Wilhelm Sissener


Wilhelm Sissener, born Guilliame Sissener was an Austrian Netherlands-born military leader. He is the originator of the Sissener family of Norway. His career spanned the Napoleonic Wars and the early years of the Swedish-Norwegian union, culminating in his role as commandant of Kongsvinger Fortress and his receipt of the Knight of the Order of the Sword.

Military career

Sissener began his military career in 1799, serving in Napoleon’s Grande Armée. He fought in the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt on 14 October 1806, where he was captured by Russian forces. After escaping in 1807, he fled to Denmark and joined the Royal Danish Lifeguard in Copenhagen. In January 1808, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in Norway’s 1st National Infantry Regiment in Trondheim, adopting the name Wilhelm.
Following the Treaty of Kiel in 1814, which ceded Norway from Denmark to Sweden, Sissener’s shared Napoleonic background with King Karl Johan aided his advancement. He was promoted to captain in 1814, major in 1824, and transferred to the 1st Akershus Infantry Brigade in 1818. In 1825, he was awarded the Knight of the Order of the Sword, a Swedish military honor for service and loyalty. By 1834, he was a lieutenant colonel commanding the Gudbrandsdal National Musket Corps, and in April 1837, he became commandant of Kongsvinger Fortress. He was promoted to colonel in 1839, a rank he held until his death.

Personal life

On 20 July 1809, Sissener married Maren Elisabeth Ulriksdatter Hals in Eidsvoll, Norway, and they had eleven children. The family resided at Brensmork estate, a cultural hub in Eidsvoll, where they formed close ties with the Wergeland family, including the poet Henrik Wergeland. Wergeland’s poem Smaadigte references the Sisseners’ hospitality, reflecting their social prominence. Their descendants include notable figures such as Einar Sissener, an actor and theatre director, and Jan Petter Sissener, a financier.

Marriage and children

The couple had eleven children:
  1. George Fredrik von Krogh Sissener
  2. Philip Jacob Johannes Sissener
  3. Anna Hedvig Wilhelmine Sissener
  4. Ulrik Fredrik Sissener
  5. Johanne Elisabeth Caroline Sissener
  6. Laura Eleonora Bernhardine Sissener
  7. Mathilde Dorthea Eugenia Sissener
  8. Peter Johan Brandt Sissener
  9. Joseph Frantz Oscar Sissener
  10. Alexander Eliseus Laurentius Boutet Sissener
  11. Peder Lykke Elisar Wolfgang Sissener

Death and legacy

Sissener died on 29 December 1846 at Kongsvinger Fortress and was buried on 4 January 1847 at Eidsvoll Cemetery alongside his wife. A street in Kongsvinger, Sissener Gata, is named in his honor, commemorating his tenure as commandant. His descendants have contributed significantly to Norwegian business, arts, and finance.