Nikolai Ramm Østgaard (30 October 1885 – 20 June 1958), sometimes referred to as N. R. Østgaard, was a Norwegian

military officer An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service. Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer, or a warrant officer. However, absent context ...

, aide-de-camp for Olav V of Norway, and sports official who is best known as President of the

International Ski Federation The ''Fédération internationale de ski et de snowboard'' (FIS; en, International Ski and Snowboard Federation) is the highest international governing body for skiing and snowboarding. Founded on 2 February 1924 in Chamonix, France during the ...

(FIS) from 1934 to 1951.

Early and personal life

He was born in Kristiania as a son of merchant Einar Østgaard (1857–1907) and Karen Betzy Bredesen (1858–1938), and grandson of the writer

Nikolai Ramm Østgaard Nikolai Ramm Østgaard (30 October 1885 – 20 June 1958), sometimes referred to as N. R. Østgaard, was a Norwegian military officer, aide-de-camp for Olav V of Norway, and sports official who is best known as President of the International Ski F ...

. In July 1916 he married Ragni Gullichsen (1894–1956). One of their daughters married

Erling Welle-Strand Erling Welle-Strand (25 October 1916 – 24 May 2013) was a Norwegian writer and resistance member. Early life He was born in Bergen as a son of novelist and journalist Edvard Welle-Strand (1884–1964) and teacher Elsa Kielland, née Lindhé (18 ...

. He was the father of architect

Rolf Ramm Østgaard Rolf Ramm Østgaard (15 January 1923 – 8 November 2014) was a Norwegian architect. Personal life Ramm Østgaard was born in Kristiania (now Oslo), Norway. He was the son of Nikolai Ramm Østgaard (1885-1958) and his wife Ragni Gullichs ...

. He

finished Finished may refer to: * ''Finished'' (novel), a 1917 novel by H. Rider Haggard * ''Finished'' (film), a 1923 British silent romance film * "Finished" (short story), a science fiction short story by L. Sprague de Camp See also *Finishing (disa ...

his secondary education in 1904 and graduated as a premier lieutenant from the Norwegian Military Academy in 1908. From 1908 to 1913 he taught physical education and mathematics in Kristiania, while he spent several winters as a ski coach in Central Europe.

Sports career and royal service

In 1914 he became the personal trainer of Crown Prince Olav of Norway, by recommendation of his employer at school,

Sigurd Halling Sigurd Halling (20 July 1866 – 25 July 1938) was a Norwegian educator. He was born in Lom, Norway, Lom to Honoratus Halling and Marie Henrikke Bomhoff, and was an uncle of Else Halling. He graduated as cand.theol. from the University of ...

. Østgaard was promoted to aide-de-camp for the Crown Prince in 1924, from the 1930s also with the administrative responsibility for the farm

Skaugum Skaugum is an estate, manor house and the official residence of Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and his wife Crown Princess Mette-Marit. The estate is located in Asker municipality, southwest of Oslo, by the foot of the mountain Skaugumsåsen. The ...

. Also, his wife became mistress of the robes for the Crown Princess. Østgaard was himself an able ski jumper and

Nordic combined skier Nordic combined is a winter sport in which athletes compete in cross-country skiing and ski jumping. The Nordic combined at the Winter Olympics has been held since the first ever Winter Olympics in 1924, while the FIS Nordic Combined World Cup ...

, and won three Norwegian football cups with his club SFK Lyn in

1908 Events January * January 1 – The British ''Nimrod'' Expedition led by Ernest Shackleton sets sail from New Zealand on the ''Nimrod'' for Antarctica. * January 3 – A total solar eclipse is visible in the Pacific Ocean, and is the 46 ...

1910 Events January * January 13 – The first public radio broadcast takes place; live performances of the operas '' Cavalleria rusticana'' and ''Pagliacci'' are sent out over the airwaves, from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York C ...

and

1911 A notable ongoing event was the Comparison of the Amundsen and Scott Expeditions, race for the South Pole. Events January * January 1 – A decade after federation, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory ...

. He chaired SFK Lyn from 1911 to 1912, and also Kristiania Skiing District Association (1909–1910) and the Norwegian Ski Federation (1927–1930). While serving in the latter position he became vice president of the

(1928–1934), later serving as president from 1934 to 1951. He was proclaimed honorary president upon backing down. In the military Østgaard was promoted to captain in 1921, major in 1935 and lieutenant colonel in 1940. During the Norwegian campaign which followed the German invasion of Norway in April 1940, Østgaard served with the royal family in their flight northwards and then to the United Kingdom. He also followed the Crown Prince on his travels to North America. He was promoted to head aide-de-camp for the Crown Prince in 1945, from 1 January 1958 for the King of Norway as Olav was crowned as such. Østgaard held the rank of colonel from 1946. He also issued a book on

Crown Princess Märtha of Norway A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, partic ...

in 1955 and edited a book on King Olav in 1957. Nikolai's son Einar (1929–2012) wrote two accounts on the royal family's flight in 1940; ''Reisen hun ikke ønsket'' (2005) and ''Kongen i krig'' (2009). Østgaard was a Knight, Grand Cross of the

Order of St. Olav The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav ( no, Den Kongelige Norske Sankt Olavs Orden; or ''Sanct Olafs Orden'', the old Norwegian name) is a Norwegian order of chivalry instituted by King Oscar I on 21 August 1847. It is named after King Olav II ...

(1957); Commander, First Class of the

Order of the Dannebrog The Order of the Dannebrog ( da, Dannebrogordenen) is a Danish order of chivalry instituted in 1671 by Christian V. Until 1808, membership in the order was limited to fifty members of noble or royal rank, who formed a single class known a ...

; Commander, Second Class of the Order of Vasa and the Order of the White Rose of Finland; Officer of the Order of the Crown; Knight, First Class of the Order of the Sword, and Knight of the Legion of Honour, the Order of the Polar Star, the Order of Polonia Restituta and the Order of the White Lion. He also held the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria in gold, the

King's Medal of Merit in gold The King's Medal of Merit (Norwegian: ''Kongens fortjenstmedalje'') is a Norwegian award. It was instituted in 1908 to reward meritorious achievements in the fields of art, science, business, and public service. It is divided in two classes: gold ...

, the Haakon VII 25th Anniversary Medal and the

King George VI Coronation Medal The King George VI Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal, instituted to celebrate the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Issue This medal was awarded as a personal souvenir of King George VI's coronation. It was awarded to th ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ostgaard, Nikolai Ramm 1885 births 1958 deaths Writers from Oslo Norwegian Military Academy alumni Norwegian schoolteachers Norwegian male Nordic combined skiers Norwegian men's footballers Lyn Fotball players Norwegian sports coaches Norwegian sports executives and administrators International Ski and Snowboard Federation executives Norwegian Army personnel of World War II Norwegian expatriates in the United Kingdom Commanders of the Order of the Dannebrog Commanders of the Order of Vasa Officers of the Order of the Crown (Belgium) Knights First Class of the Order of the Sword Knights of the Legion of Honour Knights of the Order of the Polar Star Knights of the Order of Polonia Restituta Recipients of the King's Medal of Merit in gold Recipients of the Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria Men's association football players not categorized by position