Josef Monsrud

Josef Monsrud (29 May 1922, in Lunner, Oppland – 12 December 2009) was a Norwegian forester and resistance member during World War II.

He hailed from Harestua in Lunner.[1] At the age of twenty he joined the resistance Osvald Group. He went through some initial training and performed sabotage missions in Hadeland before being hired as a guard in the Communist Party of Norway. The party was strictly illegal, and had a secret base in Hemsedal. On 30 October 1942 the guard hut was attacked by German soldiers and Monsrud and fellow resistance fighter Finn Eriksen were captured.[2] Monsrud was incarcerated at Grini from 2 to 24 November, then at Møllergata 19 until February 1943.[1] He went through torture, but survived.[2] Finn Eriksen, who had suffered a gunshot wound, died of the trauma three months later.[3]

The Osvald Group later split with the Communist Party,[2] and Monsrud joined Milorg, working for the Secret Intelligence Service with the illegal radio transmitter Gullfaks.[4] Named after Gullfaxi of Norse mythology, Gullfaks was operated from different places in Bærumsmarka and Nordmarka until the liberation of 8 May 1945.[5] For his efforts the mountain Monsrudnabben in the Heimefrontfjella range in Antarctica was named in his honour.[4]

After the war Monsrud took forester's education at Kongsberg.[6] In 1949 he started working as a forester for Oslo municipality. He was eventually promoted to municipal consultant for wild game.[4] He lived in Maridalen.[7]

He struggled throughout his life with nightmares caused by war and torture,[2] and died in December 2009.[7]