Erling Steen

[7] Steen finished his secondary education in 1910, graduated from Kristiania Commerce School in 1912 and underwent mercantile training in the United States, Germany and France.

[1] This protest of the 43 was met with harsh reactions; already on 12 June 1941 arrest orders were issued on Steen and fellow signatory Henning Bødtker.

On 18 June six more protesters were arrested, including Steen's fellow signatory from Norges Handelsstands Forbund, Paul Christian Frank.

Until his release in late February 1943, he served as an informal "director of personnel" in Grini concentration camp, in other words a liaison, administrator and leading figure in general.

As the company refused to abide by the trade policies of the occupiers, Steen & Strøm's wholesaling and retailing departments were shut down by the authorities.

[1] In business, he was a board member of Norges Varemesse from 1929 to 1932,[8] Bergens Privatbank from 1936 to 1950, Vinmonopolet from 1945 to 1954, Bygg ditt Land from 1945 to 1950[1] Forsikringsselskapet Poseidon from and the Norwegian Geographical Society from 1945.