Hjemmenes Vel (Welfare in the Home), later Norges Husmorforbund (Norwegian Housewives' Association), was Norway's first association for housewives. Founded in

Oslo 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 ...

(then Christiania) by Dorothea Christensen in 1898, it was also the first organization for housewives in Europe. The association functioned until the late 1970s. In 1897, Christensen had published an article in ''Husmoderen'' (The Housewife) titled "Vi husmødre slutter os sammen" (We housewives should stick together) which paved the way for the establishment of Hjemmenes Vel on 10 March 1898. Based on the success of the Oslo organization, local Hjemmenes Vel branches were established throughout the country. As a result, in 1915 Hjemmenes Vels Landsforbund or national headquarters was founded by

Marie Michelet Marie Elisabeth Michelet (née Storjohann; 10 March 1866 – 3 April 1951) was a Norwegian writer and activis. Personal life She was born in Bergen as a daughter of priest Johan Cordt Harmens Storjohann (1832–1914) and Nanna Storjohann, née ...

who chaired it until 1934. By 1924, there were some 50 local organizations in Norway. From the start, Hjemmenes Vels Landsforbund was associated with the

Norwegian National Women's Council The Norwegian National Women's Council () was founded on 8 January 1904 as an umbrella organization for the various Norwegian women's associations. It was established by Gina Krog whose international contacts had revealed that the International Co ...

. In 1933, the organization changed its name to Norges Husmorforbund or Norwegian Housewives' Association. It became a large, influential organization with 30,000 members by 1940, providing advice on nutrition, housekeeping, childcare and economics. ''Husmorbladet'' (Housewives Magazine) was published from 1952. The association was particularly successful in the years up to 1960 when there were 70,000 members. Thereafter, as women began to take up employment, interest in the organization gradually faded until it was no longer viable.

Leaders of the organization

The organization was founded as Hjemmenes Vel in 1898, was renamed Norges Husmorforbund in 1933 and finally became Norges Kvinne- og familieforbund in 1997.

Hjemmenes Vel

* Dorothea Christensen, 1898–1908

Norges Husmorforbund

, 1915–1934 *

Amalie Øvergaard Amalie Constance Øvergaard, née Angell (3 March 1874 – 19 November 1960) was a Norway, Norwegian women's leader. She was born in Sørreisa Municipality as a daughter of businessman Ingebrigt Angell and Severine Johansen. From 1899 she was marr ...

1934–1946 *

Alette Engelhart Alette Marie Engelhart, née Nicolaysen (7 May 1896 – 13 August 1984) was a Norwegian housewives' leader. Biography Alette was born in Oslo, Kristiania as a daughter of captain and engineer Anton Martin Schweigaard Nicolaysen (1870–1907) an ...

1946–1959 * Else Germeten 1959–1969 * 1969–1977 * Dagmar Storås 1977–1981 * Karin Gullichsen 1981–1985 * 1985–1993 * Anne Marit Hovstad 1993–1997

Norges Kvinne- og familieforbund

* Elisabeth Rusdal, 1997–2001 * Bjarnhild Hodneland, 2001–2006 * Ann-Louis Nordstrand, 2006–2008 * Toril Sonja Gravdal, 2008–2009 * Grete Nordbæk fungerende forbundsleder, 2009–2010 * Elisabeth Rusdal, 2010-

References

{{Authority control Feminist organisations in Norway 1898 establishments in Norway Organizations established in 1898