Composer.
As early as the early 1930s, Tveitt had been active in the Ragnarok circle of nationalist intellectuals. In 1940 he was called upon by SS officer Arnold Waldschmidt to contribute persuaded in the new system, although he rejected Vidkun Quisling as too weak a leader. The result was a newly created position for him as a state music advisor (“statens musikkonsulent”) to assist the propaganda department of the Quisling regime in all musical matters.
In September 1942, however, Tveitt resigned from this post and was granted a governmental stipend to collect folk tunes in the Hardanger region. According to secret reports from the German security police, he had not shown sufficient commitment to his new area of responsibility and would rather return to his artistic work. Since at the same time his music was described in the reports as controversial and too atonal, one promised oneself of his Successor Monrad Johansen a significantly improved cooperation.
In addition, in the 1940s Tveitt was a rival to Bergen violinist and Hird bandmaster Jim Johannessen, who had established himself as a willing Ministry henchman behind Tveitt’s back.
In retrospect Tveitt and his children told the unproven story that the SS paid him a visit and that he was interrogated by the Gestapo in spring 1944, even joined the resistance movement at the end of the war and celebrated Norway’s liberation in a Hjemmefronten’s uniform as a picture indicates.
