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Store Norsk Spitsbergen Kulkompani A/S Introduction by Walter A. Jellum

Det Norske Spitsbergensyndikat, was founded on 6 March 1916. On September 1, 1916 it took over Arctic Coal Company properties and their claims. The first banknotes were issued under this name and are called Note Type I.  It changed its name the following year to the following:

Store Norsk Spitsbergen Kulkompani A/S: Great Norwegian Spitsbergen Coal Joint Stock Co. (S.N.S.K.) was the new name given and has continued to the present, over three quarters of a century. The Norwegian state advanced loans to S.N.S.K. and contracted to purchase a considerable portion of its coal production. On July 15, 1916 engineer Sigurd Westby hoisted up the Norwegian flag in Longyearbyen. Karl Ludvig Antonius Bay, a Norwegian engineer, was appointed the first managing director of S.N.S.K. from 1916 to 1930. Julian Rugaas, was mine foremen at Longyearbyen for 35 years, 1915-50. He arrived in Spitsbergen for the first time in 1907 and had wintered 37 years in Longyearbyen, more than any other person.

The winter of 1916/17 was very severe and ice did not clear until after August 10th. A serious labor strike in July required a Norwegian gun boat, Farm, 30 marines and two machine guns to transport all 150 workers under guard back to Norway, with only one warning shot fired. Then in November the miner's mess hall burned down. In the summer of 1918 ice conditions improved.

During World War I it was only the Norwegians and Swedes who carried on as usual on Svalbard. The Germans, Russians and British ceased operations, and their mining installations fell into disrepair. By the end of the 1920's nearly all coal companies on Svalbard had to cease activities, however, S.N.S.K. managed to keep production between 250,000 and 300,000 tons a year. Longyear miners were capable of a high output, 3 tons per worker per shift compared to European mines that seldom exceeded 1 ton.

On January 3, 1920 a disastrous explosion and fire in Mine No. 1 killed 26 men and 4 horses underground. It was necessary to seal the mine for several months to extinguish the fire. Cause was not known. Frequent tests never found gas. It was thought to have possibly been coal dust ignited by a light or match. This was the first mine explosion on Svalbard

On August 14, 1925 Norway officially took over sovereignty of Svalbard. In 1934 there were 300,000 tons of coal shipped. The winter population of 1934/35 was 551 Norwegians at Longyear, 35 sealers, plus 9 state officers and families. The Storting (Norwegian parliament) passed a motion on June 23, 1934 granting a government loan to S.N.S.K. to enable it to buy the areas previously owned by the Swedes at Svea.

January 24, 1938 it was decided to develop a settlement area later called Sverdrupbyen, named after the Norwegian, Einar Sverdrup, technical director of S.N.S.K. 1931-1942, built and named in 1938.

Nybyen (Ny = new) was founded in 1946 near Mine No. 2. The 1948 population was 1,600, with 2/3rds at Longyearbyen. November 1948 the first edition of the local newspaper, Svalbardposten, was printed. In January of 1952 a methane gas explosion in Mine No. 2 occurred with 6 lives lost. Two "Treaty Properties" near Colesbukta and Grønfjord was acquired in 1952. June 11, 1953 a landslide occurred at Haugen with 3 lives lost and several buildings destroyed.

Chr. Anker's son, Johan August Anker, as chairman of the S.N.S.K. board 1928-1941 signed the company scrip, Spitsbergen Pengesedler (penge = money, sedler = paper), from the 1928/29 season until the 1940/41 season.

On December 8, 1965 the first night flight with a landing in the Arctic became a reality followed by the provisional air strip at Hotellneset opening 1966/67. On March 1, 1969 direct telex lines between offices in Longyearbyen and Bergen were established. In April 1973 the Storting adopted a motion that the state would take over a third of S.N.S.K. share capital, increasing it from 9.6 to 14.4 million Kroner. September 2, 1975 the new Svalbard Airport at Longyear was opened. It has a runway length of 2,200 meters, is operated by the Norwegian state, is open to all nationals of all parties to the Svalbard Treaty on equal terms and may only be used for civil aviation. It was officially dedicated on August 14, 1975, the 50th anniversary of Norway's assumption of sovereignty over Svalbard. It is capable of year around service, including modern jet transportation.

