XU
Encyclopedia
XU was a clandestine intelligence organisation working on behalf of Allied powers
in occupied Norway
during World War II
. Though its work proved invaluable for operations against German operations in Norway, most of its operations, organization, etc, were kept secret until 1988.
The name of the organization may have derived from Lauritz Sand
, one of the founding members, who had previously worked for British intelligence in Dutch India
and coined the name XU, X for «unknown» and U for «undercover agent» for his group. During the early stages of the German occupation of Norway, Sand collaborated with an intelligence group led by major John Hagle and captain Eivind Hjelle. By July 1940, this group came into contact with another group led by Arvid Storsveen
who had been a troop leader for a sabotage group in southern Norway.
Although XU was initially organized by a leadership with a military background, its further development relied heavily upon recruiting students from the University of Oslo
. As it grew, the group also included professionals around Norway, within railroads, police and so on, and collected maps and photos of German fortifications and forces.
XU was initially organised as part of the Milorg
, but as the Norwegian resistance movement grew, it became essential to compartmentalise organisations and teams and thereby enhance security against Nazi and Quisling infiltration, so XU split from the Milorg in the autumn of 1941 when Lauritz Sand and many others were arrested by the Gestapo
. Milorg was the Norwegian counterpart to the sabotage service, the Special Operations Executive
and so answered to Department FO. IV of the Norwegian High Command. From 1941, XU answered to Department FO. II, which was the branch that worked with Britain's intelligence service SIS
.
In the spring of 1942, the Gestapo
became aware of XU's activities and initiated operations to identify and arrest its leaders. Several leaders from the Oslo
cell, including Storsveen, fled to neutral Sweden
in July 1942, and set up headquarters for the organization there. They continued to move in and out of Norway, and Storsveen was killed in a Gestapo operation in Oslo in April 1943 without revealing his role in XU. XU continued its work under the leadership of Øistein Strømnæs
and Anne-Sofie Østvedt
, whose identities were kept secret until recently.
Strømnæs led XU from occupied Oslo for the rest of the war. Apart from supplying the allied forces with very detailed data about the state of German forces in Norway, XU also had connections within Nazi Germany. Several of their members were couriers for MI5 agent Paul Rosbaud
who had vital information regarding German nuclear research.
By the end of the war XU had some 1,500 agents all over Norway and had developed a sophisticated courier system to the UK through neutral Sweden. The amount of information could amount to some 500 A4 pages supplied every day. The highly accurate and current intelligence enabled the Allied forces to maintain detailed information about the deployment and condition of German forces throughout Norway. This information proved vital in strategic bombing raids and would have been invaluable if an invasion had been necessary.
XU maintained strict discipline around its cell structure, and the courier system was based on anonymous transfer of information. In one case, it turned out that two operatives who only knew each other by each other's shoes were close friends outside the XU network .
After the war ended, confiscated Gestapo information revealed that the Gestapo in Norway had very little intelligence on the size, scope, members, and operations of XU.
The existence of XU was not revealed to the general public until around 1980, when the Norwegian government decided to decorate some of the XU members. The government was criticized for waiting for so long, especially since many double agents, otherwise sworn to secrecy, were convicted as collaborators during the post-war treason trials
. Their names were cleared after 1980, and as of 2006, nearly all documents regarding the XU have been released to the public.
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
in occupied 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...
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...
. Though its work proved invaluable for operations against German operations in Norway, most of its operations, organization, etc, were kept secret until 1988.
The name of the organization may have derived from Lauritz Sand
Lauritz Sand
Lauritz Sand was a Norwegian topographer, military officer in the Dutch army, estate owner in the Dutch East Indies, business man and resistance pioneer of World War II...
, one of the founding members, who had previously worked for British intelligence in Dutch India
Dutch India
Dutch India is a term used to refer to the settlements and trading posts of the Dutch East India Company on the Indian subcontinent. It is only used as a geographical definition, as there has never been a political authority ruling all Dutch India...
and coined the name XU, X for «unknown» and U for «undercover agent» for his group. During the early stages of the German occupation of Norway, Sand collaborated with an intelligence group led by major John Hagle and captain Eivind Hjelle. By July 1940, this group came into contact with another group led by Arvid Storsveen
Arvid Storsveen
Arvid Kristian Storsveen , was the Norwegian organizer of XU, the main intelligence gathering organisation within occupied Norway during World War II.-Biography:...
who had been a troop leader for a sabotage group in southern Norway.
Although XU was initially organized by a leadership with a military background, its further development relied heavily upon recruiting students from the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
. As it grew, the group also included professionals around Norway, within railroads, police and so on, and collected maps and photos of German fortifications and forces.
XU was initially organised as part of the Milorg
Milorg
Milorg was the main Norwegian resistance movement in World War II....
, but as the Norwegian resistance movement grew, it became essential to compartmentalise organisations and teams and thereby enhance security against Nazi and Quisling infiltration, so XU split from the Milorg in the autumn of 1941 when Lauritz Sand and many others were arrested by the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
. Milorg was the Norwegian counterpart to the sabotage service, the 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...
and so answered to Department FO. IV of the Norwegian High Command. From 1941, XU answered to Department FO. II, which was the branch that worked with Britain's intelligence service SIS
Secret Intelligence Service
The Secret Intelligence Service is responsible for supplying the British Government with foreign intelligence. Alongside the internal Security Service , the Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence Intelligence , it operates under the formal direction of the Joint Intelligence...
.
