Nils Waltersen Aasen
Encyclopedia
Nils Waltersen Aasen was a Norwegian
arms inventor; he is credited with having created the modern hand grenade
and land mine
just prior to World War I
.
, Rissa, Norway
, and went on to graduate from (School for Non-Commissioned Officers) in 1903. He started his experiments developing a hand grenade while serving as a sergeant at Oscarsborg Fortress
. He was encouraged in his work by the commander at Oscarsborg, former defense minister Hans Georg Stang, who was a strong supporter in the reinforcement and modernization of the military, especially with the threat of a possible conflict with Sweden
. The Norwegian department of defense showed little interest in Aasen's prototype. He then formed Det Aasenske Granatkompani (Aasen's Grenade Company) in Denmark
, which towards World War I
produced and exported large numbers of his grenade all over Europe. Apart from new types of explosives, trench mortars, airplane bombs and land mines he also created several inventions for civil use, but it was the development and production of arms that would bring him his greatest honours.
Just prior to World War I Aasen developed a powerful anti-personnel mine, "the automatic soldier," meant as a weapon of deterrence. The invention caused great enthusiasm within the French military but did not see production before the war. During World War I Aasen was given the task of producing hand grenades for the French army. He would have 13 factories with 13,000 employees working throughout the war.
In 1917 his hand grenade was finally adopted by the Norwegian army, who later promoted him to premier-lieutenant for his efforts. Throughout his life he received a number of honorary degrees and awards, as well as medals, for his inventions. Most notably he was made an honorary colonel in the French army, and a Chevalier in the order of the Légion d'honneur in 1915.
Aasen's fortune was greatly reduced as a result of bad financial speculations, and because he had never patented the rights to several of his inventions. He died from tuberculosis
in Wisconsin
, at the age of 48, while visiting the United States seeking finance. There are now many types of hand grenades, used worldwide.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
arms inventor; he is credited with having created the modern hand grenade
Hand grenade
A hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
and land mine
Land mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
just prior to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Biography
Aasen was born in StadsbygdStadsbygd
Stadsbygd is a village and former municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The former municipality was located in the present-day municipalities of Rissa and Agdenes. The village is located along the north side of the Trondheimsfjord, northwest of the city of Trondheim...
, Rissa, Norway
Rissa, Norway
Rissa is a municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Fosen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Årnset...
, and went on to graduate from (School for Non-Commissioned Officers) in 1903. He started his experiments developing a hand grenade while serving as a sergeant at Oscarsborg Fortress
Oscarsborg Fortress
Oscarsborg Fortress is a coastal fortress in the Oslofjord, close to the small town of Drøbak. The fortress is situated on two small islets, and on the mainland to the west and east, in the fjord and was military territory until 2003 when it was made a publicly available resort island...
. He was encouraged in his work by the commander at Oscarsborg, former defense minister Hans Georg Stang, who was a strong supporter in the reinforcement and modernization of the military, especially with the threat of a possible conflict with Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. The Norwegian department of defense showed little interest in Aasen's prototype. He then formed Det Aasenske Granatkompani (Aasen's Grenade Company) in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, which towards World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
produced and exported large numbers of his grenade all over Europe. Apart from new types of explosives, trench mortars, airplane bombs and land mines he also created several inventions for civil use, but it was the development and production of arms that would bring him his greatest honours.
Just prior to World War I Aasen developed a powerful anti-personnel mine, "the automatic soldier," meant as a weapon of deterrence. The invention caused great enthusiasm within the French military but did not see production before the war. During World War I Aasen was given the task of producing hand grenades for the French army. He would have 13 factories with 13,000 employees working throughout the war.
In 1917 his hand grenade was finally adopted by the Norwegian army, who later promoted him to premier-lieutenant for his efforts. Throughout his life he received a number of honorary degrees and awards, as well as medals, for his inventions. Most notably he was made an honorary colonel in the French army, and a Chevalier in the order of the Légion d'honneur in 1915.
Aasen's fortune was greatly reduced as a result of bad financial speculations, and because he had never patented the rights to several of his inventions. He died from tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
in Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, at the age of 48, while visiting the United States seeking finance. There are now many types of hand grenades, used worldwide.