From a Norwegian Reformatory School to the Editor’s Desk in New York

Growing Up with His Mother and Older Sister

In the early 1900s, fathers were often absent due to work at sea. Karsten Tostrup Rødder‘s family situation was no exception.He was born in Stavanger on May 7, 1901. His parents, Ivar and Jorine Rødder, had been married for just over two years and already had a daughter, Magnhild Ovidia. Karsten’s name reflected family tradition, using the initials of his maternal grandparents, Karen and Torsten.

Jorine managed the home and children, while Ivar was frequently away at sea – including at the time of Karsten’s birth. He dit not meet his son until Karsten was more than three months old.

The Loss of a Younger Brother

In the fall of 1903, when Karsten was two and a half years old, his younger brother, Ivar Johannes, was born. He died of an infectious illness at just two weeks old. Jorine arranged the funeral alone because Ivar had signed on with the ship Skaatø in March 1903 and returned only briefly after the funeral. When the death notice appeared in the newspaper, it was accompanied by news that one of Ivar’s crew members, Knut Ekblom, had died in an accident aboard the ship just days earlier.

Moving Between Rented Homes

The Rødder family rented homes in Stavanger’s eastern working-class district. During Karsten’s first year, they lived at Nedre Dalgate 45. The next year, they moved to Pedersgaten 66 and stayed until Karsten was about four. Later, they briefly lived at Nærstrandsgate 9 before settlig at Nedre Banegate 22 in 1906. Annual rent for the second floor was 132 Norwegian kroner (NOK). While living there, Karsten became a big brother to Iverna Jorine, Anna Lorense, and Osmund Torstein.

Between 1906 and 1911, while the family lived at Nedre Banegate, Ivar – the family’s main provider – experienced periods of unemployment. After working as a ship’s engineer aboard the S/S Laksen until November 1907, he was out of work until mid-May 1908, when he found employment as a tinsmith at a local tin printing factory. From December that year, he was again unemployed for a time, but eventually secured short-term work on a shrimp boat before returning to the factory.

Buying a House

Despite financial challenges, Ivar bought a house at Pedersgaten 115 in late 1911. He paid 4,605.18 NOK (Norwegian kroner) for the 42-year-old property – about 355,000 NOK in today’s currency, according to Norges Bank’s historical calculator. 

His annual income was 700 NOK in 1911 and 900 NOK in 1912. While renting, the family spent about one-fifth of their income on housing. After buying the house, they rented out part of the property, as previous owners had done, to reduce expences.

Johannes School

Karsten started first grade at Johannes Public School in 1908, shortly before turning seven. According to the Education Act of the time, pupils were required to receive between 18 and 24 hours of instruction per week. His class had about 30 boys and was thought by Mathilde Wareberg, a 35-year-old teacher who, like many women in the profession, was unmarried and lived with her parents and younger brother at Asylgaten 5.

The pupils came from Stavanger’s east side, where cramped housing and unstable incomes were common. Most fathers worked in industry as day laborers, dock workers, factory hands, or craftsmen. Two classmates, Alfred and Otto, had lost their fathers.

Karsten was a high-achieving pupil and one of the top performers in his class. In first grade, he earned an overall grade of 1.55, followed by 1.79 in the second year and 1.68 in third grade.

The average grade reflected how well a pupil had met the school’s combined goals and requirements. It was calculated as the mean of individual subject grades –where 1 was the highest and 5 the lowest. Karsten had an excellent attendance record. Over his first two years of school, he was absent only once.

Petri Public School

In April 1911, Karsten started fourth grade at Petri Public School with 31 other boys. Most were born in 1901, but ten were older, likely held back for not meeting  learning objectives.

The class consisted of boys from working-class homes in Stavanger’s east side, where living conditions were cramped and incomes unstable. Their fathers worked in typical blu-collar jobs of the time – factory hands, tinsmiths, coopers, marine engineers, shoemakers, and ship stewards.

In the March 1912 examination, Karsten earned an overall grade of 2.41. He excelled in geography and natural science but struggled with basic mathematics. His attendance was good, but his behavior record was poor – the lowest in the class. The teacher, Karl Tronstad, held negative impression of him.

First Incident – September 1911

One Sunday in September 1911, about six months after Karsten had changed schools, he was caught committing burglary at August Iversen’s canning factory near Badedammen. He was not alone – his friend Berge Ommundsen, a year older, also took part. Both boys were summoned for police questioning.

