Norway: Statement by King Harald on the occasion of the shooting tragedy in central Oslo

Following the shootings outside Per på Hjørnet and London Pub in central Oslo last night, where two people were killed and 21 people were injured, King Harald of Norway issued the following statement:

Skytetragedien i Oslo sentrum

Uttalelse fra Hans Majestet Kong Harald i anledning skytetragedien i Oslo sentrum.

25.06.2022

Familien min og jeg er forferdet over nattens skytetragedie i Oslo sentrum, der to mennesker ble drept og mange skadet. Vi føler med alle pårørende og berørte og sender varme tanker til alle som nå er redde, urolige og i sorg.

Vi må stå sammen om å forsvare verdiene våre: Frihet, mangfold og respekt for hverandre. Vi må fortsette å stå opp for at alle mennesker skal føle seg trygge.

Nå må vi ta godt vare på hverandre.

Harald R

In English:

The shooting tragedy in central Oslo

Statement from His Majesty King Harald on the occasion of the shooting tragedy in central Oslo.

25.06.2022

My family and I are horrified by the night's shooting tragedy in central Oslo, where two people were killed and many injured. We sympathize with all the relatives and affected and send warm thoughts to all who are now scared, restless and in grief.

We must stand together to defend our values: Freedom, diversity and respect for each other. We must continue to stand up for all people to feel safe.

Now we have to take good care of each other.

Harald R

On Saturday early afternoon the Crown Prince couple and Prince Sverre Magnus together with among other Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and the governing mayor (city government leader) of Oslo Raymond Johansen visited the scene of the shootings and laid down flowers outside London Pub.

The Crown Prince couple will attend the mourning service in Oslo Cathedral on Sunday 26 June.

The London Pub in central Oslo is a popular place in the gay community. The perpetrator has been charged with murder, attempted murder and carrying out a terrorist act. While the motive is yet to be known, the prosecutor has stated that "There is reason to believe this [terrorist act] involves hate crime [directed against gay people]" in addition to psychiatric issues. On advice by the police today's Pride parade and other Pride events were cancelled.

Postscript Monday 27 June 2022 at 22.55: The Royal Court revealed on Sunday morning that the Crown Prince had tested positive for Covid, which meantg that the Crown Princess attended the mourning service alone.

Updated last time on Monday 27 June 2022 at 22.55 (postscript added).

Norway: Princess Ingrid Alexandra's 18th birthday celebrations

Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway, who celebrated her 18th birthday on 21 January this year and thus reached the age of majority, had to postpone the official celebrations due to the pandemic and the restrictions which applied at the time.

The official celebreations will take place on Thursday 16 June and Friday 17 June. On Thursday 16 June the Norwegian government is hosting a dinner at the Deichman Library in Oslo. The guest list covers 202 people from all over the country – among others 25 young people representing all the 11 counties. There will also be representatives from the Storting and the Supreme Court. The government has made a point of inviting young people from different sectors, like sports, culture, politics and various organisations. Several cultural features will be included during the evening.

On Friday 17 June the King and Queen will host a gala dinner at the Royal Palace. On Wednesday 15 June The Royal Court released a list of the official guests at the dinner:

Norway

• Crown Prince Haakon
• Crown Princess Mette-Marit
• Princess Ingrid Alexandra
• Prince Sverre Magnus
• Marius Borg Høiby
• Princess Märtha Louise
• Durek Verrett (fiancé of the former)
• Maud Angelica Behn
• Leah Isadora Behn
• Emma Tallulah Behn
• Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner
• Marit Tjessem (mother of Crown Princess Mette-Marit)

Denmark

• Crown Prince Frederik
• Crown Princess Mary

Sweden

• Crown Princess Victoria
• Prince Daniel
• Princess Estelle
• Prince Oscar

The Netherlands

• King Willem-Alexander
• Queen Máxima
• Princess Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange

Belgium

• Queen Mathilde
• Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant

Spain

• King Felipe

Luxembourg

• Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume
• Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie
• Prince Charles

Other royals

• Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece
• Crown Princess Marie-Chantal
• Prince Constantine-Alexios of Greece
• Prince Aristidis-Stavros of Greece
• Prince Kyril of Bulgaria
• Katharine Jibba Butler (partner of the former)
• Princess Mafalda-Cecilia of Bulgaria
• Princess Olimpia of Bulgaria
• Prince Tassilo of Bulgaria
• Rosario Nadal (former wife of Prince Kyril)

