Halvdan Koht

Halvdan Koht (b. July 7 1873 in Tromsø – December 12 1965 in Lysaker) was a Norwegian historian, biographer, and Foreign minister (Labour party) 1935–40.

Raised under modest circumstances in Tromsø and Skien, Koht rose through the rank of academia at the University of Oslo in the early 20th century, completing his studies with a fellowship and becoming a full professor of history in 1910. Although originally a member of the Liberal Party of Norway his political views radicalized in the 1890s, and he came to consider himself a Socialist. He joined the Norwegian Labour Party in 1911.

He served on the Norwegian Nobel Committee from 1918 to 1936. He was also active in the peace movement of his time and became a member of l'Institut International de la Paix. He participated in the negotiations between Denmark and Norway about the disposition of Greenland.

Koht's research, authorship and political convictions stemmed from an interest in understanding decisive forces at work in history. He was a prolific writer, and his works include popular works of history and biographies of such diverse figures as Johan Sverdrup, Henrik Ibsen, and Henrik Wergeland; a long series of newspaper columns; and historical analyses. Koht wrote consistently in Nynorsk and was an active participant in the Norwegian language controversy, where he often spoke of language in a social context in general and the class struggle in particular. He is credited — and occasionally blamed — for the language reforms of 1938 that promoted the samnorsk ideal. He was the chairman of Noregs Mållag from 1921 to 1925.

From 1935 to 1940 Koht served as foreign minister in the government led by Prime Minister Johan Nygaardsvold. His role in the weak and unorganized defense against the German attack was hotly debated during and after the occupation, and a parliamentary commission concluded with a harsh criticism against his effectiveness. Although the commission applauded his decisiveness and commitment immediately following the German invasion, it was considered that he had isolated his ministry too much in the period leading up to the invasion, and had not engaged the full cabinet and the prime minister soon enough as an invasion became imminent. The historical consensus appears to be that he was a well-meaning but too idealistic statesman. As a consequence, the municipality of Bærum honored him by naming a street in Lysaker "Professor Kohts vei" (Professor Koht's road) to emphasize his academic, rather than his political career.

After his resignation from the exiled cabinet in 1940, Koht spent the rest of the war years in the United States. He returned to his academic career in Norway after the war and finished several works on the war years. He consistently advocated a more neutral role for Norway in foreign policy, citing Norway's strategic position in the intersection between East and West.

In 1945 Koht nominated Joseph Stalin for the Nobel Peace Prize. [ [http://nobelprize.org/nomination/peace/nomination.php?action=show&showid=3323 The Nomination Database for the Nobel Prize in Peace, 1901–1955] , Nobel Peace Prize]

Koht and his wife Karen Elisabeth Grude had three children. Paul Grude Koht served as ambassador to the United States, and Åse Gruda Skard was a noted child psychologist and feminist.

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