Sven Eivindsen Aarrestad (8 October 1850 – 19 January 1942) was a writer, politician, and leader in the Norwegian

temperance movement The temperance movement is a social movement promoting Temperance (virtue), temperance or total abstinence from consumption of alcoholic beverages. Participants in the movement typically criticize alcohol intoxication or promote teetotalism, and ...

during the 19th century.

Biography

Sven Aarrestad was born at

Varhaug Varhaug is the administrative centre of Hå municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The village is located in the district of Jæren and it is the second largest village in Hå municipality after Nærbø. It was also the administrative centre ...

Rogaland Rogaland () is a Counties of Norway, county in Western Norway, bordering the North Sea to the west and the counties of Vestland to the north, Telemark to the east and Agder to the east and southeast. As of 1 January 2024, it had a population of 49 ...

county, Norway. He was the eldest of six siblings born to his parents, farmer Eivind Torkelsen Aarrestad (1820–1902) and Inger Svensdatter Skretting (1829–1922). When he was four years old, his family moved to Årrestad in the community of

Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...

, where he attended private school. From 1868 to 1869, he attended the teachers' college in

Egersund Egersund is a List of towns and cities in Norway, town in Eigersund municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The town is located along the southwestern coast of Norway, about south of the city of Stavanger (city), Stavanger. The town is situat ...

. He was a teacher from 1869 to 1873 in

Høyland Høyland is a List of former municipalities of Norway, former municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The municipality was located at the innermost end of the Gandsfjorden in the western part of the present-day municipality of Sandnes. The muni ...

. From 1873 to 1875, he went to the seminary in

Stord Stord is a municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestland counties of Norway, county, Norway. It is located in the Traditional districts of Norway, traditional district of Sunnhordland. Stord is sometimes called "Norway in miniature" since i ...

. From 1875 to 1876, he was a teacher in Brevik, from 1876 to 1878 in

Tønsberg Tønsberg (), historically Tunsberg, is a List of towns and cities in Norway, city in Tønsberg Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. It is located about south-southwest of the capital city of Oslo on the western coast of the Oslofjord near ...

, and from 1878 to 1891, managed a high school at Sande in

Vestfold Vestfold () is a county and a current electoral district in Norway. Located on the western shore of the Oslofjord, it borders Buskerud and Telemark counties. The county administration is located in Tønsberg, Norway's oldest city, and the larg ...

. He was a farmer in Sande from 1891 to 1906 and the mayor of Sande from 1899 to 1906. The work of

Asbjørn Kloster Asbjørn Kloster (21 December 1823 – 18 January 1876) was an educator, social reformer and leader of the Norwegian temperance movement in the 19th century. Background Asbjørn Olsen Kloster was born in Vestre Bokn in Bokn, Rogaland, Norwa ...

had aroused Aarrestad's interest in the temperance movement. In 1877 he published his first book on this topic . From 1883 to 1905 and 1922 to 1927, he was editor of , which was published by the Norwegian

(). He was chairman of the Norwegian temperance movement from 1887 to 1927. He published more than 100 books and pamphlets, most regarding the use of alcohol. From 1892 to 1894, he represented

Jarlsberg Jarlsberg was a former countship that forms a part of today's Vestfold county in Norway. The name translates as "Earl's Hill". The former countships of Jarlsberg and Larvik were merged into a county in 1821. Jarlsberg and Larvik's County (''Jarl ...

and

Larvik Larvik () is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. It is located in the Traditional districts of Norway, traditional district of Vestfold. The administrative centre of the municipality is the Larvik (town) ...

in the

Norwegian Parliament The Storting ( ; ) is the supreme legislature of Norway, established in 1814 by the Constitution of Norway. It is located in Oslo. The unicameral parliament has 169 members and is elected every four years based on party-list proportional represe ...

. From 1900 to 1909, he was a member of the executive committee of the

Norwegian Liberal Party The Liberal Party (, , V; ) is a social liberal political party in Norway. It was founded in 1884 and is the oldest political party in Norway. Despite its native name, the Liberal Party is positioned in the centre on the political spectrum, and ...

. From 1906 to 1908, he was Minister of Agriculture in

Michelsen's Cabinet The Michelsen's Cabinet was a Norwegian cabinet, formed by a coalition of the Liberal Party, the Conservative Party, the Moderate Liberal Party and the Coalition Party. It governed Norway between 11 March 1905 and 23 October 1907. It entered off ...

and Jørgen Løvland administration. In 1908, he was appointed County Governor of Nedenes amt. In 1901, Sven Aarrestad was decorated Knight, First class, and in 1908 Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav. Aarrestad was also the holder of the Grand Cross of the

Order of the Dannebrog The Order of the Dannebrog () is a Denmark, Danish order of chivalry instituted in 1671 by Christian V of Denmark, Christian V. Until 1808, membership in the Order was limited to fifty members of noble or royal rank, who formed a single cla ...

. His last years were spent on his property Soltuft in

Arendal Arendal () is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Agder counties of Norway, county in southeastern Norway. Arendal belongs to the Districts of Norway, region of Southern Norway, Sørlandet. The administrative centre of the munici ...

, where he died 1942.

Selected works

* , 1877 * , 1889 * , with Andreas Lavik, 1895 * , 1900 * , 1905 * , 1913 * , 1920 * , 1923 * , 1926 * (1927) * , 1930 * , 1933 * , 1935 * , 1935

Biography

Selected works

References

Related reading