Wilhelm Frimann Koren Christie (Nazi)
Encyclopedia
Wilhelm Frimann Koren Christie (1885 – 1956) was a Norwegian jurist and Nazi collaborator. He is best known as director of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation for some time during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
.
Already in the 1930s he was the leader (Führer
) of the Norwegian Fascist party Nasjonal Samling in Hedmark
. He spent his professional life as a jurist in Hamar
, where he co-founded the local branch of Nasjonal Samling in March 1933 together with Albert Wiesener
and Einar Grill Fasting
, among others. The party was relatively successful in the city, winning two city council seats in its first election outing. Christie was also a high-ranking freemason.
On 9 April 1940 Norway was invaded by Nazi Germany
. Vidkun Quisling
usurped the radio broadcaster in Oslo
, the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK), and performed a coup d'etat
via radio. Christie travelled to Oslo on 10 April and worked for a few days as the secretary of Quisling's cabinet, although this cabinet soon became defunct. In September 1940, Christie was named by Gulbrand Lunde as commissary president of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. He held his inaugural speech in the radio on 29 September. This was written by someone else and given to Christie minutes before airing—Christie had no experience with NRK whatsoever.
Christie was the boss of four sub-directors, and answered to Gulbrand Lunde who in turn answered to Josef Terboven
. However, the director position of the Broadcasting Corporation, which before the war had belonged to Olav Midttun
, was now shared between two of Christie's subordinates: Eyvind Mehle
and Edvard Sylou-Creutz
. Christie's task was mostly to deal with the foreign occupants, represented by the broadcasting department of the Reichskommissariat Norwegen
, which was also led by Terboven. Intrigues and disagreements soon arose, most importantly between Christie and Mehle. Christie was totally inexperienced with radio, whereas Mehle showed signs of paranoia and general mental instability. In addition, another subordinate, the director of administration Carl Bødtker
was self-willed, considering himself the "real director". Christie managed to have him fired in June 1941. In December 1941 the towering intrigues led to Christie himself being fired. He instead became stipendiary magistrate of Oslo, a post that became vacant when stipendiary magistrate Harald Gram
fled to Sweden—he was involved in resistance to the Nazi rule.
After the war, Christie lost his position, and was sentenced for treason as a part of the legal purge
. He died in 1956.
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...
.
Already in the 1930s he was the leader (Führer
Führer
Führer , alternatively spelled Fuehrer in both English and German when the umlaut is not available, is a German title meaning leader or guide now most associated with Adolf Hitler, who modelled it on Benito Mussolini's title il Duce, as well as with Georg von Schönerer, whose followers also...
) of the Norwegian Fascist party Nasjonal Samling in Hedmark
Hedmark
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Akershus. The county administration is in Hamar.Hedmark makes up the northeastern part of Østlandet, the southeastern part of the country. It includes a long part of the borderline with Sweden, Dalarna County and Värmland County. The...
. He spent his professional life as a jurist in Hamar
Hamar
is a town and municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hedmarken. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Hamar. The municipality of Hamar was separated from Vang as a town and municipality of its own in 1849...
, where he co-founded the local branch of Nasjonal Samling in March 1933 together with Albert Wiesener
Albert Wiesener
Albert Wiesener was a Norwegian lawyer.He graduated with the cand.jur. degree in 1925, he studied in Berlin from 1926 and 1927. He joined the Norwegian Fascist party Nasjonal Samling , which was established in 1933, and was a central figure in the party's founding and relative success in Hamar...
and Einar Grill Fasting
Einar Grill Fasting
Einar Grill Fasting was a Norwegian businessperson and Nazi politician.In 1933 he co-founded the local branch of the Norwegian Fascist party Nasjonal Samling in Hamar. He became the city leader , whereas townsman Wilhelm Frimann Koren Christie became county leader...
, among others. The party was relatively successful in the city, winning two city council seats in its first election outing. Christie was also a high-ranking freemason.
On 9 April 1940 Norway was invaded by Nazi Germany
Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
. Vidkun Quisling
Vidkun Quisling
Vidkun Abraham Lauritz Jonssøn Quisling was a Norwegian politician. On 9 April 1940, with the German invasion of Norway in progress, he seized power in a Nazi-backed coup d'etat that garnered him international infamy. From 1942 to 1945 he served as Minister-President, working with the occupying...
usurped the radio broadcaster in Oslo
Oslo
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...
, the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK), and performed a coup d'etat
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
via radio. Christie travelled to Oslo on 10 April and worked for a few days as the secretary of Quisling's cabinet, although this cabinet soon became defunct. In September 1940, Christie was named by Gulbrand Lunde as commissary president of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. He held his inaugural speech in the radio on 29 September. This was written by someone else and given to Christie minutes before airing—Christie had no experience with NRK whatsoever.
Christie was the boss of four sub-directors, and answered to Gulbrand Lunde who in turn answered to Josef Terboven
Josef Terboven
Josef Antonius Heinrich Terboven was a Nazi leader, best known as the Reichskommissar during the German occupation of Norway.-Early life:...
. However, the director position of the Broadcasting Corporation, which before the war had belonged to Olav Midttun
Olav Midttun
Olav Midttun was a Norwegian philologist, biographer, magazine editor, and the first national program director of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation ....
, was now shared between two of Christie's subordinates: Eyvind Mehle
Eyvind Mehle
Eyvind Mehle was a Norwegian radio personality, media professor and Nazi collaborator.He was born as Eyvind Mæhle, but changed his last name in 1930. He was hired in 1925 in Kringkastingsselskapet, the first broadcaster of Norwegian radio. One of his specialities were half-hour lectures in the...
and Edvard Sylou-Creutz
Edvard Sylou-Creutz
Edvard Sylou-Creutz was a Norwegian classical pianist, composer and radio personality, who was especially active in Nazi-controlled radio in Germany and occupied Norway between March 1940 and the autumn of 1942....
. Christie's task was mostly to deal with the foreign occupants, represented by the broadcasting department of the Reichskommissariat Norwegen
Reichskommissariat Norwegen
The Reichskommissariat Norwegen, literally "Reich Commissariat of Norway", was the civilian occupation regime set up by Nazi Germany in German-occupied Norway during World War II. Its full title in German was the Reichskommissariat für die besetzten norwegischen Gebiete...
, which was also led by Terboven. Intrigues and disagreements soon arose, most importantly between Christie and Mehle. Christie was totally inexperienced with radio, whereas Mehle showed signs of paranoia and general mental instability. In addition, another subordinate, the director of administration Carl Bødtker
Carl Bødtker
Carl Fredrik Johannes Bødtker was a Norwegian engineer and radio personality.-Early and personal life:He was born at Oscarsborg Fortress as a son of Major General Carl Fredrik Johannes Bødtker and Karen Agathe Falck...
was self-willed, considering himself the "real director". Christie managed to have him fired in June 1941. In December 1941 the towering intrigues led to Christie himself being fired. He instead became stipendiary magistrate of Oslo, a post that became vacant when stipendiary magistrate Harald Gram
Harald Gram
Harald Gram was a Norwegian jurist, politician and genealogist. He was secretary general for the Conservative Party of Norway for 22 years, deputy mayor of Aker, member of Parliament from 1928 to 1936, and stipendiary magistrate in Oslo from 1936 to 1957...
fled to Sweden—he was involved in resistance to the Nazi rule.
After the war, Christie lost his position, and was sentenced for treason as a part of the legal purge
Legal purge in Norway after World War II
When the occupation of Norway ended in May 1945, several thousand Norwegians and foreign citizens were tried and convicted for various acts that the occupying powers sanctioned...
. He died in 1956.