Leidangen was an organisation for volunteer military education in Norway

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...

. The organisation was started in 1931, and had its background in various 1920s volunteer organisations such as the Society Guard

Society Guard

The Society Guard , sometimes Norwegian Society Guard , was a volunteer paramilitary organisation in Norway. It was founded in 1923 as a successor to the short-lived Society Aid . Organised by the right-wing parties, these "emergency groups" were prepared to mobilise in case of war or revolution...

. Leidangen differed from the former, in that Leidangen was integrated fully into Norway's military planning. Its name was derived from the medieval levy Leidang

Leidang

The institution known as leiðangr , leidang , leding, , ledung , expeditio or sometimes lething , was a public levy of free farmers typical for medieval Scandinavians. It was a form of conscription to organise coastal fleets for seasonal excursions and in defence of the realm...

. Leidangen received public support from 1933, including loan of weapon

Weapon

A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...

ry, and was subordinated to a committee that was in part appointed by the state. The organisation was dissolved in 1936.