Hans Nilsen Hauge

Hans Nilsen Hauge (3 November 1853 – 17 December 1931) was a Norwegian priest and politician for Norway's Conservative Party. He was Minister of Education and Church Affairs from 1903 to 1905.

Knudsen was born in Nord-Audnedal,^[1] and was the grandson of the revivalist lay preacher Hans Nielsen Hauge and son of priest Andreas Hauge.^[2] He enrolled as a student in 1871 and graduated as cand.theol. in 1877. He was acting vicar in Brevik from January to July 1879,^[1] and then worked in Skien until 1887, except for the years 1881 to 1886 when he was a sailors' padre in North Shields. In 1887 he became vicar in Brevik on a permanent basis.^[2] He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from the city in 1895 and 1898.^[3] In 1900 he became vicar in Eidanger.^[2]

On 22 October 1903, when the second cabinet Hagerup assumed office, Hauge was appointed Norwegian Minister of Education and Church Affairs. The cabinet resigned on 10 March 1905 as a part of the build-up for the dissolution of the union between Norway and Sweden; Hauge did not retain the job.^[3] He did not return to Eidanger either,^[2] instead he became vicar in Skien. He changed job to dean in 1918, and retired in 1924.^[1]

Hauge was appointed a Knight of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav and a Commander of the Order of the Dannebrog.^[1]