{"id":912,"date":"2011-03-28T13:47:11","date_gmt":"2011-03-28T13:47:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/norwegian\/?p=912"},"modified":"2014-08-22T14:46:07","modified_gmt":"2014-08-22T14:46:07","slug":"max-manus-a-norwegian-wwii-resistance-fighter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/norwegian\/max-manus-a-norwegian-wwii-resistance-fighter\/","title":{"rendered":"Max Manus-a Norwegian WWII Resistance Fighter"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Born in 1914 Maximo Guillermo Manus, he is more commonly known as Max Manus, one of the most recognized Norwegian Resistance fighters in WWII. \u00a0Manus\u00b4father, known as Juan Manus, \u00a0was a Danish-Norwegian with the born name of Johna Magnussen. \u00a0After having lived for several years in Spanish-speaking countries, he changed his name to Juan Manus.<\/p>\n

Max Manus\u00b4fought first as a volunteer in the Winter War between the Soviets and Finland. \u00a0Manus 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. \u00a0Manus 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. \u00a0Manus and his fellow resistance fighters nearly managed to kill Heinrich Himmler and Joseph Goebbels during a visit to Oslo.<\/p>\n

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. \u00a0He trained a bit in Canada and soon thereafter crossed the Atlantic for the UK for training. \u00a0Manus returned to Norway by parachute into the forest around Oslo to continue his work with the resistance movement. \u00a0Manus joined Lingekompaniet, the Norwegian Independent Company 1, for which he became a ship sabotage specialist. \u00a0They used mines to sink German ships including the SS Monte Rosa and the SS Donau.<\/p>\n

By the end of the war, Manus was a First Lieutenant. \u00a0Other awards that he received include: Distinguished Service Order, Military Cross and Bar, Defence Medal, and War Cross with two swords, Norway\u00b4s highest decoration for military gallantry. \u00a0He also received a Winter War Participation Medal from the Finns and a Brittish Military Cross and Bar.<\/p>\n

After the war, Manus wrote several books depicting his adventures. \u00a0His first book was Det vil helst g\u00e5 godt<\/em> (It Usually Ends Well), which he wrote about his time in the jungles of South America and Latin America prior to WWII. \u00a0Manus\u00b4second book, Det blir alvor<\/em> (It Gets Serious) is about his continued resistance efforts and the great successes of sinking 2 large German warships.<\/p>\n

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. \u00a0He then was also asked to protect King Haakon VII. \u00a0Imagine that he was only 30 years at this time!<\/p>\n

Manus got into the office supply business and together with Sophus Clausen, started the company Clausen and Manus<\/em>, an office machine company. \u00a0In a reconciliation effort,\u00a0Manus also decided to hire people who had collaborated with the Nazis during the war.<\/p>\n

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. \u00a0What a life!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> There was a film made in 2008 about the life of Max Manus.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

Born in 1914 Maximo Guillermo Manus, he is more commonly known as Max Manus, one of the most recognized Norwegian Resistance fighters in WWII. \u00a0Manus\u00b4father, known as Juan Manus, \u00a0was a Danish-Norwegian with the born name of Johna Magnussen. \u00a0After having lived for several years in Spanish-speaking countries, he changed his name to Juan…<\/p>\n

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