Hjalmar Steenstrup
Encyclopedia
Hjalmar Steenstrup was a Norwegian
insurance agent, and Milorg
pioneer and intelligence agent during World War II
.
, Buskerud
, as the son of curate Hjalmar Steenstrup (1847–1915) and his wife Fredrikke Brun (1861–1905). He was a descendant of Paul Steenstrup and Peter Steenstrup, and a nephew of Johan Brun and brother-in-law of Gunnar Isachsen
. He married Eva Glatved Martens (1896–1976) in August 1916 in Alversund, Norway
.
. He carried money from Government representant Anders Frihagen at the Norwegian legation in Stockholm
to the underground movement in Norway. He was in contact with the British
Special Operations Executive
in Stockholm
already in the Summer 1940, and in contact with Malcolm Munthe
at the British legation in Stockholm. He was given the task of finding a suitable military leader to coordinate the emerging military resistance in Norway, which resulted in the recruitment of Ole Berg
. Under the cover name "Cato" he coordinated Milorg
's transport of refugees from Norway to Sweden, and was also involved in intelligence. He was arrested in July 1941, and held at the prison Møllergata 19
until September 1943. After a period at the Grini concentration camp he was transported to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp
in Germany in November 1943, and stayed there the rest of the war. In Sachsenhausen, he was selected as "postmaster", distributing post, a position which gave him a good overview of other prisoners. By 1945, he could bring collected material on the fate of many prisoners to Sweden. He continued the registration work for the Norwegian Legation in Stockholm, and later for the Government in Oslo. He was selected to represent the Norwegian concentration camp prisoners during the Nuremberg Trials
. He participated at preparations for the Nuremberg Trials in Germany in December 1945. On the return from Germany to Oslo, he died in a plane crash.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
insurance agent, and Milorg
Milorg
Milorg was the main Norwegian resistance movement in World War II....
pioneer and intelligence agent during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Personal life
Steenstrup was born in ModumModum
Modum is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hallingdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Vikersund. The municipality of Modum was established on 1 January 1838 .The area has a long tradition of skiing with several famous...
, Buskerud
Buskerud
is a county in Norway, bordering Akershus, Oslo, Oppland, Sogn og Fjordane, Hordaland, Telemark, and Vestfold. The county administration is located in Drammen.-Geography:...
, as the son of curate Hjalmar Steenstrup (1847–1915) and his wife Fredrikke Brun (1861–1905). He was a descendant of Paul Steenstrup and Peter Steenstrup, and a nephew of Johan Brun and brother-in-law of Gunnar Isachsen
Gunnar Isachsen
Gunnerius Ingvald Isachsen , was a Norwegian military officer and polar scientist. From 1923, he was the first president of the Norwegian Maritime Museum.-Early years:...
. He married Eva Glatved Martens (1896–1976) in August 1916 in Alversund, Norway
Alversund
Alversund is a village in Lindås municipality in Hordaland county, Norway.Alversund was formerly a municipality. Alversund was separated from Hamre January 1, 1885 - and the annex of Seim was transferred from Hosanger to Alversund the same date. Meland was separated from Alversund October 15, 1923...
.
Career
Steenstrup worked for and later managed the insurance company Det norske gjensidige Skogbrandforsikringsselskab. He was co-founder and manager of the insurance association Samtrygd Gjensidig Norsk Forsikringsforening. He issued the book Hvem er hvem? (lit. "Who is Who?") for 1930, 1934 and 1938, and wrote journal articles on insurance matters as well as on language politics. He had been a co-founder of Riksmålsvernet in 1919.World War II
During the German occupation of Norway, Steenstrup was a central courier travelling between Norway and SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. He carried money from Government representant Anders Frihagen at the Norwegian legation in Stockholm
Norwegian legation in Stockholm
The Norwegian Legation in Stockholm played a significant role during the Second World War. Until 9 April 1940 the legation consisted of four persons, and at the end of the war about 1,100 persons were connected to the legation. Refugee cases were among the legation's most central tasks...
to the underground movement in Norway. He was in contact with the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Special Operations Executive
Special Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
already in the Summer 1940, and in contact with Malcolm Munthe
Malcolm Munthe
Major Malcolm Munthe MC was a British soldier, writer, and curator, and son of the famous Swedish doctor and writer Axel Munthe and his second wife Hilda Pennington-Mellor.-Early life and Second World War:...
at the British legation in Stockholm. He was given the task of finding a suitable military leader to coordinate the emerging military resistance in Norway, which resulted in the recruitment of Ole Berg
Ole Berg
Ole Berg was a Norwegian military officer. He participated in the defence during the German invasion of Norway in 1940.He built up the Norwegian police forces in Sweden from 1943 to 1945. He served as Chief of Defence of Norway from 1946 to 1955.In 1947 he was awarded the title of Commander with...
. Under the cover name "Cato" he coordinated Milorg
Milorg
Milorg was the main Norwegian resistance movement in World War II....
's transport of refugees from Norway to Sweden, and was also involved in intelligence. He was arrested in July 1941, and held at the prison Møllergata 19
Møllergata 19
Møllergata 19 is an address in Oslo, Norway where the city's main police station and jail was located. The address gained notoriety during the German occupation from 1940 to 1945, when the Nazi security police kept its headquarters here...
until September 1943. After a period at the Grini concentration camp he was transported to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp
Sachsenhausen concentration camp
Sachsenhausen or Sachsenhausen-Oranienburg was a Nazi concentration camp in Oranienburg, Germany, used primarily for political prisoners from 1936 to the end of the Third Reich in May, 1945. After World War II, when Oranienburg was in the Soviet Occupation Zone, the structure was used as an NKVD...
in Germany in November 1943, and stayed there the rest of the war. In Sachsenhausen, he was selected as "postmaster", distributing post, a position which gave him a good overview of other prisoners. By 1945, he could bring collected material on the fate of many prisoners to Sweden. He continued the registration work for the Norwegian Legation in Stockholm, and later for the Government in Oslo. He was selected to represent the Norwegian concentration camp prisoners during the Nuremberg Trials
Nuremberg Trials
The Nuremberg Trials were a series of military tribunals, held by the victorious Allied forces of World War II, most notable for the prosecution of prominent members of the political, military, and economic leadership of the defeated Nazi Germany....
. He participated at preparations for the Nuremberg Trials in Germany in December 1945. On the return from Germany to Oslo, he died in a plane crash.