# 1959 in Norway

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Events in the year 1959 in Norway.

## Incumbents

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

## Events

* The Groningen gas field discovery in the Netherlands sparks interest in exploring hydrocarbons under the North Sea.
* 16 February – The Norwegian National Opera and Ballet holds its first performance in Folketeatret in Oslo.
* 26 June – The "Farmers' Party" (Bondepartiet) changes its name to the "Centre Party" (Senterpartiet).
* 19 July – Nikita Khrushchev cancels a planned visit to Norway, among others due to an alleged anti-Soviet press coverage.
* 29 December – The Norwegian government signs the EFTA free trade treaty. Norway becomes an EFTA member.
* Municipal and county elections are held throughout the country.

## Popular culture
### Literature

* Harald Sverdrup, poet and children's writer, is awarded the Mads Wiel Nygaard's Endowment literary prize.

## Notable births

* 19 January
** Arne Borgstrøm, swimmer.
** Sigmund Steinnes, politician (died 2018).
* 27 January – Elizabeth Norberg-Schulz, operatic soprano.
* 10 February – Steinar Ness, politician.
* 13 February – Arne Thomassen, politician.
* 23 February – Sidsel Wold, correspondent and non-fiction writer.
* 27 February – Tore Sagvolden, orienteering competitor.
* 9 March – Nils T. Bjørke, farmer, organisational leader and politician.
* 10 March – Ruth Mari Grung, politician.
* 16 March – Jens Stoltenberg, prime minister and Secretary-General of NATO
* 23 March – Unni Larsen, racing cyclist and dogsled racer.
* 1 April – Pål Farstad, politician.
* 3 April – Hanne Bramness, poet and translator.
* 10 April – Mona Juul, diplomat and politician
* 2 May – Sanna Grønlid, biathlete.
* 6 May – Morten Staubo, speed skater.
* 14 May – Bjørn Ousland, comics writer.
* 10 June – Bent Hegna, politician
* 22 June – Steffen Tangstad, boxer (died 2024).
* 27 June – Thure Erik Lund, author
* 29 June – Harald Tveit Alvestrand, computer scientist
* 5 July – Synnøve Brenden Klemetrud, politician
* 8 July – Tom Egeland, author
* 27 August – Frode Fjellheim, Sami musician
* 14 September – Morten Harket, A-ha lead singer
* 29 September – Jon Fosse, author and dramatist
* 21 October – Åslaug Haga, politician and Minister
* 1 November – Pål Gerhard Olsen, author.
* 7 November – Kristin Glosimot Kjelsberg, handball player.
* 28 November – Lars Sørgard, economist and civil servant.
* 2 December – Hans Kristian Amundsen, newspaper editor and politician (d. 2018)
* 28 December – Ragnhild Noer, judge.

## Notable deaths

* 21 March – Hartvig Caspar Christie, politician (born 1893)
* 17 May – Alf Grindrud, politician (born 1904)
* 16 June – Konrad Knudsen, painter, journalist and politician (born 1890)
* 3 July – Johan Bojer, novelist and dramatist (born 1872)
* 15 July – Peter Egge, writer (born 1869)
* 28 July – Roald Larsen, speed skater and Olympic silver medallist (born 1898)
* 5 September – Sigvald Hasund, researcher of agriculture, politician and Minister (born 1868)
* 21 November – Olav Meisdalshagen, politician and Minister (born 1903)

### Full date unknown

* Eivind Berggrav, Lutheran bishop (born 1884)
* Sverre Grette, judge (born 1888)
* Kristian Hansson, jurist and civil servant (born 1895)
* Olaf Norli, bookseller and publisher (born 1861)
* Lars Slagsvold, veterinarian (born 1887)
* Sverre Kornelius Eilertsen Støstad, politician and Minister (born 1887)
* G. Unger Vetlesen, shipbuilder and philanthropist (born 1889)