Erling Steen

Erling Steen (6 March 1891 – 22 September 1961) was a Norwegian businessman, humanitarian leader and member of the Norwegian resistance movement in World War II.

Steen was born in Kristiania as a son of Johan Steen (1856–1934) and Marie Eveline Gulbranson (1861–1942). He was a grandson of Emil Steen (1829–1884), a nephew of Emil Jr. and Christian Steen, and a first cousin of Fredrik,Nils and Emil Steen. His sister Sigrid married Hans Thomas "Hassa" Horn.

In November 1916 Erling Steen married Helene C. Laurantzon, a wholesaler's daughter. The marriage ended in August 1940. In the same month he married Kathleen Ragnhild Collett, née Falsen and divorcee of Johan Collett. This marriage ended in June 1949. The same month Steen entered his third marriage, this time to Alix Dorry Sophie Boyesen, née Theslöf and divorcee of diplomat Jens Boyesen. He resided at Lagåsen in Bærum.

Steen finished his secondary education in 1910, graduated from Kristiania Commerce School in 1912 and underwent mercantile training in the United States, Germany and France. His education prepared him to enter as a partner in the family company Steen & Strøm, which he did in 1915. Together with Eyvind Strøm and Nils Steen, who entered the company too in the 1910s, he took it over in the 1930s. Erling Steen most notably served as chairman of the board from 1939 to 1961.

He was also an important figure in enterprise organizations, chairing Oslo Manufakturkjøbmenns Forening (1928–1931), Manufakturkjøbmennenes Landsforbund (1930–1933), Oslo Handelsstands Forening (1933–1936), Norges Handelsstands Forbund (1936–1946) and the Norwegian branch of the International Chamber of Commerce (1937–1948). He was also a deputy member of Oslo city council from 1931 to 1934.

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