Interrogation Report Details

Interrogation Report – What It Reveals

The police interrogation report from September 30, 1911, provides a detailed picture of both Karsten Rødder’s background and the events leading up to the burglary. It begins with personal information: Karsten was ten years old, born May 7, 1901, in Stavanger. He was the son of marine engineer Ivar Rødder and his wife Jorina, baptized in St. Petri parish, and at the time attended fourth grade at Petri School under teacher Karl Tronstad. He lived with his parents at Nedre Banegate 22.

The report then turns to the incident itself. Karsten admitted that he and his friend Berge Ommundsen first entered Bjelland’s factories through an open window, hoping to find money in the inspector’s office. When they found nothing and could not open the drawer they believed contained cash, they tampered with a set of keys and took a tobacco pipe. Later, the boys broke into August Iversen’s canning factory by smashing a window. Their plan was to steal sardines and leave unnoticed, but the factory owner discovered them hiding behind crates.

In his own statement, Karsten confirmed these details and explained their motives clearly: they were looking for money and, failing that, tried to take goods of value. The report thus documents not only the facts of the break-ins but also Karsten’s willingness to cooperate and admit his role in the offenses.

Berge’s Statement

Berge lived just a few houses away from Karsten. Although he was a year older, he was in a lower grade at Johannes School. His father had died two years earlier. In his own police interview, Berge confirmed the charges and admitted that he and Karsten had entered both factories intending to steal. He emphasized that he had never committed theft before or had any prior contact with the police. Karsten said the same.

Teacher’s Statement

Following the incident, Karl Tronstad, Karsten’s teacher, stated that he had not “shown himself to be a good boy”. He added that Karsten lacked diligence, behaved poorly, and was not trustworthy. Karsten had earned the lowest behavior mark in the class.

Legal Outcome and Corporal Punishment

The police dropped the case because it was the boys’ first offense, they were below the age of criminal responsibility, and none of the factory owners requested prosecution.

Instead, the matter was handled at school under § 42 of the Act on the Treatment of Neglected Children (June 6, 1896). This law allowed children under the age of criminal responsibility to be disciplined by school authorities if deemed “neglected.” Measures included reprimands, extra lessons, or corporal punishment. Berge was punished in October, and Karsten received three strokes of the birch cane on November 10.

Four months later, Karsten received five additional strokes for disobedience at school. He was by no means the only one in the class; several classmates were also punished with four or five strokes for truancy, lying, and disobedience. One was sent to a reformatory school.

 Second Police Questioning, Easter 1912

In April 1912, during the Easter holiday, Karsten was questioned again – this time for another attempted theft. Police officer M. K. Birkeland wrote the official report.

Karsten and four other boys – Thoralf, Arne, Bjarne and Ragnvald – had planned to break into the warehouse of the Stavanger Tin Packaging Factory, located along the ropewalk.According to the police report, they entered through a hatch in the wall, hoping to steal small blue boxes with mirrors in the lids. Before they managed to take anything, they were discovered.

All five boys were around the same age and lived in the same neighborhood. Thoralf and Karsten lived in Pedersgaten, at numbers 109 and 115, while Arne and Ragnvald lived at 25 and 35 Øvre Banegate.

Karsten was the only one in the group who had previously been in contact with the police. This new incident – combined with repeated truancy – had serious consequences. The Board of Guardians decided unanimously that Karsten should be sent to the Lindøy reformatory school, located on an island outside Stavanger. This meant he could no longer live with his parents or spend time with his friends in the neighborhood.

Shortly after turning eleven, in May 1912, Karsten was sent to the Lindøy reformatory school outside Stavanger. This marked the beginning of a new daily life – without his family or the friends he had grown up with.

The school admitted boys between the ages of 10 and 16, primarily from Stavanger and surrounding areas, but also from other parts of Norway – especially Agder and Hordaland, which were neighboring counties at the time.

Placements were based on provisions in the Criminal Act and the Guardianship Act. The purpose of the stay was outlined in § 2 of the Plan for Lindøens Opdragelsesanstalt, confirmed by royal resolution on June 8, 1888:
“[…] through instruction, suitable work and occupation, and, in general, an upbringing guided by Christian values, to educate such boys to become honorable and useful members of society.”
Municipalities or private individuals could contact the institution directly.

