Max Manus

Max Manus

Maximo Guillermo "Max" Manus DSO, MC & Bar (9 December 1914 – 20 September 1996) was a Norwegian resistance fighter during World War II.

Manus was born in Bergen to a Norwegian father and a Danish mother. His father's name was originally Johan Magnussen, but he changed his name to Juan Manus after living several years in foreign (mainly Spanish-speaking) countries.

After fighting as a volunteer for Finland in the Soviet-Finnish Winter War of 1939–40, he returned to Norway on the day of the German invasion of Norway, 9 April 1940. He was a pioneer of the Norwegian resistance movement and was arrested by the Gestapo in 1941. He escaped to the United Kingdom for training and went back as a saboteur for the Norwegian Independent Company 1, better known as Lingekompaniet. He became a specialist in ship sabotage and, by using Limpet mines, sank ships that were important to the German Kriegsmarine, including the SS Donau on 16 January 1945. Max Manus ended the war as a First Lieutenant (Løytnant).

He was famous for being one of the most brilliant saboteurs during World War II. After the war he wrote several books about his adventures and started the successful office supply company Max Manus AS.

He was awarded Norway's highest decoration for military gallantry, the War Cross with sword. He was awarded this decoration twice: the War Cross with two swords. In addition to his Norwegian decorations, Manus received the British Military Cross and Bar.

During the final years of his life, Manus and his wife Tikken lived primarily in Spain, where he died at the age of 81.