Photo album from David Ben-Gurion’s visit to Oslo in the summer of 1962

“Prime Minister’s Visit to Oslo” – A photo album documenting the visit of Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion to Oslo during the week of August 27 to September 2, 1962. At the opening of the album is the official itinerary outlining Ben-Gurion’s schedule during his visit to Norway.

Historic photo album containing 18 large photographs documenting the visit of David Ben-Gurion and his wife to Oslo in the summer of 1962. All photographs are captioned by hand, presumably by one of Ben-Gurion’s escorts during the trip. Throughout the album, Ben-Gurion appears as the central figure, from the official welcome at the airport, to his meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Einar Gerhardsen (known as the “Father of the Norwegian Nation”), his meeting with the Foreign Minister, visits to the Folklore Museum and other museums, and at a farmhouse near Rjukan, where Ben-Gurion is photographed holding an ancient bowl gifted to him by a farming family. Other photos show him on the snowy summit of Gaustatoppen, and more. He was accompanied during the visit by Yitzhak Navon and Lt. Col. Chaim Ben-David, his military secretary. At the end of the album are two postcards sent to Israel, apparently by one of Ben-Gurion’s companions, sharing impressions from the journey. They are signed “Shmuel” and dated August 29, 1962.

That summer, in 1962, Ben-Gurion embarked on an official diplomatic tour of Scandinavia, which included the visit to Norway. On August 27, he landed in Oslo and was received with an official welcoming ceremony, including a meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Einar Gerhardsen at the local airport. During the visit, formal discussions were held between the Israeli Prime Minister and representatives of the Norwegian government, addressing bilateral relations, international issues, and a shared intent to strengthen mutual understanding and cooperation. Official receptions and evening events emphasized the friendly ties between Israel and Norway and the desire to deepen collaboration. The visit was received positively by the press, as a step toward strengthening diplomatic relations between the two countries, and was also welcomed by the Jewish community in Norway, where Ben-Gurion delivered a speech. The visit gave momentum to Israel’s public image in Northern Europe and served as a step toward aligning positions on various international matters.

Album: 26×26 cm. Photographs of uniform size: 17.5×13 cm. Wear to the cloth binding of the album. Photographs in good condition.