Born in 1914 Maximo Guillermo Manus, he is more commonly known as Max Manus, one of the most recognized Norwegian Resistance fighters in WWII. Manus´father, known as Juan Manus, was a Danish-Norwegian with the born name of Johna Magnussen. After having lived for several years in Spanish-speaking countries, he changed his name to Juan Manus.
Max Manus´fought first as a volunteer in the Winter War between the Soviets and Finland. Manus fought for the Finnish side and after a year of that conflict, Manus returned to Norway on the day the German army invaded his country, April 9, 1940. Manus was a pioneer of the resistance movement and unfortunately was arrested by the Gestapo after they discovered he was working underground organizing the resistance, illegal propoganda, and manufacturing of weapons. Manus and his fellow resistance fighters nearly managed to kill Heinrich Himmler and Joseph Goebbels during a visit to Oslo.
After escape from an Oslo hospital to Sweden, Manus kept moving through the Soviet Union, through Turkey and then by ship around Capetown, South Africa, and to the US. He trained a bit in Canada and soon thereafter crossed the Atlantic for the UK for training. Manus returned to Norway by parachute into the forest around Oslo to continue his work with the resistance movement. Manus joined Lingekompaniet, the Norwegian Independent Company 1, for which he became a ship sabotage specialist. They used mines to sink German ships including the SS Monte Rosa and the SS Donau.
By the end of the war, Manus was a First Lieutenant. Other awards that he received include: Distinguished Service Order, Military Cross and Bar, Defence Medal, and War Cross with two swords, Norway´s highest decoration for military gallantry. He also received a Winter War Participation Medal from the Finns and a Brittish Military Cross and Bar.
After the war, Manus wrote several books depicting his adventures. His first book was Det vil helst gå godt (It Usually Ends Well), which he wrote about his time in the jungles of South America and Latin America prior to WWII. Manus´second book, Det blir alvor (It Gets Serious) is about his continued resistance efforts and the great successes of sinking 2 large German warships.
After the war, Manus was chosen to be the personal protection for the Crown Prince of Norway in the Oslo Parade in celebration of the end of the war. He then was also asked to protect King Haakon VII. Imagine that he was only 30 years at this time!
Manus got into the office supply business and together with Sophus Clausen, started the company Clausen and Manus, an office machine company. In a reconciliation effort, Manus also decided to hire people who had collaborated with the Nazis during the war.
After marriage and a family, as well as bouts of depression and alcoholism caused by his war experiences, Manus died peacefully in Spain at the age of 81. What a life!
There was a film made in 2008 about the life of Max Manus.
Comments:
Ruth Norem Benedett:
Thank you for this about Max Manus. I just finished reading “Report from #24” and it opened my eyes to a whole new side of Norway. My older Norwegian relatives won’t talk about the war years — like they want to pretend they didn’t happen. Do you know if the Max Manus movie is available in the US? And has anyone been to the Resistance Museum in Oslo — I’d love to see it!
Marion E Dawson:
I never knew about the Norwegian Pesistance nor how quickly Norway surrended to Nazi occupation unlike Denmark. The film MAX MANUS
showed the heroism of ordinary Norwegians
ashamed of the too quick capitulation of their
country to the Nazis and how the Resistance was born, and its greatest hero Max Manus.Not
only a brilliantly compelling retelling of their heroic exploits in sabatage in the sinking of two German warships but also superb acting. Especially moving was the
personal post victory torment of Max Mara , a
hero who felt he had few prospects in civilian life and how wrong he was.
kari:
@Marion E Dawson It is truly a great story.
David Hedlund:
The theme that comes out so clearly is how brave people will fight for freedom, justice and truth.
The NAZI’s tried to weave their lies into a one-world government ruled by the Arian Race. The spin is much like what President Obama’s Administration is doing today in the USA; the only difference is a change of race.
History repeats itself. Hopefully we can survive another round of greed, war and death.
Bjørn A. Bojesen:
@David Hedlund Hello David,
thanks for your input!
I must say I find your comparison of Obama and the fascists of WW2 a bit overblown.
As I understand Obama (read for example ”Dreams of my father”), his point of view is that all people should be treated in a decent way, regardless of their skin colour.
But hey – I don’t live in the US, and you’re certainly entitled to have the opinions you feel to be right! 🙂
Best,
and thanks for reading,
Bjørn