Around 100 people have been buried at the state’s expense since the scheme started in 1881. There have been people who have distinguished themselves in both culture, sport, science and politics. On Thursday, the government announced that they are changing the scheme. – When well-known and loved people in Norwegian society pass away, it is natural that there is a desire in the population for that person to be honored from an official level. We have seen this in recent years. In the absence of fixed rules for allocation, the scheme has been difficult to handle, says Culture and Equality Minister Lubna Jaffery to news. The system has not been predictable and fair enough, and therefore it is now being changed, says Culture and Equality Minister Lubna Jaffery. Photo: Geir Olsen / NTB Difficult to get justice Previously there were no fixed rules for who could be buried at the state’s expense. A decision was made in each individual case. Edvard Grieg, Kim Friele and Grete Waitz are among those who have received it. In recent years, it was also discussed when major cultural figures such as Ole Paus and Lillebjørn Nilsen did not receive offers. – We want the arrangement for funerals at the state’s expense to be predictable and fair. This is the reason why we are changing the scheme, says Jaffery. Royal family, government and law With the new arrangement, there will be no doubt: Neither Paus nor Nilsen would be candidates. From now on, the rules are strict. For royals, the scheme only applies to these: “members of the immediate royal family who have actively represented the Royal House”. Scheme for burial at the state’s expense There were previously no fixed rules for the scheme of who is buried at the state’s expense. Then a decision was made in each case. Prominent politicians, civil servants, soldiers, scientists, athletes and cultural figures and artists are among those who have received it. Only nine women have been buried at state expense since the scheme began in 1881. The families of a few have refused. On 26 June 2024, the government informed that they have changed the scheme. Now only members of the close royal family who have actively represented the Royal House, sitting members of the government and former prime ministers, and sitting or former Supreme Court justices are given funerals at the state’s expense. Others can be honored with a wreath, memorial speech or by the government being represented at the funeral. Source: Store norske lexikon and the Government Politicians include sitting representatives of the Storting and former presidents of the Storting, members of the government and former prime ministers. And from the third state power: “current or former Supreme Court justices”. A Supreme Court Justice is the head of the Supreme Court. As the highest representative of the judiciary, they join the scheme. – When someone who has had a distinctive position in Norwegian society passes away, it is a good tradition and natural for the government to honor that person. There are various ways in which we can honor and we will continue to do so, says Jaffery. These have been offered funerals paid for by the state These have been offered since 1949: Sigrid Undset, author, 1949 Anders Sandvig, museum director, 1950 Johan Nygaardsvold, former prime minister, 1952 Aldor Ingebrigtsen, parliament president, 1952 Fartein Valen, composer, 1952 Kristian F. Monsen, former president of the Storting, 1954 Helmer Hansen, polar explorer, 1956 Just Knud Qvigstad, former minister, 1957 Oscar Torp, president of the Storting and former prime minister, 1958 Eivind Berggrav, former bishop, 1959 Olav Bjåland, polar explorer, 1961 Otto Ruge, general, 1961 Olav Bruvik, Minister of State, 1963 Carl Joachim Hambro, former President of the Storting, 1964 Johan Scharffenberg, former Chief Medical Officer, 1965 (declined) Paal Berg, Supreme Court Justice, 1968 Reidar Holtermann, General, 1966 Johan Falkberget, author, 1967 Nils Langhelle, President of the Storting, 1967 Arnulf Øverland , author, 1968 Trygve Lie, former Minister of State, 1969 Hallvard Lange, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, 1970 Tarjei Vesaas, poet, 1970 Gunnar Jahn, former Minister of Finance and head of Norges Bank, 1971 Terje Wold, Supreme Court Justice, 1972 Sonja Ludvigsen, Minister of State, 1974 Toralf Øksnevad , program director, 1975 John Lyng, former prime minister and foreign minister, 1978 (declined) Erik Brofoss, CEO of Norges Bank, 1979 Trygve Brattelie, former prime minister, 1984 Harald Sæverud, composer, 1992 Erling Stordahl, center manager, 1994 Leif Juster, actor, 1995 Haldir Moren Vesaas, author, 1995 Jan P. Syse, former prime minister, 1997 Birger Ruud, ski jumper, 1998 Rolv Ryssdal, former Supreme Court justice and sitting president of the European Court of Human Rights, 1998 Per Aabel, actor, 1999 Helge Ingstad, researcher and author, 2001 Nils-Aslak Valkeapeää, Sami artist, 2001 Jakob Weidemann, painter, 2001 (declined) Thor Heyerdahl, researcher and explorer, 2002 Kjell Aukrust, writer and artist, 2002 Johs. Andenæs, law professor, 2003 Ludvig Walentin Karlsen, founder of the Gospel Center for drug addicts, 2004 Erik Bye, news employee, singer and author, 2004 Per Borten, former prime minister, 2005 Kristian Ottosen, resistance fighter, war historian and author, 2006 Lars Korvald, former prime minister . Guttorm Hansen, former president of the Storting, 2009 Arne Nordheim, composer, 2010 Wenche Foss, actor, 2011 Grete Waitz, athlete, 2011 Gunnar Sønsteby, resistance fighter and war veteran, 2012 Princess Ragnhild, Mrs Lorentzen, 2012 (declined) Hjalmar Johan “Hjallis” Andersen , ice skater, 2013 Jo Benkow, former president of the Storting, 2013 Rolv Wesenlund, actor, 2013 Samuel Leon Steinmann, last surviving Norwegian Jew deported in 1942, 2015 Wilhelm Mohr, fighter pilot during the Second World War, 2016 Jørgen Hårek Kosmo, former president of the Storting, 2017 Odvar Nordli, former prime minister, 2018 Joachim Holmboe Rønneberg, war veteran, 2018 Ragnar Ulstein, war veteran, writer and journalist, 2019 Karen Christine (Kim) Friele, writer and pioneer for gay rights, 2021 Kåre Willoch, former prime minister, 2021 Rosemarie Køhn, former bishop, 2022 Toralv Maurstad, actor and theater director, 2022 Shabana Rehman, writer and social debater, 2022 Source: Ministry of Culture, news – We lose the holiday – There is something a little off about that, says Hans Ole Rian, leader of the association Creo, which organizes arts and cultural workers . He thinks the scheme has been a great way to honor significant cultural and sporting figures. CRITICAL: Hans Ole Rian heads Creo, a trade union for art and culture workers. He is also deputy for SV to Oslo City Council and first deputy to the finance committee at the Storting. Photo: Emily Louisa Millan Eide – We are losing some of the holiday that is associated with the scheme. It has served as a final point for a life’s work, especially for artists. – Hasn’t it been too unpredictable who will receive this honour? – It should be possible to find clearer criteria without scrapping the scheme. I don’t think we should be so afraid of debate either, says Rian. Others will be honored Although many fall outside the scheme for the state to foot the bill for the funeral, many will be able to be honored in other ways. – This can happen by, for example, the government sending a wreath, the prime minister or a minister participating in the funeral and possibly giving a memorial speech, or the government being represented in some other way, says State Secretary Kristoffer Thoner at SMK. “Funeral at the state’s expense” is therefore not the same as a state funeral. When a king, queen, crown prince or crown princess dies, it is a state funeral that follows its own rules. Published 26.06.2024, at 22.33
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