Cecilie Thoresen Krog

Cecilie Thoresen Krog
Cecilie Thoresen Krog
Born	(1858-03-07)7 March 1858 Eidsvoll, Norway
Died	13 November 1911(1911-11-13) (aged 53)
Nationality	Norwegian
Occupation	Feminist pioneer
Known for	She passed the examen artium in 1882, as the first Norwegian woman
Children	Helge Krog
Relatives	Gina Krog (sister-in-law)

Ida Cecilie Thoresen Krog (née Thoresen, 7 March 1858 – 13 November 1911) was a Norwegian feminist pioneer, and the first female university student in Norway. She became famous when she was allowed to submit to examen artium in 1882, after an Act amendment had taken place.

She was born in Eidsvoll as a daughter of physician and farmer Nils Windfeldt Thoresen and Marie Johanne Benneche. She also grew up here, together with her sister and three brothers. As a young girl she enjoyed skiing, including ski jumping. She married lawyer Fredrik Arentz Krog in 1887, and was the mother of journalist and playwright Helge Krog. She was the sister-in-law of teacher, politician and fellow women's rights activist Gina Krog. She died in Kristiania in 1911, after having suffered from infective endocarditis for several years.

Cecilie attended private schools and graduated from Nissen Girls School in 1879. She wanted to achieve the examen artium, but encountered problems from the authorities. A letter from her father to the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Church Affairs to allow her to field as an exam candidate was met with a refusal. She subsequently contacted the Minister of Church, who asked the University for a statement. When the statement from the University was negative, she contacted member of the Parliament of Norway Hagbard Emanuel Berner, who proposed a private Act amendment, which passed in 1882. She passed the examen artium in 1882, as the first Norwegian woman.

She enrolled at the University, and eventually became a student of science at the University of Oslo and later at the University of Copenhagen. She terminated her university studies when she got married in 1887 and gave birth to three children the next three years.