In 2018 is it 20 years since the industrial museums in Tistedal vs.Halden open its doors. The museums exhibitions then had the title “Bomull- Sten-Sko” ” = Cotton-Stone- Shoes). It constitute three divisions under the same roof as showed to three different historical industryes as had been in Halden. And each divison constituted one museum. The “Shoemuseum” as was build on colletions from the shoeindustry in Halden had also the intention that it should have a “national responsebility”. The prosject was supportet by the Norwegian Cultur council, Østfold County Municipality and the Chief Inpector of Inspectorate of Ancient Monuments and Historical Buildings. But after 20 years have it happen quite little in “national connection”. In fact would I say; the “shoemuseum” and its intention looks to have gone more or less in forgetfulness on the political, artistical and cultural field. Even if the notion “shoemuseum” should have a considerable sounding board in Halden because it’s one of the old core region in norwegian shoeindustry with central historical figures as Marcus Halvorsen in lead. He was also with in the working committee as was set down in 1941, when the first real shoemuseum; Norwegian Shoemuseum was foundet. The ideamaker and initiativ-taker was editor fore the magazin Lær, Sko og Skinn ( the one as was published between 1927-1942) Richard Seligmann. It was representatives for all organisation in this committee, but not any representatives from LO? =Labour Union). Norwegian Shoemuseum of 1941 intention was to show the fields part of norwegian working life. Therefore must the foundation or the idea also be understud as part of the labour movements idea, art and culture struggel from around 1900 and forward through the years of 10-20 and 30. Even if the ideamaker and intiativ- taker run a independent (political?) magazin. It was first about 60 years later the undersigner begin to ask questions about Norwegian Shoemuseum. And “allways” get the answer that it not was founded any shoemuseum. Or was getting the understanding that it “was a try as became destroyed of the war”. But as fare I have study the proscess of the foundation as it was writet about by Richard Seligmann in Lær, Sko og Skinn have I still doupt about if it not are closer to the truth that a Norwegian shoemuseum could be to be understud as founded. A unclearnes fore it, is the relationship between the foundation and the fact that the country was in war. And legal authorityes in exil. But that is something quite else than to brush it aside “as a try on a foundation”. But this is never mentioned in connetion between “the foundation of” and “the try on” as it should be unessential, while it actual is the only of signification?. It’s between “the foundation of” and “the try on” that right shall be right ; Richard Seligmann wrote in the magazin Lær, Sko og Skinn No. 20-1941 “The shoemuseum secured”. And never about a “try on a foundation”. The Public affairs /state have never comment the foundation of the norwegian shoemuseum in 1941. And it was not set down a skilled committee as had the commission to clear up the questions in connetion to the foundation of the norwegian shoemuseum after the war. It was quite easy , in a unisonus post war time to brush aside such demands if they at all was demanded. After the war, after 1945 and the whole 1950 was it only rebuilding of the country it was about. And in the 1960 and 70’s was the refrain “that the shoemakers time was over”. And the shoeindustry was in much closed down or moved out of the country. And the tannery industry disappered more or less in the backsweep as the closing down of the shoeindustry or its moving abroad created. The 1980-90 brought some books and the industrialmuseum in Tistedal vs. Halden. I do not know if the “shoemuseum department” at the industrial museum any time through this 20 years it have exist have had the foundation of the first norwegian shoemuseum in 1941 as a topic on the program?. But it is all about the historical lines as also have been with on to create the supposition fore the industrial museum in Tistedal’s shoe divison. And from there, if you should take the museums “responsebility in a national direction” serious,… about some important historical lines in the countrys history on the field as is important because the topic is current in this days where it is talk about making one more (tannery) museum in the Halden region, but without that the idea about a norwegian shoemuseum looks to be part of the discussion. The new tannery museum shows already out to be one more museum on the field ” as have enough with itself” and as is open one or two days in a year. It exist some such tannery museums around in the country. But not one shoemuseum as could be the center in a organizing as whent out on to create little more life on both the tannery museums and the many shoe/shoemaker collections as is around and as share destiny with the tannery museums opening times. It is still possible to found a norwegian shoemuseum if the will is there, political, artistical and cultural.
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