1981 in Norway
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| See also: | List of years in Norway | ||||
Events in the year 1981 in Norway.
Incumbents
- Monarch – Olav V
 - Prime Minister – Odvar Nordli (Labour Party) until 4 February, Gro Harlem Brundtland (Labour Party) until 14 October, Kåre Willoch (Conservative Party)
 
Events

- Norway becomes the first country in the world to enact a law to prevent discrimination against homosexuals.
 - The Hessdalen light UFO phenomenon emerged in December and occurred with high frequency for the next several years.
 - Norwegian Supreme Court denies the Saami claims to the pastoral lands the Alta Dam was built on.[1]
 
January
- Tor Røste Fossen coaches the Norwegian association football team.[2]
 
February
- 4 February – Gro Harlem Brundtland's First Cabinet was appointed. Gro Harlem Brundtland becomes the first female Prime Minister of Norway.[3]
 
September
- 1 September - The Act of Ombudsperson was entered into force. (First in the world)[4]
 - 13 - 14 September - The Storting election results in a swing for the political "right".[5]
 
October
- 12 October – The government of Gro Harlem Brundtland resigns[6]
 - 13 October – Permission to leave was granted by King Olav V
 - 14 October – Willoch's First Cabinet was appointed.
 
November
December
- 6 December – The 1981 Parliamentary election takes place.
 
Popular culture
Sports
Music
Film
Literature
Notable births
January
- 8 January – Kristin Mürer Stemland, cross-country skier.[7]
 - 9 January – Ole Erevik, handball player.[8]
 - 9 January – Christian Møllerop, LGBT rights activist
 - 12 January – Solveig Gulbrandsen, footballer
 - 18 January – Maria Parr, children's writer.[9]
 - 18 January – Martin Taxt, jazz musician
 - 19 January – Bjørn Arve Lund, footballer
 - 27 January – Thomas Løvold, curler
 - 28 January – Erlend Hanstveit, footballer
 
February

- 3 February – Guri Melby, politician
 - 13 February – Ingrid Lønningdal, artist
 - 19 February – Thomas Holm, footballer
 - 25 February – Anne Solsvik, politician
 - 28 February – Tjostolv Moland, army officer and security contractor (died 2013)
 
March

- 5 March – Mazyar Keshvari, politician
 - 7 March – Mona Fastvold, filmmaker and actress
 - 8 March – Jonas Solberg Andersen, ice hockey player
 - 17 March – Simen Brenne, footballer
 - 18 March – Tora Berger, biathlete.[10]
 - 18 March – Ingrid Olava, singer and musician
 - 21 March – Leni Larsen Kaurin, footballer
 - 21 March – Arcane Station, musician, producer and songwriter
 - 23 March – Ragnhild Kvarberg, middle distance and long-distance runner
 - 25 March – Cato Sundberg, musician
 - 25 March – Roy Hegreberg, road bicycle racer
 - 28 March – Jan Grue, writer and linguist.[11]
 
April

- 1 April – Helene Bøksle, singer and actress
 - 1 April – Bjørn Einar Romøren, ski jumper
 - 2 April – Patrick Holtet, footballer
 - 7 April – Amund Maarud, blues/rock musician and composer
 - 8 April – Nils Bech, singer
 - 8 April – Mari Hagen, politician
 - 9 April – Charlotte Frogner, actress
 - 15 April – Jon Reidar Øyan, gay rights activist and politician
 - 18 April – Hedvig Bjelkevik, speed skater
 - 19 April – Lise Klaveness, lawyer and footballer.[12]
 - 19 April – Jan Gunnar Solli, footballer
 - 23 April – Lars-Henrik Paarup Michelsen, politician
 - 27 April – Hilde Marie Kjersem, artist, musician and songwriter
 - 30 April – Kristin Størmer Steira, cross-country skier
 
May

- 14 May – Iselin Nybø, politician
 - 19 May – Janicke Gunvaldsen, racing cyclist
 - 25 May – Anette Trettebergstuen, politician
 - 27 May – Hanne Blåfjelldal, politician
 
June
- 3 June – Kristoffer Paulsen Vatshaug, footballer
 - 4 June – Linn Nyrønning, footballer
 - 4 June – Jan Trygve Røyneland, television and film writer
 - 12 June – Afua Hirsch, writer, broadcaster, and former barrister
 - 16 June – Ola Kvernberg, jazz violinist and composer.
 - 16 June – Richard Skog, strongman competitor
 - 16 June – Knut Walde, footballer
 - 20 June – Brede Hangeland, footballer
 - 20 June – Lene Storløkken, footballer.[13]
 
July


- 1 July – Kirsti Bergstø, politician
 - 13 July – Sigurd Hole, jazz musician
 - 16 July – Vigdis Hårsaker, handball player
 - 18 July – Sturla Torkildsen, fencer
 - 19 July – Anne Lise Frøkedal, singer-songwriter
 - 23 July – Lisa Aisato, illustrator and visual artist.[14]
 - 27 July – Sverre Krogh Sundbø, poker player
 - 28 July – Lars Fredrik Frøislie, musician
 - 28 July – Frank Kjosås, actor
 - 29 July – Gjermund Larsen, traditional folk musician and composer
 
