Knut Haugland

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Knut Haugland
Kon-Tiki

Resistance fighter during World War II

Knut Magne Haugland,

Kon-Tiki
expedition.

Early life and World War II

Haugland, born in 1917 in

Nazi occupation, Haugland went to work at the factory Høvding Radiofabrikk in Oslo while also secretly involved in the Norwegian resistance movement.[2] After evading arrest several times, in August 1941 he was arrested by Statspolitiet, but escaped and fled to the United Kingdom via Sweden. There he enrolled in the Norwegian Independent Company 1 (Kompani Linge).[3]

Heavy water sabotage

Main articles:
Operation Gunnerside

Haugland, with nine other Norwegian resisters organised and carried out the

documentary with Ray Mears, The Real Heroes of Telemark.[5]

Rest of the war

Haugland and others, stayed in Hardangervidda for two months with Einar Skinnarland, whom he trained. Haugland then went to Oslo to train marine telegraphers. After a trip to the United Kingdom for radio supplies, he returned to Norway in November, being parachuted at Skrimfjella together with Gunnar Sønsteby. Haugland was arrested for a second time, by Gestapo in Kongsberg, but again escaped and commenced his training duties. On 1 April 1944 he narrowly escaped another capture by the Gestapo when one of his transmitters, hidden in the Oslo Maternity Hospital, was located by radio direction finding. Haugland fled to the United Kingdom again, and did not return.[3]

He was awarded Norway's highest decoration for military gallantry, the

Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav.[3]

He was also awarded the Medal with rosette and Haakon VII's 70-Medal. The United States decorated him with the Medal of Freedom with bronze palm.

Post-war life

After the war, Haugland continued his military career for many years, except for 1947 when he took part in the

Kon-Tiki expedition (see below). In 1951 he married librarian Ingeborg Prestholdt. He participated in the Independent Norwegian Brigade Group in Germany from 1948 to 1949, continued in the Forsvarsstaben until 1952, when he was transferred to the Royal Norwegian Air Force. He headed the electronic intelligence service in Northern Norway, an important position during the Cold War. He held the ranks of major from 1954 and lieutenant colonel from 1977.[3]

He left the Air Force in 1963 to become acting, later permanent, director of the

12th World Scout Conference in Elvesæter. Five of the six men in the Kon-Tiki expedition were Scouts.[7]

Kon-Tiki expedition

Main article:
Kon-Tiki

Haugland first met

King Haakon VII
on his 75th birthday. Haugland played himself in the 1950 documentary film Kon-Tiki.[8] Haugland died on 25 December 2009,[9] and was the last living crew member who served on the Kon-Tiki expedition.[7]

Several foreign decorations resulted from Haugland's connection with the Kon-Tiki and a state visit in the postwar period. He was made a Knight of the 1st class of the

Order of Dannebrog and Knight of the Icelandic Order of the Falcon. He was awarded the first class cross of the Federal Republic of Germany's Order of Merit, was appointed a Commander of the Belgian Order of Leopold and Companion of the Order of the Crown of Thailand. He was an officer of the Iranian Order of the Lion and the Sun, received the Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold for Services to the Republic of Austria (1978)[10] and the Peruvian Order of Merit for Distinguished Service
.

In 1988, Haugland was made Knight 1st Class of the Order of St. Olav for his efforts as a museum manager. He also received the Defence Medal with three stars.

References

  1. ^ "Last Kon-Tiki raft crewman Knut Haugland dies". BBC News. 2009-12-26. Retrieved 2009-12-27.
  2. ^
    New York Times
    , January 3, 2010
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Kraglund, Ivar. "Knut M Haugland". In Helle, Knut (ed.). Norsk biografisk leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 29 July 2009.
  4. ^ Uttersrud, Ulf. "Etterretningsoffiser og militær organisator" (in Norwegian). Oslo University College. Archived from the original on 15 November 2007. Retrieved 21 February 2009.
  5. ^ "Knut Haugland". The Daily Telegraph. London. 28 December 2009.
  6. Store norske leksikon
    (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 29 July 2009.
  7. ^ a b Hutson, Graham; Siret, Mal (2009-12-29). "Knut Haugland: resistance fighter and Kon-Tiki mariner". The Times. London. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
  8. IMDb
  9. ^ "Knut M. Haugland er død" (in Norwegian). Drammens Tidende. 2009-12-26. Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2009-12-26.
  10. ^ "Reply to a parliamentary question about the Decoration of Honour" (PDF) (in German). p. 518. Retrieved 30 November 2012.

Further reading

Cultural offices
Preceded by
position created
 Director of Norway's Resistance Museum
1963–1983 		Succeeded by
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