Rolf Eilert Gerhardsen (3 February 1902 – 21 November 1971) was a Norwegian journalist and leader of the Oslo branch of the Norwegian Labour Party. He was born in

Kristiania 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 of ...

as a son of Gerhard Olsen (1867–1949) and Emma Hansen (1872–1949). He was a brother of Einar Gerhardsen, and through him an uncle of

Rune Gerhardsen Rune Gerhardsen (13 June 1946 – 4 September 2021) was a Norwegian politician, representing the Norwegian Labour Party, and sports leader at Norwegian Skating Association representing Aktiv SK. Biography Gerhardsen was a son of Werna and ...

and granduncle of

Mina Gerhardsen Mina Gerhardsen (born 14 September 1975) is a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party. She is the daughter of Rune Gerhardsen and Tove Strand, and granddaughter of Einar Gerhardsen. She is married to Eirik Øwre Thorshaug. She led the Oslo br ...

. He was a subeditor of '' Østfold Arbeiderblad'' and '' Sarpsborg Arbeiderblad'' from 1928 to 1934 and ''

Vestfold Arbeiderblad ''Vestfold Arbeiderblad'', often referred to as simply as ''VA'' and for a long period just ''Vestfold'', was a daily newspaper published in Tønsberg, Norway. History and profile The paper was established in 1909 under the name ''Vestfold Arbeid ...

'' from 1934 to 1940, and editor-in-chief of ''

Den 1ste Mai ''Rogalands Avis'' is a local newspaper published in Stavanger, Norway. History and profile ''Rogalands Avis'' was established in 1899. The paper is based in Stavanger and covers the southern Rogaland. A Labour Party-affiliated newspaper, it ...

'' in 1940. When the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany started, Gerhardsen fled to Sweden where he edited the publication ''

Norges-Nytt ''Norges-Nytt'' was a Norwegian language, Norwegian magazine issued in Stockholm from September 1941 by the Press Office of the Norwegian legation in Stockholm. It had a circulation of up to 40,000 copies. Among the editors of ''Norges-Nytt'' were ...

'' at the

Norwegian legation in Stockholm The Norwegian Legation in Stockholm played a significant role during the Second World War. Until 9 April 1940 the legation consisted of four persons, and at the end of the war about 1,100 persons were connected to the legation. Refugee cases were ...

. After the Second World War he was a subeditor in '' Arbeiderbladet'' from 1945 to 1952 and news editor from 1952 to 1970. He also chaired the

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 of ...

branch of the

Norwegian Labour Party The Labour Party ( nb, Arbeiderpartiet; nn, Arbeidarpartiet; A/Ap; se, Bargiidbellodat), formerly The Norwegian Labour Party ( no, Det norske Arbeiderparti, DNA), is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is positioned on the centr ...

and was known as an

anti-Communist Anti-communism is Political movement, political and Ideology, ideological opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed after the 1917 October Revolution in the Russian Empire, and it reached global dimensions during the Cold War, w ...

. In post-World War II Norway he built up a private intelligence service on behalf of the Labour Party, the so-called Alpha Network. He was also chairman of the

Norwegian News Agency The Norwegian News Agency ( no, Norsk Telegrambyrå; abbreviated NTB) is a Norwegian press agency and wire service that serves most of the largest Norwegian media outlets. The agency is located in Oslo and has bureaus in Brussels in Belgium and T ...

. He released three books, including 1967's ''Einar Gerhardsen som en bror ser ham'' about his brother. He died in November 1971 in Oslo.

References

1902 births 1971 deaths Writers from Oslo Norwegian newspaper editors Norwegian people of World War II Norwegian expatriates in Sweden Labour Party (Norway) politicians Politicians from Oslo Norwegian anti-communists Norwegian non-fiction writers Directors of intelligence agencies 20th-century Norwegian writers {{Norway-writer-stub