In honour of the 130-th birthday of Vidkun Quisling
By Michael
Walsh
“You will be my historical witness. The
day will come when I will need it,” said the Norwegian Prime Minister Vidkun
Quisling to his secretary, Franklin Knudsen. The national leader’s words were
spoken with great solemnity as the two men sat in a room of Oslo’s Grand Hotel
on the 18* April 1940. Nine days earlier their country had fallen to the forces
of the Third Reich, victims of a conspiracy masterminded by England’s unelected
leader Winston Churchill.
Churchill’s
aim, to cut Germany’s essential ore lifeline, was yet another of his acts of
war against a non-belligerent neutral country. The conspiracy was later exposed
by his ally. Prime Minister Paul Reynard of France: “Churchill came to Paris on
April 5* 1940 and at last the British government resolved that the mine fields
in Norwegian territorial waters would after all be laid. The operation was,
however postponed until April 7′ so Hitler could learn of it and prepare his
counter move. One of the aims of the enterprise was to, entrap the opponent by
provoking him into making a landing in Norway. ” (1)
Vidkun
Quisling continued speaking: “I want a man who observes and reflects. I may
tell you that in future you are going to be the man who himself has seen and
heard what is happening at this decisive moment in the history of Norway and
that of the West. You will be my historical witness.”
Franklin
Knudsen recalled those prophetic words nearly five years later when on October
24 1945; Vidkun Quisling sleeping fitfully in his sparse cell was aroused at
2.00am and taken into the bitter cold of the prison yard at MoUergaten Gaol in
Oslo.
FIRING SQUAD DEMOCRACY
The
cavalcade of limousines had rolled into the old Akerhus fortress forty minutes
earlier. A volley of shots reverberated beyond the prison walls and one of
Europe’s most enigmatic and bravest leaders crumpled to the hail of bullets.
The limousines departed.
On
the stone floors outside the recently vacated Cell 34B were rose petals,
perhaps from one of the many bouquets handed in. On the solitary desk inside
the cell with its plank bed and single blanket, the Holy Bible, its pages open,
resting on the single desk. Vidkun, the son of a clergyman was the latest in a
line of eight ecclesiastical forbears in the district. It was a calling he
himself was attracted to.
Underlined
twice in the Holy Bible were the words: ‘He shall redeem their soul from defeat
and violence and precious shall their blood be in His sight.’ – Psalms 72-14.
It
is ironic that the name of a man who was a patriot and hero without equal has
become synonymous with treachery. Such is the awesome power of propaganda
wielded by the victor nations.
Vidkun
Quisling, born July 18* 1887, was a man of his time whose life was orchestrated
by events sweeping Europe following the Jewish-Bolshevik seizure of Russia in
1917.
THE EPIC POLAR ADVENTURERS
In
1908 the young Norwegian had achieved an officer’s position and three years
later achieved the best degree ever recorded in the history of Norway’s
Military Academy. Such was his standing that a report was forwarded to the King
of Norway and the young lieutenant was immediately attached to the General
Staff. By 1918 he was the military attached to Petrograd and Helsingfors. Just
four years later Vidkun Quisling became closely involved with Fridtjof Nansen
in his charitable work under the auspices of the Relief Committee for Russia.
Nansen,
the internationally renowned Norwegian polar explorer, scientist and
humanitarian was the first man, with five companions, to traverse Greenland,
the world’s largest island. This epic adventure along with others polar
expeditions achieved with his ship Fram (“Forward”) cannot fail to inspire.
An
obvious choice due to his enormous international reputation as a humanitarian,
Nansen agreed to act as the High Commissioner for the League of Nations
Commission for Prisoners of War. As a consequence Vidkun Quisling’s mentor was
responsible for the humane repatriation of 450,000 POW’s rescued from
twenty-six countries in the aftermath of the Great War. Without question these
unfortunate captives exiles would have died without Nansen’s endeavours.
THE LIVES OF SIX MILLION CHILDREN SAVED
Leading
from these humanitarian successes the Norwegian explorer carried the extra
burden of bringing relief to millions of refugees torn apart by the cataclysmic
upheavals following the Jewish-Bolshevik civil wars. Having succeeded in
bringing respite to the world’s dispossessed, Nansen in the early 1920s was
invited by the International Red Cross to direct the work required to save the
lives of millions of Russians suffering from revolution, civil war and Stalin’s
famine. Nansen, assisted by Vidkun Quisling and other organisations is
estimated to have saved the lives of over seven million people of whom six
million were children.
In
1922 their relief program brought them to the Ukraine and the Crimea. From
1924-25 Quisling was in the Balkan and Donau states, on behalf of the League of
Nations. In 1925 he joined Nansen again in the Near Orient and Armenia, before
taking up residence in Moscow to better co-ordinate his tasks.
Sadly
Quisling never wrote anything about his work apart from official reports so we
need to refer to Nansen’s epic, ‘Through the Caucasus to the Volga’. From it we
may obtain an impression of the devoted service that Vidkun Quisling offered:
PITIFUL BODIES FROZE TO THE FLOORS
‘From
house to house were to be seen the same appalling sight of expiring and expired
human remains. Dried grass, leaves and crushed bones and horse’s hooves,
instead of bread. No warmth, so that the pitiful bodies froze to the floors
before life was extinguished. At an infants’ home forty-two children, died last
night, and they were still lying in their beds, with the living at their sides,
who – with great wondering baby eyes – sat staring at death, the great
deliverer from all suffering. Dead bodies were dug out of the burial grounds to
be eaten. Parents – in their distraction – killed their children in order to
satisfy their own hunger. Over thirty million persons were starving, and in
addition epidemics were raging, worst of all spotted fever.
More
than three million died, despite the succour, which was too little too late.
And over these same identical plains, thousands of gaunt human beings fled,
without food, not knowing where, just away, through the congealing winter,
while they and their last camels and horses died on the frozen roads. All traffic
on the rivers was halted by the ice, the railways were out of order, the few
trains – packed to overflowing with refugees – remained standing on the lines,
people died in the carriages. Horror was all around.
QUISLING HONOURED
In
the foreword to Nansen’s narrative will be found Nansen’s effusive thanks to
his personal assistant, Vidkun Quisling: “These prefatory words cannot be
brought to conclusion without heartfelt thanks to Captain Vidkun Quisling, for
his tireless friendship as a fellow-traveller and for his valuable assistance
he has rendered to the author through his comprehensive knowledge of Russian.”
When
on June 22, 1941 Germany, supported by its anti-Communist allies, pre-
emptively attacked the Soviet Union that had by then amassed its armies on
Europe’s borders. The invading Europeans discovered on the walls of hovels the
icon portraits of both Fridtjof Nansen and Vidkun Quisling sharing equal status
with Our Lady. The spectacle of unknown Norwegians elevated to saintly status
bemused but inspired the soldiers.
Norwegian
front line soldiers (frontkjempere) several times found plain plaster of paris
busts of Quisling in Russia’s impoverished villages. The peasants told them of
the man from the far north who had once saved them from starvation. It was a
memorable experience for those soldiers who had now been charged by the same
man with the task of saving the people of the Ukraine from a worse destiny –
communist slavery.
VIDKUN QUISLING, CBE
By
now Vidkun Quisling’s reputation was such that he was invited by the British
Government, which did not have diplomatic access to the USSR’s Communist
regime, to look after Britain’s diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union. For
his humanitarian achievements and his services to the British Crown, Norway’s
acclaimed son was honoured with the British order of Commander of the British
Empire (CBE). It was a source of great pride to him.
In
1930 Quisling returned to his Norwegian homeland which was then in the throes
of Communist subversion very similar to that suffered by Germany following the
Great War. Communist insurgents had brought the Scandinavian country to the
very precipice of revolution. The so-called Norwegian Labour Movement was
affiliated to the Communist International. Financed by Moscow, its blood-red
hammer and sickle flag spluttered as its party-banner. These ‘Sons of Moscow’
agitated for a ‘Soviet Norway’, a ‘Soviet Republik’, through bloody revolution
if need be.
On
one notable occasion a politician who was later to become a Norwegian Minister
was arrested on the Norwegian-Russian border with gold to the value of several
million kroner in his luggage. The same man spat: ‘The lives of twenty thousand
middle-class counted for nothing compared with that of a single worker’.
NORWAY PLUNGED INTO DARKNESS
Another
future minister bragged that soon the red flag would be hoisted above Norway’s
parliament while another future minister made incendiary speeches calling for
revolution.
It
was this same rabid revolutionary politician who was elevated to Minister of
(Norwegian) Defence in 1935. The same who failed the opportunity to build a
defence force capable of resisting Winston Churchill’s sinister invasion of
Norway; or to resist Germany’s preventive invasion.
