Carl Semb (19 August 1895 – 16 July 1971) was an internationally renowned Norwegian surgeon and professor at the

University of Oslo The University of Oslo (; ) is a public university, public research university located in Oslo, Norway. It is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation#Europe, oldest university in Norway. Originally named the Royal Frederick Univ ...

Biography

Carl Boye Semb grew up in

Oslo, Norway Oslo ( or ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of towns and cities in Norway, most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a Counties of Norway, county and a Municipalities of Norway, municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a populat ...

. He received a cand.med. degree in 1920 and

dr.med. Doctor Medicinae, also spelled Doctor Medicinæ and abbreviated Dr. Med., is a higher doctorate, doctoral degree (a research doctorate) in medicine awarded by universities in Denmark and formerly in Norway. It is officially translated as Doctor ...

degree in 1929. After eighteen years as a district doctor in

Gimsøy Municipality Gimsøy is a former municipality in Nordland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1856 until its dissolution in 1964. It was located in the northwestern part of what is now Vågan Municipality. The municipality consisted of the island ...

and

Skjervøy Municipality Skjervøy Municipality (, ; ) is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Troms Counties of Norway, county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the Skjervøy (village), town of Skjervøy on the island of Skjervøya ...

, Semb became chief physician at the surgical ward at

Ullevål hospital Ullevaal Stadion () is an all-seater football stadium located in Oslo, Norway. It is the home ground of the Norway national football team, and the site of the Norwegian Cup Final. From its opening in 1926 to 2009 it was the home ground of ...

(1935–65). He was a professor of surgery at the

(1951-1965). Semb was chairman of the Norwegian Surgical Society (1940-1947). Semb was President of the Nordic Surgical Society (1955–56). During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Semb engaged in the resistance movement and joined the

Milorg Milorg (abbreviation of militær organisasjon – military organization) was the main Norwegian resistance movement during World War II. Resistance work included intelligence gathering, sabotage, supply-missions, raids, espionage, transport of ...

. He was a central

leader, from 1941 to 1943, when he had to flee to

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

. He is particularly noted for his role in the formation of

Norwegian police troops in Sweden during World War II The Norwegian police troops in Sweden during World War II consisted of around 15,000 men, recruited from Norwegian refugees and trained at a number of secret camps in Sweden. Background During the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany many Norwe ...

. His pioneering initiative resulted in health camps and a vaccination plan for the refugees. After the war, he was Chief of the Norwegian Army Medical Corps (1945-1947).

Personal life

Senb was born in

Kristiania Oslo ( or ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of 1,064,235 in 2022, an ...

(now Oslo) on 19 August 1895. On 19 February 1926, he married Helga Louise Stenersen, the daughter of painter

Gudmund Stenersen Gudmund Stenersen (18 August 1863 – 17 August 1934) was a Norwegian painter and illustrator. Biography He was born in Ringsaker as a son of veterinarian Stener Johannes Stenersen (1835–1904) and Helga Hermana Heltberg (1842–1921). He was ...

. They had five children. In 1955, he was appointed Commander of the

Order of St. Olav The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav (; or ''Sanct Olafs Orden'', the old Norwegian name) is a Norwegian order of chivalry instituted by King Oscar I on 21 August 1847. It is named after King Olav II, known to posterity as St. Olav. Just be ...

.''Biography of Semb, Carl Boye'' (Whonamedit? A dictionary of medical eponyms0
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Selected works

*''Toracoplasty with extrafascial apicollysis'' (1935) *''Sykdommer i mamma'' (in "Nordisk lærebok i kirurgi") (1941) *''Lungenchirurgie'' (1944) *''Svulster og Halsens sykdommer'' (in "Nordisk lærebok i kirurgi") (1948)

References

Other sources

* Söderman, Harry(1946) '' Polititroppene i Sverige. Norska och danska trupper i Sverige'' (Oslo: Gyldendal) 1895 births 1971 deaths Norwegian resistance members Academic staff of the University of Oslo Oslo University Hospital people {{norway-med-bio-stub