Vidkun Quisling.

Name: Universismen
Author: Vidkun Quisling

Vidkun Abraham Lauritz Jonssøn Quisling Vidkun Abraham Lauritz Qvisling

Born 18 Jul 1887 Oslo, Norway

Died 24 Oct 1945 Oslo, Norway

Citizenship Norway

5 min read

Reading time

851

Words

Apr 17, 2026

Published

Book

Awards

TL;DR

Vidkun Quisling was a Norwegian army officer who headed a collaborationist government under Nazi Germany in 1940. He was executed by firing squad in 1945 for high treason after conviction for embezzlement, murder, and high treason. His name became a byword for traitor in several languages.

Identity & family.

KIN · 3

Names, aliases, and relatives of Vidkun Quisling — birth name, kin, and personal ties.

Birth Name Vidkun Abraham Lauritz Qvisling

Native Name Vidkun Abraham Lauritz Jonssøn Quisling

PARENTS: Anna Qvisling Jon Lauritz Qvisling
SIBLINGS: Jørgen Quisling

At a glance.

STATS

Vidkun Quisling by the numbers — life, work, and family.

58 Years lived

1 Book

2 Awards

Who was Vidkun Quisling?

BIOGRAPHY

Vidkun Quisling — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.

Early life

Born on July 18, 1887 at Akerhus Fortress in Oslo, Norway, to Anna Qvisling and Jon Lauritz Qvisling, Vidkun Quisling attended the Norwegian Military Academy and the Norwegian Military College, laying the foundation for his military career.

Career

Quisling served as military attaché in Petrograd from 1918 to 1919 and in Helsinki from 1919 to 1921, later assisting Fridtjof Nansen in relief work in Russia. He became Norwegian minister of defence from 1931 to 1933. In 1940 he broke his oath and secretly aided Germany in its invasion of Norway, and the Germans installed him as head of the collaborationist Norwegian government. He remained in power until May 1945, when he was arrested after the German surrender.

Personal life

Quisling’s parents were Anna Qvisling and Jon Lauritz Qvisling. He had one sibling, Jørgen Quisling. His native name was Vidkun Abraham Lauritz Jonssøn Quisling. He was born at Akerhus Fortress, Oslo, on July 18, 1887.

Legacy

Vidkun Quisling is universally despised in Norway and remembered as one of history’s most infamous traitors. The term quisling has become a byword for collaborator or traitor in several languages. He was stripped of his Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1940, reflecting international contempt for his actions.

Awards & honors.

AWARDS · 2

Every award, honor, and recognition received by Vidkun Quisling — Grammys, hall-of-fame inductions, civic honors, lifetime achievements.

Order of St. Sava
Commander of the Order of the British Empire

Bibliography.

BOOKS · 1

Vidkun Quisling's bibliography — every authored, edited, and co-written book, ranked by edition count.

Amazon

Universismen

by Vidkun Quisling

Did you know?

FACTS · 1

Little-known facts about Vidkun Quisling — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.

Awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1929, Vidkun Quisling was stripped of that title in 1940 after collaborating with Nazi Germany’s occupation of Norway.

You wanted to know.

FAQ · 25

Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Vidkun Quisling.

When was Vidkun Quisling born?

Vidkun Quisling was born on July 18, 1887. He was born at Akerhus Fortress in Oslo, Norway.
Where was Vidkun Quisling born?

Vidkun Quisling was born at Akerhus Fortress in Oslo, Norway. The fortress is located in the capital city.
When did Vidkun Quisling die?

Vidkun Quisling died on October 24, 1945. He was executed by firing squad.
How old was Vidkun Quisling when he died?

Vidkun Quisling was 58 years old at the time of his death. He was born in 1887 and executed in 1945.
Where did Vidkun Quisling die?

Vidkun Quisling died in Oslo, Norway. He was executed there by firing squad.
How did Vidkun Quisling die?

Vidkun Quisling was executed by firing squad. The execution took place in Oslo, Norway, on October 24, 1945.
What was Vidkun Quisling's birth name?

Vidkun Quisling’s birth name was Vidkun Abraham Lauritz Qvisling. He later used the spelling Quisling.
What is Vidkun Quisling's native name?

Vidkun Quisling’s native name in Norwegian was Vidkun Abraham Lauritz Jonssøn Quisling.
What nationality is Vidkun Quisling?

Vidkun Quisling was Norwegian. He held citizenship in Norway.
What language did Vidkun Quisling speak?

Vidkun Quisling spoke Norwegian as his native language.
Who were Vidkun Quisling's parents?

Vidkun Quisling’s parents were Anna Qvisling and Jon Lauritz Qvisling.
Did Vidkun Quisling have any siblings?

Yes, Vidkun Quisling had one sibling, a brother named Jørgen Quisling.
Where did Vidkun Quisling go to school?

Vidkun Quisling attended the Norwegian Military Academy and the Norwegian Military College.
What awards did Vidkun Quisling win?

Vidkun Quisling received the Order of St. Sava and the Commander of the Order of the British Empire. He was stripped of the latter in 1940.
How many awards did Vidkun Quisling win?

Vidkun Quisling received two major awards: the Order of St. Sava and the Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
What was Vidkun Quisling's role during World War II?

Vidkun Quisling secretly aided Germany’s invasion of Norway in 1940. He was then installed by the Germans as head of the collaborationist Norwegian government.
When did Vidkun Quisling become minister of defence?

Vidkun Quisling served as Norwegian minister of defence from 1931 to 1933.
What did Vidkun Quisling do after the war?

After the war, Vidkun Quisling was arrested in May 1945 following the German surrender. He was tried for high treason and executed by firing squad on October 24, 1945.
What awards did Vidkun Quisling receive?

Vidkun Quisling received the Order of St. Sava and the Commander of the Order of the British Empire CBE in 1929. He was stripped of the CBE in 1940.
Where was Vidkun Quisling educated?

Vidkun Quisling was educated at the Norwegian Military Academy and the Norwegian Military College.
What does the term 'quisling' mean?

The term quisling has become a byword for collaborator or traitor in several languages. It originates from Vidkun Quisling’s collaboration with Nazi Germany during World War II.
Who was Vidkun Quisling's brother?

Vidkun Quisling’s brother was Jørgen Quisling. He had one sibling.
What was Vidkun Quisling's military career before politics?

Vidkun Quisling served as military attaché in Petrograd from 1918 to 1919 and in Helsinki from 1919 to 1921. He later assisted Fridtjof Nansen in relief work in Russia.
Why was Vidkun Quisling executed?

Vidkun Quisling was found guilty of embezzlement, murder, and high treason against the Norwegian state. He was sentenced to death and executed by firing squad.
Is Vidkun Quisling considered a traitor in Norway?

Yes, Vidkun Quisling is universally despised in Norway. He is regarded as one of history’s most infamous traitors.

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Audited & updated by

Olivia has 6 years of experience writing biographical profiles and still approaches every subject like it's the first one. She covers everyone from debut musicians to Hall of Fame athletes to novelists most people have never heard of. She finds something worth reading in all of them. Her drafts tend to come in already clean, which her editor appreciates. She says good writing is just good thinking written down. Hard to argue with that.

Published on April 17, 2026

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