A Traitor's Guard: Quisling's bodyguard the German occupation of Norway and Norwegian collaboration in the Second World War

Vidkun Quisling Norways infamous Nazi collaborator was perhaps the worlds most renowned traitor. In early 1942 when he rose to power in occupied Norway under German occupation a small paramilitary unit was charged with his personal protection. It came to be known as Førergarden or the Leaders Guard.In Førergarden: A Traitors Guard Hugh Page Taylor relates the untold story of this unit in an engrossing portrayal of its characters and functions all with a meticulous attention to detail. Starting with a history of Quisling and his nefarious role in the German invasion of Norway the book moves on to numerous studied chapters covering every feature of Førergarden from its complicated and disputed beginnings to its uniform and regalia (one of Taylors specializations). Taylor is not averse to the difficult questions inevitably raised by his subject and he gives much thought to the role that Førergarden played in both the German occupation and the Holocaust. As a result this book is a far-ranging and meticulous study of not only Førergarden but also the complexities of German occupation together with Norways collaboration and resistance.The product of over 50 years of research Taylors book brings together an extraordinary amount of information including never before published photographs and documents and it is destined to become an authoritative text on its topic. Scholars of the Second World War and Axis history in particular will appreciate the new perspective that this book brings to the subject.