Minister of Defence (Norway)

Norwegian defence ministers after 1945

The Norwegian Minister of Defence is the head of the Norwegian Ministry of Defence. The position has existed since 1814. The incumbent minister since 20 October 2017 is Frank Bakke Jensen of the Conservative Party.

Between 1819 and 1885 the Ministry was split into two different ministries, the Ministry of the Navy and the Army Ministry.

List of Norwegian Ministers of Defence (1814–1885)

Name	From	To
The position was named Chief of 6th Ministry from 1814 to 1818
Diderik Hegermann	1814	1816
Peter Motzfeldt	1816	1818
Mathias Sommerhielm	1818	1819
The position was named Minister of the Army from 1818 to 1885
Jonas Collett	1819	1819
Nicolai Krog	1822	1825
Jørgen Herman Vogt	1825	1826
Nicolai Krog	1826	1828
Thomas Fasting	1828	1829
Nicolai Krog	1839	1832
Thomas Fasting	1832	1833
Nicolai Krog	1833	1835
Valentin Sibbern	1835	1836
Nicolai Krog	1836	1837
Palle Rømer Fleischer	1837	1839
Oluf Borch de Schouboe	1839	1839
Valentin Sibbern	1839	1840
Palle Rømer Fleischer	1840	1842
Oluf Borch de Schouboe	1842	1843
Palle Rømer Fleischer	1843	1846
Valentin Sibbern	1846	1847
Palle Rømer Fleischer	1847	1848
Thomas Edvard von Westen Sylow	1848	1851
Hans Christian Petersen	1851	1852
Ole Wilhelm Erichsen	1852	1852
Hans Christian Petersen	1852	1853
Thomas Edvard von Westen Sylow	1852	1853
Hans Glad Bloch	1853	1856
Hans Christian Petersen	1856	1857
Harald Wergeland (acting)	1857	1857
Hans Christian Petersen	1857	1857
Hans Glad Bloch	1857	1860
Harald Wergeland	1860	1862
August Christian Manthey	1862	1863
Harald Wergeland	1863	1866
August Christian Manthey	1866	1867
Harald Wergeland	1867	1868
Niels Christian Irgens	1868	1872
August Christian Manthey	1872	1872
Lorentz Henrik Müller Segelcke	1872	1874
Christian Selmer	1874	1875
Anders Sandøe Ørsted Bull (acting)	1875	1875
Christian Selmer	1875	1875
Anders Sandøe Ørsted Bull (acting)	1875	1875
Lorentz Henrik Müller Segelcke	1875	1877
Adolph Frederik Munthe	1877	1879
Christian Selmer	1879	1880
Adolph Frederik Munthe	1880	1881
Anders Sandøe Ørsted Bull (acting)	1881	1881
Adolph Frederik Munthe	1881	1884
Anders Sandøe Ørsted Bull (acting)	1884	1884
Lars Christian Dahll	1884	1884
Ludvig Daae	1884	1885
The position was named Minister of Defence from 1885 to present

Ministers of Defence (1885–present)

