The Trygve Lie Gallery Honors the First Secretary-General of the U.N.
By Rolf Kristian Stang.

About Trygve Lie

Born on July 16, 1896 in Oslo, Norway, he was educated at Oslo University where he obtained a law degree in 1919. In 1921, he married Hjørdis Jørgensen. They had three children: Sissel, Guri and Mette.

For three decades, he was active in the Norwegian Labor Party serving in various posts. Moving from legal advisory capacities, he became Minister of Justice for the years 1935 to 1939 and became Minister of Trade and Industries in 1939. When the Second World War broke out, he became Minister of Supply and Shipping. In that capacity, following the Nazi invasion, he developed the provisional measures that saved the huge Norwegian merchant fleet which became so instrumental in assuring victory for the Allies.

He became a member of the Norwegian Storting/Parliament in 1936, acting Foreign Minister in 1940 and was appointed Foreign Minister in 1941.

In 1945, it would be Trygve Lie who led the Norwegian delegation to the United Nations Conference on International Organization in San Francisco, where he would serve as Chairman of Commission III for drafting the Security Council provisions of the Charter.

Trygve Lie was also Chairman of the Norwegian delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in London in January 1946, immediately before his being named first Secretary-General, February 1, 1946.