Creating Networks in Chemistry: The Founding and Early History of Chemical Societies in Europe
Chapter 10: NORWAY: A Group of Chemists in the Polytechnic Society in Christiania. The Norwegian Chemical Society, 1893–1916
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Published:10 Apr 2008
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Special Collection: 2008 ebook collection
Bjørn Pedersen, 2008. "NORWAY: A Group of Chemists in the Polytechnic Society in Christiania. The Norwegian Chemical Society, 1893–1916", Creating Networks in Chemistry: The Founding and Early History of Chemical Societies in Europe, Anita Kildebæk Nielsen, Sona Strbanova
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A chemical society was founded in Norway fairly late compared to other countries in Europe. We have to look at the history of Norway to understand why. In the nineteenth century, Norway was a country at the outskirts of Europe fighting for its independence with a population of less than one million in 1800.
In 1380, a king common to both Denmark and Norway formed the union Denmark-Norway, and in the next 434 years Denmark became the dominating part in the union. There was no university in Norway before 1811 so Norwegians who wanted to study at an advanced level had to go to the University of Copenhagen or to one of the German universities. The only higher institution founded in Norway by the King of Denmark was the Det Kongelige Bergseminarium (the Royal Mountain School) founded in 1757 and connected to Kongsberg sølvverk (the silver company at Kongsberg) founded in 1624.
