William Martin Nygaard
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William Martin Nygaard (1865–1952) was a Norwegian publisher and politician.
Nygaard was born in Kristiansand as brother of Kristen Brunfeldt Nygaard and Finn Nygaard, married to Constance Wiel, father of seven children, among them Mads Wiel Nygaard and Andreas Melchior Wiel Nygaard, grandfather of William Nygaard. In 1894 he bought Drammensveien 99 and moved in with his family. It is in the garden outside Drammensveien 99 the annual garden party of Aschehoug takes place late each summer.
[edit] Publisher
He was employed in H. Aschehoug & Co's bookstore in Kristiania (Oslo) in 1887. Together with Thorstein Lambrechts he bought in 1888 both the bookstore and the publishing house, and in 1900 he became the sole proprietor of the publishing house, and changed the name of the company to H. Aschehoug & Co (W. Nygaard). He was chief publisher (CEO) of the publishing house until 1940 when his son Mads Wiel Nygaard took over as CEO and he continued as chairman of the board.
In 1895 William Nygaard initiated the founding of the Norwegian Publishers Association (Den norske Forleggerforening in Norwegian) where he also became chairman.
[edit] Politician
William Nygaard was a member of the Oslo city council from 1908-19. In 1910 he was one of the founders of the political party Frisinnede Venstre, and from 1922-24 he was elected to the Norwegian parliament (Stortinget) representing them.
[edit] Background reading
Erik Rudeng: William Nygaard: 1865-1952 (Aschehoug, Oslo, 1997) ISBN 82-03-26111-6
