Nygaardsvold's Cabinet

Nygaardsvold's Cabinet. From left: Minister of Finance Adolf Indrebø, Minister of Defence Fredrik Monsen, Minister of Foreign Affairs Halvdan Koht, Prime Minister Johan Nygaardsvold, Minister of Agriculture Hans Ystgaard, Minister of Trade Alfred Madsen, Minister of Social Affairs Kornelius Bergsvik, Minister of Education Nils Hjelmtveit and Minister of Justice Trygve Lie

Building in Kingston House estate, London used by the Norwegian government-in-exile.

Nygaardsvold's Cabinet (later becoming the Norwegian government-in-exile) was appointed on 20 March 1935, the second Labour cabinet in Norway. It brought to an end the non-socialist minority governments that had dominated Norwegian politics since the introduction of the parliamentary system in 1884, and replaced it with stable Labour governments that, with the exception of during World War II, would last until the coalition Lyng cabinet in 1963.

Following the brief tenure of the Hornsrud cabinet in the winter of 1928, the Labour Party changed its political stance from revolutionary communism to social democracy. The main reason for the change was the realization that government power could be used for reforms that could lessen the impact of the economic crisis. In the 1933 election the party used the slogans "Work for everyone" and "Country and city, hand in hand". The last time the party portrayed itself as "revolutionary" was the 1930 election.

The Labour Party advanced in the 1933 election, but did not get a majority. Instead they made a compromise with the Farmer Party, allowing Nygaardsvold to enter the Council of State. The party also failed to gain a majority in the 1936 election, but stayed in office thanks to fluctuating support from various opposition parties.

The night before 9 April 1940, the Norwegian Government was, like most other authorities in the country, surprised by the German invasion. At first, it chose resistance over capitulation. The Government left Norway on 7 June 1940 after the German conquest and established itself in London the same day, along with King Haakon VII and Crown Prince Olav.

Back in Norway, over the course of the war, four de facto governments were led by Vidkun Quisling and Josef Terboven. The Government-in-exile is sometimes referred to as the London Cabinet. It returned to Norway on 31 May 1945 aboard the UK troop ship RMS Andes. On 12 June, Nygaardsvold announced his resignation, and on 25 June, the pan-political Gerhardsen cabinet took over.

Below are the four de facto governments in Oslo during the war, either sympathising with or appointed by German forces. The Reichskommissar in Oslo was Josef Terboven.

• Quisling cabinet (first) (1940)
• Christiansen government (1940)
• Terboven government (1940–42)
• Second Quisling government (1942–45)

Cabinet members

Portfolio	Minister	Took office	Left office	Party
Prime Minister	Johan Nygaardsvold	20 March 1935	25 June 1945		Labour
Minister of Agriculture	Hans Ystgaard	20 March 1935	25 June 1945		Labour
Minister of Church Affairs and Education	Nils Hjelmtveit	20 March 1935	25 June 1945		Labour
Minister of Defence	Christian Fredrik Monsen	20 March 1935	15 November 1935		Labour
	Adolf Indrebø	20 December 1935	15 August 1936		Labour
	Oscar Torp	20 December 1935	15 August 1936		Labour
	Christian Fredrik Monsen	15 August 1936	22 December 1939		Labour
	Birger Ljungberg	22 December 1939	28 November 1942		Conservative
	Oscar Torp	28 November 1942	25 June 1945		Labour
Minister of Finance	Adolf Indrebø	20 March 1935	13 November 1936		Labour
	Kornelius Bergsvik	13 November 1936	1 July 1939		Labour
	Oscar Torp	1 July 1939	28 November 1941		Labour
	Paul Hartmann	28 November 1941	25 June 1945		Norwegian resistance movement
Minister of Foreign Affairs	Halvdan Koht	20 March 1935	19 November 1940		Labour
	Trygve Lie	19 November 1940	25 June 1945		Labour
Minister of Justice	Trygve Lie	20 March 1935	19 November 1939		Labour
	Terje Wold	19 November 1939	25 June 1945		Labour
Minister of Labour	Johan Nygaardsvold	20 March 1935	2 October 1939		Labour
	Olav Hindahl	2 October 1939	25 June 1945		Labour
Minister of Social Affairs	Kornelius Bergsvik	20 March 1935	13 November 1936		Labour
	Oscar Torp	13 November 1936	1 July 1939		Labour
	Sverre Støstad	1 July 1939	25 June 1945		Labour
Minister of Shipping	Arne Sunde	1 October 1942	25 June 1945		Liberal
Minister of Supply	Trygve Lie	2 October 1939	19 November 1940		Labour
	Arne Sunde	19 November 1940	1 October 1942		Liberal
	Anders Rasmus Frihagen	1 October 1942	25 June 1945		Labour
Minister of Trade, Shipping, Industry, Crafts and Fisheries	Alfred Madsen	20 March 1935	1 July 1939		Labour
	Trygve Lie	1 July 1939	2 October 1939		Labour
	Anders Rasmus Frihagen	2 October 1939	7 June 1940		Labour
	Terje Wold	7 June 1940	April 1942		Labour
	Anders Rasmus Frihagen	April 1942	1 October 1942		Labour
	Olav Hindahl	1 October 1942	9 March 1945		Labour
	Sven Nielsen	9 March 1945	25 June 1945		Conservative

See also

• Norwegian Armed Forces in exile

Further reading

• Friis, Erik J (1965). "The Norwegian Government-In-Exile, 1940–45". Scandinavian Studies. Essays Presented to Dr. Henry Goddard Leach on the Occasion of his Eighty-fifth Birthday. pp. 422–444.