Alv Johnsen

Alv Marius Johnsen (26 January 1919 – 14 January 1986) was a Norwegian resistance member, physician and military leader.

Early life Johnsen was born in Lier, Norway, the son of Alv I. Johnsen (1885–1943) and Else Marie Johnsen (1890–1969). He took his examen artium in 1938.

Career

Military service When World War II reached Norway in 1940, Johnsen participated in the Battle of Bagn. After Norway's defeat, he helped establish an illegal newspaper. In the autumn of 1941, he had to flee to the United Kingdom through Sweden, Russia, India and Canada. He joined the Norwegian Independent Company 1, and served on a motor torpedo boat from May to December 1944, and was parachuted to Norway in early 1945. He was an instructor for Milorg until the war's end.

He met his wife in the United Kingdom in 1944, Birgit "Tullen" Lützow-Holm. She worked as a secretary at the intelligence office FO II in London during the war, and she was decorated with the Defence Medal 1940–1945.

Medicine In 1950 Alv Johnsen graduated with the cand.med. degree, and he was a specialist in rheumatology from 1963. He worked at Lillehammer Hospital, Ullevål Hospital and Diakonhjemmet Hospital from 1954 to 1958, then at the Rheumatic Hospital from 1958 to 1963.