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Two St. Olaf College guest speakers to discuss Norwegian Resistance during WWII

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February 28, 2001

NORTHFIELD, Minn. ? Famed Norwegian resistance leader Gunnar Sønsteby and historian Magne Skodvin will discuss "Norwegian Resistance Against the Nazis" on Tuesday, March 13, at St. Olaf College.

The lecture, free and open to the public, will be at 4 p.m. in the Viking Theater, Buntrock Commons. It is sponsored by the St. Olaf Norwegian Department.

Sønsteby was a master saboteur and raider with the Norwegian Resistance movement, actively fighting the Nazis during World War II. He and his companions blew up the Labor Exchange Office, where preparations were being made to conscript Norwegian men.

In honor of his heroism, Sønsteby was awarded the Norwegian War Cross with two bars ? the only person to receive such a distinction. In addition, the British and U.S. governments honored him for his efforts.

Skodvin, retired University of Oslo professor of history, also was active in the Resistance, participating in the underground press. He has served as visiting professor at the University of Minnesota and St. Olaf College, and has written many books about the German occupation of Norway during World War II.

The Norwegian Ministry of Public Affairs is supporting the Sønsteby-Skodvin visit as part of a series of events portraying distinctive features of Norwegian culture and contemporary history.

Those who want more information should contact Margaret Hayford O?Leary, St. Olaf Norwegian Department, at (507) 646-3434.

St. Olaf College prepares students to become responsible citizens of the world, fostering development of mind, body and spirit. A four-year, coeducational liberal arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), St. Olaf has a student enrollment of 2,950 and a full-time faculty complement of approximately 300. It is one of Money Guide?s top 100 "elite values in college education today," and it leads the nation?s colleges in percentage of students who study abroad.

Contact Michael Cooper at 507-786-3315 or cooperm@stolaf.edu.