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At the beginning of the German invasion and throughout the War, Norwegians were able to cross the border into Sweden. After the initial surge, this generally involved taking trains and busses to towns close to the border and then crossing the actual border surepticiously. The refugees included Jews, political figures, resistance fighters, labor conscriptees, and others who feared the Germans. The Germans established border patrols, but this was a virtually impossible task given the length of the border and Sweden's refusal to return the refugees. Norewgian living along the border helped the refugees evade the German patrols and became known as 'border pilots'. The Swedish authorities harbored the refugees, but did not encourage flight from Norway. Here thee was both the problem careing for them and early in the war thefear of German reprisals. The Swedes confined the Norwegians refugees in camps. An estimated 50,000 Norwegians escaped to Sweden. We are not sure about the number of children, but among the refugees were many family groups. Some of the male refugees wanted to join the Norwegian armed forces abroad organized by the London government-in-exile. Some managed to travel through the Soviet Union and get to Britain. This became more complicated after the German invasion of the Soviet Union (June 1941). A few individiduals including officers and pilots managed to get permission to exist Sweden on Swedish-flag vessels. Unlike the Norwegians in Britain, neutral Sweden did not permit rids on German forces in Norway. The Norwegian government in exile after considerable effort got Swedish permission to organize military formations among the refugees in Sweden (1944). They were called 'Police troops' so Sweden could retain its neutral stance. Hitler genius that he was, heavily garrisoned Norway, fearing an Allied invasion. This mean that some 0.5 million German troops sat idle while the Allied and Soviet forces were driving into the Reich. This large, well armed force meant that the Norwegians were incapable of taking on the occupation force on their own. As the War progressed this became a force to move into restablish the Norwegian Government after the German surrender rather than a liberation force.
King Haakon and his family along with the Norwegian Government left Oslo in the morning (April 9). The Crown Princess (who was born in Sweden) and her children continued with the train to Sweden. They stayed at the H�gfj�llshotellet in S�len. The estate was built by a Norwegian. He was one of several persons along the border who supported resistance and intelligence organisations. They were offered sanctuary by the United States. Sailing through the Baltic was too dangerous as they could be seizd by the Germans. So they traveled North and with the permission of the Finns departed Petsamo harbour in northern Finland (August 1941). At the time there was still concern about a German invasion of Sweden. So the Norwegian Governmnt in exile and many other Norwegins were relieved that they had reached safety.
The Norwegian Army after the German invasion maintained armed resistance in border areas in the south east of Oslo. As the German forces pressed into this area, Norwegian units abd soldiers crossed over to neutral Sweden. At Kongsvinger, a Norwegian general lead the entire 1st Division into Sweden where they were detained and disarmed by Swedish authorities. Strongholds around Askim, Fossum and Mysen had been built for border defence against possible Swedish agressions, obviously not atacks from from Norway itself. Norwegian troops in these trongholds held out for a week. Isolated and without heavy weapons or aurcover, the position was untenable. Some 3,000 men crossed the border to Sweden with equpment and provisions. At P� �stlandet, the eastern part of southern Norway, Norwegian soldiers also attempted to resist. The Germans attacked while the Norwegians were still grouping. Some units put up a fight, but were outgunned and had to cross over to Sweden. Students at the Norwegian military aviation school at Kjeller, near Oslo, flew to Sweden with deven planes (April 15). German attacks east of Oslofjorden. resulted in some 4,000 Norwegian soldiers crossed the border into Sweden (April 12-15). German troops landed at Narvik. Narvik was important as the railroad link to Sweden varried iron ore to the all-weather port. The Germans attacked Bj�rnfjell station (April 16). They killed 6 and captured 45 Norwegian soldiers. Wounded soldiers were evacuated to Sweden. Groups of Norwegians pursued guerilla oprations in southern Norway. This continued until the Norwegian forces in Norway surendered (June 10). Some of these men crossed the border to Sweden. Swedish authorities detained. and disarmed these men. Many of the Norwegian soldiers detained in Sweden returned to Norway after fighting ceased.
Geography for the most part meant that Birwegians who wanted to escape the Germans had ti get to Sweden. Rhere was a border with Finland in the north, but the population there was sparse. Abd as the war proftrssed the relariveky narrow Finnish-Norwgian border became a battlefront. There was also a North Sea coast, but this required an ocean voyage over pitentially rough seas and the Germans soon established contrils over sturdy boats. At the beginning of the German invasion and throughout the War, Norwegians were able to cross the border into Sweden if they could get ro it. The Swees did not turn refugees back. It was easy to get to the border at first as it took a iittle time for the Germans to seize contril abd security the notder crossings. Once this was done crissing vecame more difficult. After the initial surge, this generally involved taking trains and busses to towns close to the border and then crossing the actual border surepticiously. Norway and Sweden have a very long bordr and would have taken a huge German effort to seal off that borfder. Rail and road crossinf could be secured, but not the cpuntryside. There were two primary ways of reaching Sweden. Most refugees walked across the border, sometimes on skis when there was snow. The alternative route available to people in the south was to row across the fjord between southern Norway and Sweden. The long border with Sweden was so extensive that even the substantial German occupation force could not seal off. Most Norwegians, however, lived in the south so this is where most of the crossings took place and where the Germans comcentrated the border patrols, but this was a virtually impossible task given the length of the border and Sweden's refusal to return the refugees. Norewgian living along the border helped the refugees evade the German patrols and became known as 'border pilots'. Crossinfgs over the countryside, however, required healthy teenagers and adults. Family crossings with chuldren and the eldrly were much more difficult.
