Vidkun Quisling, Norway’s infamous Nazi collaborator, was perhaps the world’s most renowned traitor. In early 1942, when he rose to power in occupied Norway under German occupation, a small paramilitary unit was charged with his personal protection. It came to be known as Forergarden or the Leader’s Guard.

In Forergarden: A Traitor’s Guard Hugh Page Taylor relates the untold story of this unit in an engrossing portrayal of its characters and functions, all with a meticulous attention to detail. Starting with a history of Quisling and his nefarious role in the German invasion of Norway, the book moves on to numerous studied chapters covering every feature of Forergarden, from its complicated and disputed beginnings to its uniform and regalia (one of Taylor’s specializations).

Taylor is not averse to the difficult questions inevitably raised by his subject and he gives much thought to the role that Forergarden played in both the German occupation and the Holocaust. As a result, this book is a far-ranging and meticulous study of not only Forergarden but also the complexities of German occupation together with Norway’s collaboration and resistance.

The product of over 50 years of research, Taylor’s book brings together an extraordinary amount of information, including never before published photographs and documents, and it is destined to become an authoritative text on its topic. Scholars of the Second World War and Axis history in particular will appreciate the new perspective that this book brings to the subject.