For the first time, a book is now available that deals with the Second World War in Northern Norway and the High North. Over a total of 1800 pages, everything from the campaign in the north to cooperation with the occupying power is unfolded by a large number of specialist historians.
- «We really wanted to spread knowledge about what happened in the north. We ended up with so many new themes that the book ended up being 500-600 pages longer than planned,» says Fredrik Fagertun, project manager and editor-in-chief of the three-volume work "World War II in Northern Norway", which is being launched this week. The research and book project has been led by historians at UiT The Arctic University of Norway.
Has a wide reach
Both the 1940 campaign and the forced evacuation and burning of Finnmark have been given their natural place in the work. But «The Second World War in the North» has a much broader scope.
Almost half of the 350,000 Germans stationed in Norway during the war were in Northern Norway, with only 12 percent of the country's population. The tension between civilian resistance and collaboration in the region is therefore one of the many topics that historians explore in depth.
What was everyday life like?
One of the volumes is entirely devoted to everyday life in northern Norway during the war. What was childhood and schooling like with Germans in the attic? What did close contact with the many occupying forces lead to? What did the civilian resistance involve - and what happened to cultural life?
- "We must remember that to a far greater extent than in the south, northerners experienced the Germans in close proximity, for example living in private homes," Fagertun points out. "The heavy presence of the German military had an impact on everyday life, the possibility of work and collaboration.
- Where was the limit for what was acceptable in working life? People had to make a living. When was it that you were serving the Germans? It was a topic we had to delve quite deeply into," says Fagertun.
Part of the Eastern Front
The Germans' focus on Northern Norway was partly due to the fact that the region was an important supply route for the war on the Eastern Front.
- "Northern Norway became a functional part of the war on the Eastern Front through the supply of German troops and material to the northern part of the front and Finland," says Fagertun.
At the same time, the development of ports, roads and railways in the north was incredibly resource-intensive, but was considered necessary by the Germans.
The large German presence in the north also gave rise to extensive resistance and intelligence work on both the Allied and Norwegian sides. This, too, is a topic that is dealt with thoroughly in the book.
32 authors have contributed
In addition to UiT, the work has contributors from a number of other institutions, including Nord University, NTNU, the Norwegian Defense University College and the Reconstruction Museum in Hammerfest. In total, 32 authors have contributed.
The three volumes are «Assault and occupation», edited by Fredrik Fagertun, «A different everyday life», edited by Bjørg Evjen and «The fight for freedom», edited by Stian Bones. «The Second World War in the North» is published by Orkana forlag.
On Saturday, October 15, the release will be celebrated with a launch seminar in Tromsø. The seminar is open to all, but registration is required.