August
- 1 August – Pia Haraldsen, TV personality
 - 3 August – Ingvild Stensland, footballer
 - 3 August – Erlend Tvinnereim, operatic tenor
 - 7 August – Ingvill Måkestad Bovim, track and field athlete
 - 7 August – Ann Iren Mørkved, footballer
 - 9 August – Azar Karadaş, soccer player
 - 21 August – Jon Engen-Helgheim, politician
 - 28 August – Marius Johnsen, footballer
 
September
- 1 September – Inger Lise Hansen, politician
 - 3 September – Fredrik Klock, footballer
 - 8 September – Morten Gamst Pedersen, footballer
 - 10 September – Morten Adamsen, competition rower.[15]
 - 11 September – Vemund Brekke Skard, footballer
 - 22 September – Ingrid Vetlesen, soprano
 - 23 September – Ryan Wiik, actor and entrepreneur
 - 25 September – Leo Olsen, footballer
 - 27 September – Espen Hægeland, footballer
 - 28 September – Cecilia Brækhus, professional boxer and kickboxer
 
October
- 2 October – Helge Nitteberg, journalist and newspaper editor.[16]
 - 8 October – Sten Ove Eike, footballer
 - 13 October – Vidar Norheim, drummer and songwriter
 - 24 October – Fredrik Mikkelsen, musician and composer
 - 28 October – Andreas Loven, jazz pianist
 - 29 October – Lene Alexandra, singer and model
 - 30 October – Lars Petter Sveen, novelist.[17]
 
November
- 3 November – Gunhild Følstad, footballer
 - 20 November – Marit Tveite Bystøl, ski mountaineer
 - 20 November – Espen Hoff, footballer
 - 30 November – Belinda Braza, singer, choreographer, artist and actor
 
December


- 6 December – Morten Værnes, ice sledge hockey player
 - 17 December – Kim Myhr, guitarist and composer
 - 19 December – Bjørnar Moxnes, politician
 - 19 December – Espen Nystuen, footballer
 - 20 December – John Olav Nilsen, singer and songwriter
 - 24 December – Solveig Heilo, composer, artist, musician, music producer, arranger, designer and costume designer
 
Full date missing
- Lars Akerhaug, journalist and non-fiction author
 - Ivar Loe Bjørnstad, jazz and rock musician
 - Marius Bjugan, orienteering competitor
 - Ida Hegazi Høyer, writer
 - Annette Münch, children's writer, playwright and non-fiction writer.[18]
 - Øystein Kvaal Østerbø, orienteering competitor.[19]
 - Kjersti Reenaas, ski-orienteering competitor
 - Julian Skar, composer and multi-media artist
 - Todd Terje, DJ, songwriter, and record producer
 
Notable deaths
January to March

- 3 January – Karl Evang, physician and civil servant (born 1902).[20]
 - 4 January – Aage Thor Falkanger Sr., judge (born 1902)
 - 9 January – Jack Nielsen, tennis player (born 1896)
 - 12 January – Olav Marensius Strandås, politician (born 1900)
 - 16 January – Birger Haug, high jumper (born 1908)
 - 20 January – Richard Frydenlund, wrestler (born 1891)
 - 22 January – Torgeir Svendsen, politician (born 1910).[21]
 - 29 January – Karl Ludvig Bugge, civil servant (born 1902)
 - 1 February – Geirr Tveitt, composer and pianist (born 1908)
 - 11 February – Haakon Olsen Wika, politician (born 1899)
 - 12 February – Trygve de Lange, lawyer (born 1918)
 - 21 February – Julla Sæthern, barrister, feminist, politician (born 1901).[22]
 - 11 March – Jonas Enge, politician (born 1908)
 - 30 March – Christian L. Holm, politician (born 1892)
 
April to June


- 4 April – Aanund Bjørnsson Berdal, engineer (born 1888).[23]
 - 15 April – Birger Brekke, Scout leader (born 1891)
 - 15 April – Anton Fredrik Klaveness, equestrian and ship-owner (born 1903)
 - 28 April – Kristian Horn, botanist and humanist (born 1903)
 - 5 May – Rolf Bloch Hansen, military officer and skiing official (born 1894)
 - 9 May – Rolf Just Nilsen, singer and actor (born 1931)
 - 11 May – Odd Hassel, physical chemist and Nobel Laureate (born 1897)
 - 18 May – Ola Høyland, politician (born 1890)
 - 22 May – Reimar Riefling, classical pianist, music teacher, and music critic (born 1898)
 - 23 May – Johan Georg A. Ræder, diplomat (born 1905)
 - 29 May – Mette Lange-Nielsen, actress (born 1929)
 - 7 June – Lars Johan Danbolt, priest (born 1895)
 - 7 June – Asbjørn Listerud, politician (born 1905)
 - 11 June – Kristian Østby, naval aviator (born 1900)
 - 14 June – Henry Imsland, illustrator (born 1900)
 - 22 June – Petter Hol, gymnast (born 1883)
 - 25 June – Otto Hjersing Munthe-Kaas, politician, businessman and military officer (born 1883)
 
