# Rauland

Rauland is a former municipality in Telemark county, Norway. The 1,830-square-kilometre (710 sq mi) municipality existed from 1860 until its dissolution in 1964. The area is now part of Vinje Municipality. The administrative centre was the village of Raulandsgrend (also known as Rauland) which is where Rauland Church is located. The municipality was a very mountainous, rural area, with about 90% of its area at elevations of 900 metres (3,000 ft) above sea level or higher.

## History

In 1860, the northern part of Vinje Municipality (population: 745) was merged with the Øyfjell area in Laardal Municipality (population: 243), together they formed the new municipality of Rauland with a total population of 988. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, Rauland Municipality (population: 1,656) was merged with Vinje Municipality (population: 2,565) to form a new, larger Vinje Municipality.

### Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Rauland farm (Old Norse: Rauðaland) since the first Rauland Church was built there. The first element is rauði which means "bog iron". The last element is land which means "land" or "district". The many marshlands in the area are filled with bog iron and for centuries its production was an important local resource.

## Government

While it existed, this municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a municipal council of elected representatives, which in turn elected a mayor.

### Municipal council

The municipal council (Herredsstyre) of Rauland was made up of 21 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.
Rauland heradsstyre 1960–1963 :
| Party name (in Nynorsk) | Party name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 13 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 4 |
| | Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) | 4 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 21 |
Rauland heradsstyre 1956–1959 :
| Party name (in Nynorsk) | Party name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 13 |
| | Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) | 8 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 21 |
Rauland heradsstyre 1952–1955 :
| Party name (in Nynorsk) | Party name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 12 |
| | Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) | 8 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 20 |
Rauland heradsstyre 1948–1951 :
| Party name (in Nynorsk) | Party name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 8 |
| | Joint list of the Liberal Party (Venstre) and the Radical People's Party (Radikale Folkepartiet) | 1 |
| | Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 11 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 20 |
Rauland heradsstyre 1945–1947 :
| Party name (in Nynorsk) | Party name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 9 |
| | Joint list of the Liberal Party (Venstre) and the Radical People's Party (Radikale Folkepartiet) | 1 |
| | Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 10 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 20 |
Rauland heradsstyre 1938–1941* :
| Party name (in Nynorsk) | Party name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives |
| | Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 20 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 20 |
| Note: Due to the German occupation of Norway during World War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945. |||

## Notable people

* Sveinung Svalastoga (1772–1809), Norwegian rose painter, poet and woodcarver
* Rikard Berge (1881–1969), Norwegian folklorist, museologist, and magazine editor
* Aslaug Vaa (1889–1965), Norwegian poet and playwright
* Olav Aslakson Versto (1892–1977), Norwegian politician for the Norwegian Labour Party
* Dyre Vaa (1903–1980), Norwegian sculptor and painter