The case in summary The house where the Labor Party was founded in 1887 is for sale and could, in the worst case, be demolished. The support group “Friends of Democracy House” is fighting to preserve the house and needs at least NOK 1.5 million. Party secretary Kjersti Stenseng says the Labor Party does not have the money to buy the house, and must spend money on activities and organization building. In the rescue plan for the house, the Heritage Association will become the owner, and use and maintenance will be managed by the association’s department in Agder and partners. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – There are no parties with such a proud history as the Labor Party. Inger Sigridnes from LO Østre Agder stands among chairs and tables in a white wooden house outside Arendal. It was in this room that emissaries from all over the country founded the Labor Party. Zeals are fighting for the same party to raise one and a half million kroner. Today’s homeowner wants to sell. – The battles they took up here are the same battles we still fight, just in slightly different forms, Sigridnes. She is clear about what she means if Ap lets the house sail its own sea. – Then it’s a shame. DEMOKRATI-HUS: – It must be filled with activity. Here we can invite school classes to training in democracy, says Steinar Ostermann (left), Karl Ragnar Gjertsen and Inger Sigridnes. Photo: eirik damsgaard / news Shoe and hat makers It was in the “House at Ormetjern” in Arendal that the Labor Party saw the light of day. 28 representatives from various labor unions met here in August 1887. Among the resolutions were demands for “general suffrage for women and men” and the abolition of piecework wages and an end to child labour. Ap elected its first party leadership in this house. Two sawmillers, a hatter, a shoemaker and an editor. In the decades that followed, the house was visited by several owners until the charitable organization Kiwanis Club Arendal took over the house in 1970. In 2023, party leader and Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre visited “The House at Ormetjern”. Photo: Media Service AS. – The train is now running A local support association is now underway to save the house for posterity. The current owner has given them until the new year before the house is put up for sale on the open market. – We need at least NOK 1.5 million. It has proved difficult to get hold of, says Ap politician Steinar Ostermann. He says time is short. TILGRODD: In 13 years, Ap holiday can be 150 years. But will it happen in the house where it all started? THE SAME ROOM: The meeting room is the same as when Ap adopted its first resolutions in August 1887. TO BE SOLD: Kiwanis Club Arendal has owned the building since the 1970s. TOGETHER FIGHT: Inger Sigridnes (LO Østre Agder) and Steinar Ostermann (Arendal Ap) are among the zealots who want to save the house where Ap was founded.SKAUVEIEN 6: The house often goes by the name “Ormetjernhuset” or “House at Ormetjern”. PAINTING: If the house is preserved, scraping and painting are high on the list. WANT TO PRESERVE: – The house should be used as an assembly room where the terms of democracy can be debated, says Karl Ragnar Gjertsen of the Agder Heritage Association. – The train is leaving. There are many people who support us, but they point towards Ap and LO centrally as natural contributors now, says Ostermann. If they do not succeed in raising money, there are fears for the future fate of the house. – Then we are afraid that the property will be sold to a developer who has a development project. In the worst case, the house could be demolished, says Ostermann. NORWEGIAN HISTORY: – The important thing now is that the house gets a new owner who wants to take care of the house as a cultural monument, says Karl Ragnar Gjertsen of the Agder Heritage Association. Photo: eirik damsgaard / news – National cultural heritage – The events of 1887 make the house a cultural heritage of democracy of national importance, says cultural historian Karl Ragnar Gjertsen of the Historical Heritage Association Agder. In the rescue plan for the house, the Fortidsminneforeningen will become the owner. Use and maintenance must be managed by the association’s department in Agder and partners, including Arendal Ap and Arendal history group. – In the long term, we want to return the interior to how it looked in the 19th century, says Gjertsen. At first glance, the property with the address Skauveien 6 is in a sorry state. REQUIREMENT: Labor unions from all over Norway founded the “United Norwegian Labor Party”, today Ap. Among other things, they demanded the right to vote for women and men, the right to strike and an end to child labour. Photo: Arbeiderbevegelsen’s archive But indoors, the premises are maintained. The room arrangement is identical to how it looked when “The United Norwegian Workers’ Party” made its first decisions. No from the party Lite indicates that Ap’s party office in Oslo is sending people to see Arendal as soon as possible. Party secretary Kjersti Stenseng says Ap has no money for a house. – We have our income from party support and membership fees, and cannot spend money on property. We have to spend money on activity and organization building, she says. Stenseng is nevertheless clear that the house has historical significance. NO MONEY: – A house with historical significance, but we don’t have money for the property, says party secretary in Ap Kjersti Stenseng. Photo: William Jobling / news – The most important meeting in Ap’s history was held in the building, namely the founding meeting. In the nearly 140 years that have passed, it has primarily been used by others. She herself visited the property a few years ago. Stenseng says the party office is not aware of the local plans for possible operation and maintenance of the building. – We have many houses to take care of, says Stenseng, who would like to see Skauveien 6 survive history. – If someone has the opportunity to take care of the house and fill it with content, then that is very good. Hello! Welcome to dialogue at news. Since you are logged in to other news services, you do not have to log in again here, but we need your consent to our terms of use for online dialogue Published 12.06.2024, at 16.35
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