born in Bergen; the son of Fredrik Meltzer Wallem and Louise Adelaide Barbe. His father was a fisheries inspector. He studied archeolo ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gade, Fredrik Georg 1830 births 1905 deaths Norwegian businesspeople in insurance Members of the Storting Liberal Party (Norway) politicians Politicians from Bergen Norwegian people of German descent