Jan Sigurd Baalsrud, MBE (December 13, 1917 in Kristiania, Norway – December 30, 1988 in Kongsvinger, Norway) was a commando in the Norwegian resistance trained by the British during World War II.
Legendary Norwegian veteran of WW2, whose fantastic escape from the Germans across 200 kilometres of rugged terrain and through snow and blizzards, got himself across the border to neutral Sweden. But not until after being shot and injured, going snowblind, and even having to amputate some of his toes by himself to avoid gangrene from spreading. The story was later told in British author David Howarth's classic book "We Die Alone," later filmed as Nine Lives (1957).
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He became an important figure in supporting the rights for Norwegian disabled WW2-veterans (himself partly crippled after his famous escape to neutral Sweden), and from 1957 to 1964, he became the chairman for the Norwegian Disabled Veterans Union (Krigsinvalidforbundet).
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To better treat the remnants of the gangrene he got (during his escape from the Germans under WW2) in check, he spent the last years of his life living in the Canary Islands (Spain). He died in Norway, however.
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Until the day he died, he felt an extreme gratitude towards the civilians who had helped him hide from the Germans during his escape to neutral Sweden. After Baalsrud passed away in 1988, he was buried -- after his own wish -- next to one of his helpers from WW2 (who died in 1943). They share a gravestone that has the following inscription: "Thank you all, who helped me to freedom in 1943.".
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