Throughout
Norway agitation was rife, strikes were organised, seditious literature was
passed from hand to hand, political opponents and police were murdered, the
offices of opposition parties torched, politicians intimidated, riots were
organised by revolutionaries few of whom were Norwegian nationals.
In
to this maelstrom came Vidkun Quisling, now Minister of Defence on the cabinet
of the country’s newly elected Peasants Party. Few people on earth were better
qualified to recognise the danger posed to humanity by godless Communism. He
acted decisively to prevent Norway becoming another Soviet Republic.
Realising
that the final Communist push was imminent with armouries and military
installations already targeted Quisling immediately mobilised Norway’s armed
forces and police and the insurrection was quickly put. The Communists never
forgave Vidkun Quisling for denying them Norway.
NORWAY SAVED FROM COMMUNISM
By
April 1932, Vidkun Quisling, Norwegian patriot was able to stand in his
country’s parliament and publicly expose the treacherous activities of the
international revolution directed by Moscow at Norway’s heart.
“I
have in my possession, photos, duplicates of actual statements that an agent of
international Communist leadership has made in Norway. What does it say? It
says simply that the revolutionary movement in this country is being financed
from abroad. In 1928-29 they have received 500,000 kroner from a foreign power.
There are not many parties in the land that dispose of similar amounts for
their work.’
Quisling
went on to show the hard evidence of communists urging Norwegian soldiers ‘to
start an insurrection, of organising cells in the Army and Navy, in factories;
preparing for revolution and insurrection’.
Moving
on and whilst conceding the laudable aims (working class enfranchisement) of
Norway’s labour movement, in a speech regarded as one of his finest, the
Norwegian Minister of Defence shamed the red front movement for being foreign
financed and guided by Marxist principles with the single aim of class-war and
revolution.
At
this point Vidkun Quisling directed his anger at the desperate straits
Communism had brought Russia to: ‘I went there in order to help men in
distress; sacrificed nearly all my means in order to help needy people there;
ruined my health for a long time to come, and in addition lost my position in
life at home. At that time, I visited the famine-struck districts, where all
were suffering distress – we too – and security for life and health was
negligible. But, when in other ways I was assisting Nansen in aiding those in
distress, I looked about myself in vain for those people, who are now abusing
me, and who in words and gestures feel so warmly for that same country.
“The
position I now occupy forbids me to enter more fully into these matters, which
concern another country. But I am convinced that sooner or later the
representatives of labour in this hall will come to consist of men and women
who – like myself – have had their views about social questions revised and
developed in the hard school of life and experience, who do not support
ruinous, foreign, inferior and compromised ideas, but who desire a solid and
constructive national policy of work, which can protect the interests of the
workers as well as those of the country at large.”
‘SQUEALING LIKE STUCK PIGS’
At
this point legend has it, Norway’s impassioned Minister of Defence rose to his
feet and banged on the podium with his hand. It had a similar effect on the
Storting(parliament) as that intended by Haydn’s amusing ‘Surprise’ symphony
No. 94 when the hudden orchestral clash startles the theatre goers.
Uproar
ensured and the outcome was that the Marxist members of the Norwegian
parliament squealed ‘like stuck pigs’, the bourgeois parties counted the
buttons of their waistcoats but finally the parliament agreed to look at the
hard evidence.
Vidkun
Quisling produced it. What followed was an analytical dissection of the
country’s revolutionary left proving beyond all doubt the violent, treacherous,
revolutionary aims of Norway’s radical left. Vidkun Quisling was thus
vindicated.
Note:
The entire evidence is presented in I Was Quisling’s Secretary, Britons
Publishing Company, 1967.
QUISLING’S BLUEPRINT FOR PEACE ON EARTH
Quisling
had a keen understanding of world order and was a recognized political
philosopher. Much of Quisling’s analysis and many of his statements influenced
and contributed to the ideology of Italy’s emerging Benito Mussolini whose new
Fascism was successfully creating the corporate state. Such was the success of Fascism
that even Churchill conceded: ‘Of Italian Fascism, Italy has shown that there
is a way of fighting the subversive forces which can rally the masses of the
people, properly led, to value and wish to defend the honour and stability of
civilized society. Hereafter no great nation will be unprovided with an
ultimate means of protection against the cancerous growth of Bolshevism.” (2)
As
a philosopher about which few records remain Vidkun Quisling put forward a
revolutionary thesis to provide for a system of ‘universalism’. It called for a
new world order based on a ‘groundwork of religion and morals as well as
statecraft and science’. He saw this as the essential building block of a world
community based on the complementary values of race, a ‘constitution’ of
religion, statecraft, science, and essentially morals. The manuscript as far as
I know is still hidden away in an Oslo vault.
Quisling’s
real politik would place in history’s dustbin all systems based on principles
that lack morality, defy natural order and deny a spiritual dimension to the
human condition, i.e. Communism/Capitalism.
QUISLING, THE FATHER OF A UNITED EUROPE
Knudsen
added: ‘It is now many years since he showed me his draft for a ‘European
Covenant’; a commonwealth and a common market, conducted by a coalition cabinet
in which each state had one vote. In such a United States of Europe, united
with the British World Empire, and with the re-insurance of Russia, he saw the
only possibility of peaceful progress.
‘The
plan did not reach maturity because of the war, and after the war no
recognition has been given him for it, even the draft mysteriously disappeared
from the archives, and his enquiries for it at his trial were in vain. But
(here Knudsen in 1967 comments on the emerging Common Market) they are the same
thoughts which at this very moment are of impelling interest to the peoples of
Western Europe.’
Quisling
set about carving his niche as a politician and in the same year wrote his
book, ‘Russia and Us’, the most stringent analysis of Soviet affairs ever to
appear in the Norwegian language. Increasingly Quisling attracted the fury of
Norway’s red agitators, those ruthless revolutionaries he had so recently
bettered during his term as Norway’s Minister of Defence.
On
17′ May 1933, the Independence Day of Norway and the same year in which the
German people elected Adolf Hitler as their country’s leader, the Norwegian
leader formed his own political party, the Nasjonal Samling (National
Unification).
His
opponents sought in vain to libel and slander the patriotic newcomer but there
was no flaw in the party leader’s Curriculum Vitae. His popularity and
patriotism was without question and his impeachments of the hard men of the
left had by now been endorsed by two-thirds of the Norwegian parliament.
Nevertheless
the black propaganda persisted until Mrs. Sigrun Nansen, wife of the recently
deceased renowned explorer leapt with others to his defence: ‘Whether opposing
or supporting the policy of Mr. Quisling, I think that many deplore the
personal and insulting form which the election campaign has taken against him.
It will surely be of interest to know what Fridtjof Nansen thought of his aide.
He often expressed his opinion about having had such a man for his helper:
Excellent administrator, self-sacrificing and honest – his face was alight,
when he mentioned Quisling’s name.’
The
Nasjonal Samling’s leader inspired by the Elysian ambitions of Nansen sought to
unify the Norwegian people under a program of reconstruction based on social
equality. As in Britain today Norway had become separated from the fundamentals
of life and was drowning in political expediency, social engineering,
pornography, decadence, racial debasement and political correctness gone mad.
His solution: ‘Like every society, which wishes to save itself from serious
crisis, and to be reborn, we must find our way back to the life-giving
substratum, and on this substratum unfold our potentialities.
FAMILY, PARENTAGE, BLOOD AND SOIL
A
spiritual and responsible view of existence, as a living faith extended to all
parts of our life, that is what people chiefly need; a proper combination of
individualism and fellowship, with our best men to lead us, freedom of personal
initiative, security of life and property, of work and its results, a sense of
and a respect for, the family institution and parentage, for blood and soil,
good-will and co-operation, instead of class-warfare, sound economic principles
for the individual and for the entire society, emancipation of intellectual
life and solidarity of economic life.’
Describing
his re -born society Vidkun Quisling concluded by confronting the forces of
national decadence: ‘Taking my departure from this ground, and joining battle
with the forces that are partly opposing the new trend of things and partly
endeavouring to lead it into ways abhorrent to nature, we will form a new, and
– we may say – a religiously determined – political doctrine.’
In
Vidkun Quisling, Norway’s Communists discovered an opponent far more to be
feared that the compliant conservatives. No leader could match his resolution,
his insider knowledge of Communist subversive and revolutionary strategy. Gangs
of red thugs, financed and encouraged by the Moscow Mafia repeatedly attacked
the Nasjonal Samling’s meetings and election campaigns. They vilified him as ‘a
nazi’, ‘a fascist’, ‘an enemy of the working class’; there was no slander to
which they wouldn’t stoop.
