History[edit]

DKNVS was founded in 1760 by the bishop of Nidaros Johan Ernst Gunnerus, headmaster at the Trondheim Cathedral School Gerhard Schøning and Councillor of State Peter Frederik Suhm under the name Det Trondhiemske Selskab (the Trondheim Society). From 1761 it published academic papers in a series titled Skrifter. It was the northernmost learned society in the world, and was established in a time when Norway did not have universities or colleges.^[1][2]


It received the royal affirmation of its statutes on 17 July 1767,^[3] and was given its present name at a ceremony on 29 January 1788, king Christian VII of Denmark's birthday.^[4] In 1771, when Johann Friedrich Struensee took over the de facto rule of Denmark-Norway, Johan Ernst Gunnerus was summoned to Copenhagen, where he was given the mission to establish a university in Norway. Gunnerus did not suggest that the university be established in Trondhjem, but in southern Christianssand (Kristiansand), due to its proximity to Jutland. If this happened, he would have the Society of Sciences and Letters moved to Christianssand, to correspond with the new university. However, the plan was never carried out. Struensee's reign ended in 1772, but he reportedly dismissed the plan before this.^[1] (Kristiansand got its university in 2007.^[5])


The society was housed in the premises of Trondheim Cathedral School until 1866, when it acquired its own localities.^[4] Since 1903 its main task was to run a museum. In 1926 there was a split in which the museum became a separate entity, receiving the assets of the learned society. Also in 1926, another publication series Det Kongelige Norske Videnskabers Selskab Forhandlinger was inaugurated.^[4] Ownership of the museum was transferred to the University of Trondheim in 1968,^[6] today the Norwegian University of Science and Technology,^[3] but DKNVS re-received some assets in a 1984 reorganization, and now controls these assets through the foundation DKNVSS.^[6]


A history of the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters was written in 1960 by Hans Midbøe, and released in two volumes.^[7]


In connection with the 250th anniversary of the Society, Håkon With Andersen, Brita Brenna, Magne Njåstad, and Astrid Wale wrote an updated history.^[8] Also, Arild Stubhaug wrote a shorter history, prepared for a general audience.^[9]

This is a list of the heads of the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters:^[4]