Vidkun Quisling

Vidkun Quisling
Quisling, c. 1919
Minister President of the National Government of Norway
In office 1 February 1942 – 9 May 1945 Serving with Reichskommissar Josef Terboven
Preceded by	Johan Nygaardsvold (as Prime Minister)
Succeeded by	Johan Nygaardsvold (as Prime Minister)
Minister of Defence
In office 12 May 1931 – 3 March 1933
Prime Minister	Peder Kolstad Jens Hundseid
Preceded by	Torgeir Anderssen-Rysst
Succeeded by	Jens Isak Kobro
Fører of the National Gathering
In office 13 May 1933 – 8 May 1945
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Personal details
Born	Vidkun Abraham Lauritz Jonssøn Quisling (1887-07-18)18 July 1887 Fyresdal, Telemark, Sweden-Norway
Died	24 October 1945(1945-10-24) (aged 58) Akershus Fortress, Oslo, Norway
Cause of death	Execution by firing squad
Political party	Nasjonal Samling (1933–45)
Other political affiliations	Fatherland League (1930–31) Nordic People's Awakening in Norway (1930–31) Agrarian Party (1931–33)
Spouses	Alexandra Andreevna Voronina Maria Vasilijevna Quisling (disputed)
Profession	Military officer, politician
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Vidkun Abraham Lauritz Jonssøn Quisling (/ˈkwɪzlɪŋ/, Norwegian: [ˈvɪ̂dkʉn ˈkvɪ̂slɪŋ] ^ⓘ; 18 July 1887 – 24 October 1945) was a Norwegian military officer, politician and Nazi collaborator who nominally headed the government of Norway during the country's occupation by Nazi Germany during World War II.

He first came to international prominence as a close collaborator of the explorer Fridtjof Nansen, and through organising humanitarian relief during the Russian famine of 1921 in Povolzhye. He was posted as a Norwegian diplomat to the Soviet Union and for some time also managed British diplomatic affairs there. He returned to Norway in 1929 and served as minister of defence in the governments of Peder Kolstad (1931–32) and Jens Hundseid (1932–33) in representing the Farmers' Party.

In 1933, Quisling left the Farmers' Party and founded the fascist Nasjonal Samling (National Gathering). Although he gained some popularity after his attacks on the political left, his party failed to win any seats in the Storting, and by 1940, it was still little more than peripheral. On 9 April 1940, with the German invasion of Norway in progress, he attempted to seize power in the world's first radio-broadcast coup d'état but failed since the Germans sought to convince the recognized Norwegian government to legitimize the German occupation, as had been done in Denmark during the simultaneous invasion there, instead of recognizing Quisling. On 1 February 1942, he formed a second government, approved by the Germans, and served as minister president and headed the Norwegian state administration jointly with the German civilian administrator, Josef Terboven. His pro-Nazi puppet government, known as the Quisling regime, was dominated by ministers from Nasjonal Samling. The collaborationist government participated in Germany's war efforts, and sent Jews out of the country to concentration camps in occupied Poland (General Government).

Quisling was put on trial during the legal purge in Norway after World War II. He was found guilty of charges including embezzlement, murder and high treason against the Norwegian state, and was sentenced to death. He was executed by firing squad at Akershus Fortress, Oslo, on 24 October 1945. Since his death, Quisling has become one of history's most infamous traitors owing to his collaboration with Nazi Germany. The term quisling has become a byword for "collaborator" or "traitor" in several languages and reflects the contempt with which Quisling's conduct has been regarded both at the time and in the present day.