Re: Quisling

Posted by S. Ryan on February 13, 2003

In Reply to: Re: Quisling posted by Bruce Kahl on February 12, 2003

: : : quisling \ 'kwiz-lin\ n [Vidkun Quisling d1945 Norwegian politician]: a traitor who collaborates with the invaders of his country especially by serving in a puppet government.

: : I am sure that over the centuries and through many wars there have been those who have served, collaborated or otherwise abetted the enemy and successfully remained anonymous. What did poor Vidkun do to forever link his name to treachery?

: "AS IN ALL the other occupied countries, the Nazi power profited from the support of local sympathisers. During a visit to Hitler in Berlin in the winter of 1939-40, the leader of the national socialist Nasjonal Samling Party, Vidkun Quisling, had pointed out how valuable it would be for Germany to occupy Norway. Immediately after the invasion, on the morning of April 9, 1940, he proclaimed himself the new head of the government and ordered the Norwegian armed forces to stop battling the Germans. But Quisling's intervention backfired and stimulated the resistance. Thus, the occupying power quickly realized that -- for the time being -- Quisling did not serve their interests and they chose to base their administration of the country on a certain degree of give-and-take with the existing civilian authorities."

: Thanks Bruce. In essence then a "quisling" is not simply a traitor or a collaborator but one who facilitates for his own ends,the foreign take-over, and appoints himself leader of, his homeland?