1961 in Norway

Events in the year 1961 in Norway.

← 1960 1959 1958 1961 in Norway → 1962 1963 1964
Centuries:	18th 19th 20th 21st
Decades:	1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s
See also:	List of years in Norway

Incumbents

• Monarch – Olav V
• Prime Minister – Einar Gerhardsen (Labour Party)

Events

• 12 January – Princess Astrid marries Johan Martin Ferner.
• March – Ingrid Bjerkås, ordained as first female minister in the Church of Norway
• 15 April – The Socialist People's Party was founded.
• 9 August – Holtaheia Accident: A British passenger plane crashes in Strand. All 39 passengers aboard, including 34 children, are killed.
• 11 September – The 1961 Parliamentary election takes place.

Popular culture

Music

Main article: 1961 in Norwegian music

Film

Main article: Norwegian films of the 1960s § 1961

Literature

Main article: 1961 in literature

Notable births

January

Irene Johansen

Sinikka Langeland

• 2 January – Ole Bremseth, ski jumper.
• 4 January – Kristin Kloster Aasen, sports leader.
• 7 January – Irene Johansen, politician
• 8 January – Tore Hagebakken, politician.
• 11 January
  • Carl Morten Amundsen, dramaturg and theatre director.
  • Vegard Opaas, ski jumper.
• 13 January – Sinikka Langeland, traditional folk singer and musician.
• 15 January – Guttorm Schjelderup, economist.
• 16 January – Kenneth Sivertsen, guitarist, singer and composer (died 2006).
• 18 January – Linn Siri Jensen, handball goalkeeper and coach.
• 29 January – Per Axel Koch, media executive.

February

Erna Solberg

• 3 February – Karoline Frogner, filmmaker, photographer and writer.
• 4 February
  • Kristin Midthun, handball player.
  • Kari Veiteberg, bishop.
• 12 February – Knut Reiersrud, blues guitarist.
• 14 February – Raymond Johansen, politician.
• 21 February – Per Arne Olsen, politician.
• 22 February (in Switzerland) – Rolf Thorsen, competition rower.
• 24 February – Erna Solberg, Prime Minister.
• 28 February – Bjørn-Inge Larsen, physician and civil servant.

March

Knut Nærum

Herborg Finnset

• 3 March
  • Anita Hegerland, singer
  • Knut Nærum, comedian, author and comics writer.
• 6 March – Knut Hjeltnes, architect.
• 7 March – Øystein Jarlsbo, ice hockey player.
• 8 March – Odd W. Surén, writer.
• 12 March – Erik Kristiansen, ice hockey player.
• 18 March
  • Ingvild Bryn, journalist and news anchor
  • Kyrre Nakkim, journalist
• 19 March – Rune Bratseth, footballer.
• 22 March
  • Arne Bergseng, ice hockey player.
  • Bente Pedersen, novelist.
• 23 March
  • Eivind Aarset, guitarist.
  • Jørgen Sigurd Lien, software developer
• 24 March – Henning Warloe, politician.
• 28 March
  • Herborg Finnset, bishop.
  • Åsne Havnelid, businessperson and sports official.
• 30 March – Per Arne Nilsen, sailor.

April

Pål Gunnar Mikkelsplass

• 6 April – Dag Hopen, cyclist.
• 12 April
  • Henry Nilsen, speed skater.
  • Torfinn Opheim, politician.
• 22 April – Atle Norstad, bobsledder.
• 25 April – Truls Mørk, cellist.
• 29 April – Pål Gunnar Mikkelsplass, cross-country skier.

May

Pål Brekke

• 5 May – Tore Johnsen, athlete.
• 6 May – Geir Bergkastet, cultural director.
• 9 May – Odd Reidar Humlegård, civil servant.
• 12 May – André Krogsæter, footballer.
• 23 May – Pål Brekke, astrophysicist
• 30 May – Erik Thyness, judge.
• 31 May – Ove Lemicka, politician.

June

• 5 June – Kjetil Osvold, footballer.
• 9 June – Ragnhild Bratberg, orienteering competitor and a cross country skier.
• 21 June – Rolf Morgan Hansen, cyclist.
• 22 June – Asbjørn Schaathun, composer.
• 26 June – Kari Ofstad, canoeist.
• 28 June – Ann-Magrit Austenå, journalist and organizational leader.

July

Kjetil Rolness

• 8 July – Karl Seglem, jazz musician.
• 12 July – Espen Andersen, Nordic combined skier.
• 13 July
  • John Hugo Pedersen, ice hockey player.
  • Kjetil Rolness, sociologist and writer.
• 23 July – Akhtar Chaudhry, politician.
• 25 July
  • Johan H. Andresen Jr., industrialist and investor.
  • Petter Thoresen, ice hockey player.

