Karl Meyer (businessman)
Norwegian businessman (1888–1971)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Karl Meyer (1888 – 18 December 1971[1][2]) was a Norwegian businessman, stockbroker and founder of the short-lived fascist party, the National Legion.
He had a history of several big fraud cases against him,[3] although he was acquitted from at least one tax evasion case.[4] His proposed business projects, described in the press as "fantastical", included a "Coney Island"-style amusement park at Hovedøya, and turning the steam-liner RMS Carmania into a "floating tenement" at the Oslo harbour.[5]
In 1927 Meyer founded the fascist party the National Legion.[3] The party's activities mainly included Meyer's rousing speeches at a circus, Cirkus Verdensteatret in Oslo, and at Drammens Theater in Drammen.[3] After increasing internal opposition, Meyer was expelled from the party in early 1928.[5] He unsuccessfully attempted to regain control of the party in February, when along with some co-conspirators he went to action against the party's offices with clubs and revolvers.[5] Meyer and two other men were arrested in the incident.[5] The party quickly fell apart amid internal conflicts, and was dissolved in early 1928.[3] In 1934, he was sentenced to one year in prsion for embezzlement.
Karl Meyer was a son of Ludvig Meyer and a brother of Haakon Meyer.