The official Norway

• President of the Storting, Masud Gharahkhani
• Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre
• Chief of the Supreme Court Toril Marie Øie
• Finance minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum
• Foreign minister Anniken Huitfeldt
• Minister of International Development Anne Beathe Tvinnereim
• Minister of Defence Bjørn Arild Gram
• Minister of Children and Families Kjersti Toppe
• Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Sigbjørn Gjelsvik
• Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion Marte Mjøs Persen
• Minister of Agriculture and Food Sandra Borch
• Minister of Justice and Public Security Emilie Enger Mehl
• Minister of Petroleum and Energy Terje Aasland
• Parliamentary leader Rigmor Aasrud, The Labour Party
• Parliamentary leader Erna Solberg, The Conservative Party
• Paliamentary leader Sylvi Listhaug, The Progress Party
• Parliamentary leader Marit Arnstad, The Centre Party
• Parliamentary leader Guri Melby, The Liberarl Party
• Parliamentary leader Une Bastholm, The Green Party
• Member of Parliament Irene Ojala, Patient Focus
• Plenary session leader of the Sameting (Samediggi), Tom Sottinen
• Director General, Office of the Prime Minister, Tormod C. Endresen
• Governor of Vestfold and Telemark county, Per Arne Olsen
• Mayor of Oslo Marianne Borgen
• Mayor of Sokndal Jonas Andersen Sayed
• Chief of Defense Eirik Kristoffersen
• Director of Police Benedicte Bjørnland
• Bishop and Preses of the Bishops' Conference, The Church of Norway Olav Fykse Tveit
• Leader of The Council for Religious and Life Stance Communities in Norway, Trond Enger
• Committee chairperson of The Islamic Council Norway Abdirahman Diriye
• Secretary General of the Foreign Ministry, Tore Hattrem

Norwegian organisations

• Committee chairperson of The Norwegian Children and Youth Council Margrete Bjørge Katanasho
• Committee chairperson of Miljøagentene (The Eco-agents) Ingvild Melvær Hanssen
• President of The Norwegian Board Sports Federation Ola Keul
• Freestyle skier Hedvig Wessel, The Norwegian Ski Federation
• Chairperson of The School Student Union of Norway Edvard Botterli Udnæs
• Chairperson of Norsk Målungdom Frida Pernille Mikkelsen
• General Secretary of The Norwegian Association of Youth with Disabilities Ingvild Østli
• Chairperson of Skeiv Ungdom (The Norwegian Gay Youth Association) Jane-Victorius G. Bonsaksen
• Editor of Feminist/FETT Sumaya Jirde Ali
• Artist Sandra Mujinga
• Chairperson of the National Council of the Norwegian Red Cross Youths, Solveig Ugland
• General Secretary of WWF Karoline Andaur
• Chairperson of Changemaker Norway Naja Amanda Lynge Møretrø
• Chairperson of The National Council of The Norwegian Trekking Association Youths Anna Nes
• Chairperson of the Sameting's Youth Political Committee Elle Rávdná Näkkäläjärvi 

Corps diplomatique

• Amabassador of Myanmar, Daw Daw Maw (doyen)
• Ambassador of Sweden, Ulla Cecilia Björner
• Ambassador of Denmark, Louise Bang Jespersen
• Ambassador of Luxembourg, Henri Schumacher

Other guests are family and friends.

The sponsors at Princess Ingrid Alexandra's christening in 2004 were King Harald, King Felipe VI of Spain (then Prince of Asturias), Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, Princess Märtha Louise of Norway and Marit Tjessem. They are all present for the 18th birthday celebrations as seen above.

Unfortunately work obligations will make it difficult for me to follow much of the events during the celebrations. I might write a few words later on, but will not make any promises as of now.

Norway: Princess Märtha Louise engaged to marry Durek Verrett

The Norwegian Royal Court announced today the engagement between Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett:

Congratulations on their engagement

Her Highness Princess Märtha Louise and Mr. Durek Verrett announced their engagement today. Their Majesties The King and Queen and Their Royal Highnesses The Crown Prince and Crown Princess congratulate.

Congratulations from The King and Queen

His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen extend their heartiest congratulations to Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett on the occasion of their engagement, and wish the couple all the best for their future together.

Congratulations from The Crown Prince and Crown Princess

Their Royal Highnesses The Crown Prince and Crown Princess and their family extend their warmest congratulations to Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett on the occasion of their engagement. They send their best wishes to the whole family for a happy future.

Princess Märtha Louise published the following statement on her Instagram account earlier today:

I am so happy to announce that I am engaged to Shaman Durek, the one who makes my heart skip, the one who sees me and acknowledges me from my highest potential, who makes me laugh and who I can be vulnerable with. Love transcends and makes us grow. And I am so happy to continue to grow with this beautiful man.

Thank you to all my friends and family who have stood steadfast by our side [...]

The so-called Shaman Durek has also written about the engagement on Instagram:

When you know you know. There is nothing better than having clarity as a man that the woman that stands in front of you is the one. I'm overjoyed with tears that I get to spend the rest of my life with the most pure hearted, angelic, wise, powerhouse woman who represents all levels of a goddess in my eyes. Together as a soulful spiritual couple, we will use our power to support the people to create a world based in love and acceptance. Changing the world through our love. Love expands beyond all barriers and conditions. Love is free and transparent. It invites growth and foundation. It shows human beings we are more than our fears, our hate or social conditioning. Princess Märtha Louise is the love of my life. She sees all aspects of me, and I see all of her. I am a guy who loves a girl who loves me back. I get to show and demonstrate to this divine woman how much I love her for the rest of my life. I am the happiest I ever been.

[...]

Thank you to my beloved family and friends. I love you!

The date of the wedding has yet to be set.

Consent?

The Norwegian Constitution Article 36 first sentence says that «A Prince or Princess entitled to succeed to the Crown of Norway may not marry without the consent of the King.»

Other than the congratulations referred to above we have so far not received any information whether the king has given his consent to the marriage or not. Details will follow in the near future. There is no doubt that the king (and queen), given their own experiences prior to their engagement and marriage in 1968, support their children's choices and that they don't want them to go through a similar situation. Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett have their parents' and their family's blessings, but if the support also extends to a constitutional consent remains to be seen.

