36 Facts About Kristian Laake

Kristian Kristiansen Laake was a Norwegian military officer.

Kristian Laake is best known for having commanded the Norwegian Army in the first days after the German invasion of Norway on 9 April 1940, and for being replaced because of what was seen by the leading Norwegian politicians as passive leadership.

Kristian Laake was born in Ullensaker as a son of farmers Kristian Gulbrandsen Laake and Karen Pedersen Taugland.

On 24 September 1901, Laake married Nes-born farmer's daughter Signe Henaug.

Kristian Laake finished his secondary education in 1894 and graduated from the Norwegian Military Academy in 1897 and the Norwegian Military College in 1900.

Kristian Laake served in the artillery, and reached the rank of colonel in 1928.

Kristian Laake received the Royal Norwegian Order of St Olav in 1934, and held the Order of the White Rose of Finland, the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Dannebrog.

The appointment on 6 February 1931 of Kristian Laake as Commanding General of the Norwegian Army was a controversial one.

Kristian Laake's appointment was criticized because of his lack of previous service on the general staff.

Kristian Laake had only served in the general staff until 1912, at that time holding the rank of adjoint, the second lowest officer's rank in the general staff.

Kristian Laake disagreed with Quisling's views on the social and political stability of Norway, and repeatedly opposed and delayed the defence minister's internal security measures.

Kristian Laake attended exercises held by the conservative organizations, although he was criticized by the same organizations for not giving them enough support.

In 1932 Kristian Laake opposed vague instructions from Quisling that units from paramilitary organization should be mobilized in times of crisis, and requested direct and clear orders as to which units this would include, and from which organizations.

Kristian Laake instead suggested that those members of voluntary organizations who had a military background would be mobilized, while those without formal ties to the military would not.

General Kristian Laake saw it as very important for the status of the military to arrest such agitators and hand them over to the police for prosecution, even though the protesters were rarely convicted in court.

The army continued to have a counter-revolutionary function, and as late as November 1937 Kristian Laake approved the inclusion of mountain artillery in the units in Western Norway which were designated to deal with internal troubles.

Kristian Laake did refuse to allow air support to be used for possible internal security operations.

Kristian Laake was considered a moderate amongst the military in this regard.

Kristian Laake gave the Norwegian fighter pilots permission to use force if necessary to ward off intruders.

At 2330 hours Kristian Laake was warned by chief of the general staff Rasmus Hatledal that foreign warships were intruding on Norwegian territorial waters.

General Kristian Laake was of the opinion that it served no purpose to prepare for mobilization, as the mobilization itself would take at least three days to carry out in any case.

Kristian Laake reached minister Ljungberg by telephone at 0200hrs and discussed mobilizing the army.

Kristian Laake suggested mobilizing the 1st to the 4th Brigades of the army, meaning most of the forces ready for mobilization in Eastern, Southern and Western Norway.

Kristian Laake stated that if Hatledal wanted an open mobilization then he could discuss it with minister Ljungberg when the minister arrived at the general staff at Akershus Fortress.

Kristian Laake left his uniform and military effects with his subordinates.

Kristian Laake duly walked to the nearby Slemdal station and took the Holmenkoll Line to Majorstuen to find a taxi.

When it was concluded that they did not have a car for him, Kristian Laake went to Oslo East Station, to find that the rail service was still functioning.

Kristian Laake managed to board a train and make his way out of Oslo to rejoin the general staff.

Minister Wold reacted fiercely to Kristian Laake's statements, criticising the general for not having issued orders to his troops and for not carrying out a general mobilization.

Kristian Laake rebutted by stating that all he had and had not done was in accordance with the government's wishes.

Kristian Laake was called to Nybergsund, where he offered to resign.

Kristian Laake's resignation was approved and General Otto Ruge, seven years younger than Laake, was appointed as commanding general.

However, as Commanding General, Kristian Laake was exempted from this regulation, only being required to retire at age 68.

Rasmus Hatledal, chief of the general staff, immediately requested sick leave when he heard of the dismissal of Kristian Laake, but was persuaded to stay a few days longer to help Ruge in his new position.

Kristian Laake resided at the farm Stalsberg in Skedsmo from 1908 to his death.

Kristian Laake testified against Vidkun Quisling at the latter's post-war trial, telling the court about Quisling's attempts to disrupt the Norwegian mobilization after the German invasion on 9 April 1940.