Hemnes

This article is about the municipality in Nordland. For the village in Akershus, see Hemnes, Akershus.

Hemnes Municipality Hemnes kommune
Municipality
View of Hemnesberget
Flag Coat of arms
Nordland within Norway
Hemnes within Nordland
Coordinates: 66°03′15″N14°01′50″E / 66.05417°N 14.03056°E / 66.05417; 14.03056
Country	Norway
County	Nordland
District	Helgeland
Established	1839
• Preceded by	Rana Municipality
Administrative centre	Korgen
Government
• Mayor (2019)	Paul Asphaug (Sp)
Area
• Total	1,589.50 km2 (613.71 sq mi)
• Land	1,430.03 km2 (552.14 sq mi)
• Water	159.47 km2 (61.57 sq mi)  10%
• Rank	#49 in Norway
Population  (2023)
• Total	4,459
• Rank	#193 in Norway
• Density	3.1/km2 (8/sq mi)
• Change (10 years)	−3.5%
Demonym	Hemnesværing [1]
Official language [2]
•  Norwegian form	Neutral
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 code	NO-1832 [3]
Website	Official website
Data from Statistics Norway

Hemnes is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Korgen. Other villages include Bjerka, Bleikvasslia, Hemnesberget, and Sund.

View from Korgfjellet mountain in Hemnes (about 400 m amsl) towards Vefsn

The municipality sits south of the Ranfjorden and stretches south and east toward the border with Sweden. The Nordland Line and European route E6 cross Hemnes on their way to the town of Mo i Rana about 20 kilometres (12 mi) to the northeast. The E6 highway enters Hemnes from the west through the Korgfjell Tunnel from Vefsn.

The 1,590-square-kilometre (610 sq mi) municipality is the 49th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Hemnes is the 193rd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 4,459. The municipality's population density is 3.1 inhabitants per square kilometre (8.0/sq mi) and its population has decreased by 3.5% over the previous 10-year period. ^{[4] [5]}

Economy: A manufacturer is now ^[6] moving all of its 100 jobs in the community, to a a county in South Norway, according to media in September 2023.

General information

This municipality was established in 1839 when the old municipality of Rana was divided into Sør-Rana and Nord-Rana, shortly after the Formannskapsdistrikt law went into effect. Soon after, in 1844, Sør-Rana was renamed Hemnes.

On 1 July 1918, the southern district of Hemnes (population: 1,369) was separated to become the new municipality of Korgen. This left Hemnes with 3,567 residents. A few months later on 1 January 1919, the eastern area of Bardal (population: 4) was transferred to the neighboring municipality of Nesna. Then on 1 July 1929, Hemnes was split into three municipalities: Sør-Rana, Elsfjord, and Hemnes. After this, the municipality of Hemnes only consisted of the village of Hemnesberget and the area immediately around it (population: 1,077). During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the municipalities of Korgen, Hemnes, the extreme northern part of Hattfjelldal Municipality, and the southern part of Sør-Rana Municipality were all merged to form a new, larger municipality of Hemnes. ^[7]

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Hemnes farm (Old Norse : Heimnes, now called Hemnesberget) since the first Hemnes Church was built there. The first element is heimr which means "home" (here in the sense of being "closest to home"). The last element is nes which means "headland", referring to the peninsula on which the farm is located. ^[8]

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 4 April 1986. The official blazon is "Azure, boat clamps Or" (Norwegian : I blått en gull båtklammer). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a boat clamp. The clamp has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The blue color in the field symbolizes the importance of the ocean. The clamp was chosen because shipbuilding has long been a tradition in the municipality. To symbolize shipbuilding, it was decided to use the clamp which is used to keep the wooden flanks of the ships together. The arms were designed by Anne Lofthus Valla. ^{[9] [10] [11]}

Churches

The Church of Norway has three parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Hemnes. It is part of the Indre Helgeland prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland.

Churches in Hemnes

Parish (sokn)	Church name	Location of the church	Year built
Bleikvassli	Bleikvassli Church	Bleikvasslia	1955
Hemnes	Hemnes Church	Hemnesberget	1872
Korgen	Korgen Church	Korgen	1863

History

Memorial for Yugoslav partisans taken as POWs.

Second World War

As part of their drive on Northern Norway, a detachment of three hundred German soldiers landed at Hemnes from the captured Norwegian coastal steamer SS Nordnorge on 10 May 1940 and captured the municipality from a platoon of British soldiers from No. 1 Independent Company, despite a spirited defence in the streets of Hemnesberget. A Royal Navy task force consisting of the anti-aircraft cruiser Calcutta and destroyer Zulu sank the former Norwegian steamer and shelled the German forces in the town, but were unable to dislodge the German landing force.