The headlines and the controversies surrounding Durek Verrett and his role as a self-professed shaman has followed the couple ever since their relationship became public in 2019. Given that the princess, who is no. 4 in the line of succession to the Norwegian throne, has scaled down her activities as a member of the royal family and has no central role in the future of the monarchy, the question of consent might not be that important, although a decision to not seek the king's consent and thereby lose succession rights might be looked favourably on in some quarters. Princess Märtha Louise has stated that she some time in the future wants to move to the United States, but it seems this will wait until her 3 childen have left the nest. Although Durek Verrett will become a member of the royal family following the wedding, he will have no role besides escorting his wife at some events. Most people will probably wish the couple all the best for their future together. It remains to be seen how the engagement and marriage will affect the popularity of the royal family and the monarchy. As of now the monarchy stays strong and the possibility of a republican government some time in the future will certainly be down to other reasons.

The Storting not informed

The President of the Norwegian Storting, Masud Gharahkhani has said today that he has not been informed by the Royal Palace about the engagement before the news was known. «– Given her formal status this is not something we would expect», he has been quoted as saying, besides wishing the princess and her fiancé all the best and congratulating them on the engagement. Traditionally the Storting is formally notified by letter, which will then be entered in the record of its proceedings, but the king is not required to send such a letter. I am not sure what the Storting president means when mentioning the formal status of Princess Märtha Louise. Could it be that because she ceased to be a member of the royal house in 2002 when she gave up her style of royal highness, a formal notification to the Storting has not ben deemed necessary?

Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett

Princess Märtha Louise, b. 1971, is the eldest child and only daughter of King Harald and Queen Sonja, née Haraldsen. She married Ari Behn (1972–2019) in 2002 and had three daughters by him before the marriage was dissolved in 2017.

Durek David Verrett, formerly Derek David Verrett (name change in 2014), was born in Sacramento, California on 17 November 1974 as the son of David Benjamin Verrett (1929–2017) and Sheila G. Farmer, b. 1943 (also called Veruschka Urquhart (Farmer was her mother's name, Urquhart her father's adoped name). Durek's ancestry has been discussed in the Norwegian Digital Archives' users' forum.from 2019 to 2021. The claim that Durek has Norwegian ancestry on his mother's side has been disputed.

Durek Verrett was previously married to the Czech woman Zaneta Marszalkova (b. around 1984). They were married in Los Angeles, California on 2 June 2005 and were divorced on 26 February 2009 (cf. the bi-weekly magazine Se og Hør No. 22, 2022, which refers to various court documents). Ms. Marszalkova has later remarried. Durek was some time later in a relationship with a man named Hank Greenberg. Durek has a sister, Angelina, born in 1973.

Updated on Wednesday 8 June 2022 at 09.40 (corrected "self-processed" to "self-professed" in the Consent? section.

Genealogen nr. 1, 2022

Siste utgave av Genealogen (nr. 1, 2022), medlemsbladet til Norsk Slektshistorisk Forening, kom i postkassen for et par uker siden. Denne gangen har jeg bidratt med tre artikler, deriblant to bokanmeldelser, men har ikke hatt korrekturansvar for bladet denne gangen, så mesteparten av innholdet var nytt for meg også. Fra innholdsfortegnelsen:

• Ivar Leveraas: Laura Charlotte f. Tangen (1877–1941). Om henne selv, hennes barn, aner og menn, s. 4–15.
• Trond Øivindsson Lunde: Opphavet til Anders og Mari Iversbråtan i Eidsvoll. Eksempel på kildebruk når kirkebøkene mangler, s. 16–21.
• Lars Løberg/Johan Marius Setsaas: Fantes det Benkestokker i Hordaland?, s. 23–30.
• Bjarne Hollund: Fantes det Benkestokker i Hordaland? – kommentar til Løberg og Setsaas sitt innlegg, s. 31–36.
• Odd Arne Helleberg: Tordenstjernene igjen, s. 37.
• Are S. Gustavsen: Det vanskelige farskap – tro og tvil rundt hustru Ingebjørg Torsteinsdotters opphav, s. 38–45.
• Rune Nedrud: Registrering av gravminner. En fin aktivitet på sommeren, s. 46–49.
• Dag Trygsland Hoelseth: Biografi om Didrik «Dixe» Cappelen (1900–1970), bokanmeldelse, s. 51–52.
• Dag Trygsland Hoelseth: Slektsbok om to reisende slekter, bokanmeldelse, s. 53–55.
• Rune Nedrud: Årets LAN-party ble avholdt med fullt hus på Lørenskog, s. 55.
• Dag Trygsland Hoelseth: Genealogisk fellesskap på Twitter, s. 56.
• Per Reidar Christiansen: Tilleggsopplysning angående «heksen» Ingeborg Stensdatter (Genealogen 2/21), s. 56.
• Rune Nedrud: Slekten Mylius fra Schleiz i Thüringen – deres slektsbøker gjennom tidene, bokanmeldelse, s. 57–58.

