| Trygve Halvdan Lie | |
|---|---|
| 1st Secretary-General of the United Nations | |
| In office 2 February 1946 – 10 November 1952 |
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| Preceded by | Gladwyn Jebb (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Dag Hammarskjöld |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Oslo, Norway |
| Died | December 30, 1968 (aged 72) |
| Nationality | Norwegian |
| Political party | Norwegian Labour Party |
| Children | Sissel, Guri, Mette |
| Religion | Lutheran/Church of Norway |
| Signature | |
Trygve Halvdan Lie (Norwegian pronunciation: [ˌtɾyɡʋə ˈliː] ( listen); 16 July 1896 – 30 December 1968) was a Norwegian politician, labour leader, government official and author. He served as Norwegian Foreign minister during the critical years of the Norwegian government in exile in London from 1940 to 1945. From 1946 to 1952 he was the first Secretary-General of the United Nations. Lie earned a reputation as a pragmatic, determined politician. [1]
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Lie was born in Kristiania on 16 July 1896. His father, carpenter Martin Lie, left the family to emigrate to the United States in 1902, never to be heard of again. He grew up in simple circumstances with his mother and a six year old sister. His mother Hulda ran a boarding house and café in Grorud near Oslo.[2]
Lie joined the Labour Party in 1911 and was named as the party's national secretary soon after receiving his law degree from the University of Oslo in 1919. Lie was editor-in-chief for Det 20 århundre ('The 20th Century') from 1919 to 1921. From 1922 to 1935 he was a legal consultant for the Workers' National Trade Union (named Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions from 1957). He chaired the Norwegian Workers' Confederation of Sports from 1931 to 1935.[3]
In local politics he served as a member of the executive committee of Aker municipality council from 1922 to 1931. He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Akershus in 1937. He was appointed Minister of Justice when a Labour Party government was formed by Johan Nygaardsvold in 1935. Lie was later appointed Minister of Trade (July to October 1939) and Minister of Supplies (October 1939 to 1941).
A socialist from an early age,[2] Lie once met Vladimir Lenin while on a Labour Party visit to Moscow[4] and gave permission for Leon Trotsky to settle in Norway after he was exiled from the Soviet Union. However, because of pressure from Joseph Stalin, he forced Trotsky to leave the country.[5]
In 1940, when Norway was invaded by Nazi Germany, Lie ordered all Norwegian ships to sail to Allied ports. In 1941 Lie was named as Foreign Minister of the Norwegian government-in-exile, and he remained in this position till 1946.
Lie led the Norwegian delegation to the United Nations conference in San Francisco in 1946 and was a leader in drafting the provisions of the United Nations Security Council. He was the leader of the Norwegian delegation to the United Nations general assembly in 1946. On 1 February 1946, he was elected as the first Secretary General of the United Nations as a result of a compromise between the major powers, having missed being elected President of the first General Assembly by only a small margin.
As Secretary General, Lie supported the foundations of Israel and Indonesia. His passionate support for Israel included passing secret military and diplomatic information to Israeli officials.[6] He worked for the withdrawal of Soviet forces in Iran and a ceasefire to fighting in Kashmir. He attracted the ire of the Soviet Union when he helped gather support for the defence of South Korea after it was invaded[7] in 1950 and later worked to end the Soviet boycott of UN meetings, though his involvement had little to do with the eventual return of the Soviet Union to the UN. He was opposed to Spain's entry into the United Nations because of his opposition to Francisco Franco's government.[8]
He also sought to have the People's Republic of China recognized by the United Nations[7] after the Nationalist government was exiled to Taiwan, arguing that the People's Republic was the only government that could fulfill the membership obligations in full.
He has been criticized for his failures to facilitate negotiation in the Berlin Blockade, as well as his failure to bring about a swifter end to the Korean War. His critics argue that he was under the influence of a select few in the UN Secretariat. He has also been criticized for his arrogance and stubbornness.
On 1 November 1950, over objections from the Soviet Union, the UN General Assembly voted by 46 votes to 5 (and 8 abstentions) to extend Lie's term of office.[9] The vote was a consequence of an impasse in the Security Council in which the US refused to accept any candidate except Lie while the Soviet Union refused to consider Lie due to his involvement in the Korean War. The Soviet Union subsequently refused to acknowledge Lie as Secretary General and, having been accused by Joseph McCarthy of hiring "disloyal" Americans – an allegation that he attributed to the pressing need for civil servants following the establishment of the UN – Lie resigned on November 10, 1952.[10]
Lie remained active in Norwegian politics after his resignation from the UN. He was the County Governor of Oslo and Akershus, Chairman of the Board of Energy, Minister of Industry,[11] and Minister of Trade and Shipping. He wrote a number of books.
He married Hjørdis Jørgensen (1900-1960), in 1921. The couple had three daughters, Sissel, Guri, and Mette. Lie died on 30 December 1968 of a heart attack in Geilo, Norway. He was 72 years old.[7]
Trygve Lie was awarded a large number of Norwegian and foreign orders. Among these, the Norwegian highest civilian award Medal for Outstanding Civic Service (Medaljen for borgerdåd) (1966), the Grand Cross of the Order of Dannebrog (1954) and Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav (1953). He was awarded numerous honorary doctorates by universities throughout the U.S. and Europe. Trygve Lie was the holder of a number of other orders, decorations and other honors.
Trygve Lies plass is located in Furuset center in Oslo. In the square stands statue in bronze of Trygve Lie, by Norwegian artist Nicolaus Widerberg which was erected in 1994. Trygve Lie Gallery and Trygve Lie Plaza are both located in New York City.
| Diplomatic posts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Gladwyn Jebb (acting) |
United Nations Secretary-General 1946–1952 |
Succeeded by Dag Hammarskjöld |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Arne Sunde |
Norwegian Minister of Justice and the Police 1935–1939 |
Succeeded by Terje Wold |
| Preceded by Alfred Martin Madsen |
Norwegian Minister of Trade July 1939–October 1939 |
Succeeded by Anders Frihagen |
| Preceded by position created |
Norwegian Minister of Supplies October 1939–1941 |
Succeeded by Arne Sunde |
| Preceded by Halvdan Koht |
Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs 1940–1946 (acting 1940–1941) |
Succeeded by Halvard Lange |
| Preceded by Carl Platou |
County Governor of Oslo and Akershus 1955–1963 |
Succeeded by John Lyng |
| Preceded by Kjell Holler |
Norwegian Minister of Industry July 1963–August 1963 |
Succeeded by Kaare Meland |
| Preceded by Kaare Meland |
Norwegian Minister of Industry September 1963–1964 |
Succeeded by Karl Trasti |
| Preceded by Erik Himle |
Norwegian Minister of Trade and Shipping 1964–1965 |
Succeeded by Kåre Willoch |
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