Peder Furubotn

Peder Furubotn (29 August 1890 – 28 November 1975) was a Norwegian cabinetmaker, politician for the Communist Party and resistance member during World War II.

Early and personal life Furubotn was born near Brekke in Lavik og Brekke Municipality in Nordre Bergenhus county, Norway. He was the son of Jørgen Furubotn and Valgjerd Miljeteig. He married Gina Dorthea Sandal in 1912. He started working as a cabinetmaker in Bergen when he was 14 years old. He joined the local union in 1909, and was a board member of the Bergen chapter for several years. He was also a board member of the Labour Party in Bergen. He was a board member of the radical union branch Fagopposisjonen av 1911, which had been founded by Martin Tranmæl.

1923–1940 He was elected general secretary for the Communist Party of Norway (Norges Kommunistiske Parti, NKP) from its foundation in 1923, and was chairman of the party from 1925 to 1930. During this period he was among the loyal Moscow supporters and criticized people who diverged from the "correct" political line, as well as the Labour Party.

The Germans made several efforts at catching Furubotn and his communist resistance organization. During the German Operation Almenrausch in June 1944 he successfully made a close escape from a large number of German troops, together with his family and central political activists, including Ørnulf Egge, Roald Halvorsen, Samuel Titlestad and Arne Taraldsen. Several other members of the organization were arrested in the operation.

Post-war period Furubotn had a central role within the Communist Party until 1947, when he retired from his position as secretary general. In 1949 he was expelled from the NKP as a "Titoist" following internal controversies and interference from Moscow. Furubotn and his supporters were accused of being titoists and nationalists. Furubotn continued with political activities, but was isolated from party politics during the Cold War period. Among his post-war publications are from 1948, from 1951, from 1963, and from 1969. His biography was written by historian Torgrim Titlestad.

Furubotn died in Oslo in 1975.

Biographies Torgrim Titlestad: Peder Furubotn 1890 – 1938 (1975). Torgrim Titlestad: Stalin midt imot (1977) Torgrim Titlestad: I kamp, i krig (1977)