Similar
scenes were being repeated throughout Europe as the Communist international
attempted to bring down the democracies of Europe; from London to Oslo, Madrid
to Copenhagen, anti-Communist patriots sharing the ideals of Oswald Mosley and
Vidkun Quisling sought to stem the red tide.
BLOODY BATTLES AGAINST COMMUNIST THUGS
In
terms of physical courage Vidkun Quisling inspired respect. Franklin Knudsen
described events at a Nasjonal Samling meeting in Tonsberg in the autumn of
1933: ‘Communists took possession of the hall in advance, and created a fearful
racket, in order – if possible – to interrupt Quisling’s speech. They shouted
and sang the ‘international’ and eventually a struggle ensued at the entrance.
I
had to knock down a couple of men, the more noisy ones were thrown out, and the
meeting was eventually carried through in comparative order. Subsequently
however, a threatening crowd congregated outside the hall, and the managers
advised Quisling to leave by a rear entrance. He refused.
He
went out by the main entrance and looked around, coolly appraising the mob. A
silence fell, and then a forcible term of abuse was heard in the middle of the
throng. Quisling inspected the hundreds of excited faces, and suddenly he saw
which one had shouted. He went straight up to him and said: “Would you care to
repeat that?”
The
man stared at him furiously, but soon his eyes began to waver, and he turned
round and disappeared. Quisling walked straight through the crowd without
anyone touching him.
It
was not merely his tall forceful figure that inspired respect. He had such
powerful eyes. And was so totally devoid of fear, that he could actually
paralyse an opponent.
After
the meeting we went for a walk through the town, and down at the wharf four men
came running out of a side street to ‘go for’ Quisling. I seized my pistol and
called out:
‘Stop,
or I shoot!’ and the gang disappeared as swiftly as they had arrived. Quisling
turned to me, a broad smile on his face.
‘You
should not take people so seriously,’ he said. ‘Certainly, I can stop them
myself if necessary. And who knows, perhaps we might have had a chance of
getting four more new members.’
Town
after town fell to the popular appeal of Quisling’s Nasjonal Samling party;
Gjovik, Bergen, Trondheim, Norkoping, Oslo and elsewhere. Even the communist
stronghold, the market place in front of ‘the peoples’ house’ in Oslo, fell to
the enthusiasm carried by Norway’s patriotic reaction to communist
insurrection. It was a bitter blow to the reds who had vowed that no party
other than their own would speak from the square.
Such
was the extent of the red terror that Nasjonal Samling, as with all
anti-communist organisations throughout Europe, found it necessary to organise
a defensive ring. Throughout Norway over 500 well-disciplined men were selected
to form the ‘hird’ defence force. In highly mobile detachments they placed
themselves wherever needed, protecting Nasjonal Samling meetings, rallies,
marches, political campaigning activities. Inevitably there were wounded on
both sides of the conflict.
FANATICAL FERVOUR
Knudsen
explained: ‘The fact that we were constantly fighting for our rights gave us a
fanatical fervour, that no adverse fortune could smother, not even the defeat
we suffered at the general elections by reason of the collective opposition
from both the ‘red’ (left wing) and the ‘blue’ (conservative) parties.
Nevertheless, we continued with our educational work; we stressed the communist
danger, the need for proper defence to ensure Norway’s neutrality, the need for
national reconstruction.’
As
a lesson and a warning that might be taken heed of by current political
activists Knudsen went on to say: ‘Party politics in the strict sense of the
term, we never pursued apart from short electioneering campaigns. Otherwise we
confined ourselves to general questions of national politics.
‘In
1936, the day dawned which was to be decisive. We held a great national meeting
in Oslo, which was attended by several thousand men from all over the country.
Quisling then assembled his most active fellow activists, and we solemnly took
an oath of fealty to him – staking our existence upon the issue – we promised –
under his leadership – to continue with our struggle until we had won victory.
He himself and over a thousand of his followers, sealed this oath with their
lives.’
Apart
from struggle, education and the entryism there were no tangible successes in
terms of seats won until 1936, three years after the Nasjonal Samling’s
formation. The party’s leaders realised that electioneering was secondary to
education. First the electorate must be properly informed as to the dangers
posed to their country, the threat posed by the weakness and treachery of the
established parties, the need for national reconstruction.
EUROPE IN TURMOIL
With
the exception of the stable and prosperous National Socialist Germany Europe
was in turmoil. Britain and France whose preferential trade agreements were
threatened by German competition, urged on by international Jewish interests,
were blockading German products and threatening war.
Poland
backed by England was constantly attacking Germany’s borders whilst
Czechoslovakia on Germany’s eastern border had treacherously allowed the
anti-German Soviet Union the use of its military airfields aimed at Germany’s
heart.
Throughout
the world and in particular, Europe, the Soviet Union was agitating. For world
revolution. Menacingly it was poised to overthrow Rumania and its oilfields
thus grabbing Germany by the jugular.
In
northern Europe tiny Finland was desperately fighting to stem Soviet aggression
(The Winter War). Overrun by overwhelming odds they failed and the hardy Finns
surrendered (March 6* 1940) much of their country. Despite the capitulation
they bravely fought on and an army of farmers brought the Red Army to a
grinding halt. Their success against Stalin’s armed might outraged Winston
Churchill. The English autocrat soon sought revenge for Stalin’s humiliation and
finally got it on December 7*, 1941 when England declared war on Finland.
Simultaneously England declared war on Hungary and Romania.
Spain
was in the grip of Civil War in which General Franco was mobilising sufficient
forces to (eventually) hurl Moscow’s cuckoo out of the Madrid nest. In Norway
Quisling took the field against the Soviet-inspired Camerilla that was aiming
to embrace the whole of Europe in a gigantic pair of pincers with one of its
claws in Scandinavia and the other in Spain. Europe was in mortal danger.
Few
were better qualified to act than was Vidkun Quisling. He knew the Soviet plans
as well as they themselves did. He could follow the Soviet strategy step by
step towards its final goal of world domination.
QUISLING MEETS LEON TROTSKY
Quisling
had already met Leon Trotsky – the alias of Lev Davidovitsj Bronstein, an
American revolutionary Jew – and knew his view of world revolution. He had also
met leaders of the ‘Russian’ revolution in the Caucasus and the Ukraine, the
Danube deltas and in Moscow itself.
Although
a combination of diplomacy, real politic and censorship hid the Soviet
revolutionary aims from the masses of Western Europe, Quisling was one of those
sufficiently enlightened to identify and thwart the Communist threat. This is a
fact for which every single Briton owes a debt to the Norwegian leader.
Hardly
surprisingly the Nasjonal Samling’s slogan was: ‘Norway neutral – Norway
prepared. ‘ It was a slogan detested by the sabre-rattling Winston Churchill
who was already planning the violation of Norway’s neutrality as part of his
strategy to deny ore to National Socialist Germany. Vidkun Quisling was proving
to be an adept prophet in the militaristic manoeuvring of those countries that
sought any excuse for war.
There
was hardly a communist cell, act of entryism, conspiracy or fifth-columnist
front in Europe that Quisling didn’t know about. His base was Norway but his
heart was for the security of Europe. His two principle aims were to stop the
Marxists in Norway and to bring unity to the anti-communist reaction throughout
Europe. In fact, up until Hitler’s election when Communism in Germany was dealt
with root and branch. Quisling was concerned that the Weimar regime, in
defiance of the Versailles Treaty terms, had assisted Communist Russia’s
aggressive intentions towards Britain and her Empire. This was yet another
reason for Britons to reflect the debt they owe to the Norwegian patriot…
Quisling’s
Nasjonal Samling Party urged adequate defences to maintain Norway’s neutrality
from wherever it was threatened. The real traitors, Norway’s communists,
especially after 1935 when the red-front Labour Party came to power, campaigned
for disarmament and in the event of war, a general strike and the laying down
of arms. This was precisely what the Soviets wanted. In fact, the Norwegian
Labour Party smuggled the politically virile Trotsky into Norway under the
assumed name of Sedow. This left little doubt as to the catastrophe likely to
befall Britain’s closest Scandinavian neighbour.
Quisling
did everything possible within the law to have the ghetto-revolutionary thrown
out of Norway but failed due to the Government having invited him in in the
first place. What followed was one of the most audacious acts of
anti-subversion ever mounted in peacetime. Agents attached to Nasjonal Samling,
without Quisling’s knowledge, tapped Trotsky’s phones, infiltrated his circle,
spied on the revolutionary and his entourage, even burgled their homes.