Admission and Reason for Placement

Upon admission, the boys were registered in the pupil ledger. Karsten was number 81 to be sent there. The reason he could no longer live at home was theft. In the ledger, Director Henrik Storstein noted:
“theft – Poor company is stated to be the main reason for the admission.”

Schooling and Daily Life

During the school year from April 1912 to March 1913, the reformatory school held 253 days of instruction. Classes ran either from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. or from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. In winter, all pupils received three hours of woodworking instruction per week.

The curriculum resembled that of the public schools in Stavanger, though at a somewhat lower academic level, as many of the boys had previously fallen behind. Pupils were divided into two groups: a morning class and an afternoon class, sometimes split further to accommodate different abilities.

Beyond regular instruction, reading played a central role. The school’s library held about 200 volumes, and many boys enjoyed them. Stories were shared among peers, sparking curiosity and a growing interest in reading.

Escape Attempts

During Karsten’s first nine months at Lindøy, there were no escape attempts. But in early 1913, two occurred. One was covered in Stavanger Aftenblad under the headline “A Novel from Lindøen.” Karsten took part in this attempt.

During Easter 1913, he tried to escape together with two older classmates: Andreas Gaard (age 16) and Gunder John Halvorsen (age 14). According to the newspaper, five boys had planned the escape, but only three managed to get away. They lowered themselves from the second floor using bedspreads, took a small boat, and sailed toward Stavanger at dawn. There, they seized a sloop, set course for Åmøy, and attempted to acquire another boat. Suspicion arose among locals, who alerted the sheriff. The boys were apprehended.

Gunder and Andreas were transferred to Bastøy Reformatory School, considered a stricter, with hard physical labor and a rigid discipline. Karsten remained at Lindøy, which emphasizied schooling, vocational training, and Christian upbringing.

The Director’s Diary – A Glimpse into Daily Life at Lindøy

Director Henrik Storstein‘s diary offers insight into the daily routines, lessons, and even weather notes – likely because the boys often worked outdoors with farming and maintenance tasks. In April 1913, Storstein was responsible for 32 boys. He noted that each received a nail brush and helped lay out seed potatoes for sprouting. The boys also hauled the large boat ashore for repairs.

Several entries mention Karsten. One episode involved a football he refused to bring inside despite being told to do so by teacher Ringøren. Karsten delayed reporting to the director and later explained that he had been “afraid to report”. He regretted it and promised to apologize to Ringøren.

Three months later, Karsten struck a fellow pupil, Jon Kviteberg, in the face after a dispute. Both boys were disciplined by standing in the hallway during the midday break.

Just a week later, on a rainy September day, Karsten again behaved inappropriately – this time toward substitute teacher Lunde during the evening meal. That same day, school inspector Anthon Larsen and his wife had visited, listened in on lessons, and spoken with the boys. The director noted that Karsten had  “shown little willingness toward the substitute” for several weeks and had a conversation with him about it.

Less than a month later, Karsten was once again called in to see the director – this time for stepping on fellow pupil Alf. Alf had likely behaved poorly as well, since both boys received the same disciplinary response: standing in the hallway during the midday break.

The Morning Class of 1913/14

Karsten attended the morning class with between 14-18 other boys. The number varied throughout the school year, as new boys arrived and others were discharged. In total, 25 boys attended during the 1913/14 school year. Eleven were born in Stavanger, four in Haugesund, and four in the Kristiansand area. Their fathers held typical working-class jobs – stone workers, day laborers, and sailors.

 

Karsten’s classmates that year were: Abraham Jakobsen, Alf Rasmussen, Alfred Hegland, Henrik Charles Stangeland, Edvin Høiland, Gustav Selmer Olsen, Hjalmar Hansen, Henry Andersen, Jens Dahl, John Johannesen, Johan Monsen, Johannes Andersen, Karl August Stray, Bernhardt Sivertsen, Nils Nilsen, Olaf Leonard Baardsen, Otto Nilsen, Ole Strømmen, Robert Hofmo, Sigurd Skeiene, Sigurd Pedersen, Sigvald Bjelland, Sverre Larsen and Villiam Tønnesen.

Reasons for Placement

All boys placed at Lindøy had committed criminal offenses. Theft was most common, often combined with burglary. Three had been truant. Fewer than five had prior police contact for other matters, such as substance use, vagrancy, receiving stolen property, embezzlement, and arson. According to reports, the underlying cause was “poor company.”

After nearly two years at Lindøy Reformatory School, Karsten was allowed to leave. He was released on probation and permitted to return home to his family at Pedersgata 115.

