Josef Monsrud was a Norwegian forester and resistance member

Norwegian resistance movement

The Norwegian resistance to the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany began after Operation Weserübung in 1940 and ended in 1945. It took several forms:...

 during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

.

He hailed from Harestua

Harestua

Harestua is a small town in the south of Lunner, Oppland county, Norway. It has approximately 2500 inhabitants , and serves as a commuter town to the capital Oslo. It is served by two railway station on the Gjøvik Line: Harestua Station and Furumo Station. Harestua maintains 6 neighbourhoods;...

 in Lunner

Lunner

Lunner is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hadeland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Roa...

. At the age of twenty he joined the resistance Osvald Group

Osvald Group

The Osvald Group was a Norwegian sabotage organisation during the Second World War, and led by Asbjørn Sunde, who used Osvald as one of his cover names. The organisation was originally a branch of the Wollweber League, a subsidiary to the Soviet secret police organization NKVD which dissolved when...

. He went through some initial training and performed sabotage missions in Hadeland

Hadeland

Hadeland is a traditional district in the south-eastern part of Norway. It is located around the southern part of lake Randsfjorden in Oppland county, and consists of the municipalities of Gran, Jevnaker and Lunner. Hadeland occupies the area north of the hills of Nordmarka close to the Norwegian...

 before being hired as a guard in the Communist Party of Norway

Communist Party of Norway

The Communist Party of Norway is a political party in Norway without parliamentary representation. It was formed in 1923, following a split in the Norwegian Labour Party. The party played an important role in the resistance to German occupation during the Second World War, and experienced a brief...

. The party was strictly illegal, and had a secret base in Hemsedal

Hemsedal

Hemsedal is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hallingdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Trøym. In 1897, Hemsedal was separated from the municipality of Gol to become a municipality of its own.Hemsedal is the...

. On 30 October 1942 the guard hut was attacked by German soldiers and Monsrud and fellow resistance fighter Finn Eriksen were captured.. Monsrud was incarcerated at Grini from 2 to 24 November, then at Møllergata 19

Møllergata 19

Møllergata 19 is an address in Oslo, Norway where the city's main police station and jail was located. The address gained notoriety during the German occupation from 1940 to 1945, when the Nazi security police kept its headquarters here...

 until February 1943. He went through torture, but survived. Finn Eriksen, who had been shot at gunpoint, died of the trauma three months later.

The Osvald Group later split with the Communist Party, and Monsrud joined Milorg

Milorg

Milorg was the main Norwegian resistance movement in World War II....

, working for the Secret Intelligence Service

Secret Intelligence Service

The Secret Intelligence Service is responsible for supplying the British Government with foreign intelligence. Alongside the internal Security Service , the Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence Intelligence , it operates under the formal direction of the Joint Intelligence...

 with the illegal radio transmitter Gullfaks. Named after Gullfaxi

Gullfaxi

Gullfaxi is a horse in Norse mythology. Its name means Golden mane.It was originally owned by Hrungnir, and was later given to Magni by Thor as a reward for helping him in the fight against Hrungnir:...

 of Norse mythology

Norse mythology

Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...

, Gullfaks was operated from different places in Bærumsmarka

Bærumsmarka

Bærumsmarka is a village in Akershus, Norway....

 and Nordmarka

Nordmarka

Nordmarka is the mostly forested region which makes up the northern part of Oslo, Norway. The area called "Nordmarka" also extends into the municipalities of Hole, Ringerike, Lunner, Jevnaker and Nittedal. It is the largest part of the Marka borough. The forests are popular sites for hiking and...

 until the liberation of 8 May 1945

Victory in Europe Day

Victory in Europe Day commemorates 8 May 1945 , the date when the World War II Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany and the end of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. The formal surrender of the occupying German forces in the Channel Islands was not...

. For his efforts the mountain Monsrudnabben in the Heimefrontfjella range in Antarctica was named in his honour.

After the war Monsrud took forester's education at Kongsberg

Kongsberg

is a town and municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is located at the southern end of the traditional region of Numedal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Kongsberg....

. In 1949 he started working as a forester for Oslo municipality. He was eventually promoted to municipal consultant for wild game. He lived in Maridalen

Maridalen

Maridalen is a valley situated just north of Oslo, Norway, just above the suburb of Kjelsås. Most of the valley is made up of a lake known as Maridalsvannet, that serves as the primary source of drinking water for 90% of Oslo's population. The valley is a popular recreational area with many hiking...

.

He struggled throughout his life with nightmares caused by war and torture, and died in December 2009.