Georg Ræder

Johan Georg Ræder (21 March 1814 – 3 January 1898) was a Norwegian military officer, railway pioneer and politician. He was a driving force in the construction of Norway's first railway line, the Hoved Line from Christiania to Eidsvoll, which opened in 1854.

Personal life Ræder was born in Kongsvinger as the son of Johan Christopher Ræder and Karen Sophie Hedevig Munch. He was the brother of Ole Munch Ræder, and uncle of Anton Ræder. He was selected to be a member of the first Norwegian railway commission in 1845. Ræder was a driving force in the commission, and also a member of the supervising committee for the construction of Norway's first railway line, the Hoved Line from Christiania to Eidsvoll. The line opened in 1854. He was suppleant to the Parliament of Norway from 1862 to 1863, from 1865 to 1866, and from 1874 to 1879. He was director of the Norwegian Military College from 1864 to 1894. He had the rank of major general from 1872, and lieutenant general from 1888. At the crowning ceremony of King Oscar II in the Nidaros Cathedral in 1873 he carried the Royal Sword. A painting by Knud Bergslien from 1874 depicting this ceremony is located at the Royal Palace in Oslo. He was a member of several public commissions, and wrote many articles for the magazine Norsk Militært Tidsskrift.