We are free! Norge er fri! Norway is free!
King Haakon VII and the Royal Family arrive at Oslo on 7th June 1945. The little boy with the flag is today's King Harald V
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After 2,076 days of horror and destruction, news of the unconditional surrender of Germany spread throughout Europe. Germany signed an unconditional surrender at Reims, France May 7th. The happy news broke in the West and in Norway on May 8th and celebrations erupted. The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
started with the German invasion on April 9th, 1940, beginning "Five long years of enemy occupation" of Norway and the other Scandinavian countries. Pictured is Germany's Keitel signing the surrender document. May 8th was the first day of freedom for Norway in five years.


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During this period of occupation, each Scandinavian country dealt with harsh situations in various ways. Finland began this period already fighting with Russian forces before Germany began to be involved. Finland began combining efforts with Germany, and began a co-existence with the later occupying German force. As time went on, this relationship became strained and resistance began in earnest. Sweden decided to remain neutral, and German forces found a mutual relationship while buying iron ore for the needed ball-bearings for war equipment, and fish to feed the German occupiers. In turn, Sweden enjoyed relative calm and cooperation. Denmark seemed of little interest to the Germans and along with Sweden, appeared to be stepping stones into Norway. Both countries maintained cooperation with the occupiers and both governments remained "in power".---------------------
Then, Germany invaded Norway on April 9th, 1940. After the first few days of the war, there was not 


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To this day, Norway justice seems to lean to the side of the more humanitarian "Silk Front".
When I was in Norway in 1996, I visited a farm very close to the Swedish border -- it was the farm that my great great grandpa had lived on. Anyway, the man who lived there now told us about the German occupation. The farm was so far back in the middle of nowhere that they went undetected by the Germans for quite some time. When the Germans finally DID find their farm, the Germans took pity on them because they were so poor and pretty much left the family alone. The man who was telling the story had been six years old at the time, and he has fond memories of the Germans because they would share their chocolate with him. That's pretty much the only nice Nazi story I've ever heard.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy learning about Norway's experiences during WWII. Nice article.
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