Martin Siem
Encyclopedia
Ole Martin Siem was a Norwegian businessperson and World War II resistance
member.
He was born in Horten
as a son of naval commander Ole Siem (1882–1979) and Marie Augusta Ursin Holm (1888–1961). The family moved to Tromsø
, where Siem finished
secondary education in 1933. He took his education in shipping engineering at the Norwegian Institute of Technology
, graduating in 1938. He also worked one year at Trondhjems Mekaniske Verksted
. In February 1939 he married Inger Aagaard. His sister married diplomat Thore Boye
, a son of Thorvald Boye, in 1945.
When World War II
reached Norway with the Nazi German
invasion
, Siem fought for his country in the Battle of Hegra Fortress
. After the conventional Norwegian armed forces capitulated, Siem returned to his job at Akers Mekaniske Verksted. While working there he became an informant for the secret intelligence organization RMO
, which was established in 1942. His information on the Port of Oslo became especially important for Norwegian ship saboteurs, such as Max Manus
, Gregers Gram
and Roy Nielsen
. When the leader of RMO, A.K. Rygg, had to flee the country in the autumn 1943, Siem took over the leadership together with Sigurd Sverdrup
. Among the results of Siem's information was the sabotage towards SS Donau
.
After the war Siem continued at Akers Mekaniske Verksted, except for a period between 1946 and 1950. In this period he worked for Westfal-Larsen & Co
. In 1965 he was promoted to director-general of Akers Mekaniske Verksted. He resigned due to a controversial case involving Israel
, when a group of gunboats produced in Cherbourg circumvented de Gaulle
's export boycott and sailed to Israel to assist the country. He then became executive in Fred. Olsen AS
from 1970–72, CEO of Saga Petroleum
from 1972 and 1973 and board chairman of Timex Corporation from 1973 to 1978.
Siem was decorated as a Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1969. He died in November 1996 in Oslo.
Norwegian resistance movement
The Norwegian resistance to the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany began after Operation Weserübung in 1940 and ended in 1945. It took several forms:...
member.
He was born in Horten
Horten
is a town and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway—located along the Oslofjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Horten. The municipality also includes the villages of Borre, Åsgårdstrand, Skoppum, and Nykirke....
as a son of naval commander Ole Siem (1882–1979) and Marie Augusta Ursin Holm (1888–1961). The family moved to Tromsø
Tromsø
Tromsø is a city and municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø.Tromsø city is the ninth largest urban area in Norway by population, and the seventh largest city in Norway by population...
, where Siem finished
Examen artium
Examen artium was the name of the academic certification conferred in Denmark and Norway, qualifying the student for admission to university studies. Examen artium was originally introduced as the entrance exam of the University of Copenhagen in 1630...
secondary education in 1933. He took his education in shipping engineering at the Norwegian Institute of Technology
Norwegian Institute of Technology
The Norwegian Institute of Technology, known by its Norwegian abbrevation NTH was a science institute in Trondheim, Norway. It was established in 1910, and existed as an independent technical university for 85 years, after which it was merged into the University of Trondheim as an independent...
, graduating in 1938. He also worked one year at Trondhjems Mekaniske Verksted
Trondhjems mekaniske Værksted
Trondhjems mekaniske Værksted or TMV was a major shipbuilding company in Trondheim, Norway.-History:It was founded in 1872 by engineer and industrialist, Sophus August Weidemann. Weidemann had started in 1864 as manager of one of the pioneer companies in Trondheim...
. In February 1939 he married Inger Aagaard. His sister married diplomat Thore Boye
Thore Boye
Thore Albert Boye was a Norwegian diplomat.He was born in Kristiania as a son of Supreme Court Justice Thorvald Boye and Mia Esmarch . In 1945 he married Nøste Siem , a daughter of Ole Siem and sister of Martin Siem.He took the cand.jur...
, a son of Thorvald Boye, in 1945.
When World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
reached Norway with the Nazi German
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
invasion
Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
, Siem fought for his country in the Battle of Hegra Fortress
Battle of Hegra Fortress
The Battle of Hegra Fortress was a twenty-five day engagement in the 1940 Norwegian Campaign which saw a small force of Norwegian volunteers fighting superior German forces...
. After the conventional Norwegian armed forces capitulated, Siem returned to his job at Akers Mekaniske Verksted. While working there he became an informant for the secret intelligence organization RMO
RMO (Norwegian resistance)
RMO was a Norwegian clandestine organization for naval intelligence during World War II, led from Oslo. The organization operated from Spring 1942 until the end of the war in the spring of 1945.-Establishment:...
, which was established in 1942. His information on the Port of Oslo became especially important for Norwegian ship saboteurs, such as Max Manus
Max Manus
Maximo Guillermo "Max" Manus DSO, MC & Bar was a Norwegian resistance fighter during World War II.Manus was born in Bergen to a Norwegian father and a Danish mother...
, Gregers Gram
Gregers Gram
Gregers Winther Wulfsberg Gram MC MM was a Norwegian resistance fighter and saboteur. A corporal and later second lieutenant in the Norwegian Independent Company 1 during the Second World War, he was killed in 1944....
and Roy Nielsen
Roy Nielsen
Roy Nielsen was a Norwegian resistance member during World War II, a member of Milorg and involved in propaganda and sabotage. Among his sabotage operations was the destruction of 25 Messerschmitt fighter aircraft and 150 engines stored in a bus garage in Oslo, on 14 August 1944, together with Max...
. When the leader of RMO, A.K. Rygg, had to flee the country in the autumn 1943, Siem took over the leadership together with Sigurd Sverdrup
Sigurd Sverdrup
Sigurd Bernhard Sverdrup was a Norwegian World War II resistance member.He studied law during the early phase of World War II. He became a member of the resistance group 2A. Here he gained contact with Martin Siem, a worker at the mechanic yard Akers Mekaniske Verksted. Both were recruited to the...
. Among the results of Siem's information was the sabotage towards SS Donau
SS Donau
SS Donau was a Norddeutscher Lloyd refrigerated cargo ship. In the Second World War the Kriegsmarine used it as a transport ship between Germany and Norway. She became known as the "slave ship" after the SS and Gestapo transported 540 Jews from Norway to Stettin, from where they were taken by...
.
After the war Siem continued at Akers Mekaniske Verksted, except for a period between 1946 and 1950. In this period he worked for Westfal-Larsen & Co
Westfal-Larsen
Westfal-Larsen is a group of shipping company owning 24 open hatch ships and five chemical tankers based in Bergen, Norway. The groups main activities also include investment as well as ship technical and commercial management...
. In 1965 he was promoted to director-general of Akers Mekaniske Verksted. He resigned due to a controversial case involving Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, when a group of gunboats produced in Cherbourg circumvented de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
's export boycott and sailed to Israel to assist the country. He then became executive in Fred. Olsen AS
Fred. Olsen & Co.
Fred. Olsen & Co. is a large shipping company based in Oslo, Norway. The company was founded by Petter Olsen in 1848. Today it is the holding company that controls the Olsen family's interest through Bonheur and Ganger Rolf.-History:...
from 1970–72, CEO of Saga Petroleum
Saga Petroleum
Saga Petroleum was a Norwegian upstream petroleum company established in 1972 that was acquired by Norsk Hydro in 1999. Since October 2007 it is a part of Statoil. The company was the only fully private oil company in Norway. It had partial ownership in 60 oil field licenses and was operator of 18...
from 1972 and 1973 and board chairman of Timex Corporation from 1973 to 1978.
Siem was decorated as a Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1969. He died in November 1996 in Oslo.