The
occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany started with the
German invasion of Norway on April 9, 1940, and ended on May 8, 1945, after the
capitulation of German forces in Europe. Throughout this period,
Norway was continuously occupied by the
Wehrmacht. Civil rule was effectively assumed by the
Reichskommissariat Norwegen ("Reich Commissariat of Norway"), which acted in collaboration with a
pro-German puppet government, while the legitimate Norwegian
king and
government continued to operate in exile from
London. This period of
military occupation — usually referred to as the "war years" or "occupation period" in Norway — had defining significance for Norwegian society, and it is only recently that Norway considers itself as having passed out of the "post-war era".
Background
Having maintained its neutrality during
World War I, Norwegian foreign and military policy since 1933 was largely influenced by three factors:
These three factors met resistance as tensions grew in Europe in the 1930s, initially from Norwegian military staff and right-wing political groups, but increasingly also from individuals within the mainstream political establishment and, it has since come to light, by
the king, behind the...
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