I tillegg er det som vanlig en del foreningsstoff, deriblant innkalling til årsmøtet 31. mai 2022, informasjon om Slektsforskerkonferansen 2022 (jeg har allerede meldt meg på!), som skal avholdes 22.–23. oktober i år, informasjon om sommertur til Finnskogen 11. juni 2022 (jeg har selvsagt meldt meg på!), oppdatering om digitaliseringen av biblioteket i regi av FamilySearch, årsregnskap, informasjon om arbeidet med de nye nettsidene (Genealogi.no) og den tradisjonelle bønnen om flere frivillige medarbeidere. Her burde alle bidra med noe, så kan foreningens tilbud bli enda bedre!

Artikkelen om Laura Charlotte Tangen (1877–1941) er egentlig et samarbeid mellom Hans Martin Leveraas og broren Ivar Leveraas, men resultatet av forskningen er ført i pennen av sistnevnte, og det er bare han som står som forfatter. Laura var mormor til Hans Martins ektefelle, og artikkelen omhandler Laura og hennes slektskrets (foreldre, besteforeldre samt hennes syv barn, de fleste født utenfor ekteskap, og deres fedre). Laura var for øvrig født i Bodø og døde i Bergen.  Jeg synes fremstillingen er god og den bygger så langt jeg kan se på et solid stykke forskningsarbeid.

Det er ikke lett å forske på slekter fra Eidsvoll ettersom Eidsvoll prestegård brant ned til grunnen natt til 9. januar 1877, og dermed gikk alle prestegjeldets kirkebøker tapt. Trond Øivindsson Lunde forteller hvordan man kan komme over dette hinderet ved hjelp av andre kilder samt bruk av DNA-testing. Hovedpersonene som er omtalt var Anders Amundsson (Fremmingeie, Langset) (1786–1850) og Mari Larsdatter (1797–1869). I siste del av artikkelen er det en kort oversikt over slektskretsen til de forannevnte.

Jeg skrev i går om en artig replikkutveksling i Tjukke Slekta nr. 3, 2021, men replikkvekslingene i herværende utgave av Genealogen går den nok en høy gang! Bjarne Hollund har i de tre siste utgavene av Genealogen (nr. 2/2020 og nr. 1 og 2/2021) fått på trykk en artikkelserie om mulige Benkestokker i Hordaland. Nå slår Lars Løberg og Johan Marius Setsaas beina under Hollunds hypoteser. Hollund på sin side får som seg hør og bør muligheten til en samtidig imøtegåelse. Jeg skal ikke gå videre inn på replikkutvekslingen, da jeg ikke har tilstrekkelige kunnskaper om Benkestokkene til å si noe substansielt. Men jeg tar likevel opp følgende interessante kommentarer fra Løberg og Setsaas nederst på side 27: «Et naturlig spørsmål å stille, som også ville vært Hollund til stor hjelp, er jo hvorfor denne artikkelserien har gått i Genealogen, ikke NST. Redaktøren har innført emneknaggen Forskning for Hollunds artikkelserie og noen andre, mindre bidrag, men Genealogen er jo et foreningsblad mens genealogisk forskning presenteres i NST. Det er sjølsagt et skjønnsspørsmål hvor grensen for forskning går og for hva som bare er interessante tilleggsopplysninger. Hollunds arbeide er imidlertid så omfattende og så grundig at det hadde vært verdt en fagfellegjennomgang, som i sin tur enkelt ville ha styrt artikkelene utenom de her påpekte feilidentifiseringene. Vi ville da fått en grundig, kildebasert gjennomgang med mye nyttig informasjon om Heine Jonssons slekt, men altså uten å trekke Benkestokkene så til de grader inn som ansvarlig opphav her.» Til dette svarer Hollund: «Jeg er fornøyd med at denne artikkel-serien er utgitt i Genealogen. Dersom ambisjonen var utgivelse i NST, ville serien nok aldri sett dagens lys.»

Løberg og Setsaas har en klar oppfatning av hva Genealogen burde være – et foreningsblad – mens NST presenterer genealogiske forskningsresultater. Dette var vel den opprinnelige tanken bak Genealogen også. Daværende redaktør Terje P. Tellefsen skrev i første utgave av forløperen til Genealogen (Medlemsblad nr. 1, 1987, s. 3):  «Norsk Slektshistorisk Forening ønsker med dette medlemsblad å bedre hyppigheten i kontakten med sine medlemmer. Mange har gitt uttrykk for at 6 måneder er lenge å vente mellom utgivelsene av Tidsskriftet. I første omgang tar vi sikte på at dette medlemsblad skal komme mellom utgivelsene av Tidsskriftet. Medlemsbladet skal heller ikke være en konkurrent til Tidsskriftet, men et supplement. Slektshistoriske artikler, m.m. vil fortsatt være forbeholdt Tidsskriftet. Vi ser imidlertid ikke bort fra at mindre artikler med et visst faglig innhold kan finne en naturlig plass i dette medlemsblad.»

