1. Maria Quisling, born Maria Vasilyevna Pasek or Pasetchnikova, was known as the wife of the Norwegian fascist politician Vidkun Quisling, but some historians have doubts on whether the couple were legally married.
35 Facts About Maria Quisling
1. 2.
Maria Quisling was briefly arrested in 1946 for her actions during the occupation, but all charges were dropped.
3.
Maria Quisling fought for many years to get back the apartment and other properties that she and Vidkun had owned.
4.
Maria Quisling's birth was probably in November 1900 in Kharkiv in the then Russian Empire in Ukraine.
5.
Maria Quisling told her family-in-law that her father had been a higher civil servant.
6.
Maria Quisling finished high school in 1918 and obtained a degree from Kharkiv Economic Institute in 1922.
7.
Maria Quisling met Vidkun for the first time in March 1923 and a romantic relationship developed during the summer that year, even though Vidkun had formally married Alexandra Voronin in August 1922.
8.
Historian Hans Fredrik Dahl believes Maria Quisling knew about the relationship with Alexandra and accepted his explanation that it was a pro-forma marriage to help Alexandra out of Russia.
9.
Maria Quisling left Russia on her own and arrived in Paris, where in late 1923 she was reunited with Vidkun and Alexandra, who had travelled together.
10.
Maria Quisling returned to France in 1926 where she met Alexandra again and had the company of other Russian immigrants.
11.
Maria Quisling lived in Normandy and in Paris where she attended courses at La Sorbonne for a while.
12.
Maria Quisling was at the time poor and relied on economic support from Vidkun.
13.
Maria Quisling had believed many of the paintings were by renowned painters, but they were mostly found to be copies.
14.
When Nasjonal Samling was founded in 1933, Maria Quisling was registered as a member by Vidkun.
15.
Maria Quisling was lightly involved in the beginning but never had any political role.
16.
Maria Quisling actively took part in the furnishing of the residence, which included Russian furniture and a large painting the couple had bought in Moscow.
17.
Maria Quisling hosted multiple other dinners and parties during the time the couple lived there.
18.
Maria Quisling then moved in with the widow of former Minister of Finance Frederik Prytz.
19.
Maria Quisling's wife was deeply shocked and wrote letters of appeal to various authorities, including King Haakon, Prime Minister Einar Gerhardsen and Otto Ruge.
20.
Maria Quisling drafted an appeal to Stalin, underlining Vidkun's efforts for Russia, but the letter was never sent.
21.
Maria Quisling was informed the next morning and together with a small group of people held a memorial service in her home.
22.
Maria Quisling was not given access to the urn with Vidkun's ashes which was kept at the police station.
23.
Maria Quisling was asked about her background, her activities in Nasjonal Samling and her life during the occupation.
24.
Maria Quisling was released on 18 June 1946 as the court did not find grounds to keep her in custody.
25.
The investigation continued, but on 8 April 1948, Maria Quisling was informed that all charges against her had been dropped.
26.
The bo sold much of the home furniture; some of which Maria Quisling claimed was hers and not Vidkun's.
27.
Maria Quisling obtained many letters of support, including from Odd Nansen, a son of Fridtjof Nansen who had been imprisoned by the authorities during the occupation.
28.
Maria Quisling continued to provide letters that were meant to document which things she had brought into the bo.
29.
In 1952, Maria Quisling got back all furniture and other items she claimed she had brought into the marriage as bo.
30.
Maria Quisling asked to get the urn with Vidkun's ashes in 1946.
31.
Maria Quisling again asked in 1956 after the Chief of Police in Oslo had asked the government permission to throw the ashes in the Oslofjord, but the government declined both requests.
32.
Maria Quisling had all her life in Norway complained of various health issues and often spent time at recreation institutions.
33.
Maria Quisling was buried in the Quisling family grave at Gjerpen Churchyard.
34.
Maria Quisling bequeathed documents from Vidkun to the library of University of Oslo.
35.
The executor of Maria Quisling's will was Finn Thrana, a supreme court advocate and former Quisling regime official.