23 Facts About Haakon Lie

Haakon Steen Lie was a Norwegian politician who served as party secretary for the Norwegian Labour Party from 1945 to 1969.

Haakon Lie remained active in Norwegian public life, even after his 100th birthday, and in 2008 he celebrated his 103rd birthday with the release of a new biography, "Slik jeg ser det na".

Haakon Lie's father was fireman Andreas Lie and his mother was homemaker Karen Halvorsdatter Gunderud.

Haakon Lie got involved with the labour movement at the age of sixteen, in 1921.

Haakon Lie was happy with this occupation, but after a bout of tuberculosis in 1927, had to give it up as well, and started working as secretary for the party.

Haakon Lie has cited the AOF as the proudest achievement of his career.

At one point the former pacifist Haakon Lie took flying lessons to actively participate in the conflict, but this plan was never carried out.

When Norway was invaded by Germany in April 1940, Haakon Lie immediately started organising resistance, taking charge of free radio broadcasts from various locations in the country.

At this point further broadcasts became impossible, and Haakon Lie had to make his way south, through Finland and Sweden, to Oslo.

Haakon Lie left his house only hours before the Germans appeared to arrest him.

Haakon Lie made two visits to the United States to gather support and financial aid, the first time he went from New York City to Seattle where he held a series of lectures and radio-interviews before he travelled through Canada from the west- to the east coast.

Haakon Lie was imprisoned and eventually sent to Dachau, where he died from typhoid fever in March 1945.

Haakon Lie had been personally shaken by the post-war Soviet suppression of the social-democratic parties in Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary.

Haakon Lie viewed Yugoslavia leader Josip Broz Tito as the "Martin Luther of communism" after Tito had openly defied the Soviet Union by chiselling out the Third Way.

Yet Haakon Lie was stronger in his support of the United States, and more fierce in his anti-communism, than most within the Labour party.

Haakon Lie resigned as party secretary in 1969, and Gerhardsen retired from active politics the same year.

Haakon Lie remained active as a public commentator and in politics after his retirement from party politics, and even after his centenary.

Haakon Lie led the losing campaign for Norwegian membership in the EEC in the early 1970s, and in 2000 he led a battle to prevent the privatisation of the national oil company Statoil.

Haakon Lie's preferred method of staying updated on current international events was through weekly readings of The Economist.

Haakon Lie initiated Operation donor funds for construction of Israeli settlement called "Moshav Norge" in memory of 28 children crashes in Hurum air disaster.

Haakon Lie wrote several books, among them the controversial memoir.

Haakon Lie died on 25 May 2009, aged 103, after a long illness.

Haakon Lie left three daughters, two; Gro and Turid by his first wife and one; Karen by the second wife.