August

Signy Fardal

• 1 August – Marianne Andreassen, civil servant.
• 12 August
  • Kristin Krohn Devold, politician.
  • Ingrid Heggø, politician.
• 19 August – Frank Vestreng, ice hockey player.
• 27 August
  • Anders Giæver, journalist.
  • Margit Tveiten, diplomat.
• 28 August – Kim Leine, writer.
• 29 August – Signy Fardal, magazine editor.

September

Paul Waaktaar-Savoy

• 6 September – Paul Waaktaar-Savoy, A-ha lead guitarist
• 8 September – Espen Borge, middle-distance runner.
• 11 September – Birgit Oline Kjerstad, politician.
• 13 September – Leif Johan Sevland, politician.
• 18 September – Linn Stokke, actress, singer and writer.
• 25 September – Fridtjof Thoen, judoka.

October

Mia Gundersen

• 3 October – Bård Eker, industrial designer.
• 6 October – Ib Thomsen, politician.
• 8 October – Rune Lorentsen, wheelchair curler.
• 18 October – Rolf Einar Fife, diplomat.
• 20 October – Audun Kleive, jazz drummer.
• 21 October – Arve Lønnum Jr., politician.
• 24 October – Gunnar Stavrum, newspaper editor.
• 27 October – Mia Gundersen, singer and actress.

November

Tomas Espedal

• 4 November – Olaug Bollestad, politician.
• 12 November – Tomas Espedal, writer.
• 20 November – Ingeborg Midttømme, bishop.
• 24 November – Brit Pettersen, cross-country skier.

December

Grete Ingeborg Nykkelmo

• 3 December – Dag Usterud, sailor.
• 14 December – Guri Schanke, singer and actress.
• 16 December – Anders B. Werp, politician.
• 19 December – Anne Kristine Linnestad, politician.
• 25 December – Grete Ingeborg Nykkelmo, biathlete and cross-country skier.
• 30 December – Rolf Lislevand, lute player.

Full date missing

• Espen Bergh, judge.
• Leiv Lunde, politician.
• Cecilie Mauritzen, oceanographer.
• Rune Rebne, composer.

Notable deaths

Olav Bjaaland was one of the first five men to reach the South Pole

• 23 January – Andreas Baalsrud, engineer (b. 1872)
• 13 March – Lise Lindbæk, war correspondent (b. 1905)
• 27 March – Jacob Pedersen, track and field athlete (b. 1889)
• 2 April – Arne Torolf Strøm, politician (b. 1901)
• 26 April – Anna Sethne, educator (born 1872).
• 2 May – Petter Jamvold, sailor and Olympic gold medallist (b. 1899)
• 24 May – Rachel Grepp, journalist and politician (b. 1879)
• 7 June – Harald Gram, jurist, politician and genealogist (b. 1887)
• 8 June – Olav Bjaaland, ski champion and polar explorer (b. 1873)
• 9 June – Arnstein Arneberg, architect (b.1882)
• 30 June – Lars Sverkeson Romundstad, politician (b. 1885)
• 14 August – Thomas Aas, sailor and Olympic gold medallist (b. 1887)
• 16 September – Johanne Samueline Pedersen, politician (b. 1887)
• 17 September – Henrik Ameln, jurist and politician (b. 1879)
• 25 September – Olav Gullvåg, playwright, novelist, poet and editor (b. 1885)
• 3 October – Anne Grimdalen, sculptor (b. 1899)
• 17 October – Jens Olai Steffensen, politician (b. 1891)
• 9 November – Ferdinand Bie, long jumper and Olympic gold medallist (b. 1888).
• 13 November – Herman Smitt Ingebretsen, politician (b. 1891)
• 21 November – Hjalmar Olai Storeide, politician (b. 1901)
• 22 November – Ole Hallesby, Lutheran neo-orthodox pietist (b. 1879)
• 2 December – Sven Sømme, zoologist and ichtyologist (born 1904).
• 4 December – Ingvar Wedervang, economist and statistician (b. 1891)
• 12 December – Hauk Aabel, comedian and actor (b. 1867)
• 26 December – Kristofer Uppdal, poet and author (b. 1878)

Full date unknown

• Haakon Hauan, politician and Minister (b.1871)
• Lars Høgvold, ski jumper (b.1888)
• Kristian Løken, military officer (b.1884)
• Niels Nielsen, sailor and Olympic silver medallist (b.1883)
• Vaadjuv Nyqvist, sailor and Olympic silver medallist (b.1902)
• Arnold Rørholt, military officer (b.1884)
• Olav Martinus Knutsen Steinnes, politician and Minister (b.1886)