Josef Monsrud

Josef Monsrud (29 May 1922, Lunner, Oppland – 12 December 2009) was a Norwegian forester and resistance member during World War II.

He hailed from Harestua in Lunner.[1] At the age of twenty he joined the resistance Osvald Group. He went through some initial training and performed sabotage missions in Hadeland before being hired as a guard in the Communist Party of Norway. The party was strictly illegal, and had a secret base in Hemsedal. On 30 October 1942 the guard hut was attacked by German soldiers and Monsrud and fellow resistance fighter Finn Eriksen were captured.[2] Monsrud was incarcerated at Grini from 2 to 24 November, then at Møllergata 19 until February 1943.[1] He went through torture, but survived.[2] Finn Eriksen, who had suffered a gunshot wound, died of the trauma three months later.[3]

The Osvald Group later split with the Communist Party,[2] and Monsrud joined Milorg, working for the Secret Intelligence Service with the illegal radio transmitter Gullfaks.[4] Named after Gullfaxi of Norse mythology, Gullfaks was operated from different places in Bærumsmarka and Nordmarka until the liberation of 8 May 1945.[5] For his efforts the mountain Monsrudnabben in the Heimefrontfjella range in Antarctica was named in his honour.[4]

After the war Monsrud took forester's education at Kongsberg.[6] In 1949 he started working as a forester for Oslo municipality. He was eventually promoted to municipal consultant for wild game.[4] He lived in Maridalen.[7]

He struggled throughout his life with nightmares caused by war and torture,[2] and died in December 2009.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 Giertsen, Børre R., ed. (1946). Norsk fangeleksikon. Grinifangene (in Norwegian). Oslo: Cappelen. p. 193.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Conradi, Morten (16 May 2009). "Nyhetsreportasjen". VG Helg (in Norwegian). p. 20.
  3. ↑ Ording, Arne; Johnson, Gudrun; Garder, Johan (1949). Våre falne 1939-1945 1. Oslo: Grøndahl. p. 553.
  4. 1 2 3 "85 år 29. mai: Viltkonsulent Josef Monsrud" (in Norwegian). Norwegian News Agency. 9 May 2007.
  5. ↑ Christensen, Trygve (1995). Bærum og krigen 1940–1945 (in Norwegian). Bekkestua: Bærum Public Library. p. 102. ISBN 82-991713-5-0.
  6. ↑ "Dagens navn". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). 29 May 1992. p. 14.
  7. 1 2 Borgersrud, Lars; Conradi, Morten; Buan, Stein (22 December 2009). "Josef Monsrud". Klassekampen (in Norwegian). p. 8.
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