00:00On the 8th of May 1945, one day before he turned himself into police, Kvistling said,
00:05I know that the Norwegian people have sentenced me to death, and that the easiest course for me would be
00:10to take my own life.
00:12But I want to let history reach its own verdict.
00:15Believe me, in ten years' time, I will have become another Saint Olaf.
00:20However, he was wrong.
00:22While the saga of Saint Olaf became central to a national identity, and is a symbol of Norwegian independence and
00:28pride,
00:28Wittgen Kvistling has become one of history's most infamous traitors, owing to his collaboration with Nazi Germany.
00:36Outside of Norway, the word Kvistling has outlasted the memory of Wittgen Kvistling himself,
00:41and became synonymous with traitor, a use that began during the war.
00:45The word Kvistling continues to be applied to political figures who collaborate with outside powers, especially invading forces.
00:52However, it is also used as a general term for a traitor.
00:55Discover the full story on worldhistory.tv
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