The man in the “Marius Sweater” has passed away
Marius Eriksen Jr. in the popular "Marius Sweater".
On July 6, 2009 Marius Eriksen Jr. (86) passed away in Oslo. The popular Norwegian “Marius Sweater” (Mariusgenseren) was named after this well-known skier, pilot, model and actor.
His mother Birgit “Bitten” Eriksen loved to knit, and designed the “Marius Pattern” together with Unn Søiland Dale in 1953. It became Norway’s most popular knitting pattern. Over 5 million patterns have been sold so far.
Marius, brother of the famous Olympian Stein Eriksen, was a very talented slalom skier and ski jumper before WWII. He was Norwegian slalom champion in both 1947 and 1948. His father, Marius Eriksen Sr., was a Norwegian gymnast who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden.
Eriksen Jr. served as a fighter pilot during WWII, flying Spitfires in 331 (Norwegian) and 332 (Norwegian) Squadrons RAF, and had 9 confirmed victories before being shot down and captured on May 2, 1943. He spent the rest of the War in captivity in Poland.
After the war he pursued a film career in the mid to late 1950s, having roles in: “Slalåm under himmelen” (1957); “Kasserer Jensen” (1954); “Troll i ord” (1954).
Marius Eriksen Jr. autobiography “Marius: skiløper – jageress – krigsfange” told with the assistance of Cato Guhnfeldt was published in Norway in 2002.
Read more about the “Marius Sweater” – the most popular Norwegian sweater – on Dn.no
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