At military academy Quisling had highest average examination in 100 years

Held high regard for Soviet organizational skills, if critical of Bolshevik policies

Skills were more organizational and staff-bound rather than executive and creative

Developed theory of Universism, which combined Christianity with modern natural sciences, especially physics

Original manuscript over 2,000 pages; final 700-page version from 1920s; dense and ambitious but not good

Dreamed of establishing Universism as ‘new world religion’, Norway as homeland of Nordic race; like “a combination of the United Nations and the Catholic Church”

Became a scholar of Soviet Union, studied Russian, and was appointed military attaché of Norwegian legation in Petrograd in 1918

Present during Terror, and sent back reports that were widely read including by the King, before he was forced home

Book about Russia shot him to fame in Norway, and began slide toward fascism; founded movement aimed at overthrowing Marxism, enhancing Nordic race

Defense minister of new Agrarian Party, then new National Union (NS) party

Little sense of irony, not much humor, crippling shyness, aloof, but highly respected for his mind

Knew Norway wouldn’t be able to remain neutral in war due to its strategic significance and low defense spending

Urged cooperation between British naval hegemony and German continental ambitions

His growing antisemitism signaled ideological sympathy with Hitler; thanked him for having “saved Europe from Bolshevism and Jewish domination”

Thought Hitler was wrong to sign pact with Stalin given how advanced Germany already was, and knew Red Army was weakened by purges so wouldn’t be able to conquer Finland

Envisioned Germany would topple Soviet government and reestablish nation-states with German capital

Met with Hitler December 1939 while reported Britain to use Norway as transit country to aid Finland; Quisling offered loyalty from his party

Preferred neutrality but didn’t think it possible, so would act in Germany’s interest to prevent British establishment

Hitler saw value to occupying Norway before Britain could

Naval skirmishes between Germany and Britain in April: King and government relocated, but Quisling characterized as fleeing and initiated coup

Quisling hoped for legal appointment understanding from King, but King refused to accept man twice beaten at the polls

Wide campaign to get rid of Quisling as he sought legitimacy

Hitler supportive at first but then in setting up “government commission” put Quisling in reserve; when commission failed Hitler sent Terboven to command Norway occupation

Miscalculated public’s feelings and sense of morality

Quisling name almost immediately became international byword for traitor

Curried Hitler’s favor as they strategized voting in new occupation government; became prime minister due to his warning of Britain

Quisling’s “New Order” in Norway stamped out “destructive principles of the French Revolution: representation, dialogue, and collegiality”

Unresolved whether Norway and Germany were at war or peace; Quisling wanted full NS government to provide legitimacy and eventually got it, though with Reichskommissar

Sincerely believed he was doing the right thing for Norway and eventual Nordic dominance

Oslo University source of strong anti-NS “Home Front” resistance, along with prominent bishop Berggrav, who had tried to broker peace in Berlin and London

“Fører Quisling” photo everywhere, became authoritarian state sans functioning legislature and King

Quisling sought to limit NS membership despite one-party rule to strengthen quality

Edict to make youth service in NS Youth Organization compulsory backfired, as did new teachers corporation; when backed by bishops, revolt began

Mass teacher resignations followed by large-scale arrests

Lobbied Hitler for peace treaty but was denied and remained occupied country, also lost direct contact with Hitler

Had different ideas of future than Hitler, whose world domination plans were more improvisational

Began rounding up and registering Jews in 1942

Hitler refused to negotiate peace because then other occupied countries would want it, and Quisling’s dreams of Norwegian supremacy dashed

After Hitler died, naively assumed there would be peaceful transition of power back to exiled government

Arrested May 8; said he knew suicide would be easiest but wanted to “let history reach its own verdict”; thought he’d be deified

Quisling Clinic in Madison founded by cousins in interwar years; otherwise name has disappeared