While he had been away, the family had grown – and grieved. Two sisters, Torbjørg and Telma Orlanda, were born, and his younger brother Osmund Torstein died shortly before turning three. When Karsten came home, one sister was nearly eighteen months old, the other just two months. He was now the only boy among six siblings.

After Lindøy: Superintendent’s Letter to Johannes School

In connection with Karsten and Otto being released on probation, Superintendent Henrik Storstein contacted Headmaster Abraham Tønnesen at Johannes School in a letter. He stated that both boys had strong abilities and academic skills, and that – at least in recent months – they had behaved well. At the same time, he expressed concern about Karsten’s somewhat fiery temperament but believed he would be able to control himself and show a willingness to behave properly. Storstein asked the school to show understanding if the boys might not be academically on the same level as their classmates, and he hoped they would do their best.

Johannes School, 7th Grade

In the fall of 1914, Karsten began 7th grade at Johannes School. The class list included 33 pupils, all boys. Four left during the school year because they had aged out of the school system, one died before the school year started, and three had previously lived elsewhere. Otto Hjalmar Nilsen, who was released from the reformatory at the same time as Karsten, was in the same class. The class teacher was Gunnar Sortland. Just over half of the pupils were born in 1901, like Karsten. Most of the others were born in 1900, and three in 1899. Four of Karsten’s classmates – Bjarne, Otto Hjalmar, Olav, and Jakob – also lived in Pedersgaten. Their fathers held typical working-class occupations for the time: cooper, mechanic, foundry worker, and printing press operator. Only one pupil had a father in a different line of work – he was the son of a police officer.

Both academically and socially, Karsten and Otto Hjalmar seemed to be doing well at first.They received high marks in all subjects, including order, conduct, and diligence. Both performed well above the class average  and showed strong academic performance.

However, as autumn progressed, their grades declined noticeably – not only in academic subjects, but also in evaluations of effort and behavior.

Burglary and Theft

On New Year’s Eve 1914, Karsten participated in a burglary at Baker Pedersen & Co, located at Nygaten 16. Together with a friend, he stole marzipan and a few copper coins. He initially attempted to flee to Egersund but was apprehended upon returning to Stavanger.

Karsten’s father asked the police not to release him. Police Superintendent Søren Ruus contacted the superintendent at the reformatory school on Lindøy by telephone, requesting that Karsten be sent back – otherwise, prison would be the alternative. After spending nine months “on probation,” Karsten was returned to Lindøy in early January 1915.

Superintendent Storstein informed the supervisory committee that Karsten and two other boys, including Otto Hjalmar, had returned to the institution. All three had been involved in theft.

Back at the Reformatory School

From January 1915, Karsten once again attended the morning class at the reformatory school. The class consisted of eighteen pupils – some familiar to him, others new. About half came from Stavanger, the rest mainly from the Haugesund and Kristiansand areas.

Superintendent Henrik Storstein closely monitored Karsten’s adjustment after his time at home. Upon discharge, he had shown good behavior, but was now described as a boy with “a difficult temperament.” The first months were marked by low motivation and a poor attitude. In the school diary, Storstein noted that Karsten appeared sullen and unwilling, and believed he negatively influenced his classmates – especially Otto – by whispering and turning them against others.

In the pupils’ register, Storstein documented that Karsten frequently challenged both staff and fellow pupils. He could appear self-willed, conceited, and quick-tempered, especially when his own wishes were not met. Storstein also observed that Karsten often felt unfairly treated and consistently maintained his innocence. At the same time, he recognized positive traits in Karsten during quiet activities such as reading, drawing, and writing. In these moments, Karsten demonstrated patience, perseverance, and focus. While working on the school newspaper, he showed clear engagement and expressed strong ambitions.

Confirmation

On October 17, 1915, Karsten was confirmed in Stavanger together with seven other boys from the reformatory school: Sigurd Pedersen, Alf Tjølsen, and Alfred Abrahamsen from Stavanger, as well as Otto Hjalmar Nilsen, Sverre Larsen, Konrad Marcelius Langaker, and Hans Møller Larsen Herigstad from Kristiania (Oslo), Bergen, Skudenes, and Varhaug, respectively.

Priest Ebbe Moe had instructed the boys and led the confirmation service. In addition to the boys being confirmed, three or four other boys from the reformatory school were granted permission to attend the church ceremony. The following day, the confirmation celebration was held at the school.