A Norwegian Army detachment attempted a counterattack against the German's positions, but was driven back. The town was again bombarded on 12 May by a passing Royal Navy force without significant effect, leaving Hemnes in German control for the rest of the war. ^[12]

Government

All municipalities in Norway are responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. ^[13] The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Helgeland District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Hemnes is made up of 23 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Hemnes kommunestyre 2024–2027 ^[14]   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	5
	Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)	2
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	3
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	4
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	3
	Social Democrats Hemnes (Sosialdemokratene Hemnes)	5
	Green Hemnes (Grønt Hemnes)	1
Total number of members:		23

Hemnes kommunestyre 2020–2023 ^[15]   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	6
	Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)	1
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	4
	Red Party (Rødt)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	6
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	2
	Social Democrats Hemnes (Sosialdemokratene Hemnes)	3
Total number of members:		23

Hemnes kommunestyre 2016–2019 ^[16]   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	8
	Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)	2
	Green Party (Miljøpartiet De Grønne)	1
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	6
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	4
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	2
Total number of members:		23

Hemnes kommunestyre 2012–2015 ^[17]   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	8
	Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)	4
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	5
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	4
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
	Hemnes Community Party (Hemnes samfunnsparti)	1
Total number of members:		23

Hemnes kommunestyre 2008–2011 ^[16]   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	11
	Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)	5
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	4
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	1
Total number of members:		23

Hemnes kommunestyre 2004–2007 ^[16]   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	7
	Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)	4
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	2
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	5
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	3
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	1
	Hemnes Peoples Party Free Politics List (Hemnes Folkepartis Fripolitiske Liste)	1
Total number of members:		23

Hemnes kommunestyre 2000–2003 ^[16]   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	11
	Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)	2
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	2
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	10
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	2
	Local list (Bygdelista)	1
Total number of members:		29

Hemnes kommunestyre 1996–1999 ^[18]   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	13
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	4
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	6
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	3
	Local list (Bygdeliste)	2
Total number of members:		29

Hemnes kommunestyre 1992–1995 ^[19]   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	12
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	3
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	5
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	5
	Local list (Bygdeliste)	3
Total number of members:		29

Hemnes kommunestyre 1988–1991 ^[20]   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	13
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	6
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	3
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	4
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	1
	Hemnes cross-party list (Hemnes tverrpolitiske liste)	1
Total number of members:		29

Hemnes kommunestyre 1984–1987 ^[21]   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	15
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	6
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	4
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	3
	Joint list of the Liberal Party and independent liberal voters (Venstre og uavhengige liberale velgeres liste)	1
Total number of members:		31

Hemnes kommunestyre 1980–1983 ^[22]   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	14
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	8
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	2
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	4
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
	Joint list of the Liberal Party and independent liberal voters (Venstre og uavhengige liberale velgeres liste)	2
Total number of members:		31

Hemnes kommunestyre 1976–1979 ^[23]   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	15
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	3
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	2
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	6
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	3
	Joint list of the Liberal Party (Venstre) and New People's Party (Nye Folkepartiet)	2
Total number of members:		31

Hemnes kommunestyre 1972–1975 ^[24]   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	15
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	2
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	6
	Socialist People's Party (Sosialistisk Folkeparti)	4
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	3
Total number of members:		31

Hemnes kommunestyre 1968–1971 ^[25]   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	16
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	2
	Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	5
	Socialist People's Party (Sosialistisk Folkeparti)	3
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	4
Total number of members:		31

Hemnes kommunestyre 1964–1967 ^[26]   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	15
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	3
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	2
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	5
	Socialist People's Party (Sosialistisk Folkeparti)	3
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	3
Total number of members:		31

Hemnes herredsstyre 1960–1963 ^[27]   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	7
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	1
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	4
	Local List(s) (Lokale lister)	1
Total number of members:		13

Hemnes herredsstyre 1956–1959 ^[28]   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	5
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	1
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	4
	Local List(s) (Lokale lister)	3
Total number of members:		13

Hemnes herredsstyre 1952–1955 ^[29]   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	4
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	1
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	4
	Local List(s) (Lokale lister)	3
Total number of members:		12

Hemnes herredsstyre 1948–1951 ^[30]   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	7
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	1
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	4
Total number of members:		12

Hemnes herredsstyre 1945–1947 ^[31]   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	7
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	3
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)	1
	Local List(s) (Lokale lister)	1
Total number of members:		12

Hemnes herredsstyre 1938–1941* ^[32]   

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	6
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	4
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)	1
	Local List(s) (Lokale lister)	1
Total number of members:		12
Note: Due to the German occupation of Norway during World War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945.

