It is with great sadness that I inform you that our dear colleague and friend Ola Marstein has passed away. For several years, Ola was a dedicated member of our editorial team. He passed away on January 9 this year after a long battle with cancer.

Ola Marstein was born in Oslo in 1951. His professional career as a psychiatrist was rich and varied. He served as a psychiatrist at criminal correction facilities, in psychiatric emergency services and at several psychiatric clinics, including as senior physician at Oslo Hospital. This was Norway's oldest psychiatric institution and sparked Ola's interest in the Middle Ages. He was a key player in the “Oslo Medieval Festival” for no less than 28 years. Parallel to this, he worked as a private psychiatrist for several years and often spoke with warmth about the work with his patients at his own clinic.

In addition to his professional work, Ola Marstein was also appointed as a special advisor for the Norwegian Psychiatric Association during the period 2008-2021. With his interest in history, he became involved in sorting out and managing the associations archives. This led to an increased and profound knowledge of the historical development of Norwegian psychiatry. In 2020, Ola was appointed as an honorary member of the Norwegian Psychiatric Association. Ola Marstein was also active in international psychiatry and was one of the very few Norwegian psychiatrists to be appointed an honorary member of the World Psychiatric Association in 2017.

More than anything, we will remember Ola's involvement in our editorial work. Like few other people, Ola had a unique ability to make others feel seen and comfortable. He always had something positive to say and saw opportunities rather than obstacles. He was resourceful and for many years actively contributed to our work where, with his extensive knowledge and network of contacts, he contributed valuable material to our magazine. We will miss Ola enormously, while we will preserve his warmth and positivity in our continued work.

Hans-Peter Mofors

Editor-in-Chief