Hjemmenes Vel (Welfare in the Home), later Norges Husmorforbund (Norwegian Housewives' Association), was Norway's first association for housewives. Founded in

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population ...

(then Christiania) by

Dorothea Christensen Dorothea von der Lippe Christensen, née Frost (19 December 1847 – 28 February 1908) was a Norwegian domestic science proponent and politician. Early and personal life She was born in Veøy as a daughter of vicar Christian Frost (1810–1862) a ...

in 1898, it was also the first organization for housewives in Europe. The association functioned until the late.1970s. In 1897, Christensen had published an article in ''Husmoderen'' (The Housewife) titled "Vi husmødre slutter os sammen" (We housewives should stick together) which paved the way for the establishment of Hjemmenes Vel on 10 March 1898. Based on the success of the Oslo organization, local Hjemmenes Vel branches were established throughout the country. As a result, in 1915 Hjemmenes Vels Landsforbund or national headquarters was founded by Marie Michelet who chaired it until 1934. By 1924, there were some 50 local organizations in Norway. From the start, Hjemmenes Vels Landsforbund was associated with the

Norwegian National Women's Council The Norwegian National Women's Council ( no, italic=no, Norske Kvinners Nasjonalråd) was founded on 8 January 1904 as an umbrella organization for the various Norwegian women's associations. It was established by Gina Krog whose international con ...

. In 1933, the organization changed its name to Norges Husmorforbund or Norwegian Housewives' Association. It became a large, influential organization with 30,000 members by 1940, providing advice on nutrition, housekeeping, childcare and economics. ''Husmorbladet'' (Housewives Magazine) was published from 1952. The association was particularly successful in the years up to 1960 when there were 70,000 members. Thereafter, as women began to take up employment, interest in the organization gradually faded until it was no longer viable.

Leaders of the organization

The organization was founded as Hjemmenes Vel in 1898, was renamed Norges Husmorforbund in 1933 and finally became Norges Kvinne- og familieforbund in 1997.

Hjemmenes Vel

, 1898–1908

Norges Husmorforbund

* Marie Michelet, 1915–1934 *

Amalie Øvergaard Amalie Constance Øvergaard, née Angell (3 March 1874 – 19 November 1960) was a Norwegian women's leader. She was born in Sørreisa as a daughter of businessman Ingebrigt Angell and Severine Johansen. From 1899 she was married to ship-owner R ...

1934–1946 *

Alette Engelhart Alette Marie Engelhart, née Nicolaysen (7 May 1896 – 13 August 1984) was a Norwegian housewives' leader. Biography Alette was born in Kristiania as a daughter of captain and engineer Anton Martin Schweigaard Nicolaysen (1870–1907) and Dorot ...

1946–1959 *

Else Germeten Else Germeten, née Knutson (8 August 1918 – 11 September 1992) was a Norwegian women's group executive and film censor and a member of the Labour Party. She was born in Kristiania as a daughter of bookkeeper Martinius Knutson (1879–1955) an ...

1959–1969 * Elin Wedege 1969–1977 * Dagmar Storås 1977–1981 * Karin Gullichsen 1981–1985 * Ingunn Birkeland 1985–1993 * Anne Marit Hovstad 1993–1997

Norges Kvinne- og familieforbund

* Elisabeth Rusdal, 1997–2001 * Bjarnhild Hodneland, 2001–2006 * Ann-Louis Nordstrand, 2006–2008 * Toril Sonja Gravdal, 2008–2009 * Grete Nordbæk fungerende forbundsleder, 2009–2010 * Elisabeth Rusdal, 2010-

References

{{Authority control Feminist organisations in Norway 1898 establishments in Norway Organizations established in 1898