July to September

- 5 July – Olav Larssen, newspaper editor and politician (born 1894)
 - 6 July – Kaare Fostervoll, educator and politician (born 1891)
 - 9 July – Nikolai Paul Kornelius Molvik, politician (born 1905)
 - 19 July – John Aalmo, (born 1902)
 - 31 July – Christian Stray, lawyer and politician (born 1894)
 - 2 August – Kåre Norum, educator (born 1907).[24]
 - 11 August – Arne Skaare, politician (born 1907)
 - 15 August – Jørgen Løvset, professor of medicine, gynecology and obstetrics (born 1896)
 - 25 August – Jens Gram Dunker, architect (born 1892)
 - 26 August – Tove Mohr, physician and proponent for women's rights (born 1891)
 - 28 August – Bjarne Fjærtoft, politician (born 1899)
 - 11 September – Erling Østerberg, police officer (born 1901).[25]
 - 26 September – Jens Edv. Haugland, politician (born 1924)
 
October to December
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- 9 October – Per Arneberg, poet, prosaist and translator (born 1901)
 - 26 October – Olaf Sunde, lawyer and workers' rights activist (born 1915)
 - 31 October – Bent Røiseland, politician (born 1902)
 - 4 November – Sverre Helgesen, high jumper (born 1903)
 - 25 November Sigbjørn Hølmebakk, author (born 1922)
 - 17 December – Ada Kramm, stage and film actress (born 1899)
 - 18 December – Olav Rasmussen Langeland, politician (born 1904)
 
Full date unknown
- Alf-Jørgen Aas, painter (born 1915)
 - Tor Hermod Refsum, painter (born 1894)
 - Knut Robberstad, jurist and philologist (born 1899)
 
See also
References
- ^ "Saami and Norwegians protest construction of Alta Dam, Norway, 1979-1981 | Global Nonviolent Action Database". nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
 - ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Norway (1981)". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
 - ^ Hofverberg, Elin (4 February 2021). "On this Day: Gro Harlem Brundtland Becomes First Female Prime Minister in Norway | In Custodia Legis". The Library of Congress. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
 - ^ "Act Relating to the Ombudsperson for Children [The Ombudsperson for Children Act]" (PDF).
 - ^ Valen, Henry (1 August 1982). "Norway: The 1981 election confirms trend to the right". Electoral Studies. 1 (2): 243–250. doi:10.1016/0261-3794(82)90006-3. ISSN 0261-3794.
 - ^ regjeringen.no (1 March 2007). "Gro Harlem Brundtland's First Government". Government.no. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
 - ^ "Kristin Mürer Stemland". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
 - ^ "Ole Erevik". eurohandball.com. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
 - ^ Helgesen, Petra. "Maria Parr". In Bolstad, Erik (ed.). Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Norsk nettleksikon. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
 - ^ Bolme, Magne; Bryhn, Rolf. "Tora Berger". In Bolstad, Erik (ed.). Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Norsk nettleksikon. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
 - ^ Hovdenakk, Sindre. "Jan Grue". In Bolstad, Erik (ed.). Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Norsk nettleksikon. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
 - ^ "Lise Klaveness". static.fifa.com. Archived from the original on 30 May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
 - ^ "Lene Storløkken". nifs.no. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
 - ^ Cissé, Yacoub; Kalleklev, Katrine. "Lisa Aisato". In Bolstad, Erik (ed.). Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Norsk nettleksikon. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
 - ^ "Morten Adamsen". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
 - ^ Garvik, Olav. "Helge Nitteberg". In Bolstad, Erik (ed.). Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Norsk nettleksikon. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
 - ^ Karlsvik, Mette. "Lars Petter Sveen". In Bolstad, Erik (ed.). Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Norsk nettleksikon. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
 - ^ Karlsvik, Mette. "Annette Münch". In Bolstad, Erik (ed.). Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Norsk nettleksikon. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
 - ^ "Profile: Øystein Kvaal Østerbø" – World of O Runners (Retrieved on 3 June 2019)
 - ^ Mellbye, Fredrik. "Karl Evang". In Bolstad, Erik (ed.). Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Norsk nettleksikon. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
 - ^ "Svendsen, Torgeir". stortinget.no (in Norwegian). Parliament of Norway. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
 - ^ Bolstad, Erik (ed.). "Julie Therese Sæthern". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Norsk nettleksikon. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
 - ^ Magnus, Jens Christian. "Aanund Bjørnsson Berdal". In Helle, Knut (ed.). Norsk biografisk leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
 - ^ Vormeland, Oddvar. "Kåre Norum". In Helle, Knut (ed.). Norsk biografisk leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
 - ^ Garvik, Olav. "Erling Østerberg". In Bolstad, Erik (ed.). Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Norsk nettleksikon. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
 
External links
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