train station for the Rørosbanen line between Elverum and Hamar stopped. In the same place Sanderud asylum (now hospital) was located. During the Second World War, especially after 1944, many resistance fighters hid in Vangsåsa. About 70 persons found refuge in the Norwegian resistance Milorg's district 77 rural huts. On 26 October, German troops assaulted one of the huts and two resistance fighters were killed. A third escaped miraculously. After 1947 the Østland District Commandos had their headquarters at Åker gård. After the Second World War more villages developed: Ridabu, Ingeberg, Vangli, and Wik. Merger with Hamar The government had been debating merging Vang and Hamar (and sometimes Løten) for several decades. There was strong local opposition in Vang — a referendum held 22 and 23 April 1990 showed 95% of the Vang residents opposed incorporation into Hamar, with a 64.7% turnout rate. Support in Hamar was stronger as Vang was a prosperous farming municipality, while Hamar suffered from urban decay. The Storting forced the merger which took place on 1 January 1992. The sponsor for the consolidation was Odd Aspeli (of the Arbeiderpartiet). He took over as Mayor in Hamar after consolidation and remained as Mayor until 1999. Another chief sponsor against consolidation, Einar Busterud, then assumed the position of Mayor. Government The municipal council of Vang was made up of 29 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the final municipal council was as follows: Mayors The mayors of Vang (incomplete list): 1929-1931: Arne Juland (Ap) 1931-1965: Rudolf Hedemann (Ap) 1943-1945: Aksel Røhr (NS) 1965-1969: Arve Nysted (Ap) 1969-1984: Kåre Storsveen (Ap) 1984-1987: Ole Andreas Brodal (Ap) 1988-1991: Odd Aspeli (Ap) Notable people Werner Hosewinckel Christie Werner Christie Mikkel Dobloug Olga Imerslund Abraham Pihl Matthias Stoltenberg Ralph Engelstad (1930-2002), an American whose grandfather Peter emigrated from Vang to Minnesota See also List of former municipalities of Norway References Hamar Former municipalities of Norway 1838 establishments in Norway 1992 disestablishments in Norway Populated places established in 1838 Populated places disestablished in 1992