The Norwegian refugees included Jews, political figures, resistance fighters, labor conscriptees, and others who feared the Germans. Older more established men had families and brought their families with them. There were also young men without families who wanted to fight the Germans. The Germans began targeting Jews more aggresively as part of the Holocaust. There wee very few Norwegian Jews, but the Germans wnt after Jews no matter how few whereever they found them. The Resistance helped many Jews to escape to Sweden (late 1942). Half of the Norwegian Jews managed to get to Sweden. The Germans arrested 759 Jews who were deported to Auschwitz. Only 25 survived.
The Swedish authorities harbored the refugees, but did not encourage flight from Norway. Here thee was both the problem careing for them and early in the Wwar thefear of German reprisals. The Swedes confined the Norwegians refugees in camps. An estimated 50,000 Norwegians escaped to Sweden. We are not sure about the number of children, but among the refugees were many family groups. The Swedes set up a refugee and transit camp at �reryd Sm�land, southern Sweden (March 1941). Because of the number of Norwegians, a new camp was established at Kjes�ter (June 1942). The Norwegian refugees would normlly contact Swedish authorities. The Swedes interviewed and issued 'emergency' 2-week visas with directions and fare to the refugee camp. Here processing would take 3�4 days and include medical examination, in-depth interrogations, and other steps. At the �reryd / Kjes�ter Camps there were Norwegian Government representatives. Norwegian nationals were isued Norwegian passports. Stateless persons were issued a Swedish identification card. The refugees would also be given fare for their next destination asell as food and clothing. The two cmps were not large. At its peak, the Kjes�ter center had 30 barracks and a capacity of about 700-800 refugees. The Norwegian London Government in exile set up offices in Stockholm which assisted the refugees. We do not know much about special schools for the Norwegian children. We do know that a Norwegian high school was established in Uppsala. We also know that some of the children attended Swedish schools. There were refugee center (figure 1), but many families appear to have found housing and integrated temporarily into Swedish society.
The numbers of Norwegians in Sweden were at first fairly limited. And many who crossed over returned to Norway. The German occupation was a first fairly light. But this changed in 1942 as the German Whermacht experienced reverses in the Soviet Union. Later un the year American entry into the War also began to have an impact. The Germans also becane incresingly exasperated with Norwegian resistance. Tgey closed the University of Oslo and arrested stuent leaders. Rationing became increasingly severe. At the beginning of 1942
there were only about 3,000 Norwegian refugees in Sweden. Throughout the year, border crossings inceased. And during the last four months 4,300 new refugees crossed. At the end of the year some 10,000 Norwegians had sought refuge in Swedenand the numbers continued to increase as the German occupation became increasingly severe.
The Finnish children ho came basically lost their Finnish identify lving with Swedish families. The Norwegians commonly came as families and thus maintained their Norwegian identity. There were far fewer Norwegian children than Finnish children as the Germans were in control of the transport and government system. We know that some Noregians crossed as families, but we are not sure about the numbers. Crossing the patrolled border was possible, but not easy, especially with younger children. We do not have much information on the Norwegian children in Sweden. At first the Swedes did not want the Norwegians in Stockholm where they would be noticed by the Germans. They wanted a low profile. There was the possibility of a German invasion and the Swedes did not want to unduly wind up the Germans. We see patriotic displays including the open display of the Norwegian flag, at least by 1944 when it was clear there would be no German invasion of Sweden and that Germany had lost the War. Many Norwegians began to think that they would be going home in a year or so, possibly sooner. A problen for the Norwegins was that Hitler was obsssed with their country. Some 0.5 million German troops were stationed there. Measured in terms of Germans troops to local population, it was the most heavily garisoned occupied country. This actually aided the Allies as it meant that they were not deployed in more important areas like Normandy, but it was rough on the Norwgian people.
Some of the male refugees wanted to join the Norwegian armed forces abroad organized by the London government-in-exile. Some managed to travel through the Soviet Union and get to Britain. This became more complicated after the German invasion of the Soviet Union (June 1941). A few individiduals including officers and pilots managed to get permission to exist Sweden on Swedish-flag vessels. Unlike the Norwegians in Britain, neutral Sweden did not permit rids on German forces in Norway. The Norwegian government in exile after considerable effort got Swedish permisddion to organize military formations among the refugees in Sweden (1944). The former refugee camp at �reryd became a training center. The Norwegins were classified Police troops' so Sweden could retain its neutral stance. Hitler genius that he was, heavily garrisoned Norway, fearing an Allied invasion. This mean that some 0.5 million German troops sat idle while the Allied and Soviet forces were driving into the Reich. This large, well armed force meant that the Norwegians were incapable of taking on the occupation force on their own. As the War progressed this became a force to move into restablish the Norwegian Government after the German surrender rather than a liberation force.
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