Genealogen er fortsatt et foreningsblad, men har også utviklet seg til å bli en arena for skribenter som synes terskelen for å skrive for NST er blitt vel høy, ev. bruker Genealogen som et godt startsted til å utvikle sine artikkelskriveferdigheter før man prøver seg på NST. Det har vært mange slektshistoriske artikler i Genealogen de siste årene, noen av dem kunne kanskje ha passet bedre i NST. Jeg er medlem både i New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS/American Ancestors) og National Genealogical Society, som begge har slektshistoriske tidsskrifter som ligner på NST i form, men har i tillegg også medlemsblad som er mer av foreningsbladtypen. I sistnevnte kategori er tidsskriftene American Ancestors og NGS Magazine mer tematisk orienterte, spesielt sistnevnte. NGS Magazine er fremragende når det gjelder å presentere og skrive om kilder, eksempelvis om skifter (probates)  i nr. 2/2022 og om folketellingene i USA i de foregående utgavene. Jeg skrev litt om hva jeg tenker et (slektshistorie-)medlemsblad burde inneholde i min kommentarartikkel til Tjukke Slekta nr. 2, 2021: «Så kan man jo fort gå over til en diskusjon om hva et medlemsblad for et slektshistorielag skal inneholde. Foruten nødvendig foreningsstoff  og bokmeldinger så liker jeg både å lese rene slektsartikler eller artikler med kombinasjon av personbiografi og genealogi og artikler der genealogien som presenteres kobles til spesifikke kiler [sic!] og metodiske problemer. Og selvsagt kan man skrive om bare kilder og metode. Andre artikler kan være personbiografiske, som serien om fotografene i slektshistorielagets nedslagsfelt. Tjukke Slekta har opp gjennom hatt artikler innen alle disse kategoriene, og det setter jeg pris på som leser.» Forskjellen her er selvsagt at Sør-Østerdal Slektshistorielag kun har ett tidsskrift, mens Norsk Slektshistorisk Forening har to. Jeg kunne tenke meg at Genealogen burde ha flere artikler som kunne knyttes til spesifikke kilder og metodiske problemer, noe som leserne vil kunne ha stort utbytte av i egne arbeider, og Genealogen har jo hatt noe av dette opp gjennom årene. Men flere slike artikler det vil jo alltid avhenge av bidragsytere.

Tilbake til herværende utgave av Genealogen: Bjørn R. Rosenberger hadde i Genealogen nr. 1, 2021 på trykk to artikler om Tordenstjernene («Tordenstjerne nok en gang» og «Hustru Ingeborg Torsteinsdatter Tordenstjerne») og nå kommer altså Odd Arne Helleberg og Are S. Gustavsen med kommentarer/tilsvar. Disse replikkutvekslingene burde være nyttige og lærerike for mange!

Mine hovedbidrag til Genealogen denne gangen er bokanmeldelser: «Biografi om Didrik «Dixe» Cappelen (1900–1970)», bokanmeldelse av Cappelen, Hans Arne K.T. En blid mann og tre dødsdommer. Dixe Cappelen (1900–1970), Byminner 43, Skien: Historielag, 2021 og «Slektsbok om to reisende slekter», bokanmeldelse av Vigardt, Kai-Samuel. En meget tallrik familie. Om slektene Torp og Bodin, Oslo: [Privat], 2019. Jeg har kost meg både med lesingen og skrivingen av anmeldelsene, selv om det ble litt kjør med å få dem ferdigskrevet  og levert i tide til deadline (15. mars). Mitt tredje bidrag, «Genealogisk fellesskap på Twitter» var først og fremst ment som hjelp til å tette igjen «hull» i tidsskriftet (en av mine kjepphester!). Når en artikkel avsluttes over midten på en side og resten av siden står tom, passer det godt med en smånotis. Det kan medlemmene gjerne bidra med mer av. Men jeg synes uansett at det lille bidraget står seg uansett – Twitter-fellesskapet Genealogy er verdt å informere om og dernest å slutte seg til.

Jeg fikk intet medlemsblad til korrektur denne gangen. Det skyldes at det tok tid å få inn nok stoff til å fylle utgaven, og da ble det for knapp tid til en ekstern korrekturrunde før bladet måtte gå i trykken av hensyn til fristene for innkallingen til årsmøtet. Jeg bidrar gjerne med korrekturlesing ved neste korsvei, men ser helst at flere korrekturlesere melder seg. Jeg har en viss erfaring med korrekturlesing, men jeg får jo ikke med meg alt, og flere øyne vil gjøre bladet til en enda bedre leseopplevelse. Når jeg leser herværende utgave så blir jeg igjen blitt minnet på hvor vanskelig det kan være å lese korrektur på egne artikler. I min anmeldelse av slektsboken om Torp og Bodin skriver jeg at Arnvid Lillehammer «har skrevet flere artikler blant annet i Norsk Slektshistorisk Forening om reisende og andre omstreifere, [...]». Det skulle selvsagt stått Norsk Slektshistorisk Tidsskrift. Jeg vet av erfaring at jeg lettere finner feil i eget arbeid når jeg har latt det ligge en stund. Derfor tror jeg at jeg ville ha oppdaget feilen hvis jeg hadde fått anledning til å lese korrektur på hele bladet, fordi jeg gjerne får bladet til gjennomlesing 3-4 uker etter deadline. Feilen er dog til å leve med, selv om den irriterer meg en smule ...

Jeg kunne sikkert ha skrevet enda mer om utgaven, men tror det er best å avslutte her. Kun en oppfordring: Kom med bidrag til Genealogen! Stort eller smått, alle bidrag vil bli verdsatt: Slektshistorie, presentasjon av kilder, metodediskusjon, bokanmeldelser, smånotiser om genealogiske viderverdigheter m.m. Her er mulighetene mange! Ta kontakt med redaktør Rune Nedrud hvis du har en tanke om noe du kan bidra med!

