Saturday, November 15, 2008

The Gandrud Farm



Thanks to Howard Gandrud for sending the photo of Stor (large) Gandrud farm he took while in Norway. Howard descends from the Vesle (small) Gandrud farm but he did meet cousin Nils Kolbjorn Skinnes, a Stor Gandrud farm descendant and current owner.  

Vesle Gandrud farm is visible on the upper right side of this photo, but the large white house on the left is the Stor Gandrud farm.

During the Second World War, the only site of actual armed battle between the Norwegian resistance and the Germans took place from the hills above the farm. The underground resistance shot down at a German U Boat in the lake; the U boat returned fire with some of the bullets lodging in the children's playhouse. The bullets are still in evidence in the playhouse.


The photo was taken c1920 by unknown photographer. The farm has been in the Gandrud/Gulsvik family since commoners could own land - about 1150 AD. At one point, Gulsvik was a very large area; the land was divided as sons and daughters married. A large lake is in front of the farm (about the bottom edge of the photo), although not visible in this photo. Behind the farmstead (top of photo) are hills that became well-known during WWII when the Norwegian Resistance fired down on a German U Boat in the lake. It was the only place in Norway where the Norwegian Resistance had an open battle. The German U Boat fired back, causing bullets to land in the children's playhouse. The bullets are still embedded in the playhouse.

My great-grandmother, Brynhild Engebretsdatter (Gandrud), was born on 7 September 1837 on this farm as were all of her Gandrud ancestors for centuries. Her father was Engebret Kolbjornsen Gandrud b. Before 29 November 1807. Her mother was Gunhild Knudsdatter Hilde, b. before 22 February 1801 on North Hilde. Later, I will post photos of the farm today taken of me with cousin Kolbjorn Nils Skinnes. Kolbjorn owns the farm; he is a descendant of Brynhild's brother, who took over the Gandrud farm when Engebret died. 

Cynthia Forde took the lake photo in front of the Gandrud house in 2014/