Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany

Starting with the invasion of April 9, 1940, Norway was under military occupation of German forces and civil rule of a German commissioner in collaboration with a Norwegian fascist government. The occupation ended May 10, 1945, after the capitulation of German forces in Europe.

Resistance, acceptance and collaboration

See main article on the Norwegian resistance movement

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It has been estimated that as many as 10% of Norwegians were supportive of the Nazi occupation, though this estimate is uncertain and the support varied throughout the occupation. It is clear that the vast majority of Norwegians were opposed to the occupation, and many resisted it in various ways. This was in large part reinforced by the activism of the government in exile in London, who made regular broadcasts in Norwegian, published news via the underground press, and sponsored commando raids against German targets.

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Some Norwegians took part in armed resistance; others provided support for such activities; many Norwegians engaged in various forms of civil disobedience; and many took part in passive resistance efforts. Over time, an organized armed resistance movement was formed under largely unified command. A distinction was made between the home front and the external front. The home front consisted of guerilla and clandestine operations; the external front included the operations of Norway's merchant fleet, Norwegian squadrons under British Royal Airforce command; and several commando groups operating out of England and Shetland. The unified command structure was to play an important role in the orderly transfer of power in May of 1945.

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Of the Norwegians that supported the NS, relatively few were active collaborators. Most notorious among these was Henry Oliver Rinnan, who infiltrated Norwegian members of the resistance, tortured and murdered them. About 5000 Norwegians volunteered for combat duty on the Nazi side and were often sent to the Eastern front. Some Norwegian police forces also assisted in arresting Jews prior to their deporting to Nazi concentration camps.

Related Topics:
Henry Oliver Rinnan - Concentration camps

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Several thousand Norwegian women had children with German soldiers. The mothers were ostracized and humiliated following the war. The treatment of these children, now referred to as the "war children" (previously often the more malicious tyskerunger (the children of Germans) or even worse naziyngel (nazi offspring)), both by norwegian official authorities and illminded mobs, have raised debate in Norway the last few years. The debate started with a television series in 1981, but only recently have the offspring of these unions started to identify themselves.

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