Rakel Seweriin

Who was Rakel Seweriin?

Rakel Seweriin, née Solberg was a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party. She was the Norwegian Minister of Social Affairs from 1953 to 1955.

She was born in Hof as a daughter of Casper Fredrik Solberg and Zefra Eliagna Natterstad. She grew up in Eidsfoss, where her father managed Eidsfoss Station. Her mother was a hotelier. She commenced her studies in 1926, and took courses as a stenographer in 1927 and 1928. From 1929 she worked as a stenographer, in 1942 she left Norway due to World War II. She and her husband had been active members of the Norwegian resistance movement, among others starting the illegal newspaper Fri Fagbevegelse. She continued her work abroad, as a stenographer for the exiled Norwegian High Command in London. She was also a member of the program council of the exiled part of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, from 1943 to 1945.

Seweriin had been a member of Oslo city council from 1937 until the war broke out, and also served briefly in 1945. She was the deputy leader of the Workers' Youth League from 1937 to 1946.