During the
occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany, the occupying powers
imposed martial law in Trondheim and surrounding areas effective October 6, 1942 through October 12, 1942. During this time, 34 Norwegians were murdered by extrajudicial execution. This also served as a pretext for the arrest and detention of all male Jewish inhabitants of the area as part of the
Holocaust in Norway.
Background
There had been several incidents of
sabotage and other acts of resistance in the months leading up to introduction of martial law, but it is likely that the shooting of two German police officers at
Majavatn on September 6 enraged Terboven enough to take this step. Preceding this there had also been periods of martial law in
Oslo,
Asker, and
Bærum from September 10 through September 16, 1941.
Some also speculate that news of the German military setbacks at the
Battle of Stalingrad had reached the Norwegian resistance movement, and that Nazi occupying powers were anxious to discourage more assertive, bold moves by the resistance.
Martial law
Josef Terboven, the German Reichskommissar for the occupation of Norway, arrived by train in Trondheim on October 5. Starting on the morning of October 6, German soldiers posted red notices of "civilian martial law" all over the city. The area covered included the municipalities of Trondheim,
Leinstrand,
Strinda,
Byneset,
Orkdal,
Orkanger,
Orkland,
Buvik,
Børsa,
Skaun,
Geitastrand,
Klæbu,
Tiller,
Malvik; the entire county of......
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