Dialogue with the Family

Shortly after the confirmation, Superintendent Storstein contacted Karsten’s father, Ivar – as he routinely did in connection with planned releases. He informed him that his son might soon be allowed to return home and asked the family to help find suitable employment.

Mr. Ivar Rødder, Pedersgaten 115, Stavanger

As you know, Karsten has now been confirmed, and if suitable, steady work can be found for him, I’m considering releasing him on probation. As you’re surely aware, Karsten can be difficult at times, so it’s important to find work for him with people who know how to handle him with understanding and patience.

It’s hard to say what kind of work he’s really suited for—what his interests and strengths actually are. He probably doesn’t know himself. Sometimes he talks about going back to school, other times about going to sea and becoming an officer, and so on. If only he would learn to stick with what he starts!

The best solution might be for him to get a job at the same place where his father works. That way, his parents could keep a better eye on him. I hope to hear from you soon regarding work for Karsten. He sends his regards.

Respectfully,
Henrik Storstein
October 28, 1915

The father replied a few days later, and about two weeks  after this correspondence, Karsten was released. On the same day, Otto Hjalmar and Sigurd – who had been confirmed with him – were also allowed to return home.

Back with the Family – and Quickly Moving On

After two stays at the Lindøy reformatory school, totaling more than two and a half years, Karsten Rødder returned to his family in the latter half of November 1915. His time at home was brief. On December 27th of that same year, he signed on as a wiper aboard the Solveig Skogland in Stavanger, bound for Belfast.

His decision to go to sea was not unusual. His father, Ivar, had sailed for several years himself, and many boys aged fourteen or fifteen began their working lives as sailors – some with hopes of settling in a new country. Just three and a half months after departing Stavanger, Karsten was recorded as having deserted in Portland, Maine. This marked the beginning of a fifty-year life in the United States.

Post-Discharge Follow-Up

The pupil register from Lindøy includes a dedicated column for tracking individuals after discharge. According to the Guardianship Act of 1896 (§§ 33 and 36), it was the superintendent’s responsibility to report on this. Superintendent Storstein followed Karsten’s development for two and a half years, until his final discharge in August 1918.

It wasn’t until March 1916 – three months after Karsten’s departure – that Storstein became aware he had gone to sea. In January 1917, Karsten reached out by letter requesting a certificate. He stated that he was in Portland, Maine, had been working, and had saved money for preparatory school. His plan was to enroll in Grammar School, and he needed the certificate to apply. Storstein provided a favorable reference, highlighting Karsten’s academic aptitude and strong performance.

Education and Working Life

We know parts of Karsten Roedder’s life in America through interviews and articles he wrote himself. Upon arrival, he had very little money and few belongings, but he was determined to pursue an education and build a new life – something he had already expressed in his letter to Superintendent Storstein.

He completed high school in Portland, Maine, and continued his studies at the Rand School of Social Science in New York. At Columbia University, he chose subjects he believed would be useful in life. After two years, he transferred to the New School of Social Science. Karsten studied psychiatry, literature, and sociology, while also working as a freelance writer. Eventually, he secured a permanent position as a journalist, focusing particularly on literary and political topics.

In 1940, Karsten was contacted by Carl Søyland, the newly appointed editor of the Norwegian-language newspaper Nordisk Tidende, and was offered a position on the editorial staff. Nordisk Tidende was the largest and most influential Norwegian weekly newspaper outside of Norway, and during World War II, it functioned as a semi-official organ for the Norwegian government-in-exile.

After five years on the editorial team, Rødder became managing editor, and from January 1963, he took over as editor-in-chief.

Do Not Crush the Wretched at the Gate – Karsten Roedder’s Childhood in Literary Form

In the 1930s, Karsten Roedder wrote the novel Do Not Crush the Wretched at the Gate (1937), inspired by his own childhood experiences growing up in Stavanger. The title alludes to Exodus 22:21 in the American Standard Version (1901) of the Bible. This verse conveys a call to meet the vulnerable with understanding rather than condemnation.

The protagonist, Jakob Marl, bears a name that may evoke associations with Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol (1843), in which the main character, Ebenezer Scrooge, is visited by the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, and undergoes a moral awakening.

The novel is also said to be inspired by Sigurd Hoel’s The Road to the World’s End (1933), particularly in its narrative perspective: the child’s view of the adult world. By employing this narrative technique, Roedder fictionalizes and universalizes his own life story.

