Olav Kristian Strømme

Olav Kristian Strømme (November 22, 1907 – August 19, 1976) was a Norwegian Lutheran priest. He also established himself as a local historian and genealogical researcher, but he is best known for his fundraising activity for many aid projects. Through announcements in newspapers, he encouraged people to donate money to projects that had been started by Norwegian missionaries, and the sums that he collected through the ads gave him the reputation of an entire aid organization in one individual.

Biography Strømme received his degree in theology in 1932 and served as a vicar in several locations until he became a deacon at Kristiansand Cathedral in 1942. At Strømme's funeral, Kristiansand Cathedral was filled, and outside the church there were thousands more people that were unable to enter the church.

Fundraising In 1964, the missionary Agnar Espegren appeared on the television program Vi går ombord hosted by Erik Bye. There he described his work with drug addicts in Hong Kong. After the broadcast, contact was established between Strømme and Espegren, and fundraising took off quickly. Strømme's frank ability to ask for donations for relief work was greatly rewarded, and many received extra funding for initiatives that they could not otherwise afford.

Awards In 1973, Strømme received the King's Medal of Merit in gold.

Legacy The Strømme Foundation is named after Olav Kristian Strømme.