PHOTO FORGOTTEN: A REPORT OF THE STUDY OF AN OLD PHOTO-AN UPDATED VERSION

The content of the old photo presented and published on my blog « TEDDVIEW» needed an updating concerning one the unknown persons who is presented on the photo. Information about the Norwegian war hero Max Manus is easy to get access to. The main question was information about the person named Einar Ruud. A member of his family paid me a home visit today. The person wanted to remain anonymus for the time being. Mr.Ruud’s name was: Einar Ellev Ruud. He was born June 9, 1914.He died at an age of 89 on August 26, 2003.Max Manus and Einar Ruud were close friends.They had a lot in common. Both attended the same primary school: Ljan Primary School which is situated at Ljan close to the City of Oslo. Both were active members of Hauketo Sport Club before the Second World War. Hauketo Sport Club was set up in 1931.Cross country skiing was the favorite sport. Both had got a limited military training before the war. Above all: Both made an attempt fighting the German army in 1940.

When Max Manus returned to Norway after the military training in England, he needed support form his old friends. Not all of his friends deared to join the new resistance movement aiming at sabotage in Norway. Einar Ruud did not hestitate joining the new sabotage group. The risky work fighting the German occupants resulted in a need to flee the country. Einar Ruud fled the country with wife and son. In Sweden he joined the Norwegian Police Troops. Einar Ruud was also a friend of Gregers Gram who later on was killed in action in Oslo. A copy of a letter written by Gregers Gram to the wife of Einar contenting support for the stay in Sweden is an interesting piece of historical material given me by the anonymus member of his family.

What happened to Einar Ruud after the end of the war? He returned Norway in uniform as a Norwegian soldier. One of his tasks was to guard the Norwegian traitor Vidkun Quisling. He did the work but he refused to take part in the execution of Vidkun Quisling.

We know much about the life of Max Manus due to the books he wrote after the war. Besides a movie has been made about him too.

Einar Ruud had no formal education like Max Manus. Einar Ruud got a job as a driver, later on he set up his own company and worked as a salesman for selling excavados in Norway.

He was a handyman.His private life did not change much: He was still an active skiier who took part in the famous ski competion called:» Birkebeinerrennet»

. Running was also a sport he enjoyed. Playing his accordion and invented a tool for skiiers. He disliked skies where too much snow remained under the skies while skiing. The tool could take away the snow under the skies. On one of the ski sticks the tool was fastened ready for action. The invention was no economic success but some tools were made and used. What about his mental condition after the war? He was haunted by nightmares due to his work as a driver for the resistance groups. Both Max Manus and Einar Ruud got nerve problems after the war like many of his friends.

He never left Hauketo site outside Oslo.Einar Ruud was buried at Nordstrand Churchyard a suburb of Oslo.His friend Olav Kyvik was buried at Nordstrand Churchyard too close to the tomb of Einar Ruud

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En takk for innsatsen i 1940

Einar Ruud i soldat uniform i Sverige

Einar Ruud som norsk politi soldat i Sverige

 

What about the third man on the photo who is seen on the right side of the photo? The name of the man was Olav Kyvik. They were close friends the three boys on the photo. Olav Kyvik decided to make a living working for Norwegian savings-banks in Oslo.At an age of 15, he began working with banking.

Due to his personal experience counting coins for people daily, he decided to make a new type of saving-box.Counting coins every day was a time consuming business for the young bank cashier. He made a new type of money-box to improve the daily work of a bank cashier. If you wanted to save coins you had to put the coins in the correct place of saving-box. Olav Kyvik was granted permission to produce the new saving-box. The banks were not interested in his saving-box.Therefore the production of the saving-box was closed at an early stage.

Making movies by using 8mm camera was also an interest for the bank cashier.He wanted to make a film about money and money making. A product was made for the film but again no money was granted to produce the film.

 

The three boys on the photo were personalities with a great interest in creating new products and works for people. Only one of the boys made it:Max Manus. But he was a national war hero with connections to the management of Norwegian banks- and he was a great success in his business.