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First and Second World Wars: German Occupation of Norway Reichskommissariat Norwegen Quisling Regime

Throughout World War 1, Norway claimed neutrality but came under pressure from Britain to turn over its merchant fleet for use in the war against Germany. Many Norwegian ships and sailors were lost due to this arrangement. During World War 2, Germany invaded Norway on April 9, 1940 despite Norway's neutrality. The Norwegian forces resisted for two months but were forced to surrender in June after losing British support. King Haakon and the Norwegian government went into exile in London and supported underground resistance efforts against the German occupation, which was led by Reichskommissar Josef Terboven.

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123 views2 pages

First and Second World Wars: German Occupation of Norway Reichskommissariat Norwegen Quisling Regime

Throughout World War 1, Norway claimed neutrality but came under pressure from Britain to turn over its merchant fleet for use in the war against Germany. Many Norwegian ships and sailors were lost due to this arrangement. During World War 2, Germany invaded Norway on April 9, 1940 despite Norway's neutrality. The Norwegian forces resisted for two months but were forced to surrender in June after losing British support. King Haakon and the Norwegian government went into exile in London and supported underground resistance efforts against the German occupation, which was led by Reichskommissar Josef Terboven.

Uploaded by

Tejasree Seelam
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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First and Second World Wars

See also: German occupation of Norway, Reichskommissariat Norwegen,


and Quisling regime

Scenes from the Norwegian Campaign in 1940

Throughout the First World War, Norway was in principle a neutral country. In reality,
however, Norway had been pressured by the British to hand over increasingly large
parts of its large merchant fleet to the British at low rates, as well as to join the trade
blockade against Germany. Norwegian merchant marine ships, often with Norwegian
sailors still on board, were then sailing under the British flag and at risk of being sunk
by German submarines. Thus, many Norwegian sailors and ships were lost.
Thereafter, the world ranking of the Norwegian merchant navy fell from fourth place
to sixth in the world.[84]
Norway also proclaimed its neutrality during the Second World War, but despite this,
it was invaded by German forces on 9 April 1940. Although Norway was unprepared
for the German surprise attack (see: Battle of Drøbak Sound, Norwegian Campaign,
and Invasion of Norway), military and naval resistance lasted for two months.
Norwegian armed forces in the north launched an offensive against the German
forces in the Battles of Narvik, until they were forced to surrender on 10 June after
losing British support which had been diverted to France during the German invasion
of France.

Bombing of Kristiansund. The German invasion resulted in 24 towns being bombed in the spring of 1940.

King Haakon and the Norwegian government escaped to Rotherhithe in London.


Throughout the war they sent inspirational radio speeches and supported
clandestine military actions in Norway against the Germans. On the day of the
invasion, the leader of the small National-Socialist party Nasjonal Samling, Vidkun
Quisling, tried to seize power, but was forced by the German occupiers to step aside.
Real power was wielded by the leader of the German occupation
authority, Reichskommissar Josef Terboven. Quisling, as minister president, later
formed a collaborationist government under German control. Up to 15,000
Norwegians volunteered to fight in German units, including the Waffen-SS.[85]

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