No.	Portrait	Defence Minister	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Party	Cabinet
1		Sverdrup, JohanJohan Sverdrup (1816–1892)	1 September 1885	13 July 1889	3 years, 315 days	Liberal	Sverdrup
2		Hoff, Edvard HansEdvard Hans Hoff (1838–1933)	13 July 1889	6 March 1891	1 year, 236 days	Conservative	E. Stang I
3		Holst, Peter TheodorPeter Holst (1843–1908)	6 March 1891	2 May 1893	2 years, 57 days	Liberal	Steen I
4		Olssøn, WilhelmWilhelm Olssøn (1844–1915)	2 May 1893	15 July 1894	1 year, 74 days	Conservative	E. Stang II
5		Harbitz, Johannes WindingJohannes Winding Harbitz (1831–1917)	15 July 1894	27 April 1895	286 days	Conservative	E. Stang II
(4)		Olssøn, WilhelmWilhelm Olssøn (1844–1915)	27 April 1895	17 February 1898	2 years, 296 days	Conservative	E. Stang II Hagerup I
(3)		Holst, Peter TheodorPeter Holst (1843–1908)	17 February 1898	6 November 1900	2 years, 262 days	Liberal	Steen II
6		Stang, GeorgGeorg Stang (1858–1907)	6 November 1900	9 June 1903	2 years, 215 days	Liberal	Steen II Blehr I
7		Heftye, ThomasThomas Heftye (1860–1921)	9 June 1903	22 October 1903	135 days	Liberal	Blehr I
8		Heftye, ThomasOscar Strugstad (1851–1919)	22 October 1903	11 March 1905	1 year, 140 days	Coalition	Hagerup II
(4)		Olssøn, WilhelmWilhelm Olssøn (1844–1915)	11 March 1905	25 May 1907	2 years, 75 days	Conservative	Michelsen
–		Michelsen, ChristianChristian Michelsen (1857–1925) Acting	25 May 1907	23 October 1907	151 days	Coalition	Michelsen
9		Dawes, Karl Friedrich GriffinKarl Friedrich Griffin Dawes (1861–1941)	23 October 1907	19 March 1908	148 days	Liberal	Løvland
(7)		Heftye, ThomasThomas Heftye (1860–1921)	19 March 1908	11 April 1908	23 days	Liberal	Knudsen I
10		Lowzow, Haakon DitlefHaakon D. Lowzow (1845–1915)	11 April 1908	20 August 1909	1 year, 131 days	Liberal	Knudsen I
11		Spørck, AugustAugust Spørck (1851–1928)	20 August 1909	1 February 1910	165 days	Liberal	Knudsen I
12		Bull, KarlKarl Bull (1860–1936)	2 February 1910	20 February 1912	2 years, 10 days	Conservative	Konow
13		Bratlie, JensJens Bratlie (1856–1939)	20 February 1912	31 January 1913	346 days	Conservative	Bratlie
14		Keilhau, Hans VilhelmHans Vilhelm Keilhau (1845–1917)	31 January 1913	8 August 1914	1 year, 189 days	Liberal	Knudsen II
15		Holtfodt, Christian TheodorChristian Theodor Holtfodt (1863–1930)	8 August 1914	20 February 1919	4 years, 196 days	Liberal	Knudsen II
16		Rudolf Peersen (1868–1949)	20 February 1919	17 June 1919	117 days	Liberal	Knudsen II
17		Aavatsmark, IvarIvar Aavatsmark (1864–1947)	17 June 1919	21 June 1920	1 year, 4 days	Liberal	Knudsen II
18		Wefring, Karl WilhelmKarl Wilhelm Wefring (1867–1938)	21 June 1920	22 June 1921	1 year, 1 day	Free-minded Liberal	Halvorsen I
(17)		Aavatsmark, IvarIvar Aavatsmark (1864–1947)	22 June 1921	6 March 1923	1 year, 257 days	Liberal	Blehr II
(18)		Wefring, Karl WilhelmKarl Wilhelm Wefring (1867–1938)	6 March 1923	25 July 1924	1 year, 141 days	Free-minded Liberal	Halvorsen II Berge
19		Jacobsen, RolfRolf Jacobsen (1865–1942)	25 July 1924	5 March 1926	1 year, 224 days	Liberal	Mowinckel I
(18)		Wefring, Karl WilhelmKarl Wilhelm Wefring (1867–1938)	5 March 1926	26 July 1926	143 days	Free-minded Liberal	Lykke
20		Christensen, Ingolf ElsterIngolf E. Christensen (1872–1943)	26 July 1926	28 January 1928	1 year, 186 days	Conservative	Lykke
21		Fredrik Monsen (1878–1954)	28 January 1928	15 February 1928	18 days	Labour	Hornsrud
22		Anderssen-Rysst, TorgeirTorgeir Anderssen-Rysst (1888–1958)	15 February 1928	12 May 1931	3 years, 86 days	Liberal	Mowinckel II
23		Vidkun Quisling (1887–1945)	12 May 1931	3 March 1933	1 year, 295 days	Centre	Kolstad Hundseid
24		Kobro, Jens IsakJens Isak Kobro (1882–1967)	3 March 1933	20 March 1935	2 years, 17 days	Liberal	Mowinckel III
(21)		Fredrik Monsen (1878–1954)	20 March 1935	15 November 1935	240 days	Labour	Nygaardsvold
–		Indrebø, AdolfAdolf Indrebø (1884–1942) Acting	15 November 1935	20 December 1935	35 days	Labour	Nygaardsvold
–		Torp, OscarOscar Torp (1893–1958) Acting	20 December 1935	15 August 1936	239 days	Labour	Nygaardsvold
(21)		Fredrik Monsen (1878–1954)	15 August 1936	22 December 1939	3 years, 129 days	Labour	Nygaardsvold