THE LUCKLESS JEWISH MOUSE
One,
posing as an estate agent, even visited Trotsky’s lair and ‘liberated’ several
compromising directives. On other occasions his secretaries, (Trotsky was
supposed to be convalescing!) were spied upon and their belongings discreetly
searched. Finally Trotsky’s home was ‘burgled’ by the enterprising Nasjonal
Samling’s operatives whilst he himself was intimidated by a multi car pursuit
during which the nervous architect of the red terror protected himself with a
sandbag at the rear of his neck.
Within
days the luckless Jewish mouse, already responsible for the butchery of unknown
numbers, contrary to his permit, imported several heavies who were anything but
Nordic in appearance.
By
then, faced with the then undeniable evidence of the Jewish revolutionary’s
activities the thwarted red-front Labour Party had no choice but to intern
Trotsky and then allow his extradition to Mexico. There the rat-faced little
butcher was subsequently ice-picked to death by Jackson-Mornard, one of
Stalin’s agents.
Quisling,
in public at least, was less than amused at the unorthodox methods used by his
party members to counter the Trotsky threat. He suggested, “It would have been
simplest to have him delivered to the Russian consulate whereupon he would
probably have been despatched to Moscow – in an urn.”
Vidkun
Quisling was very much an ascetic and refused to accept a salary from his
party’s funds. During the years 1933 /44 his secretary organised and recorded
over 500 public meetings. The living and travelling expenses for Quisling must
have been considerable but the party leader preferred to live on a meagre
pension, occasionally selling a few possessions.
His
efforts were rewarded by a constant stream of abuse both in the left wing and
conservative press. As a person he was noted for his genial humour, which made
light of such abuse. To those who were remote he could appear to be severe and
serious, even uncommunicative. But among friends he was always good-humoured
and the conversation sparkled when he was present. He was a great practical
joker and his light- hearted banter made him extremely popular among friends
and party activists.
Physically,
Quisling was lank and loose-jointed but he was later to put on weight due to an
inflammation of the kidneys, which he contracted just before England’s
declaration of war.
VIKING BLOOD
Physically
he was seemingly blessed with enormous stamina and typically he would run,
apparently effortlessly, through the mountains for anything from six to eight
hours. Franklin Knudsen said: “‘He walked like an elk, purposeful and
indefatigable.’
Both
Quisling’s parents belonged to a family line whose distinguished ancestry went
back many generations. The name Quisling designates that the bearer belongs to
a collateral branch of the Norwegian Royal Family, and Norway’s two most
revered poets, Henrik Ibsen and Bjornstjerne Bjornson. He had good grounds to
say at his court hearing: ‘It is not dishwater that flows through my veins.’
At
school Vidkun excelled, particularly in literature, science, history and
traditions. He reached the top of his class effortlessly. He remained in that
position and so his final degree presented no problem to him. His love of the
outdoors never suffered as a consequence of his academic diligence and he
excelled at both shooting and fishing.
Knudsen
affirmed that he had never met a man who needed less sleep. Six hours was his
absolute maximum but frequently he would be dismissive of rest until the day’s
work was completed and comrades ‘safely stood down’. Though that might be three
or four o’clock in the morning he would still be back on his feet at 7.00am.
His
ability to remember was uncanny. He once dictated some fifty lines of political
text before asking Knudsen’s opinion. His secretary replied that he thought the
wording unnecessarily academic. Without looking at the notes he mentioned a
series of words and expressions explaining as he did so what was to be replaced
and where. He then dictated the amended text flawlessly.
He
was once introduced to sixteen new party members. Several months later he asked
how each was getting on, recalling individual names, districts and attributes.
He never made a single mistake. As a youth he had memorised the many hundreds
of parishes of Norway, and their boundaries, simply to familiarise himself with
the precise topography of his country.
OPPOSED TO ENGLAND’S BROTHER WAR
Distraught
at the appalling likely consequences of what he called the ‘brothers war’
between Britain and Germany Quisling had intervened a month after England
declared war on its European neighbour.
He
telegraphed the British Prime Minister Chamberlain proposing that on British
initiative a union of European nations be formed. His secretary and biographer
Franklin Knudsen wrote: ‘A few weeks later he had ready a detailed draft for
cessation of hostilities and a proposal for re-establishing peaceful relations
between the brother- nations Great Britain and Germany.’
As
Knudsen surmises, “If Quisling had had any desire to exploit the confusion of
the of the world war and to seize power himself by the aid of foreign bayonets,
he would have done exactly the reverse, viz: lulled the people into a still
more profound sleep, and one day confronted it with an accomplished fact.”
QUISLING’S PROPHECY PREDICTING A UNITED EUROPE
On
October 11, 1939 after Poland’s attacks on Germany had been repulsed and German
territory ceded to Poland in 1918 recovered, Vidkun Quisling sent an urgent
telegram to British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain:
‘Having
in 1927 to 1929 been charged with the task of attending to the British
interests in Russia, I take the liberty of addressing myself to your Excellency
being aware, of expressing the opinion of nearly all in the Nordic countries,
when saying that the brothers’ war between Great Britain and Germany, with
bolshevism as a tertius gaudens, is being felt in an especially tragic degree
in our countries, that are so closely related to Great Britain as well as to
Germany.
Your
declaration of September 30, 1938, concerning the relations between Great
Britain and Germany, and their vital importance to the peaceful development of
Europe, made a strong impression here, and we are convinced that what is in
question today is to save Europe and civilisation through peace with Germany in
the spirit of your declaration.
The
only positive way to achieve this is to fuse British, French, and German
interests into a European Confederation on the initiative of Great Britain, in
order to create a community of interests and co-operation, beneficent to all
parties.
Under
these circumstances, and in view of the sufferings, which the war is causing
also to the neutral Nordic countries, I deferentially appeal to your immense
authority and responsibility, and beg to suggest that the British government –
in accordance with the tested methods of federalisation in America, South
Africa and Australia – invite every European state to choose ten
representatives to a congress charged with the task of preparing a constitution
for an empire of the European nations, to be submitted to a plebiscite in each
country for acceptance or rejection ….
You
are the only statesmen who, under present circumstances, can bring Europe back
to peace and reason. ” – Quisling, C.B.E., formerly Norwegian Minister of
Defence.
This
telegram was cordially acknowledged to which Quisling afterwards said: I
received a friendly message of thanks, but otherwise I heard nothing more about
the matter.’
One
of the greatest ironies is that within two decades of the brother’s war such a
confederation of European states was formed. An even greater irony is that
Britain rather than taking the lead as suggested by Quisling, became a junior
partner to a united Europe and is today standing on the sidelines.
QUISLING MEETS ADOLF HITLER
At
his trial Quisling was at pains to explain a meeting with Hitler on December
16/17, 1939: “Later at the beginning of December 1939, 1 had the chance of
going to Germany. The real reason for my journey was, however, a private request
from doctor Aall, who was living with the Norwegian-American professor
Strangeland, to visit him in order to discuss a scientific work. It has nothing
to with the present (court) case.
Through
the instigation of Reichsminister Alfred Rosenberg, I then had an audience with
Hitler. It was the first time I had met him, and immediately received a strong
impression that he was very attached to me. My conversation with him I may sum
up as follows:
“I
mentioned the question of peace to him, and Hitler then – as was his habit –
gave me a long lecture on his and Germany’s relations with Great Britain. In
the strongest terms he explained that it was a matter of emotion as well as
reason that lay behind his fervent desire to reach an understanding with Great
Britain, because Great Britain had gone to war about the Polish question, and
he thought that he had made more than a fair proposal for a settlement of this
question. Provisionally, things must run their course, but in due time, he
would revert to the subject. As we know, this happened in the summer of 1940,
but it was not a success.
“He
also discussed Norwegian and North European matters. Hitler mentioned that he
was aware of our endeavours to keep Norway out of the war, and emphasised
strongly that the Scandinavian States – and particularly Norway – remaining
neutral, best attended to Germany’s interests. Germany, Hitler emphasised, had
no interest whatever in interfering in Norway, if only Norway vindicated her
neutrality. Should she not do so, Germany would be bound to interfere, for if
Great Britain tried to establish herself in Norway, it would constitute such a
crucial threat against Germany, that Hitler would put forth all his strength to
prevent it.
Germany
would then also have to occupy Denmark and against Norway, he would pit
everything that was needed to break any resistance, regardless of how many
divisions might be required. 6-10-12-16 divisions, he stated. I particularly
remember that he said 16 divisions, presumably, however, only as a casual end
to a numerical series, which might be further increased.
This
was exactly as I had argued for years, and had been preaching to my countrymen
in numerous lectures and articles. It was, however, important to me to have my
views thus confirmed at first hand. And there was no doubt as to his being in
mortal earnest.
