Description

Norwegian judo pioneer and overrettssakfører (senior public prosecutor) born January 7, 1905 in Oslo. He learned jujutsu during World War II in the Norwegian resistance movement (Milorg) and continued training after the war. He transitioned from jujutsu to judo around 1951, studying through books (Charles Yerkow's 1947 Modern Judo among them) and annual trips to Copenhagen. He co-founded the Norwegian Judo and Jiu-Jitsu Club (NJJK) on October 12, 1960, serving as its first chairman until 1964. He was among the initiators of the Norwegian Judo Federation in 1967 but declined the presidency. He was awarded 1st dan in 1956, 2nd dan in 1959, and 3rd dan in 1962, and received honorary 4th dan in 1975. He died on January 9, 1985, two days after his 80th birthday. He is often called "judoens far" (father of judo) in Norway, a simplification but one that captures his central role in establishing judo as a lasting activity.

Teachers (2)

• person
  Ingebrigt Solum

  sports_martial_artsJūjutsu Probable

  Probable

  Lundh stated in a 1974 interview that he learned jujutsu in Milorg with "Ingebrikt Solem" as his instructor, very likely generalmajor Ingebrigt Solum (1919-1996) who was attached to Milorg. Name spelling varies in sources.

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  Private lesson (1940–1945)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Lundh stated in a 1974 interview that he learned jujutsu in Milorg with "Ingebrikt Solem" as his instructor, very likely generalmajor Ingebrigt Solum (1919-1996) who was attached to Milorg. Name spelling varies in sources.

  “I et intervju fra 1974 forteller Lundh at han lærte jujutsu i Milorg med «Ingebrikt Solem» som instruktør.”

  — Midtlund, Arne. (2026). Henrik Lundh – «judoens far» i Norgelink history info
• person
  Robert Marchant

  sports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō Probable

  Probable

  Lundh described Marchant as 'hovedinstruktør i Frankrike'; Marchant visited Norway annually 1954-1964, became the central figure in early Norwegian grading history, and graded Lundh to 2nd dan (1959) and 3rd dan (1962) with himself as examiner.

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  Seminar (1954–1964)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Lundh described Marchant as 'hovedinstruktør i Frankrike'; Marchant visited Norway annually 1954-1964, became the central figure in early Norwegian grading history, and graded Lundh to 2nd dan (1959) and 3rd dan (1962) with himself as examiner.

  “Lundh omtaler ham som hovedinstruktør i Frankrike; andre kilder gjør ham til engelskmann. Begge deler kan stemme. Han besøkte Norge årlig fra 1954 til 1964 og ble den viktigste enkeltpersonen i den tidlige graderingshistorien vår.”

  — Midtlund, Arne. (2026). Henrik Lundh – «judoens far» i Norgelink history info

Ranks (5)

• sports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō

  military_tech1 dan Probable

  Probable

  Graded 1st dan on August 3, 1956 at a training camp in Vejle, Denmark by Ichiro Abe (Kodokan representative in Europe), alongside Torkel Sauer and Per Ombustvedt. Confirmed by JudoMania article and Norwegian Judo's own jubilee article from 1980.

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  Dan-Kyu System (1956-08-03)

  granted by Abe Ichirō, Kodokan

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Graded 1st dan on August 3, 1956 at a training camp in Vejle, Denmark by Ichiro Abe (Kodokan representative in Europe), alongside Torkel Sauer and Per Ombustvedt. Confirmed by JudoMania article and Norwegian Judo's own jubilee article from 1980.

  “Sommeren 1956 dro nordmennene på treningsleir i Vejle i Danmark. Der graderte Ichiro Abe, den gang 4. dan, senere 10. dan og Kodokans representant i Europa, Henrik Lundh, Torkel Sauer og Per Ombustvedt til 1. dan. Lundhs gradering er datert 3. august 1956, og er ifølge nekrologen registrert i Kodokan.”

  — Midtlund, Arne. (2026). Henrik Lundh – «judoens far» i Norgelink history info

  military_tech2 dan Probable

  Probable

  2nd dan in 1959 with Robert Marchant as examiner, as stated in Norwegian Judo's own jubilee article.

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  Dan-Kyu System (1959)

  granted by Robert Marchant

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  2nd dan in 1959 with Robert Marchant as examiner, as stated in Norwegian Judo's own jubilee article.

  “2. dan i 1959 og 3. dan i 1962, begge ganger med Marchant som sensor.”

  — Midtlund, Arne. (2026). Henrik Lundh – «judoens far» i Norgelink history info

  military_tech3 dan Probable

  Probable

  3rd dan in 1962 with Robert Marchant as examiner.

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  Dan-Kyu System (1962)

  granted by Robert Marchant

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  3rd dan in 1962 with Robert Marchant as examiner.

  “2. dan i 1959 og 3. dan i 1962, begge ganger med Marchant som sensor.”

  — Midtlund, Arne. (2026). Henrik Lundh – «judoens far» i Norgelink history info

  military_tech4 dan Probable

  Probable

  Honorary 4th dan awarded on his 70th birthday (January 7, 1975). No specific graders named.

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  Dan-Kyu System (1975)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Honorary 4th dan awarded on his 70th birthday (January 7, 1975). No specific graders named.

  “Lundh ble Norges Judoforbunds første æresmedlem i 1974, og fikk honorær 4. dan på sin 70-årsdag 7. januar 1975.”

  — Midtlund, Arne. (2026). Henrik Lundh – «judoens far» i Norgelink history info

  military_tech5 dan Probable

  Probable

  Posthumous honorary 5th dan, dated March 9, 1985, awarded after his death.

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  Dan-Kyu System (1985-03-09)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Posthumous honorary 5th dan, dated March 9, 1985, awarded after his death.

  “Etter hans død ble han posthumt tildelt honorær 5. dan, datert 9. mars 1985.”

  — Midtlund, Arne. (2026). Henrik Lundh – «judoens far» i Norgelink history info

Learned from documents

• menu_bookModern Judo info

  Kōdōkan Jūdō (1951)

  Probable

  Probable

  Direct statement in the Solmoe article (Int. J. of the History of Sport, 2024): in 1951 Lundh's group transitioned to judo by studying Yerkow's 1947 Modern Judo. A single scholarly source for the book's specific role, hence probable rather than confirmed.

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  fact_check1 source expand_more

  reviewsPeer-reviewed

  “In 1951 Lundh's group transitioned to the sport of judo by studying Charles Yerkow's 1947 book Modern Judo.”

  — Solmoe, Glenn Eilif. (2024). Martial Arts Diplomacy: Japanese Judo Delegations and 'Martial Arts Missionaries' in Norway, 1945-1980link history info

Authors of these documents:

• 
  Charles Yerkow

  Kōdōkan Jūdō · Modern Judo

Sources