[#1879] Handelsborger

[Gjest]

Can anybody tell me what a Handelsborger does ?Thank You

[Gjest Yngve Nedrebø]

A "handelsborger" was a merchant with commercial citizenship.

[Gjest Kathy Bergan Schmidt]

As often is true in genealogy, one answer leads to more questions. So, what is "commercial citizenship"? Are there other types of citizenship in Norway that we should be aware of in order to understand our ancestors better?

[Gjest Jan Oldervoll]

Sometimes translation is difficult. The Norwegian word rightly translated into citizenship is 'borgerskap'. Another word is 'statsborgerskap' which means that you are carring a Norwegian passport, you 'belong' to Norway. Borgerskap do not mean that you belong to a city, or living in a city. It meant until mid 19th century that you had certain rights in a city. An handelsborger had handelsborgerskap, menaing had the right to carry out trade in the city. But you could also have a håndverskborgerskap, meaning that you had the rigth to carry ourt some craft, making shoes or whatever.