George Wegner Paus

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George Wegner Paus

George Wegner Paus (14 October 1882 – 22 December 1923) was a Norwegian lawyer and Director at the Norwegian Employers' Confederation. As such, he played an important role in labour issues in Norway and in the development of Norwegian labour law from the early 20th century. He participated in the establishment of the International Labour Organization in 1919.

Career

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George Wegner Paus photographed around 1900 by Gustav Borgen

He graduated with the cand.jur. degree at The Royal Frederick's in 1904. After briefly working as a barrister with his own practice in Oslo, he was consular secretary at the newly established Norwegian consulate in Chicago from 1905 to 1907.

In 1907, he was employed as Secretary, effectively general counsel, at the newly founded Norwegian Employers' Confederation, becoming its second management-level employee and its first lawyer. In 1918 he became Director. He was part of the Norwegian delegation at the conference that established the International Labour Organization in 1919, together with Johan Castberg and others.

Background

He was a son of the theologian Bernhard Pauss and Anna Henriette Wegner. He was a brother of the surgeon and humanitarian Nikolai Nissen Paus and of the industrial leader Augustin Paus, and a grandson of the industrialist Benjamin Wegner. He was named for his uncle, the supreme court advocate George Mygind Wegner (1847–1881), who in turn was named for the former British consul in Oslo and family friend, George Mygind (died 1844).