Nikolai Nissen Paus

Who was Nikolai Nissen Paus?

Nikolai Nissen Paus was a Norwegian surgeon, hospital director and humanitarian. He served as President of the Norwegian Red Cross 1945–1947, and as Vice President 1930–1945 and acting President 1939–1940. He also was President of the Norwegian Florence Nightingale Committee and chaired governmental committees.

Paus finished his medical studies in 1903 and obtained the dr. med. degree in 1916. He was a consultant surgeon at the National Hospital and served as Director of Vestfold Hospital 1918–1947.

A member of the Paus family, Nikolai Nissen Paus was the son of theologian Bernhard Cathrinus Paus and Anna Henriette Wegner. He was the grandson of industrialist Benjamin Wegner. His grandmother Henriette Seyler was a member of the Hanseatic Berenberg-Gossler-Seyler banking dynasty of Hamburg. His paternal grandfather Nicolai Nissen Paus was a ship-owner.

He was a freemason of the XI and second highest degree, and the father of Bernhard C. Paus, who was also a surgeon and humanitarian as well the Grand Master of the Norwegian Order of Freemasons.

A painting of him by Erik Werenskiold and a bust by sculptor Wilhelm Rasmussen exist; the bust is displayed outside Vestfold Hospital.