Sven Oftedal (politician)

Sven Oftedal (3 June 1905 – 23 June 1948) was a Norwegian physician and politician, representing the Labour Party. He was Minister of Social Affairs in 1945 and 1945-1948 and a member of the Storting (1945-1948).

Oftedal was born at Stavanger in Rogaland, Norway. He was the son of Lars Oftedal (1877-1932) and Alice Stephansen (1877-1938). His father was editor of Stavanger Aftenblad. His brother Christian Stephansen Oftedal (1907–1955) was a member of the Norwegian Parliament and served as a member of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

After graduating at the Stavanger Cathedral School in 1923, he went to the University of Oslo to study medicine. He graduated Cand.med. in 1930. He served at Stavanger Hospital from 1931-1932. Oftedal established himself as a private practice doctor in Stavanger from 1933-1941. He was elected as member of Stavanger City Council from 1934-1940.

During the Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany during World War II, his involvement in the resistance movement led to his arrest. In 1941, he was sent to Grini detention camp. He was released but was arrested again in the fall of 1942. In February 1943 he was sent to the German concentration camp Sachsenhausen north of Berlin and stayed there until German capitulation in 1945. During his captivity, he made an effort to treat prisoner who were particularly prone to dysentery and pneumonia. Oftedal managed to obtain permission from the camp commander to obtain medicine for the prisoners. Regular drug deliveries arrived from both the Norwegian and Swedish Red Cross organizations.

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