Norway’s famed Resistance (Hjemmefronten) forces have long been viewed as the country’s heroes of World War II, as they sabotaged Nazi German occupiers and ultimately helped drive them out. A new book, however, reveals how some key Resistance fighters knew about plans to round up Norway’s small Jewish population and literally ship them off to […]
Lavrov likely to re-visit Finnmark next year
Russian President Vladimir Putin isn’t expected to take part in next year’s 75th anniversary of the Soviet liberation of Finnmark from Nazi German forces in 1944. His foreign minister Sergej Lavrov, however, is likely to attend, just like he did on the 70th anniversary in 2014. Northern Norway remains grateful to the Soviet Army for […]
War hero hailed as NATO flexed muscle
It was perhaps only fitting that the funeral ceremony for Norway’s last surviving “Hero of Telemark,” Joachim Rønneberg, was held on Tuesday at precisely the same moment that NATO forces training in Norway were putting on a highly public display of strength. The two events differed vastly in character, but both stressed the same message […]
‘Hero of Telemark’ dies at age 99
UPDATED: Joachim Rønneberg was the last surviving member of the group of Norwegian resistance fighters during World War II whose daring sabotage action in Telemark helped prevent Nazi Germany from developing an atomic bomb. Rønneberg died during the weekend, 99 years old, and he’ll be honoured with a state funeral. “Rønneberg was one of the […]
Convoy heroes win overdue acclaim
Ships were decorated, canons boomed at noon, flags flew and memorials were planned all over the country when Norway celebrated both Liberation- and Veterans’ Day on Tuesday. Among those finally receiving more official attention were the thousands of Norwegian merchant seafarers who crewed the dangerous convoys that brought critical supplies to Great Britain, but who […]
Solberg confronts ‘painful’ history
Somber ceremonies attracted hundreds of people including the prime minister and crown princess on Sunday, which marked 75 years since most of Norway’s remaining Jewish population was deported to Nazi German death camps during World War II. The goal was to make sure Norwegians never forget what Prime Minister Erna Solberg called a “painful and uncomfortable” […]
Nazi party halted in Trondheim
Trondheim’s venerable student union (Studentersamfundet) was embarrassed and angry after a group of bartenders decided to host a “politically incorrect” party on Saturday night. They dressed up in SS uniforms, and neither guests nor leaders of the organization were amused. “I was shocked and upset,” 25-year-old Maja Sandström, who was visiting Trondheim from Östersund in […]