Berge Furre was one of the founders of the Socialist People’s Party (SF) and he held several key offices in the party. He was SF’s first party secretary, served as deputy chair from 1971 to 1976, then went on to represent Rogaland County Socialist Left Party (SV) in the Norwegian Parliament and served as leader of SV from 1976 to 1983. Furre was also a historian and a minister, participating actively in the social debate. He was editor of the Norwegian periodical Syn og Segn from 1967 to 1971 and served a term as deputy chair of the Nynorsk Language Association. From 2003 to 2008, he was a member of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

His writing as a historian included the work Norwegian History 1905–1940 (1971) and Our Century. Norwegian History 1905–1990 (1991). In 1993, he was awarded the Norwegian Language Prize for the books The Saga of Lars Oftedal and Our Century. Norwegian History 1905–1990. The prize was awarded by the Norwegian Language Council for pre-eminent use of the Norwegian language in factual prose.

In 2003, Furre was awarded the Freedom of Expression Foundation Prize for the courageous and powerful use of free speech in Norway’s public space over the course of several decades.

Frank Rossavik, member of the Fritt Ord Foundation’s Board, has written a tribute to Furre in Aftenposten. Read it (in Norwegian) here.