In the spring of 1942, the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
became aware of XU's activities and initiated operations to identify and arrest its leaders. Several leaders from the 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...
cell, including Storsveen, fled to neutral Sweden
Sweden
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....
in July 1942, and set up headquarters for the organization there. They continued to move in and out of Norway, and Storsveen was killed in a Gestapo operation in Oslo in April 1943 without revealing his role in XU. XU continued its work under the leadership of Øistein Strømnæs
Øistein Strømnæs
Øistein Stømnæs was the head of XU, the main Norwegian intelligence organization from 1943 to 1945. Strømnæs was born in Sarpsborg in Østfold county, Norway. He studied biology at the University of Oslo and was working of his Master's degree student in botany when Norway was attacked in 1940...
and Anne-Sofie Østvedt
Anne-Sofie Østvedt
Anne-Sofie Østvedt, , was one of the leaders of the Norwegian intelligence organisation XU....
, whose identities were kept secret until recently.
Strømnæs led XU from occupied Oslo for the rest of the war. Apart from supplying the allied forces with very detailed data about the state of German forces in Norway, XU also had connections within Nazi Germany. Several of their members were couriers for MI5 agent Paul Rosbaud
Paul Rosbaud
Paul Rosbaud , was a metallurgist and scientific adviser for Springer Verlag in Germany before and during World War II....
who had vital information regarding German nuclear research.
By the end of the war XU had some 1,500 agents all over Norway and had developed a sophisticated courier system to the UK through neutral Sweden. The amount of information could amount to some 500 A4 pages supplied every day. The highly accurate and current intelligence enabled the Allied forces to maintain detailed information about the deployment and condition of German forces throughout Norway. This information proved vital in strategic bombing raids and would have been invaluable if an invasion had been necessary.
XU maintained strict discipline around its cell structure, and the courier system was based on anonymous transfer of information. In one case, it turned out that two operatives who only knew each other by each other's shoes were close friends outside the XU network .
After the war ended, confiscated Gestapo information revealed that the Gestapo in Norway had very little intelligence on the size, scope, members, and operations of XU.
The existence of XU was not revealed to the general public until around 1980, when the Norwegian government decided to decorate some of the XU members. The government was criticized for waiting for so long, especially since many double agents, otherwise sworn to secrecy, were convicted as collaborators during the post-war treason trials
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...
. Their names were cleared after 1980, and as of 2006, nearly all documents regarding the XU have been released to the public.
Some members
- Sverre BerghSverre BerghSverre Bergh was a Norwegian spy in Nazi Germany during World War II.He grew up in Asker outside Oslo, When he was 20 years old he went to Dresden, Germany to study at Dresden Technische Hochschule in 1940. Before leaving, he was recruited by the Norwegian intelligence group XU...
- Eilif Dahl
- William Dall
- Astrid LøkenAstrid LøkenAstrid Løken was a Norwegian entomologist and member of the Norwegian resistance movement during World War II...
- Håkon MelbergHåkon MelbergHåkon Melberg was one of Norway's foremost linguists. He knew 42 languages and could communicate in an additional 20....
- Anne-Sofie ØstvedtAnne-Sofie ØstvedtAnne-Sofie Østvedt, , was one of the leaders of the Norwegian intelligence organisation XU....
- Ivan Rosenquist
- Arvid StorsveenArvid StorsveenArvid Kristian Storsveen , was the Norwegian organizer of XU, the main intelligence gathering organisation within occupied Norway during World War II.-Biography:...
- Øistein StrømnæsØistein StrømnæsØistein Stømnæs was the head of XU, the main Norwegian intelligence organization from 1943 to 1945. Strømnæs was born in Sarpsborg in Østfold county, Norway. He studied biology at the University of Oslo and was working of his Master's degree student in botany when Norway was attacked in 1940...
- Nic WaalNic WaalNic Waal, born Caroline Schweigaard Nicolaysen in Kristiania, Norway was a Norwegian psychiatrist, noted for her work among children and adolescents in Norway where she is known as "the mother of Norwegian pediatric and adolescent psychiatry." She was also active in the Norwegian resistance during...
- Otto ØgrimOtto ØgrimJohan Otto Øgrim was a Norwegian physicist and author.-Biography:Johan Otto Øgrim was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, but grew up in Norway. He graduated from the Trondheim Cathedral School in 1934. He graduated with a cand.real. degree with a physics major in 1946. He became a professor of...
- Arne NæssArne NæssArne Dekke Eide Næss was a Norwegian philosopher, the founder of deep ecology. He was the youngest person to be appointed full professor at the University of Oslo....
- Lauritz SandLauritz SandLauritz Sand was a Norwegian topographer, military officer in the Dutch army, estate owner in the Dutch East Indies, business man and resistance pioneer of World War II...
- Vilhelm AubertVilhelm AubertJohan Vilhelm Aubert was an influential Norwegian sociologist. He was a professor at the University of Oslo from 1963 to his death, first at the Department of the Sociology of Law and then at the Department of the Sociology of Law...
- Knut LøfsnesKnut LøfsnesKnut 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...
- Brynjulv SjetneBrynjulv SjetneBrynjulv Sjetne was a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party.During the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany he established the Hedmark and Oppland chapter of XU, later called ØXU...
- Sverre ØsthagenSverre ØsthagenSverre Østhagen was a Norwegian journalist and politician for the Labour Party.He was born in Hamar, a son of Gunnar Østhagen and Louise Rudberg. From 1937 he worked for the sports magazine Idrettsbladet...