Halvard Lange

Halvard Manthey Lange (16 September 1902 – 19 May 1970) was a Norwegian politician and diplomat, who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1946-1963 and again from 1963-1965.

He was arrested by the Nazi German occupying forces in 1942 and spent the rest of the war in various concentration camps.

He was the Norwegian foreign minister from 1946 till 1965, except for a month in 1963 during the administration of John Lyng.

He was viewed as "right-wing" politician in the Norwegian Labour Party, partially because of his strong support for Western alignment.

Lange was, together with Lester B. Pearson and Gaetano Martino, one of the "three wise men" on the "Committee of Three" advising NATO on ways to strengthen its non-military cooperation.

Halvard Lange, left, with Gaetano Martino and Lester B. Pearson , the "three wise men" of NATO, in 1956.