Wilhelm von Tangen Hansteen (11 May 1896 – 6 September 1980) was a Norwegian Army officer.
From 1937 to 1941, Hansteen served as Norwegian Military attaché to Helsinki. In this position he worked for stronger Norwegian support for Finland during the Winter War.
After a short period in Stockholm, he was in 1942 surprisingly promoted directly from Major to Major General and appointed Commander in Chief of the Norwegian Armed Forces. He held this position until 1944 when then-Crown Prince Olav was made Commander in Chief. Hansteen served as Deputy Commander for the rest of World War II.
Hansteen continued his distinguished military career after the war, serving as commander of the Norwegian forces in Germany from 1946, as commander of the Norwegian Army from 1948, and as commander of NATO forces in Norway from 1951. He retired from the army in 1966, and died in Oslo, the city he was born.
| Preceded by Post vacant |
Chief of Defence of Norway 1942–1944 |
Succeeded by Crown Prince Olav |
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Hansteen, Wilhelm von Tangen |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | |
| Date of birth | 11 May 1896 |
| Place of birth | |
| Date of death | 6 September 1980 |
| Place of death | |
| This biographical article related to the Norwegian military is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
Famous quotes containing the words wilhelm von, wilhelm and/or von:
“Freedom is but the possibility of a various and indefinite activity; while government, or the exercise of dominion, is a single, yet real activity. The longing for freedom, therefore, is at first only too frequently suggested by the deep-felt consciousness of its absence.”
—Karl Wilhelm Von Humboldt (1767–1835)
“Man is more disposed to domination than freedom; and a structure of dominion not only gladdens the eye of the master who rears and protects it, but even its servants are uplifted by the thought that they are members of a whole, which rises high above the life and strength of single generations.”
—Karl Wilhelm Von Humboldt (1767–1835)
“The true poet is called to take in the splendor of the world and for that reason will always be inclined to praise rather than to find fault.”
—Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe (1749–1832)