- Gustav Smedal
Gustav Smedal (1888 - 1951) was a Norwegian jurist and
irredentist activist.He was known for his activism in the so-called "Greenland case", where Norway claimed a part of
Greenland . In 1931 a Norwegian expedition occupied a portion of East Greenland, naming itErik the Red's Land . Following aPermanent Court of International Justice ruling in 1933, in the disfavor of Norway, the official claims were abandoned, but Smedal continued his activism.A nationalist, Smedal would find himself collaborating with the
national socialist regime during theGerman occupation of Norway . He enrolled inNasjonal Samling , at that time the only legal party, in 1942, but never worked directly for the party.cite encyclopedia |last= |first= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor=Dahl, Hans Fredrik |encyclopedia=Norsk krigsleksikon 1940-45 |title=Smedal, Gustav |url=http://www.norgeslexi.com/krigslex/s/s5.html#smedal-gustav |accessdate=2008-07-16 |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |date= |year=1995 |month= |publisher=Cappelen |volume= |location=Oslo |id= |isbn= |doi= |pages= |quote= ] Wishing to create ties between Smedal and the party, the regime offered him positions as law professor, Supreme Court Justice and even Chief of the Supreme Court. Smedal, being economically independent, only accepted a position ashonorary professor in 1943. Instead, he was active in the organization "Norges Ishavskomité" together with another prominent NaziAdolf Hoel .b] Smedal published several articles and pamphlettes to strengthen a Norwegian claim to Greenland, which in the meantime (1941) had been occupied by theUnited States . He tried to pursuadeReichskommissar Josef Terboven and others, but nothing happened. [cite encyclopedia |last= |first= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor=Dahl, Hans Fredrik |encyclopedia=Norsk krigsleksikon 1940-45 |title=Grønland |url=http://www.norgeslexi.com/krigslex/g/g3.html#gronland |accessdate=2008-07-16 |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |date= |year=1995 |month= |publisher=Cappelen |volume= |location=Oslo |id= |isbn= |doi= |pages= |quote= ]As part of the
legal purge in Norway after World War II , Smedal was punished economically for his collaboration.c]References
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