Karl Rolvaag

Karl Fritjof Rolvaag ( born July 18, 1913 in Northfield, Minnesota, † December 20, 1990 ) was an American politician and 1963-1967 Governor of the State of Minnesota.

Early years

Karl Rolvaag attended St. Olaf College and thereafter until 1946, the University of Minnesota. Finally, he was able to study in Norway with a grant from the American -Scandinavian Foundation to 1948 in Oslo. His education was interrupted by the Second World War, took part in the Rolvaag as an officer in the U.S. Army. After studying Rolvaag worked in the insurance industry.

Political rise

Rolvaag was a member of the Democratic Party, which since a merger in 1944 called Democratic - Farmer-Labor Party (DFL ) in Minnesota. Between 1954 and 1963 he was vice- governor of his state. In the gubernatorial election of 1962, he ran against the incumbent Elmer L. Andersen. The election result was very tight and stable after several tellers and a court decision in March 1963: Rolvaag had won with 91 -vote lead.

Governor of Minnesota

Karl Rolvaag took up his new post on March 21, 1963. He became the first governor of this state, which was able to complete a four-year term by a constitutional amendment. In these four years, a new school system was introduced in the field of Junior Colleges in Minnesota. The election districts of the State were re-divided and the conditions in the mental hospitals have been improved. After he had failed in 1966 with an attempt at re-election, Rolvaag had to leave his post on January 2, 1967.

Further CV

Between 1967 and 1969 Rolvaag was an American ambassador to Iceland. From 1970 to 1975 he was a member of the committee that dealt with the public utilities of the state ( Minnesota Public Utility Commission ). After he retired from public life. He then had a drinking problem, which he fought. Later he lectured in self-help groups for alcoholics and gave assistance to overcome this problem. He died in December 1990 of heart failure. With his wife, Florence A. Boedeker he had two children.