By Øyvind Tønnesson, Nobelprize.org Peace Editor, 1998-2000 1 December 1999 What do we know about the Nobel Peace Prize, the laureates and why they were selected? How has the Norwegian Nobel Committee interpreted the concept of peace and Alfred Nobel’s in the changing historical context of the 20th century? In the following we will briefly…

Short biography Koht, Halvdan 1873 – 1965 Historian and politician Labour Koht was originally a Liberal, becoming more radical during the 1890s. From 1896 he regarded himself as a socialist and became affiliated with the Labour Party. However, he did not officially become a party member until 1911. He soon became engaged in the local…

Short biography Hanssen, Cornelius Bernhard 1864 – 1939 Teacher, shipowner and politician Liberal Cornelius Bernhard Hanssen worked as a teacher in 1883-1891. He then became editor and publisher of a local newspaper Agder. In 1898 he entered the shipping business and later became a wealthy shipowner. Hanssen was a member of the Storting in 1900-1915…

Short biography Oftedal, Christian Stephansen 1907 – 1955 Journalist and politician Liberal Christian Stephansen Oftedal graduated from high school in 1926. He studied in Oslo, Poitiers and Geneva and got his B.A. in 1931. In 1932 he became editor of the newspaper Stavanger Aftenblad. He was elected to the City Council in Stavanger in 1937.…

Short biography Kvanmo, Hanna Kristine 1926 – 2005 Politician Socialist left party As a young woman Hanna Kristine Kvanmo had various occupations. She worked as a teacher in 1962-1973. In the period 1967-1975 she was actively engaged in local politics in Rana (a community in northern Norway). She was a member of the Storting in…

Short biography Langhelle, Nils 1907 – 1967 Politician Labour Nils Langhelle got his M.A. in 1934. He was a member of the city council of Bergen in the period in 1937-1947 and chairman of the local branch of the Labour Party in 1935-1945 and from 1960. Langhelle was a member of the Storting in 1950-1965,…

Short biography Rognlien, Helge 1920 – 2001 Jurist and politician Liberal Helge Rognlien received his law degree in 1945. He was chairman of Unge Venstre, the youth organisation of the Liberal Party in 1946-1948. From 1952 until 1960 he was a teacher and in 1960, he became chief welfare officer in Bærum, a local community…

Short biography Berge, Gunnar 1940 – Politician Labour Gunnar Berge was an industrial worker between 1957-1966 and early on became engaged in the local branch of the Labour Party in Rogaland. From 1967 until 1993 he was fully occupied with politics. He was a member of the Storting in 1969-1993 and a prominent Labour spokesman,…

Short biography Steen, Johannes Vilhelm Christian 1827 – 1906 Educator and politician Liberal Johannes Vilhelm Christian Steen received his M.A. degree (Cand.Philol.) in 1848. From 1849 he worked as a teacher. He was headmaster at the Grammar School in Stavanger (southwestern Norway) in 1867-1891. Steen was elected chairman of the political organization, Arbeiderforeningen “The Workers’…

by Geir LundestadSecretary of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, 1990-2014 Introduction This article is intended to serve as a basic survey of the history of the Nobel Peace Prize during its first 100 years. Since all the 107 Laureates selected from 1901 to 2000 are to be mentioned, the emphasis will be on facts and names.…