Christopher Hornsrud
A stalwart of Norway's labor movement who briefly shattered a political ceiling, becoming the country's first Labour Prime Minister for a fleeting but historic 18 days.
1859–1960 (age 101)·Norwegian politician·Birthday: November 15
Biography
Christopher Hornsrud's life was a testament to the slow, grinding ascent of social democracy in Norway. Born into a farming family in 1859, he left school at twelve to work, an experience that cemented his commitment to the burgeoning labor movement. He helped found the Labour Party and became its first parliamentary leader, a tireless advocate for workers from his seat in the Storting. His moment in the highest office arrived in January 1928, a precarious compromise after an election produced no clear winner. At 68, Hornsrud became Norway's first prime minister from the Labour Party, also taking the finance portfolio. His government, however, was a minority administration facing a hostile parliament; it lasted a mere three weeks before a vote of no confidence toppled it. Rather than an end, this was a preview. Hornsrud returned to parliament as vice-president, watching from a pivotal institutional role as his party, having learned from its brief taste of power, later secured a lasting majority and transformed the nation.
#1 When Christopher Was Born
The biggest hits of 1859
Christopher's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1859Born
1864Started school
President: Abraham Lincoln
1872Became a teenager
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1875Could drive
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1877Could vote
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1880Turned 21
Edison patents the incandescent light bulb
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1889Turned 30
Eiffel Tower opens in Paris
President: Benjamin Harrison
1899Turned 40
President: William McKinley
1909Turned 50
Robert Peary claims to reach the North Pole
President: William Howard Taft
1919Turned 60
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1929Turned 70
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1939Turned 80
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1960Died at 101
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
Key Achievements
- Served as the first leader of the Norwegian Labour Party from 1903 to 1906.
- Became the first Prime Minister of Norway from the Labour Party in 1928.
- Held a seat in the Norwegian parliament, the Storting, for multiple terms beginning in 1912.
- Served as the Vice-President of the Storting from 1928 to 1934.
Did You Know?
He lived to be 100 years old, witnessing nearly the entire formative century of modern Norway.
Before entering politics full-time, he worked as a telegraph operator and a smallholder farmer.
His short-lived 1928 cabinet is often referred to as the 'Hornsrud Cabinet' or the '18-day government'.
“The worker's right to a decent life is the foundation of a just society.”