Short English summary: The article covers the latest issue of Genealogen, the bi-annual newsletter of the Norwegian Genealogical Society. 

Tjukke Slekta nr. 3, 2021

Tredje og siste utgave av Tjukke Slekta for 2021 kom i postkassen i begynnelsen av mai. Jeg leste artiklene ganske raskt, men har ikke fått anledning til å kommentere utgaven før nå fordi jeg måtte forberede og deretter være vertskap for amerikanske slektninger, som har bodd hos oss et par uker. Men de stammer jo fra Hoelseth-slekten i Åmot i Østerdalen, så årsaken til de forsinkede kommentarene må være unnskyldelige nok. 

Ronny Rismyhr Haugen er først ut med artikkelen «Berger Gulbrandsen fra Brattberget i Elverum, snekkermester, brannoffiser og gårdeier i Kristiania». Vi får vite at Berger (1819–1892) opprinnelig het Berger Knutsen og vi får en presentasjon av hans levnet og slektskretsen. Blant etterkommerne regnes forfatteren Frid Ingulstad. Faren til Berger, Knut Bergersen (1795–1820) var født på Åset i Åmot. Dennes foreldre Berger Knutsen (1765–1817) og Siri Olsdatter (1772–1841) var ved det tredje barnets fødsel i 1799 nevnt som husfolk på Holset i Åmot, mens det i bygdeboken for Åmot, bind 2, s. 651, står at Berger Knutsen kjøpte eiendommen allerede i 1798. Min Hoelseth-slekt fikk tilbake eiendommen i 1800. Bygdeboken forteller videre at Holsetstua gikk inn og ut av slekta flere ganger, men det var Holset-etterkommere på stedet helt frem til 1892 da denne grenen emigrerte til USA. Det er betimelig av artikkelforfatteren å påpeke at bygdeboken har feil når det står at Berger Knutsen døde på Kroken i Stor-Elvdal i 1800. Feilen skyldes sammenblanding med en navnebror. Herværende Berger døde i Elverum 9. april 1817. Jeg bør vel opprette en egen artikkel i «Feil i norske bygdeboker»-kategorien i Slektshistoriewiki ved leilighet. Det kan jo være av interesse for mange. 

Nestemann ut er bygdebokforfatteren Frode Myrheim, som skriver om «Tvo skifte frå Ykset i Elverum i 1625». Disse to skiftene har ifølge forfatteren ikke vært omtalt eller publisert tidligere, og dermed får leserne ny viten.

Trond Bækkevold og Ronny Rismyhr Haugen fortsetter så artikkelserien ««Så slo jeg meg på fotografien» – fotografer i Sør-Østerdal, Hamar og Øvre Solør 1858–1925». Del 3 presenterer fotografene M. Bülow/B.S.G.M. Bülow, (som man ikke har klart å identifisere nærmere, selv om man tror at han hadde dansk tilknytning (det er for øvrig én fotograf Bülow i Danmark i dag som kan ha en tilknytning?), Ingeborg Jakobsdatter Engerdal (1873–1963) og Jakob Jakobsen Engerdal (1862–1952). Ingeborg var en søster av Jakob, og Jakob var altså gift med min tippoldefar Oles søster Valdine Tollefsdatter Hoelseth (1866–1907), noe jeg har skrevet om tidligere. Denne artikkelserien er virkelig god, her får man både lokalhistorie og slektshistorie på en gang.

Naturlig nok må et medlemsblad også inneholde foreningsstoff. I herværende utgave kan man finne referat fra årsmøtene i 2020  og 2021 samt resultatregnskap, balanseregnskap og årsberetning for 2019 og 2020. Så følger en morsom utveksling der Frode Myrheim gir «Ein kommentar til Lars Løbergs artikkel om gamle trysilslekter i Tjukke Slekta nr. 1/2021», med henvisning til noe Ronny Rismyhr Haugen har skrevet (en identifisering av Asbjørn Jensson på Herstad) og som Løberg bygget sitt tillegg på, og deretter følger Haugens «En kommentar til Frode Myrheims kommentar». Dette var jo en fin og konstruktiv replikkveksling som man gjerne kan ha mer av i genealogiske tidsskrifter. Redaktøren i Tjukke Slekta, Trond Bækkevold, skriver på lederplass at «Selv om vi ikke ser så mye av det, er det full anledning til å komme med kommentarer og debattere innlegg i Tjukke Slekta». 

Nå har Sør-Østerdal Slektshistorielag endelig kunnet avslutte 2021-årgangen, og det er bare å se frem til den første utgaven i 2022! 

English summary: This article is about issue no. 3, 2021 of Tjukke Slekta, the newsletter of Sør-Østerdal Slektshistorielag (Sør-Østerdal Genealogical Society). The society covers the municipalities of Elverum, Engerdal, Rendalen, Stor-Elvdal, Trysil and Åmot. 

Sist oppdatert tirsdag 24. mai 2022 kl. 09.20 (tyrkleif), deretter onsdag 1. juni 2022 kl. 09.05 (rot med navn i andre ledd ryddet opp i).