25		Ljungberg, BirgerBirger Ljungberg (1884–1967)	22 December 1939	28 November 1941	1 year, 341 days	Conservative	Nygaardsvold
–		Torp, OscarOscar Torp (1893–1958) Acting	28 November 1941	1 February 1942	65 days	Labour	Nygaardsvold
(25)		Ljungberg, BirgerBirger Ljungberg (1884–1967)	1 February 1942	20 March 1942	47 days	Conservative	Nygaardsvold
26		Torp, OscarOscar Torp (1893–1958)	20 March 1942	5 November 1945	3 years, 230 days	Labour	Nygaardsvold Gerhardsen I
27		Hauge, Jens ChristianJens Christian Hauge (1915–2006)	5 November 1945	5 January 1952	6 years, 61 days	Labour	Gerhardsen II Torp
28		Langhelle, NilsNils Langhelle (1907–1967)	5 January 1952	15 June 1954	2 years, 161 days	Labour	Torp
29		Knudsen, Kai BirgerKai Birger Knudsen (1903–1977)	15 June 1954	22 January 1955	221 days	Labour	Torp
30		Handal, NilsNils Handal (1906–1992)	22 January 1955	18 February 1961	6 years, 27 days	Labour	Gerhardsen III
31		Harlem, GudmundGudmund Harlem (1917–1988)	18 February 1961	28 August 1963	2 years, 191 days	Labour	Gerhardsen III
32		Kyllingmark, HåkonHåkon Kyllingmark (1915–2003)	28 August 1963	25 September 1963	28 days	Conservative	Lyng
(31)		Harlem, GudmundGudmund Harlem (1917–1988)	25 September 1963	12 October 1965	2 years, 17 days	Labour	Gerhardsen IV
33		Tidemand, Otto GriegOtto Grieg Tidemand (1921–2006)	12 October 1965	5 June 1970	4 years, 236 days	Conservative	Borten
34		Hellesen, GunnarGunnar Hellesen (1913–2005)	5 June 1970	17 March 1971	285 days	Conservative	Borten
35		Fostervoll, Alv JakobAlv Jakob Fostervoll (1932–2015)	17 March 1971	18 October 1972	1 year, 215 days	Labour	Bratteli I
36		Kleppe, JohanJohan Kleppe (born 1928)	18 October 1972	16 October 1973	363 days	Liberal	Korvald
(35)		Fostervoll, Alv JakobAlv Jakob Fostervoll (1932–2015)	16 October 1973	15 January 1976	2 years, 91 days	Labour	Bratteli II
37		Hansen, Rolf AtrhurRolf A. Hansen (1920–2006)	15 January 1976	8 October 1979	3 years, 266 days	Labour	Nordli
38		Stoltenberg, ThorvaldThorvald Stoltenberg (1931–2018)	8 October 1979	14 October 1981	2 years, 6 days	Labour	Nordli Brundtland I
39		Sjaastad, Anders ChristianAnders C. Sjaastad (born 1942)	14 October 1981	25 April 1986	4 years, 193 days	Conservative	Willoch I Willoch II
40		Rolf Presthus (1936–1988)	25 April 1986	9 May 1986	14 days	Conservative	Willoch II
41		Holst, Johan JørgenJohan Jørgen Holst (1937–1994)	9 May 1986	16 October 1989	3 years, 160 days	Labour	Brundtland II
42		Per Ditlev-Simonsen (born 1932)	16 October 1989	3 November 1990	1 year, 18 days	Conservative	Syse
(41)		Holst, Johan JørgenJohan Jørgen Holst (1937–1994)	3 November 1990	2 April 1993	2 years, 150 days	Labour	Brundtland III
43		Kosmo, JørgenJørgen Kosmo (1947–2017)	2 April 1993	17 October 1997	4 years, 198 days	Labour	Brundtland III Jagland
44		Fjærvoll, Dag JosteinDag Jostein Fjærvoll (born 1947)	17 October 1997	15 March 1999	1 year, 149 days	Christian Democratic	Bondevik I
45		Løwer, EldbjørgEldbjørg Løwer (born 1943)	15 March 1999	17 March 2000	1 year, 2 days	Liberal	Bondevik I
46		Godal, Bjørn ToreBjørn Tore Godal (born 1945)	17 March 2000	19 October 2001	1 year, 216 days	Labour	Stoltenberg I
47		Devold, Kristin KrohnKristin Krohn Devold (born 1961)	19 October 2001	17 October 2005	3 years, 363 days	Conservative	Bondevik II
48		Strøm-Erichsen, Anne-GreteAnne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen (born 1949)	17 October 2005	20 October 2009	4 years, 3 days	Labour	Stoltenberg II
49		Faremo, GreteGrete Faremo (born 1955)	20 October 2009	11 November 2011	2 years, 22 days	Labour	Stoltenberg II
50		Eide, Espen BarthEspen Barth Eide (born 1964)	11 November 2011	21 September 2012	315 days	Labour	Stoltenberg II
(48)		Strøm-Erichsen, Anne-GreteAnne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen (born 1949)	21 September 2012	16 October 2013	1 year, 25 days	Labour	Stoltenberg II
51		Søreide, Ine Marie EriksenIne Marie Eriksen Søreide (born 1976)	16 October 2013	20 October 2017	4 years, 4 days	Conservative	Solberg
52		Bakke-Jensen, FrankFrank Bakke-Jensen (born 1965)	20 October 2017	Incumbent	7 years, 16 days	Conservative	Solberg

References

• Ministry of Defence. Councillor of State 1814-present - Government.no
• Norwegian Ministry of the Navy and Postal Affairs - Government.no