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Erik Colban

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Erik Andreas Colban (18 October 1876 - 28 March 1956) was a highly decorated Norwegian diplomat. Colban had many important roles in Norwegian diplomacy; especially being named to the post of Norwegian Ambassador in London before and during the Second World War.[1] Colban also worked with the League of Nations and the United Nations where Norwegian Trygve Lie served as the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Personal life

Colban was a son of Captain Erik Andreas Colban (1841–1900) who was a general of the Norwegian army. His grandfather Erik Andreas Colban (1760–1828) had been a dean in the districts of Lofoten and Vesterålen.[2]

In 1911, Colban was married Karen Marie Holter. The couple's son, Erik Andreas Colban, entered the diplomatic service and was ambassador as was his father. In 1952, Colban published his memoirs about his career as a diplomat in the book Femti år (Oslo: Aschehoug).

Career

Colban took his final exams in 1895 and then began studies in law, which he completed with a degree in law in 1899.

Colban entered the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1905. In 1918, Colban took the position as a director of the League of Nations. In 1930, Colban went back to the Norwegian foreign service.[3]

Colban served a Norwegian ambassador to Great Britain (1942–1946) representing the Norwegian government during World War II and the Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany. He led the Norwegian delegation that participated in the preparations for the establishment of the United Nations and participated as a Norwegian delegate in the first general meeting. [4]

He was also one of four Norwegian members of the United Nations War Crimes Commission, together with Jacob Aars Rynning, Finn Palmstrøm and Terje Wold.[5]

Honors

Colban was appointed Knight First Class of the Order of St. Olav in 1912, promoted to Commander with Star in 1931 and awarded the Grand Cross in 1946. Additionally, Colban received a number of awards from foreign governments including Commander of the Order of Dannebrog, Commander of the Swedish Order of the Polar Star, holder of the Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown (Belgium) and was a Grand Officier of the French Legion of Honor.

References

  1. ^ Thowsen, Atle (1995). "Colban, Erik". In Dahl, Hans Fredrik (ed.). Norsk krigsleksikon 1940-45. Oslo: Cappelen. Retrieved 1 December 2008.
  2. ^ Colban (Store norske leksikon)
  3. ^ Special Session of the Assembly (League of Nations Archives)
  4. ^ Erik Andreas Colban (Norsk biografisk leksikon)
  5. ^ "Kurt Waldheim anklaget for krigsforbrytelser i 1948" (in Norwegian). 28 May 1987. {{cite news}}: |first= missing |last= (help); Check |first= value (help)

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