Axel Heiberg Stang
Axel Heiberg Stang (born 21 February 1904 in Kristiania–11 November 1974) was a Norwegian who was appointed councillor of state in the Nasjonal Samling (NS) government of Vidkun Quisling (1940–41), and minister (1941–45).[1]
Stang first joined the NS in 1933 and served as district leader in Glåmdal, although he was largely a minor figure before the war.[2] After the invasion he was put in joint charge of the NS political staff with Ragnar Skancke.[2] In September he was to Vidkun Quisling's collaborationist government as Minister of Sport.[3] In this role he passed a law making service in the Arbeidstjenesten (German Labour Service) compulsory in 1941.[4] However his attempts to force all sports club to join the Nasjonal Samling Sports Organisation proved a failure, leading to an almost total boycott of organised sport for the duration of the occupation.[5] Whilst continuing as a minister he also enrolled in the SS Division Nordland and won the Iron Cross Second Class after seeing action in the Balkans.[6]
After the war he was sentenced to 20 years hard labour for his involvement in collaboration, although he was pardoned in 1956 and retired to his estate at Rømskog, where he remained until his death.[7]
[edit] References
- ^ "Stang, Axel Heiberg" (in Norwegian). NorgesLexi.com. http://mediabase1.uib.no/krigslex/s/s6.html#stang-axel. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
- ^ a b Philip Rees, Biographical Dictionary of the Extreme Right Since 1890, 1990, p. 372
- ^ David Littlejohn, The Patriotic Traitors, London: Heinemann, 1972, p. 19
- ^ Littlejohn, The Patriotic Traitors, p. 24
- ^ Littlejohn, The Patriotic Traitors, p. 35
- ^ Littlejohn, The Patriotic Traitors, pp. 27-8
- ^ Rees, Biographical Dictionary of the Extreme Right, p. 373
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