Erling Sandberg
Erling Sandberg | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 3, 1879 New York City, United States |
| Died | June 30, 1956 (aged 76) |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, politician |
| Years active | 1918–1943 |
| Known for | Minister of Finance in Norway during German occupation (1940–1942), CEO of Christiania Bank og Kredittkasse, leader of Norwegian Bankers' Association |
Erling Sandberg (3 August 1879 – 30 June 1956) was a prominent Norwegian figure in banking and politics.
Originating from New York City, Sandberg held the position of office manager at the Bank of Norway between 1918 and 1919, followed by serving as deputy chairman from 1919 to 1920. In 1920, he assumed the role of CEO at Christiania Bank og Kredittkasse and later led the Norwegian Bankers' Association starting in 1930. Additionally, he played a significant role in the upbringing of his godson Harald Damsleth, who became known as a Nazi-affiliated artist.
During the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany in 1940, Sandberg was appointed Minister of Finance on 25 September within the administration overseen by Josef Terboven. Although the Norwegian Fascist party Nasjonal Samling had influence over cabinet selections, Sandberg was appointed as a non-political figure, in accordance with the requirements set by the Reichskommissariat Norwegen. He accepted this position with the intention of controlling government expenditures, especially those related to the Ministry of the Interior. Not affiliated with Nasjonal Samling, he was removed when Quisling established his cabinet in February 1942. Subsequently, Sandberg continued as a senior official in the Ministry of Finance and Customs until he took sick leave in March 1943 and formally resigned in September of that year.
After World War II concluded in 1945, Sandberg ended his involvement in banking, having been inactive since 1940. He was detained during the postwar legal purge on charges of collaboration but was ultimately cleared by the Supreme Court following an initial one-year prison sentence imposed on appeal.