Mayors

The mayors of Hemnes (incomplete list):

• 1964-1967: Kristen Pettersen Øverleir (Ap)
• 1968-1975: Ole Brygfjeld (Ap)
• 1976-1979: Harald Gullesen (Ap)
• 1980-1983: Nils Nermark (H)
• 1984-1995: Ørnulf Skjæran (Ap)
• 1996-1999: Nils Valla (Sp)
• 1999-2003: Per Jomar Hoel (Sp)
• 2003-2011: Kjell-Idar Juvik (Ap)
• 2011-2015: Kjell Joar Petersen-Øverleir (H)
• 2015-2019: Christine Trones (H)
• 2019-present: Paul Asphaug (Sp)

Okstindan range with Oksskolten, 1916 m, the highest mountain in North Norway.

Geography

The lake Røssvatnet (Southern Sami : Reevhtse) is a lake and reservoir lying partially in the southern part of Hemnes. It has been the site of human occupation since the Stone Age. Its area of 219 square kilometres (85 sq mi) makes it the second largest lake in Norway by surface area. Other lakes include Bleikvatnet, Grasvatnet, Stormålvatnet, and Stormyrbassenget.

The Okstindan mountain range is located in Hemnes, including the mountain Oksskolten. The large Okstindbreen glacier sits atop the mountain range.

Notable people

Laila Stien,2007

• Kristen Rivertz, (Norwegian Wiki) (1862–1937), architect
• Johan Albrigt Rivertz (1874 in Korgen – 1942) a judge on the Supreme Court of Norway
• Erling Falk (1887 in Hemnesberget - 1940) a Norwegian politician, ideologist and writer
• Christen Finbak, (Norwegian Wiki) (1904–1954) chemist and physicist
• Egil Kraggerud (born 1939 in Hemnes) a Norwegian philologist
• Laila Stien (born 1946 in Hemnes) a novelist, poet and author of children's literature
• Gerd-Liv Valla (born 1948) a former trade union leader, grew up near Bjerka
• Reidar Sørensen (born 1956 in Hemnesberget) a Norwegian stage and film actor ^[33]
• Kjell-Idar Juvik (born 1966 in Hemnesberget) a politician, Mayor of Hemnes 2003–2011
• Børge Petersen-Øverleir (born 1967 in Hemnesberget) a Norwegian guitarist

References

1. "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
2. "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
3. Bolstad, Erik; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (26 January 2023). "Kommunenummer". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget.
4. Statistisk sentralbyrå. "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian).
5. Statistisk sentralbyrå. "09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M)" (in Norwegian).
6. https://www.nrk.no/nordland/100-ansatte-mister-jobber-_-vindusfabrikken-natre-legger-ned-pa-hemnes-1.16571668. NRK.no. Retrieved 2023-09-26
7. Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå.
8. Rygh, Oluf (1905). Norske gaardnavne: Nordlands amt (in Norwegian) (16 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 132.
9. "Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
10. "Hemnes, Nordland (Norway)". Flags of the World. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
11. "Godkjenning av våpen og flagg". Lovdata.no (in Norwegian). Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet. 4 April 1986. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
12. "The Campaign in Norway". London: HMSO: HyperWar. 1952.
13. Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (20 September 2022). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget . Retrieved 14 October 2022.
14. "Kommunestyrevalg 2023 - Nordland". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
15. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2019 - Nordland". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
16. "Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M)" (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway.
17. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Nordland". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
18. "Kommunestyrevalget 1995" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1996. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
19. "Kommunestyrevalget 1991" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1993. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
20. "Kommunestyrevalget 1987" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1988. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
21. "Kommunestyrevalget 1983" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1984. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
22. "Kommunestyrevalget 1979" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1979. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
23. "Kommunevalgene 1975" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1977. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
24. "Kommunevalgene 1972" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1973. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
25. "Kommunevalgene 1967" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1967. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
26. "Kommunevalgene 1963" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1964. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
27. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
28. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
29. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
30. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
31. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
32. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
33. IMDb Database retrieved 10 September 2020

External links

• Municipal fact sheet from Statistics Norway (in Norwegian)

• Nordland travel guide from Wikivoyage