The novel was written more than two decades after the author left the reformatory school at Lindøy and while he was living in the United States. Nevertheless, it is marked by a strong sense of personal experience. Traces of his time at Lindøy – where he was placed at age eleven following incidents of theft – are clearly present. Archival records from the school describe him as a boy who struggled with adjustment but found solace in reading and writing. Through Jakob Marl, we meet a character who observes, reflects, and attempts to understand a world that often appears harsh and unjust.

In the novel, Stavanger is renamed Visslebyen – a fictional place name that can be read as a commentary on the protagonist’s surroundings. The word vissle denotes a whistling, hissing, or whispering sound, and may also imply subdued or hushed speech. The name evokes a society shaped by social control, gossip, and an undercurrent of unrest.

At the same time, the narrative technique reveals a literarily conscious and well-read author. The choice of biblical title gives the text an ethical and universal human framework. The literary references serve not only as sources of inspiration but also as means of conveying personal experience.

Av en utvandreravis’ saga – Fellowship in a Foreign Land

Toward the end of his career, Karsten Roedder wrote the two-volume work titled Av en utvandreravis’ saga. Nordisk Tidende i New York gjennom 75 år (1966–1968). In it, Roedder described what he saw as a defining trait of Norwegian emigrants: their ability and willingness to build fellowship in unfamiliar surroundings. He highlighted three institutions that emigrants consistently prioritized establishing – church, school, and press:

Wherever Norwegian emigrants settled and formed communities of any size, there were three institutions they immediately set out to create. First, they built their own churches. Almost as urgent was the establishment of Norwegian schools – and then came the next step in their efforts to maintain unity abroad: the press. With unshakable optimism, Norwegian newspapers were created in remote outposts – a handwritten publication in Madagascar, a Norwegian paper in Durban that was published regularly until World War II – and, of course, most prominently in Norwegian centers across America. As early as 1847, the first entirely Norwegian newspaper in the United States was published: Nordlyset in Wisconsin […].

Personality and Private Life

In a 1961 feature in Nordisk Tidende, written by colleague Daniel Liseth, Karsten Roedder is portrayed as an independent and unpretentious individual. He was not fond of social gatherings and tended to avoid festive occasions – not out of shyness, but because he disliked the anticlimax that often followed. He did not belong to any associations and preferred his own company, although he occasionally lamented life’s “vale of tears,” as many do.

Roedder admired people with imagination and initiative and held deep respect for those who made things happen and kept them going. What he disliked most was snobbery – especially cultural snobbery from Norwegians who came to America and looked down on the Norwegian-American community without understanding its unique circumstances.

This characterization paints a nuanced picture of Roedder – both as an editor and as a private individual. He comes across as principled and sensitive, with a keen eye for authenticity and a clear aversion to pretentiousness and affectation. The portrait reveals a person with strong values and firm convictions, marked by independence and a certain skepticism toward superficiality and conformity.

In the winter of 1929, Karsten married Dorothy Lois Hervey, a trained teacher. The marriage remained childless, and neither newspapers nor other available sources provide information about when or why it ended. Nearly 35 years later, in December 1962, he married pharmacist Karin Korperud. The ceremony took place in Brooklyn and was officiated by Supreme Court Justice Nathan R. Sorbel.

As Karsten approached retirement age, he became a father. The following year, upon retiring in the United States, the family moved back to Norway. The passenger ship Oslofjord departed New York on April 28, 1967, and arrived in Stavanger on May 7 – the same day Karsten turned 67.

This digital exhibition was created by Ine Fintland (Senior Archivist) and Synnøve Østebø (Archivist). It is primarily based on publicly accessible archival records documenting Karsten Rødder’s childhood and upbringing in Norway.

His story highlights a form of migration that is not captured in official statistics – a young boy who went to sea and ran away. When he returned to Norway after twelve years in America, he reflected on his experiences:
«America has been for me, as for so many others, a dance on rose thorns. It has been lush enough, but at times also painful. But that’s life – even in American circumstances.»

After fifty years, Karsten returned to Norway for good.

The article was originally written in Norwegian and translated into English using Copilot, based on the prompt: “Translate idiomatically for an American audience. The article will be published on the website of the National Archives of Norway. Use terminology appropriate for a U.S. readership, and ensure the language is clear and concise.” The final version was reviewed and edited by Ine Fintland and Janet B. Martin (Senior Advisor) for clarity and accuracy.