In May of 1976 the Storting granted funds for the government to takeover the privately owned shares of S.N.S.K. The company's share capital is 14.4 million Kroner, 99.9% of which is owned by the government. Wages in 1979 was not much higher than on the mainland, but income taxes are low and a miner can save money as there are fewer spending opportunities. Out of a total of about 300 mine workers, some 75 new mine workers have to be trained each year, because the work force turnover for years has averaged 25-30%.

May 20, 1981 Svalbard is connected to the national and international long distance telephone network. November 21, 1983 Sverdrupbyen was vacated. S.N.S.K. had 367 claims as of January 1, 1985 covering 3,400 sq.km. (40% of the claimed areas on Svalbard). From 1916 to 1985 the coal production totaled 19,622,000 metric tons. In 1985 S.N.S.K. employed 816, of which 347 were working in the mines.

Net coal production in Longyearbyen in 1988 was 240,000 tons of which Mine 3 contributed 132,000 tons and Mine 7 contributed 108,000 tons, (where there was a fire May 24, 1988 with 2 badly hurt fighting the fire).

The world's northernmost school for secondary education had 26 students in 1988. There were 16 shareholders registered at the end of 1988. Around the late 1980's about 3,700 people resided on Svalbard, 2,600 Russians and 1,100 Norwegians.

Longyearbyen has 25 miles (40 km) of roads and more than 220 cars. Svalbard has more than 900 registered snowmobiles for both work and leisure activities. There are no road connections between other communities, so the only way to get around is by helicopter, boat, and (from Dec. thru Apr.) snowmobiles or skis.

Store Norsk Spitsbergen Kulkompani A/S also has more than 770 sq.mi. (2000 sq.km.) of treaty properties. It has run from the 1960's to the present with a deficit. Coal market prices indicate that mining will hardly be profitable anytime in the foreseeable future.

There are five coal bearing seams in the Longyearbyen area: 1. Top seam - Askeladden, 2. Svarteper, 3. Longyearfløtsen (fløtsen = seam), 4. Todalsfløtsen, and 5. Bottom seam - Sveafløtsen

There are no other sources of coal in Norway except some small deposits at Andøy that are not being worked.

Coal seams in Longyeardal have a thickness from 70 cm. to 170 cm. Average temperature in these mines is -3°C. The production work is traditionally rhythmic and bound to the shift system. Holing the trenches, drilling and blasting on the first shift, scraping the coal from drift to cross-cut and transporting it out on the second shift, shoring up the drift with steel props on the third shift.

Over 200 cabins are to be found around Longyearbyen and Svea, and most of these are privately owned. A minority of which are owned by S.N.S.K. and various local societies that may be rented by employees.

Coal shipping and transport of coal from Longyearbyen can only be carried out from the end of May until October or November. Svea coal production experiences more difficult ice conditions in Van Mijenfjord. Ice breaker use for extending the shipping season has not been implemented, but often considered. Shipping service between Norway (Narvik or Tromsø) was intermittent in the earlier years. The Norwegian parliament made some shipping arrangements during the years 1934 to 1939, but was brought to a stop by the war. Transportation schedules were revived in 1951 and has provided service since, with as many as eleven trips per summer. The quay can take ships up to 25,000 d.w.t. with a loading capacity of 600 tons/hr.

Exploration, research and field work is best done in the winter season because transportation and moving of the drilling equipment is easier when the surface is frozen. So far as is known, S.N.S.K. is the only company that does permafrost coal mining, apart from the Russians on Svalbard.

The Norwegian Broadcasting Company's (NRK) radio and TV programs are received live on Svalbard. Longyearbyen is connected to the national and international telecommunications network via satellite.

