Knut Løfsnes
Encyclopedia
Knut Ingolf Løfsnes was a Norwegian resistance member, politician and lawyer. He was a central leader of the clandestine organization XU
during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
, leading the mid-Norway XU department from the Norwegian legation in Stockholm
from 1942 to 1945. He was the first chairman of the Socialist People's Party
, from 1961 to 1969.
as a son of a sawmill worker. He finished
secondary education at Trondheim Cathedral School in 1938, and worked as a teacher in other towns. At the time of the Namsos Campaign
, a part of World War II
fighting in 1940, he returned home. The Allied forces eventually lost the Namsos Campaign, Germany occupied Norway and Løfsnes joined the Norwegian resistance movement
. He was arrested in 1942, was imprisoned in Falstad concentration camp
from June to July 1942, was released and fled to Sweden in the same year. Here he led the mid-Norway department of the clandestine organization XU
from the Norwegian legation in Stockholm
from 1942 to 1945. He was decorated with the Defence Medal 1940–1945. In November 1945 he married Eva Marie Linge (1924–2010).
police for a short time, but he was fired. It has been said that he was fired for political reasons. He instead started studying law, graduating with the cand.jur. degree in 1949. He worked with administration of services to the Norwegian merchant fleet, and also wrote for newspapers. He was a commentator in Arbeiderbladet
from 1949 to 1953, and from 1953 in Orientering
. He was a member of the Norwegian Labour Party
, but was excluded around 1960–1961 together with the rest of Orientering' s staff. He was then a co-founder and the first chairman of the Socialist People's Party
, from 1961 to 1969. From 1964 to 1969 his job was as secretary for the parliamentary group.
He was a junior solicitor from 1969 to 1972 and a lawyer from 1972 to 1985. In 1991 he published Motstandsmann og politiker. Fra XU til SF og Kings Bay with Bjørn Bjørnsen
. He died in January 1996 in Bærum
. Shortly after his death, the Lund Commission found that Løfsnes had been subject to widespread political surveillance by the Norwegian Police Surveillance Agency. The Police Surveillance Agency had collected at least 2500 pages of surveillance documents, and in 2001 his family received a monetary compensation.
XU
XU was a clandestine intelligence organisation working on behalf of Allied powers in occupied Norway during World War II...
during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany started with the German invasion of Norway on April 9, 1940, and ended on May 8, 1945, after the capitulation of German forces in Europe. Throughout this period, Norway was continuously occupied by the Wehrmacht...
, leading the mid-Norway XU department from 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...
from 1942 to 1945. He was the first chairman of the Socialist People's Party
Socialist People's Party (Norway)
Socialist People's Party was a splinter group of the Norwegian Labour Party . SF was principally dissatisfied with the pro-NATO/European Economic Community external policies of DNA. A group centered around the magazine Orientering had been expelled from DNA...
, from 1961 to 1969.
Early life and World War II
He was born in NamsosNamsos
is a town and municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Namdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Namsos. Other villages in the municipality include Bangsund, Klinga, Ramsvika, Skomsvoll, and Spillum....
as a son of a sawmill worker. He finished
Examen artium
Examen artium was the name of the academic certification conferred in Denmark and Norway, qualifying the student for admission to university studies. Examen artium was originally introduced as the entrance exam of the University of Copenhagen in 1630...
secondary education at Trondheim Cathedral School in 1938, and worked as a teacher in other towns. At the time of the Namsos Campaign
Namsos campaign
In April and early May, 1940 Namsos and its surrounding area were the scene of heavy fighting between Anglo-French, Polish and Norwegian naval and military forces on the one hand, and German military, naval and air forces on the other...
, a part of 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...
fighting in 1940, he returned home. The Allied forces eventually lost the Namsos Campaign, Germany occupied Norway and Løfsnes joined the Norwegian resistance movement
Norwegian resistance movement
The Norwegian resistance to the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany began after Operation Weserübung in 1940 and ended in 1945. It took several forms:...
. He was arrested in 1942, was imprisoned in Falstad concentration camp
Falstad concentration camp
Falstad concentration camp was a prison camp in the village of Ekne in what was the municipality of Skogn in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway...
from June to July 1942, was released and fled to Sweden in the same year. Here he led the mid-Norway department of the clandestine organization XU
XU
XU was a clandestine intelligence organisation working on behalf of Allied powers in occupied Norway during World War II...
from 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...
from 1942 to 1945. He was decorated with the Defence Medal 1940–1945. In November 1945 he married Eva Marie Linge (1924–2010).
Post-war career and life
In 1945 he worked in the military for some months and then for the OsloOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
police for a short time, but he was fired. It has been said that he was fired for political reasons. He instead started studying law, graduating with the cand.jur. degree in 1949. He worked with administration of services to the Norwegian merchant fleet, and also wrote for newspapers. He was a commentator in Arbeiderbladet
Dagsavisen
Dagsavisen is a daily newspaper published in Oslo, Norway. The former party organ of the Norwegian Labour Party, the ties loosened over time from 1975 to 1999, and it is now fully independent...
from 1949 to 1953, and from 1953 in Orientering
Orientering
Orientering was a Norwegian newspaper which was initially published in December 1952 as an alternative voice. It was absorbed into Ny Tid in 1975....
. He was a member of the Norwegian Labour Party
Norwegian Labour Party
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....
, but was excluded around 1960–1961 together with the rest of Orientering
Socialist People's Party (Norway)
Socialist People's Party was a splinter group of the Norwegian Labour Party . SF was principally dissatisfied with the pro-NATO/European Economic Community external policies of DNA. A group centered around the magazine Orientering had been expelled from DNA...
, from 1961 to 1969. From 1964 to 1969 his job was as secretary for the parliamentary group.
He was a junior solicitor from 1969 to 1972 and a lawyer from 1972 to 1985. In 1991 he published Motstandsmann og politiker. Fra XU til SF og Kings Bay with Bjørn Bjørnsen
Bjørn Bjørnsen
Bjørn Bjørnsen is a Norwegian journalist, non-fiction writer and politician.-Personal life:He was born in Hillevåg, Stavanger to merchant Bernhard Bjørnsen and his wife Marie Magnusson . In 1968, he married Torill Johnsen .-Career:Bjørnsen quit school at a young age and started his journalistic...
. He died in January 1996 in Bærum
Bærum
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandvika. Bærum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838. A suburb of Oslo, Bærum is located on the west coast of the city....
. Shortly after his death, the Lund Commission found that Løfsnes had been subject to widespread political surveillance by the Norwegian Police Surveillance Agency. The Police Surveillance Agency had collected at least 2500 pages of surveillance documents, and in 2001 his family received a monetary compensation.