Øverbygd is a former municipality in Troms county in Norway. The 2,104-square-kilometre (812 sq mi) municipality existed from 1925 until its dissolution in 1964. It was located in what is now the eastern part of Målselv Municipality, stretching from the border with Sweden in the east, through the Dividalen and Rostadalen valleys to the Målselva river and the eastern part of the Målselvdalen valley. The administrative centre was the village of Skjold.[6]
Øverbygd Municipality
Øverbygd herred | |
|---|---|
 View of the Øvre Dividal park in Øverbygd | |
 Troms within Norway | |
 Øverbygd within Troms | |
| Coordinates: 69°01′27″N 19°17′45″E / 69.02417°N 19.29583°E | |
| Country | Norway |
| County | Troms |
| District | Hålogaland |
| Established | 1 July 1925 |
| • Preceded by | Målselv Municipality |
| Disestablished | 1 Jan 1964 |
| • Succeeded by | Målselv Municipality |
| Administrative centre | Skjold |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (1955-1963) | Ole M. Stefanussen (LL) |
| Area (upon dissolution) | |
• Total | 2,103.95 km2 (812.34 sq mi) |
| • Rank | #20 in Norway |
| Highest elevation | 1,717.1 m (5,633.5 ft) |
| Population (1963) | |
• Total | 1,217 |
| • Rank | #582 in Norway |
| • Density | 0.6/km2 (2/sq mi) |
| • Change (10 years) |  +56.4% |
| Demonym | Øverbygding[2] |
| Official language | |
| • Norwegian form | Neutral[3] |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| ISO 3166 code | NO-1923[5] |
Prior to its dissolution in 1963, the 2,104-square-kilometre (812 sq mi) municipality was the 20th largest by area out of the 689 municipalities in Norway. Øverbygd Municipality was the 582nd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about 1,217. The municipality's population density was 0.6 inhabitants per square kilometre (1.6/sq mi) and its population had increased by 56.4% over the previous 10-year period.[7][8]
Skjold was the site of the local church, Øverbygd Church as well as home to a large garrison for the Norwegian Army. Øvre Dividal National Park made up a large part of the southeastern part of the municipality.[6] Dividalen is used as a setting in TV drama Outlier (2020).[9][10]
General information
editThe municipality of Øverbygd was established on 1 July 1925 when the large Målselv Municipality was divided into two municipalities: Målselv in the west and Øverbygd in the east. Initially, Øverbygd had a population of 566 inhabitants.[11]
During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, a major municipal merger took place. All of Øverbygd Municipality (population: 1,232), all of Målselv Municipality (population: 5,584), the Naveren and Målsnes areas of Malangen Municipality (population: 118), and the Skogli ved Heia farm (population: 2) from Balsfjord Municipality were all merged to form a new, larger Målselv Municipality:[6][11]
Name
editThe municipality is named Øverbygd. The first element may be derived from the present tense form of the verb øve which means "to exercise" or "to practice". The last element comes from the word byggð which means "settlement" or "farm".
Churches
editThe Church of Norway had one parish (sokn) within Øverbygd Municipality. It was part of the Målselv prestegjeld and the Indre Troms prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.
| Parish (sokn) | Church name | Location of the church | Year built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Øverbygd | Øverbygd Church | Skjold | 1867 |
History
editWorld War II
editDuring World War II, the German army created a military base at Øverbygd. The base was initially a supply point for the German forces attack on Murmansk. German soldiers on retreat at the end of the war came through Øverbygd. Maukstadmoen and Holmen were undeveloped pine forests, but virtually all of the commercial forest was cut down to provide German troops land and building materials.
Large barracks for the officer's quarters were established on Maukstadmoen. They also built large stock barracks, a cold storage plant, and a German military hospital. A Prisoner-of-war camp for Russian prisoners of war and medical camp was built near Holmen.
Geography
editThe highest point in the municipality is the 1,717.1-metre (5,634 ft) tall mountain Njunis.[1]
Government
editWhile it existed, Øverbygd Municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council.[12] The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.
Municipal council
editThe municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Øverbygd was made up of 13 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 3 | |
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 4 | |
| Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 6 | |
| Total number of members: | 13 | |
| Note: On 1 January 1964, Øverbygd Municipality became part of Målselv Municipality. | ||
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 13 | |
| Total number of members: | 13 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 12 | |
| Total number of members: | 12 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 12 | |
| Total number of members: | 12 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 12 | |
| Total number of members: | 12 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 12 | |
| Total number of members: | 12 | |
| Note: Due to the German occupation of Norway during World War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945. | ||
Mayors
editThe mayor (Norwegian: ordfører) of Øverbygd was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. Here is a list of people who have held this position:
- 1925-1931: A.M. Elvevold[19]
- 1931-1941: Bjarne Haug (LL)[20]
- 1942-1943: Tollef Tollefsen[21]
- 1943-1944: Arne Thraasdal[21]
- 1944-1945: Erik Heggelund[22]
- 1945-1945: Bjarne Haug (LL)[23]
- 1946-1947: Åsmund Forseth (Ap)[24]
- 1948-1951: Bjarne Haug (LL)[25]
- 1952-1955: Åsmund Forseth (Ap)[26]
- 1955-1963: Ole M. Stefanussen (LL)[27]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Høgaste fjelltopp i kvar kommune" (in Norwegian). Kartverket. 16 January 2024.
- ^ "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
- ^ "Norsk Lovtidende. 2den Afdeling. 1932. Samling af Love, Resolutioner m.m". Norsk Lovtidend (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norway: Grøndahl og Søns Boktrykkeri: 453–471. 1932.
- ^ "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
- ^ Bolstad, Erik; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (26 January 2023). "Kommunenummer". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget.
- ^ a b c Thorsnæs, Geir, ed. (18 June 2018). "Øverbygd – tidligere kommune". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
- ^ Statistisk sentralbyrå. "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian).
- ^ Statistisk sentralbyrå (1 January 1951). Norges Sivile, Geistlige, Rettslige og Militære Inndeling 1. Januar 1951 (PDF). Norges Offisielle Statistikk (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: H. Aschehoug & Co.
- ^ Keslassy, Elsa (15 June 2020). "Reinvent Kicks Off Pre-Sales on Hot New Scandi Drama Outlier". Variety. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
- ^ Gunleik (26 November 2020). "Shuuto Arctic: Outlier - 'Here's to the crazy ones...'". Quine. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
- ^ a b Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå. ISBN 9788253746845.
- ^ Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (20 September 2022). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- ^ "Avskjed med Øverbygden". Nordlys (in Norwegian). 18 June 1925. p. 3. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
- ^ "Ny ordfører i Øverbygd". Nordlys (in Norwegian). 15 December 1931. p. 2. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
- ^ a b "Ordførerskifte i Finnmark og Troms". Tromsø (in Norwegian). 5 January 1942. p. 2. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
- ^ "Som ny ordfører i Øverbygd". Harstad Tidende (in Norwegian). 23 June 1944. p. 3. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
- ^ "Til kommunestyre i Øverbygd". Tromsø (in Norwegian). 21 June 1945. p. 2. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
- ^ "Ordførervalgene i Troms". Nordlys (in Norwegian). 2 January 1946. p. 2. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
- ^ "Øverbygd herredsstyre". Nordlys (in Norwegian). 31 December 1947. p. 4. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
- ^ "Arbeiderpartiordfører i Hillesøy, Øverbygd og Malangen". Folkeviljen (in Norwegian). 21 December 1951. p. 1. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
- ^ "Samfundspartimann ordfører i Øverbygd". Folkeviljen (in Norwegian). 10 December 1955. p. 7. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