“Hitler
also asked about our movement. I told him about it and about our struggle I had
been carrying on in Norway. He asked what chances there were of our taking over
the government, or whether it would be possible for us to get some of our men
into government. This would secure Norway’s neutrality. I replied that I did
not think this was possible for the time being, but that we were gaining an
increasing number of supporters, and that the war might perhaps develop in such
a manner as to make it possible or even desirable. Hitler said he would hail it
with delight, because Germany was first and foremost, interested in the
neutrality of Norway, to which – it was obvious – Hitler attached the greatest
importance.
Vidkun
Quisling went to great pains to prove conclusively that from as far back as the
‘Russian’ revolution he had consistently sought a peaceful unified Europe,
preferably a single market Europe, with neutrality for Norway. He added that just
as he had discussed Norway’s neutrality with Hitler he had done likewise with
Great Britain from the British Prime Minister down through the ranks of
parliament who were similarly in favour of an arrangement with Germany.
The
British, and as a consequence the Germany invasion of Norway reduced Quisling’s
status and means to achieve anything internationally.
HITLER’S DEFENCE OF SCANDINAVIA
Alarmed
at the emerging evidence that Britain and France intended to attack Norway,
Sweden and Finland, Hitler on December 27 gave explicit orders to prepare
comprehensive plans for the defensive occupation, or if too late a strategy to
throw the English cuckoo out of the Norwegian nest.
His
fears were not groundless. On September 19, 1939 – less than two weeks after
his declaration of war against Germany – Winston Churchill, as First Lord of
the Admiralty, put forward the suggestion ‘that the British fleet should lay a
mine field across the three mile limit in Norwegian territorial waters,’ the
intention being to intercept and stop the essential supply of Swedish ore (via
Narvik) to Germany. (4)
Churchill
went on to bemoan the fact that having made his case the cabinet would not give
their consent. ‘The Foreign Office’s argument in favour of respecting Norway’s
neutrality was weighty’.
It
was not until April 1940 that Churchill got his way. He dismissed any
suggestion that Norway would retaliate by pointing out that Great Britain,
through trade blockades ‘could bring the whole industry of Norway, centring on
Oslo and Bergen, to a complete standstill, in short, Norway, by retaliating
against us, would be involved in economic and industrial ruin.’ England’s
swashbuckling First Lord contemptuously dismissed suggestions that Germany
would retaliate.
Another
‘cunning plan’ of the ever-bellicose Winston was to declare de facto war on
Norway, Sweden and Finland. This strategy was drawn up on February 5, 1940 when
the Allied Supreme Council of the western powers held a meeting in Paris. There
it was agreed to send up to four divisions, camouflaged as volunteers’ (5) to
Finland via Norway and Sweden to seize those countries iron-ore assets. The
strategy was aborted because of Sweden’s stated determination to resist.
Having
been denied his calamitous warlike way Churchill on February 16, 1940 ordered
British naval forces to proceed into Norway’s territorial waters and board the
German freighter ‘Altmark’, which had prisoners-of-war on board. As Quisling
had surmised the Norwegian government turned a blind eye to Churchill’s impudent
two-fingered salute to their country’s neutrality.
On
April 8 English aggression against Norway proceeded. The Royal Navy began to
mine the Scandinavian country’s coastal waters; an act of war that once again
blew a gaping hole in solemnly signed declarations.
As
the mining of Norway’s ports continued British and French troops were
simultaneously being mobilised to invade Norway. Their first objective was to
occupy Narvik and to clear the port before advancing to the Swedish frontier.
Simultaneously further troops were readied to occupy Stavenger, Bergen and
Trondheim’.
HITLER HORRIFIED AT CHURCHILL’S AGGRESSION
At
a time when according to corrupt British ‘historians’ England was supposed to
be standing alone, Adolf Hitler was hardly alone in being horrified at the
English and French invasion of Scandinavia. His country’s legitimate (and
crucial) trade links with Finland would be broken in defiance of international
law. Furthermore, Hitler was painfully aware that the invasion of his country
would quickly follow. ‘The occupation of the Norway by the British would be a
strategic turning movement which would lead them into the Baltic, where we have
neither troops nor coastal fortifications . . . the enemy would find himself in
a position to advance on Berlin and break the backbone of our two fronts.” (6)
Churchill
was rather reticent about his criminal disregard for Scandinavia’s neutrality
but his French counterpart, the equally belligerent Prime Minister Daladier was
more forthright: “Churchill came to Paris,” he explained, “on April 5* 1940 and
at last the British government resolved that the mine fields in Norwegian
territorial waters would after all be laid. The operation was, however
postponed until April 7 so Hitler could learn of it and prepare his counter
move. One of the aims of the enterprise was to, entrap the opponent by
provoking him into making a landing in Norway. ”
Churchill’s
reticence was understandable. Instead of arriving first and drawing the Germans
out, the German armed forces reached Norway first and with remarkably few
forces prevented the British and French occupation of Norway.
‘Consequently,
we were out of the running, and for all that, it was we, who had taken the
initiative in the operations,’ admitted France’s Paul Reynard. France’s General
Gamelin disconsolately agreed: ‘The intention had been to entrap their opponent
(Germany) by provoking him into making a landing in Norway.’ It had gone
disastrously wrong, they had been beaten to it by Hitler. Churchill himself reluctantly
conceded that ‘The Norwegian government at the time was chiefly concerned with
the activities of the British.’
BRITISH TROOPS ROUTED
Undeterred
Churchill persisted in his aim to occupy Norway with Trondheim being the
obvious choice; there were only 2,000 German troops stationed in the coastal
town who would be little match for 13,000 British troops. The British Army was
however routed during their encirclement and badly mauled, the remnants were
evacuated by May I’*’.
More
to save face than from any realistic chance of seizing neutral Sweden’s
iron-mines, the British mobilised 20,000 troops and put them ashore at Narvik.
Embarrassingly they too were routed by 2,000 Austrian Alpine troops supported
by as many sailors again from the German destroyers based at Narvik.
At
this stage of the war, Germany, which had so far merely protected its borders
against Anglo-French aggression, retaliated against their tormentors. The
numerically fewer and more lightly equipped German Army overran France. 338,000
allied troops, mostly British, retreated through northern France, most of whom
were rescued on the express orders of the conciliatory Adolf Hitler. Along the
Norwegian coastline the remnants of Churchill’s defeated British Army in Norway
were simultaneously evicted (evacuated).
Everything
that Vidkun Quisling had warned against had turned out precisely as he had
predicted; rarely has a country suffered the ignominy of bearing the charge: ‘I
told you so.’ Quisling stood vindicated.
Interestingly,
the then Norwegian government, like today’s Labour Party activists, were
selectively pacifist. Just as in England there are government ministers who
once supported the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Quisling recalled a
Norwegian apparatchik sitting on the military committee whilst wearing the
‘broken rifle’ emblem on his lapel. He became the Minister of Defence. Quisling
wondered what these ‘warriors’ would do now to defend Norway’s interests.
Even
Quisling’s most vociferous opponents agreed on the point of Norway’s lamentable
lack of preparation: Major O.H Langeland, a vociferous opponent wrote: ‘Never
has a people embarked on a war under a government that was so incompetent, and
so totally incapable of understanding the nature of war as the Nygaardsvold
government.’ (7)
Such
was Norwegian parliamentary party’s incompetence, betrayal and treachery that
in order to save their own skins when the post war inquest arrived they had
little hesitation in placing the blame on the 100,000 of their fellow
countrymen who had joined Quisling’s Nasjonal Samling Party.
NORWEGIAN GOVERNMENT FLEES
Overnight
the German armed forces consolidated their hold on Norway and set up a
protective coastal cordon to thwart Anglo-French incursions. In Oslo itself the
Norwegian authorities had evaporated like spring snow leaving only the police
to cope with the invasion.
It
was at this stage that a representative of the German government named Scheldt
and an old acquaintance, Hagelin, approached Quisling, in his hotel room, the
Astoria. The situation was made painfully clear, in a word, resistance was
useless and at this stage could only come from guerrilla bands as all defence
establishments had surrendered. The obvious was stated; continuation of the
conflict would be catastrophic for Norway.
Overall
the capitulation was peaceful and uneventful. The city of Oslo surrendered and
thousands of curious Norwegians stood calmly along the pavements to witness the
surprisingly low-key troop movements. Hitler despised victory celebrations.
Knudsen surprised he saw one elderly lady spit in a German soldier’s face. He
simply wiped the spittle off with the back of his hand and smiled.
