Thorstein Diesen

Halvor Thorstein Romdal Diesen (7 December 1862 – 4 September 1925) was a Norwegian barrister, newspaper editor and politician for the Conservative Party.

Personal life He was born in Christiania as a son of Søren Diesen (1816–97) and Maren S. Hellerud (1822–1903). In March 1896 in Bergen he married shipmaster's daughter Barbara "Baby" Matzau Gjerding (1874–1933). They had six children, among them the sons Halvor and Einar Diesen who both followed in his footsteps in the press. Through his twin brother, the vicar Søren Einar Munch Diesen, he was an uncle of the television people Thorstein Diesen, Jr. and granduncle of Erik Diesen.

Career He grew up in Enerhaugen, finished his secondary education in 1881 and graduated from the Royal Frederick University with the cand.jur. degree in 1886. He served as deputy judge in Voss and Hardanger from 1888 to 1890, and then worked as the editor-in-chief of Bergens Aftenblad from 1890 to 1898. He had worked part-time as a copyeditor and journalist in Fædrelandet during his studies, and was more inclined to work on a newspaper desk than as a jurist. Diesen's editorials were signed by a hammer, and were noted as being written in a popular, not always academic, style. He also released political pamphlets and books.

Diesen remained editor-in-chief until his death while vacationing at Larkollen in September 1925. He also chaired the Norwegian Students' Society in 1900, and chaired the Conservative Press Association from 1910 to his death.