born July 18, 1887, Fyresdal, Nor.
died Oct. 24, 1945, Akershus Fortress, Oslo
Norwegian politician and collaborator with the Germans in World War II. After serving as military attaché in Petrograd and Helsinki, he became Norway's minister of defense in 1931.
He resigned in 1933 to form the fascist National Union party. He actively collaborated in the German conquest of Norway (1940) and served in the occupation government. His attempts to convert Norwegians to National Socialism aroused strong opposition. After Norway's liberation, he was found guilty of treason and executed. His name became a synonym for "traitor."