At
1.00 o’clock Quisling completed his walk of contemplation and accompanied by
Knudsen and Scheldt set off for the War Office. Once there he was recognised
and saluted; he had of course been Norway’s Minister of Defence for two years,
in these same offices.
The
authorities had vanished; no one knew what had happened and no orders had been
given. The General Staff had evacuated during the night. It was later
discovered they had ensconced to a small hotel outside Oslo where they had
mobilised a hearty breakfast.
Sadly
it was not to be partaken. Just as these stalwarts were about to tuck in a
German plane came flying over the suburb of HolmenkoUen and the entire general
staff ran for their cars and disappeared. They left only their caps, shoulder
belts, overcoats, portfolios, and of course their breakfasts.
Back
at the War Office it was unanimously agreed ‘that it would be an act of utter
insanity to attempt to resist.’
Having
secured German agreement to consider the War Office as sacrosanct. Quisling
ordered the destruction of all documentation that might aid the German armed
forces. He then endeavoured to discover where Norway’s government had gone. He
did manage to contact a colonel at Elverum who informed him that the government
was on the point of fleeing to Sweden.
Quisling
was quite certain that this must be prevented; its government and the
authorities could not abandon Norway. In Oslo there were already signs of
panic. Vidkun Quisling, ever the pragmatic, took the only available course open
to him, an equally realistic decision that was taken during the German
occupation of Guernsey and other soft targets.
ENGLAND AND FRANCE THWARTED
The
German objective had been reached, the military denial of Norway to their
English and French tormentors. It had never been their intention, borne out by
events, of bringing bloodshed to their peaceful European neighbour. Furthermore
the Germans had no wish whatsoever to interfere in the administration of the
land of Norway.
There
was anger that the German battleship Blucher had been sunk with heavy loss of
life and a feeling for revenge in the form of armed aggression prevailed. This
however was prevented on the express orders of Adolf Hitler.
The
only remaining political party in Norway, Nasjonal Samling, was invited to
administer the country’s affairs. Taking off his jacket Quisling set to work.
His first intention was to broadcast a national appeal for calm. His doing so
prevented much loss of life.
At
7.32pm Vidkun Quisling made his speech from Oslo’s radio station: ‘Norwegian
Men and women! England having violated the neutrality of Norway by laying
minefields in Norwegian territorial waters, without encountering any other
resistance than the usual flimsy protests from the Nygaardsvold government, the
German government has offered the Norwegian government, its help, accompanied
by a solemn declaration that Germany will respect our national independence and
Norwegian lives and property.
As
a reply to this offer, which would provide a solution to the untenable
situation in which our country finds itself the Nygaardsvold government has
ordered a general mobilisation with the instructions that all Norwegian
military forces are to oppose the Germans by armed force.
The
government itself has fled, having recklessly gambled with the fate of our
country and its inhabitants. Under these circumstances, it is the duty and the
right of the national unity movement to take possession of the power of
government, in order to vindicate the vital interests of the Norwegian people
and the safety and independence of Norway.
By
the virtues of circumstance and of the national aims of our movement, we are
the only people who can do this and thereby save the country from the desperate
situation into which the party politicians have brought our people. The
Nygaardsvold government has withdrawn. The national government has assumed
power with Vidkun Quisling as head of government and minister for foreign
affairs, and with the following other members.’
Quisling
then went on to name his government members drawn from a wide spectrum of
professional Norwegian life including the armed forces.
‘All
Norwegians are hereby called upon to keep the peace of the Realm and to
preserve their presence of mind in this difficult situation. By united
assertions and the good will of all, we shall bring Norway free and safe
through this serious crisis. I add, that with the way the situation has
developed, resistance is not merely useless, but directly synonymous with
criminal destruction of life and property. Every official and every municipal
functionary and particularly all the officers of our country, in the army,
navy, coastal artillery and air force, are bound to obey orders from their
national government.’
LESS COWARDLY THAN GUERNSEY’S CAPITULATION
Of
course, the proclamation acted like a bomb up and down the country. Knudsen
described his congratulating Quisling on his new role as Prime Minister of
Norway. ‘He smiled – somewhat sadly I thought – and said: ‘It surely is no
position to aspire after, Franklin. Let us hope, however, that the Germans
understand our objectives.’
Was
Quisling the puppet claimed by the vengeful victors? The evidence suggests
otherwise. Norway’s new prime minister insisted on considerable autonomy moreso
than did for instance the authorities on England’s German-occupied Channel
Islands who were never denounced as traitors.
The
first sign of Quisling’s independent spirit was shown when Reich Minister
Brauer asked Quisling to visit him. The prime minister declined saying that on
the contrary; Brauer must come to see him. On this occasion Quisling presented
his list of government ministers, rather embarrassingly handwritten on a hotel
letter heading. This at least put the lie to the allegation that Nasjonal
Samling was part of a pre-arranged plot. If that had been the case then the new
government of ministers, some even then in remote regions of the country, would
never have been appointed ‘on the hoof. They would have been already appointed
and standing in the wings.
It
was Quisling who ordered the evacuation of German troops from his country’s
parliament, while the illegitimate Nygaardsvold regime (through
unconstitutional extension of their mandate) were abandoning their country and
people. It was Quisling who by various directives saved many Norwegian lives.
There
were amusing incidents. On one occasion Franklin Knudsen, Quisling’s secretary,
was required to show his identity card. On showing the officer his passport he
was promptly arrested which caused considerable tension. The Germans however
did have a point. There in Knudsen’ s passport were the words, ‘Acting British
Consul’.
There
was amusement all round however when it was revealed that Knudsen who had
indeed acted as British Consul, had been dismissed from the post several months
earlier. Presumably this was because his father, British vice-Consul for thirty
years, was dismissed for disagreeing with Britain’s war aims.
Of
Quisling’s role Knudsen was afterwards to say: ‘There was no doubting my mind
that Quisling had acted correctly, in order to salvage priceless values. Nothing
that has happened subsequently has shaken this belief of mine one jot.’ (8).
The
claim that Quisling was Germany’s imposed puppet is also wide of the mark.
Whilst the Nasjonal Samling’s leader was indeed Prime Minister, it was
Amrsleiter (Head of Department) Scheldt and President of the Board of Trade,
Hagelin, who autonomously negotiated with the German authorities.
Quisling’s
principal role was to provide responsible civilian rule thus denying the need
for military dictatorship. He first aim was to ensure political and social
stability and through proper defence to deter British and French aggression. It
was assumed that adequate defensive fortifications would be in place prior to
German withdrawal and the re-establishment of Norway’s neutral status. Had
Quisling been listened to in the years leading up to England’s war against
Germany and Scandinavia then of course British and then German invasion would
have never occurred.
UNIVERSAL APPROVAL OF QUISLING
The
new government earned the guarded approval of industry’s official
representatives and ironically, the spontaneous and total support of the trade
unions. Prior to their executive committees fleeing the country, Nasjonal
Samling had been a thorn in the side of the Socialists but now abandoned by
them, Norway’s workers became enthusiastic for their new government.
The
press also promised Quisling their support. After a statement to the Oslo
Press, the editor in chief of Norway’s equivalent to The Times or New York
Times wrote supportively. He said that for many years he had been one of
Quisling’s most consistent opponents, but after what had happened, he was
convinced that there was only one course open to the nation, and that was the
one which Quisling’s new government had made possible.
Every
newspaper loyally quoted all the press releases Quisling forwarded. They were
not compelled to do so; the new government did not possess the means to compel
anyone to do anything against their wishes. In effect whilst Quisling
responsibly administered the country’s needs the German authorities, which
considered Quisling ‘a bothersome fellow’, merely provided for the country’s
defence against England.
Unlike
Britain’s whip system of government none of the Quisling government’s ministers
or functionaries were coerced; each was given the free choice, to serve or not
to do so. It is interesting to note that all functionaries were requested to
dispose of all documents that might fall into German hands.
MASS PANIC IN OSLO
Throughout
Norway settled a blissful calm except for one tumultuous day when Quisling was
alarmed to see mass panic in Oslo. Tens of thousands of people were fleeing for
their lives, even hijacking vehicles; anything to reach safety. On that
ill-famed aptly named ‘panic day’ tens of thousands spent the freezing night in
the woods surrounding Oslo.
The
reason? Rumour had it that British warships were lying out in the fjord and
were going to bombard Oslo on the stroke of twelve noon. The rumour was likely
fuelled by a British broadcast aimed at giving the impression that Britain had
allowed the Germans to successfully invade, so that the Royal Navy could
blockade and confine Germany’s troops.
Acceptance
of their position was universal and largely supportive throughout Norway.