The Norwegian Royal Court. Annual Report 2021

The Norwegian Royal Court's annual report for 2021 was published on 25 April 2022. It has been a while since last time I wrote about the release of the annual report. As I have commented on before, it is not always possible for me to write blog articles the same day (or the day after) something major or otherwise newsworthy has happened. There are so many other things I have to attend to as well. It is easier to review a genealogical periodical or a book as the time pressure is not that great. Anyway, commenting on an annual report 9 days after it has been published is not that bad, is it?

I have commented earlier that if it hadn't been for the perhaps less appealing accounts for the Civil List, the annual report is a good compensation for lack of the royal yearbooks which are not published anylonger. You get a good survey of the royal family's activities during the year in question.

In short, the Norwegian Royal Court's annual report gives details about the activities of the Norwegian Royal Family and the operation of the Norwegian Royal Court during the year, including the accounts for the Civil List and surveys of orders and medals being awarded during a given year. The report for 2021 counts 102 pages, is well illustrated (many great photos in fact) and has a nice design (by Neue Design Studio). 

The Lord Chamberlain, Gry Mølleskog, who will leave her position later this year, opens the report with a few words about the main events of 2021. Then we get a very detailed report on how the royal court is organised and their main activities last year. Other chapters include the Crown Prince couple's activities, the Royal Diary 2021, cultural heritage, the security project, the King and the Defense, the change of government, the state visit from the Netherlands, the events marking the 10th anniversary of the terror attacks in Norway in 2011, finances, and management, equality and environment, health and safety, royal orders and medals and royal trusts. The last page gives a list of explanations to various words and expressions one mets at the court, like the civil list and protocol.

From the press release one can read among others:

Annual Reports

[...]

The report is intended to provide better information about and increase understanding of the activities of the Royal House of Norway and the Royal Court. [...]

Annual report for 2021

Just as in society at large, the restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have continued to affect the activities of the Royal House of Norway and the Royal Court in 2021. Nonetheless, a high level of activity has been maintained. The Royal Family visited 8 counties and 31 municipalities in person and paid digital visits to 3 counties and 13 municipalities. There were 50 meetings of the King in Council of State held at the Royal Palace, and 27 formal audiences were given to receive ambassadors from other countries. In November, Their Majesties The King and Queen were the hosts for a State Visit by the King and Queen of the Netherlands, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince paid an official visit to the US. 

The security project

Activities under the project to enhance security at the Royal Palace and the other Royal residences were extensive in 2021, and major portions of the project were completed during the course of the year. The high level of activity has resulted in a planned budget deficit which is covered by previously set aside appropriations to the project. The project was commissioned in 2016 by the Ministry of Justice and Public Security in response to a security analysis carried out by the National Police Directorate from 2012 to 2015, and is expected to be completed in 2022.

The security project has a budget framework of NOK 623.8 million. As the project has progressed, a number of factors have proven to be more complicated than in the original specifications set out in the preliminary project. As a result the project has been somewhat delayed and has required greater outlay than planned. These factors were related both to geological conditions and to the management of cultural heritage. Alongside this, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to problems with the delivery to Norway of the materials needed, a rise in prices and a lack of qualified craftspeople. In the first quarter of 2022, one of the project’s three primary suppliers filed for bankruptcy, which also entailed greater costs. The cost projections are higher, and funding in excess of the cost framework will be required.

Annual accounts

The planned deficit for the security project is NOK 129 144 266, which is covered by previously set aside appropriations. Per 31 December 2021, the project accounts show NOK 19.6 million in unused funds.

As anticipated by the Royal Court in its statement on the annual accounts submitted for 2020, there was a calculated deficit in the accounts for 2021. This deficit amounts to NOK 4 704 497. Due to the restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of measures could not be carried out during 2020, and these were completed in 2021. More than NOK 8 million have been used for renovation and maintenance projects in connection with the Royal residences and parks in 2021.

Operating costs for electricity were NOK 3.7 million higher than in 2020, which amounts to an increase of 111 %.

The annual report and accounts of the Royal Court for 2021 have been submitted to the Presidium of the Storting, the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, and the Office of the Auditor General of Norway.

In addition to the details given above, I should mention that the royal family had 635 engagements («oppdrag») in 2021. The similar number in 2019 was 723, while in 2020 the number naturally was much lower (381). I am not sure if the number contains the same in 2021 as in 2019, though. In the report for 2019 the expression «offisielle arrangementer» («official arrangements») is used, not «oppdrag».

As usual many orders and medals were awarded during 2021. The section for the recipients of the  Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav lists 17 people, compared to 13 the previous year. King Willem Alexander received the Grand Cross during his visit here, while the Lord Chamberlain Gry Mølleskog was among the three recipients of the Commander with star. 56 people received the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit, all classes combined, compared to 89 in 2020 and 57 in 2019.  The Order of Merit «is conferred on foreign and Norwegian nationals as a reward for their outstanding service in the interest of Norway». Most of the recipients were diplomats, and some of the orders were awarded to representatives of the Dutch Royal Court in connection with the official visit. No-one received the Medal of St. Olav in 2021, while 47 persons received the King's Medal of Merit, compared to 46 in 2020. The medal is conferred as «a reward for service in the fields of art, science and industry and for outstanding public service».