Longyearbyen provides the following facilities: bank, post office, shops, travel agency, museum, church, primary and junior school, secondary education, indoor swimming pool, library, movie theatre, instant bank machine, cafes, restaurants, hair dresser, camping, car and snowmobile rentals, car sales and garage, local newspaper, hospital, dentist, taxi and bakery. There are skiing and chess competitions plus other activities with the nearby Russians.

From Longyearbyen to Tromsø is 600 mi. (960 km.), to the Arctic Circle is 800 mi. (1260 km.), and to the North Pole is 810 mi. (1300 km.).

Svalbard reindeer have been protected since Norwegian administration in 1925. In the 1930's safeguards were instituted to protect birds and polar bears in certain areas, in particular the ban in 1939 of hunting polar bear on their breeding grounds on Kong Karls Land, a group of islands east of Spitsbergen. In 1973 a total ban on polar bear hunting was instituted. A Royal Decree of June 21, 1974 provide for the preservation of relics and antiquities, for even today evidence of former activities like whaling, hunting and prospecting are found.

Bohemanneset is a point on the north side of Isfjord that is a recognized coal-bearing claim. First claimed by Zakariassen of Tromsø in 1899. Claim transferred to Kulkompaniet Isfjord Spitsbergen in 1900. Taken over by Ayer & Longyear in 1905 (Arctic Coal Co. - Cape Boheman Tract, No. 4). In 1920 S.N.S.K. (successors to Ayer & Longyear) transferred their claims to the newly formed A/S Isfjord Kulkompani, with chiefly Dutch shareholders and carried out prospecting work 1920-21. It was acquired in 1924 by N. V. Nederlandsche Spitsbergen Compagnie who sold to the Russian state company Trust Arktikugol in 1932. They did some experimental work in the early 1950's, but no buildings were constructed, and work was not continued.

The winter population of 1940/41 was 2,224, of which 1,420 were Russian. Of the Norwegians, 17 were hunters who wintered to catch fox and polar bear. Svalbard was not effected until war between Russia and Germany was declared in 1941. The British navy evacuated the Russians first, who were taken to Archangel. They then returned to Longyearbyen, evacuating its population to Great Britain on September 2, 1941. There were 765 Norwegians, comprised of 570 men, 140 women and 55 children. Longyear, Barentsburg, and Grumant were destroyed by the British, with the coal and oil supplies set afire. All mining operations on Spitsbergen had been suspended owing to the war.

On May 14, 1942 sixty Norwegian soldiers under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Einar Sverdrup returned aboard the ice breaker Isbjørn [Polar Bear] and the sealer Selis to destroy a German meteorological station in Longyearbyen (Operation Firtham). They were bombed outside Barentsburg by German aircraft, suffering heavy losses, 14 Norwegians were killed, but they accomplished their goal. Most were former S.N.S.K. employees with the added mission of protecting and restoring the mining facilities.

Einar Sverdrup, Norwegian mining engineer at Longyearbyen 1923-27, S.N.S.K. mine manager 1927-31, and technical director 1931-42, was one of those who lost his life during this German attack. The company commemorated him in 1951 with a monolith placed in Longyearbyen. Sverdrupbyen, the community named for him in 1938, survived the war.

On September 8, 1943 the German battleship Scharnhorst and two destroyers, flattened the habitations in Longyearbyen and Barentsburg.

August, 1944 a German submarine destroyed all the buildings in Svea. During the war the Germans were able to operate meteorological stations on Spitsbergen and Bjørnøya.

Reconstruction of S.N.S.K. after the war was rapid so that production began again in the winter season 1945/46. In November of 1944, the Soviets wanted Bjørnøya handed over to Russian rule and Svalbard placed under joint rule with Norway. This was eventually resolved by a compromise agreement calling for joint military defense. Then in April of 1949 Norway joined NATO, causing the Soviets to question Svalbard's demilitarized status.

We gratefully acknowledge the late numismatist Walt Jellum who provided images and background information for this section.