Certainly the fleeing Nygaardsvold regime was condemned without exception and
in scenes that would undoubtedly have been echoed had England been invaded, the
Norwegian people set out to make the best of things.
People,
especially those in authority, did everything possible to ingratiate themselves
with the Germans, offering assistance and advice. The German legation was
actually besieged by Norwegians wishing to assist the Germans and Oslo’s local
government were nothing if not enthusiastic in carrying out nightly repairs to
the Fornebu airport which was being bombed by Britain’s Royal Air Force. For
their part the German authorities kept Quisling informed as to those who were
conspiring to oust him. There were several separate and parallel plans to
remove Quisling, one of which was to succeed.
THE CONSPIRACY TO OUST QUISLING
Quisling
for his part applied himself to getting the country running again. Previously
Norway’s industry was disproportionately dependent upon Britain. Overnight
entire industries closed down overnight, as did the banks. Thousands of workers
found themselves without the means to make a living. Churchill’s boast to bring
Norway’s economy to destruction looked certain but was again thwarted by
Quisling. With enormous drive and energy he brought Norway’s entire economic
and social administration back to work.
Perversely
it was Quisling’s independent spirits that lead to his being removed from
office. His relationship with minister Brauer had always been abrasive; the
Reich’s appointee resented playing second fiddle to Quisling. Furthermore the
Germans were great believers in real politic and the more Machiavellian Brauer
had succeeded in convincing the German High Command that an alternative
government to Quisling’s had been assembled. This Administrasjonsrad would be
far more compliant to German demands and furthermore it had the unequivocal
support of the King who had refused to recognise the Quisling government. This
was a real politik that the Germans could not refuse.
Quisling
was furious and in a angry confrontation with the German appointed
puppet-president of the newly formed Administrasjonsrad he exclaimed: ‘You have
these thirty years been walking about acting patriot and friend of the military
defence of Norway, and now it becomes evident that you are willing to take over
the government on German terms, which I had rejected in contempt. You have made
yourself a vile hostage in the hands of the Wehrmacht. You will be forced to
join in the plundering of our people, and when it is finished your new
taskmasters will throw you out of office. It will be well deserved.’ Events
turned out precisely as Quisling predicted.
Within
days it became clear that Norway’s Administrasjonsrad had lied and did not have
the King’s blessing and were unable to govern in the way the Germans had
wanted. It was immediately dissolved, the occupied Norwegian territories were
placed under a Reichskommissar and Norway found itself under direct military
rule. The Reich’s new commissar was Terboven and for the first time the
Swastika rather than the Norwegian national flag flew over parliament house.
FROM KOMMISSAR TO FOOT SOLDIER
Hitler
who had allowed himself to be ill advised by the deceitful Brauer and his
fellow conspirators was ruthlessly pragmatic. The hapless German appointee,
Brauer, delirious with pride, flew to Berlin on April 16* A week later he was
demoted to common soldier and posted to the Western Front. Rumour has it (by
1967) that Brauer had been absorbed into the Soviet apparatus as an advisor to
the inspectorate of recruitment.
With
less freedom than that enjoyed by the occupied Danes, a freedom likely to have
been equalled in Norway had Quisling’s more benign administration not been
sabotaged by Brauer, Norway’s infrastructure nevertheless hit the ground
running. Industry was accelerating at such a pace that it was afterwards
mockingly said that the Norwegians were profiteers by day and patriots during
the evening.’
Quisling
meanwhile was politically sidelined. Terboven informed him that unless he
resigned as leader of Nasjonal Samling it would be declared an illegal
organisation. Vidkun Quisling did fly to Berlin, hoping to lay the situation
before the Fuhrer, but those who had an interest in maintaining Terboven’ s
position prevented the meeting from immediately doing so and Quisling was
‘otherwise occupied’. Resting in a small hotel on the outskirts of Berlin, the
days turned into weeks giving Terboven the space needed to consolidate his
hold.
HITLER MEETS QUISLING
Finally
the meeting with the German leader took place and was to last several hours.
There, Quisling was given the opportunity to properly recount events which he
did so without throwing Terboven to the wolves. Hitler, understandably upset at
Norway’s pre- war treachery that had left his beloved Germany exposed to Baltic
invasion, pointed out that Norway had no right to anything ‘after the
pro-English policy she had been pursuing.’
The
Fuhrer then smiled and added ruefully: ‘It is a strange irony of fate that we
should be waging war against the two countries, for which, all my life, I have
had the most sympathy, namely, Norway and England.’
Hitler
spoke quietly saying that he could not make any changes to the conditions of
occupation but would consider, as soon as conditions allowed, Norway’s craving
for liberty.’ He also reminded Quisling that if England’s invasion had made
occupation inevitable then better for the people of Norway that the occupiers
be German rather than English. The Fuhrer had bitter memories of the English as
occupiers. To underline his point the Fuhrer added that had it not been for the
German occupation the Soviet Union aided by England would have certainly
pursued its claim to access to the open sea (Atlantic). The implication was
clear; it was hardly in Norway’s interests to be occupied by the Red Army. It
was an irresistible argument.
The
meeting ended with Quisling being afforded every facility for continuing his
work, and working within a Norway enjoying considerable autonomy within a
Germanic Europe. The German leader was set in his mind that never again would
the offshore prodigal son, England, threaten Europe.
HITLER SALUTES QUISLING’S COURAGE
Unbeknown
to the Norwegian patriot the Fuhrer, unaware of his presence in Berlin, sent
Quisling a telegram which read: ‘By his many years’ work against world
bolshevism, minister Quisling has involved the German people and myself in a
debt of gratitude to him, a debt of honour, that will be paid in full both to
him personally, and to the Norwegian people that bred him.’
Subsequently
Quisling remained on the sidelines in the belief that doing so gave him the
best opportunity of engaging and ousting Terboven’s Administrasjonsrad. Adolf
Hitler was personally involved in negotiations aimed at providing Norway with a
multi-party administration with Nasjonal Samling under Quisling’s leadership
making up at least one-quarter of then proposed government. It was the Fuhrer’
s fervent hope that the Norwegian patriot’s track record would quickly make him
the dominant figure in Norwegian politics.
Such
were the contenders that it was jokingly said that Norway had enough ministers
to run Europe.
In
the event of the successful formation of Hitler’s choice, the Council of the
Kingdom, Quisling’s Nasjonal Samling was accorded one-third of the new
parliament’s seats but he himself was not made a member of the government. At
least his work for the reconstruction of Norway, though now compromised by the
intervening period, could begin.
POSTERITY STANDS IN JUDGEMENT
Posterity,
not the vengeful victors will decide on guilt or otherwise. Certainly in the
chaos of war and occupation there will be compromise, treachery, acts of
cowardice and bravery, brutality, duplicity; all of humanity’s strengths and
failings will be evident.
Separated
from passion there were many collaborators (not just with the Germans) who were
elevated to high position after the war. Equally there were patriots who fought
passionately for their country, their race or the combination of both. They
gave their lives. In between there were tens of thousands who lived, worked, often
enthusiastically, to consolidate the achievements of the Third Reich. Many were
building and repairing airfields used by the Luftwaffe to carry on the German
war against Norwegian partisans. In such a chaos of torn loyalties are found
hypocritical and unjust judicial sentencing.
If
any nation and its people are to survive in the face of adversity some persons
must take it upon themselves to negotiate, to see to it that there is a minimum
of abuse of power. Would it have been any different had England been occupied?
It is doubtful. Had those in a position to seek concessions from the Germans
done so would they afterwards have been state-murdered for their collaboration
in the events of the tide turning? If so, then who shall protect us should
England be occupied in the future?
It
may be (conveniently) forgotten today in Norway but it was Quisling alone who
gained Adolf Hitler’s assurance that after the war Norway’s status as a free
and independent nation would be fully restored. In fact, Norway officially was
a German province only between his being stood down on April 11* 1940 and the
restoration of government in 1942. Norway was delivered with her national
integrity intact, due entirely to the efforts of the greatest Viking of all,
Vidkun Quisling.
WAS QUISLING A NAZI PUPPET?
Was
Vidkun Quisling a National Socialist? Decidedly not for in fact it was his and
Knudsen’s almost English (establishment) negative perception of National
Socialism that earned them the distrust of Berlin. Those politicians who did
replace him were appointed not so much because of their affection for or
understanding of Norway but for their affection for the Third Reich and in
particular National Socialism.
Quisling
had, much to his later regret, always trusted England first and foremost. He
was particularly aggrieved when, in the summer of 1940, he was deprived of his
order of CBE (Commander of the British Empire). In his biography his secretary
emphasised ‘the naked truth’: “Quisling was far more pro-English than
pro-German.”