The King's Commemorative Medal, which is conferred for particularly meritorious service to the king, was in 2021 given to 32 people, compared to only 9 people in 2020.

Previous articles on the subject of the Norwegian Royal Court's annual report:

• 2016 (published 24 April 2017)
• 2014 (published 30 March 2015)
• 2013 (published 16 April 2014) 
• 2012 (published 17 April 2013)  
• 2011 (published 11 April 2012)  
• 2010 (published 12 April 2011)

Downloads of the annual reports for 2005 to 2021 can be found here.

Front cover: © 2021 Simen Løvberg Sund/The Norwegian Royal Court.

Succession mess in the Royal House of Serbia

On Thursday 28 April 2022 it was revealed that Prince Peter of Serbia, eldest son of the head of the Royal House, Crown Prince Alexander, had renounced his rights to the Serbian throne the previous day.

The question about succession to the Serbian throne is of course only academic interest, as Serbia is a republic and unfortunately the chances of a monarchical restoration are very small. The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was formally abolished in 1945, and since the 1990s the country has been divided into several independent countries, among them Serbia. So it makes more sense to refer to the Crown Prince and the other members of the Royal House as «of Serbia» and not «of  Yugoslavia». The official website is headlined «The Royal Family of Serbia», by the way.

The information about the renunciation came in form of a message posted by a person named Astrid Beatriz in the Facebook group Royalty Digest Quarterly. The translated statement by Prince Peter said among others that «By the act of abdication, I renounce for myself and all my descendants who were born or will be born in a marital relationship or out of wedlock. I transfer all the rights based on the birthright to the next one born after the eldership, my brother  Kraljevic (prince) Filip, which is an automatic process with this abdication and our sovereign wills; I do not waive the rights arising from the right to inherit the name, member of the Royal House, the title of Prince and all other rights and obligations that law and tradition give and impose on a family member».

The renunciation document was signed in Seville in Spain, where Prince Peter lives and works, with among others his sister Princess Maria Da Gloria of Orleans and Braganza and Duchess of Segorbe, his brother and sister-in-law Prince Philip and Princess Danica as well as representatives of the Orthodox Church of Serbia, as witnesses. Prince Peter said in the statement that he had informed his father the Crown Prince about his decision.

Prince Peter has given no clear reasons for his decisions, but considering the fact that he lives and works in Seville and has shown little interest in role the royal house plays in Serbia, it makes sense that he leaves the future headship to his younger brother Prince Philip, who lives in Belgrade, has married a Serbian woman and who already has produced an heir, Prince Stefan. I was puzzled by the way the renuncation came, as his father was not present when the document was signed. And today we got the following statement from the Crown Prince's Office:

STATEMENT FROM THE ROYAL PALACE OF SERBIA REGARDING HEREDITARY PRINCE

Regarding the most current events in the Royal Family of Serbia’s line of succession, and the withdrawal of HRH Prince Peter from the position of Hereditary Prince, HRH Crown Prince Alexander, as the Head of the Royal Family, issued the following statement:

“Concerning the withdrawal of my oldest son Prince Peter from the line of succession, I wish him all the best for the future, good health, and happiness. I appreciate his honesty regarding the tough decision he made.

This issue was brought to me quickly, while I am abroad, due to previous obligations. Unfortunately, such a crucial and important procedure was not followed properly, in accordance with the tradition and rules of the Royal Family, and the Family Rulebook, which was written in the time of the Kingdom, and which all members of the Royal Family need to follow. This occurrence and procedure did not take place at the Royal Palace, in Serbia, with my presence and authority as the Head of the Royal Family, with the blessing of our Holy Church and with Crown Council participation in the process, but in a foreign country, without a good reason for performing such important matter away from our homeland.

The Royal Family of Serbia will continue to serve the people with dedication, honesty, and loyalty, which is the obligation and duty for us”, stated HRH Crown Prince Alexander. 

The texts of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, the Serbian Royal Family Book of Rules, 12 September 1909 and the Yugoslavian Royal Family Book of Rules, 5 April 1930 can be found in the important documents section of the official website. The documents used to be at my old website (I was the one who provided the English text of the Constitution to the Crown Prince, by the way), so I will try to get those pages back and running soon.

The documents are of course not legally binding anylonger, but it seems that most members of the Royal House has respected the regulations and the headship of King Peter and later Crown Prince Alexander since the monarchy was abolished in 1945. It is a bit sad that Prince Peter could not show his father more respect and get things sorted out «the right way». The Crown Prince has been subjected to a fait accompli, so some way or another he has to accept his son's decision. But now we have a situation where there is an unilateral and «unconstitutional» renunciation and as of now we don't know if Prince Peter would be willing to respect his father's wishes for a procedure in accordance with the family rules. I really hope the mess will be sorted out eventually.

Updated on Sunday 1 May 2022 at 02.10: One paragraph was edited, as it has come to my attention that no members of the Crown Council was present at the renunciation ceremony after all, cf. Marlene Koenig's updated blog article. She also writes that «Serbia media identified  Nikola Stanovic as the Crown Prince's Chief of Staff.  He is not Crown Prince Alexander's chief of staff. Ljubodrag Grujic, who served as the Crown Prince's Herald, and was present for the ceremony,  is no longer in that official position.»