Franklin
Knudsen himself was a product of the English public school system. He had also
been an Acting British Vice Consul, hardly a role suited to a National
Socialist.
As
late as 1938 Knudsen had collaborated with the Air Ministry in London. This was
in connection with a Norwegian patent for directing torpedoes by the aid of
photoelectric cells. It was hardly surprising the Gestapo suspected him of
belonging to the British Secret Service.
Essentially
the Nasjonal Samling Party was Fascist inclined only inasmuch as it represented
a sea change for social improvement, the elimination of class, the provision of
conditions amenable to national prosperity, and a sound defensive strategy. As
such it was natural that it should be vehemently opposed to Communism but then,
virtually every country in Europe had, with varying degrees of success, their
own Nasjonal Samling parties.
On
May 7, 1945 Norway capitulated and the disintegration proceeded during which
time Vidkun Quisling was ordered to present himself and with party members to
the police station. He had already spurned an offer to decamp for a neutral
country, Spain or South America. He preferred however to stand by his post and
to vindicate his actions. A surprising lack of judgement for he must already have
known of the vengeful extremes to which his opponents would go.
THE CRUCIFIXION OF A REPUTATION
The
campaign to blacken the Norwegian patriot’s reputation began immediately upon
his being gaoled. The media that had been on friendly terms with him so recently
now denounced him as ‘a drunken decadent bearing all the signs of excess
debauchery.’ Pretty good considering Quisling was a tee-totalling non-smoking
ascetic. One can only imagine what the same media might say if let loose on the
Vatican?
Vidkun
Quisling and thousands of other gaoled political hostages was systematically
starved with rations as low as 700 calories a day, the normal requirement being
3000 calories daily. In these prisons various diseases ran rampant and
neuritis, due to lack of nutrition, was common. Such was Quisling’s physical
condition that on at least one occasion the court had to be adjourned because
he had difficulty standing.
Quisling’s
political activity before the occupation was a mainstay of the prosecution’s
case. (Defence evidence was inadmissible) It alleged that he had 1. Furnished
Germany with military and political information. 2. That in December 1940
(three months prior to the invasion) he had procured an audience with the
Norwegian businessman, Hagelin, Admiral Raeder and Adolf Hitler. 3. That by
declaring illegal (which it was) the Norwegian parliament’s extension of itself
he had provided himself with a reason to force a coup d’etat.
The
rest was equally puerile nonsense. It was charged that Quisling would invite
the Germans to occupy Norway as being preferable to being occupied by Britain,
that he would incorporate Norway into a Great Germanic League. It was also
charged that he had convinced Adolf Hitler in 1939 of the western powers
intention to invade Norway. It may have been irrelevant to such a court that it
was of course true. Finally he Quisling had charged (again quite correctly) the
then illegal Norwegian government with having decided not to hinder an allied
invasion of Norway.
Perversely,
rarely has a prosecution so successfully managed to turn acts of great
patriotism into base treachery.
Denounced
as a traitor for offering a defensive solution to an invasion from whatever
quarter, for exposing an illegal act (extension of parliament) by a government,
warning his country of an enemy’s invasion plans, and denouncing his government
for collaborating and acquiescing to England’s planned invasion. That is
treachery?
It
was never explained why, if it was Quisling’s intention to surrender his country
to Germany, why his party alone in the Norwegian parliament, had offered a
solution that would guarantee Norway’s continued neutrality. A strange thing to
do if one is contemplating surrender to an enemy.
Nor
was it ever explained why, if it was Quisling’s intention to surrender to
German invasion (caused by England’s invasion) why he had always advocated a
strong defensive capability, pushed for a strong national government, for the
formation of a British- Norwegian League, and for peace between England and
Germany.
‘WHOSOEVER ENTERS HERE, LEAVES HOPE BEHIND’
As
in all of the victors’ show trials Quisling was allowed neither defence counsel
save one chosen for him by the state, nor defence witnesses or defence
evidence. The judge, Eric Solem, was handpicked as a veteran political opponent
of the Nasjonal Samling’s leader. He was almost certainly Jewish.
An
article in the ‘Aftenposten’ April 18, 1947, says: “It would perhaps not be so
strange, if one or other of the worst traitors (landssvikers), who is brought
into the court, where Judge Eric Solem is presiding, for a moment recalls to
his mind the inscription over the entrance to Dante’s famous hell. ‘Whosoever
enters here, leaves hope behind.’
This
statement incredibly was written in an article praising ‘hanging judge’ Solem.
Afterwards Gustav Smedel, one of Norway’s greatest jurists remarked in
references to the sinister appointment of Chief Justice Paul Berg: ‘In a state
which recognises equality before the law one cannot accept that one political
leader sentences another to death.’ The entire legal apparatus assembled to
judge Vidkun Quisling was drawn from his avowed enemies. The Norwegian patriot
was inevitably sentenced to death by firing squad.
QUOTABLE QUOTES
October
1, 1938: “Europe is standing on the brink of the greatest tragedy in the
history of the human race: a new world war, that may involve the doom of our
entire civilisation.” – Vidkun Quisling
June
27, 1936: “Such a war between Great Britain and Germany would be catastrophic
for Norway. Norway cannot and will not march, except when our own liberty and
our own boundaries are in danger. We therefore demand a strong and
unconditional vindication of Norway’s neutrality, and that the neutrality and
the peace of the realm be secured through the strengthening of our military
defence, quickly and effectively.” – Vidkun Quislin
“We,
in Nasjonal Samling, therefore endeavoured to do all in our power to create
peace and mutual understanding between these two great kindred peoples. We
worked for a union of all Nordic peoples, in a Great Bond of Peace, of
Scandinavians, of Britons, Germans and Netherlanders. At the National Congress
of Nasjonal Samling in 1936, we made the matter one of the chief points of our
policy. However, when the people stood at the crossroads they chose Barabbas.’
– Vidkun Quisling
‘He
(Quisling) could never imagine that the Western Powers would be so stupid as to
open Europe to the Russian hordes. He regarded Churchill as a practical politician
of the greatest stature, a warlord, who was perhaps even more unscrupulous than
Hitler, when it was a question of furthering the interests of his country; but
that Churchill should be a party to delivering Europe to communism was a
shattering disillusionment to Quisling. Churchill had for years been quite as
anti-bolshevistic as Quisling or Hitler, and he also was a staunch supporter of
the classical English policy on foreign affairs, namely, the balance of power.
If
Hitler failed to break the back of bolshevism, there was still the belief that
the western Powers would clip its claws, or at least contain it within the old
Russian boundaries. The reverse situation meant that the death sentence would
be passed on eastern and central Europe, and even Norway would be put into an
extremely dangerous position, as a close neighbour of Russia.” – Franklin
Knudsen.
“The
British were adept at committing atrocities leaving evidence to suggest
partisan responsibility. German retaliation often resulted in inflaming tension:
“It is sufficient to call to mind how the ‘voice of London’ sparkled with
enthusiasm every time it reported new German reprisals, executions and
deportations. Then one may say to oneself: In every truth, the Norwegian heroic
saga has still unwritten chapters.” – Franklin Knudsen.
“The
men of the Nuremberg Court came to an agreement beforehand to bar evidence that
might have been awkward for the allies. I am left with the unfortunate feeling
that something similar may have happened in connection with the Quisling trial.
I do not say that it did happen, but that the trial leaves that impression with
one who perhaps possesses certain qualifications for evaluating the facts of
the trial.” – Lord Hankey, Politics, Trials and Errors.
THE
LAST WORD: “Do not handicap yourself with the idea of revenge, for the trend of
things will revenge your wrong not only upon the individuals responsible for
your persecution, but on the society that has permitted this lawlessness.” –
Vidkun Quisling’s final words to his friends and party members.
AND
SO DIED A VIKING
(1)
Memoirs of Prime Minister Paul Reynard of France: La France a sauve
L’ Europe.
L’ Europe.
(2) Winston Churchill, 11th,
November, 1938
(3) I Was Quisling’s Secretary,
Britons Publishing Company, 1967
(4) The Second World War, vol.2.
Winston Churchill
(5) History of the Second World
War, Liddell Hart.
(6) History of the Second World
War, Liddell Hart
(7) ‘Judge Not’, p.22
(8) I Was Quisling’s Secretary,
Britons Publishing Company, 1967
Footnote:
H. Franklin Knudsen’s Norwegian father was British Consul in Norway, his grand-uncle
the Norwegian Prime Minister and his mother’s father an Englishman. The young
Knudsen was privately educated in England at a school ‘frequented by the sons
of Ambassadors and Viceroys.’
A video-slide-show in honour of Vidkun Quisling:
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