German surrender in Norway

[OMK]

I seem to recall this story, from where I can't remember. If true, could someone varify it please:

When the German comander of Akershus fortress in Oslo was giving the official surrender of German troops in Norway (quite a sizable number compared to the Norwegian army) he had stipulated that the surrender should be accepted by a Norwegian officer above a certain rank. However, none could be found. So the surrender was going to be taken by a former saboteur. He could not even be fitted with a proper uniform, and showed up in an English uniform top and knickerbockers (very stylish). The German officer almost refused to surrender to this guy and had to be calmed down and really convinced by some of his junior officers that this was seriously ment.

I mean, if you have a standard.....

OMK

[OMK]

I managed to find a picture of the event.

[Erik E]

When the German comander of Akershus fortress in Oslo was giving the official surrender of German troops in Norway (quite a sizable number compared to the Norwegian army) he had stipulated that the surrender should be accepted by a Norwegian officer above a certain rank. However, none could be found. So the surrender was going to be taken by a former saboteur. He could not even be fitted with a proper uniform, and showed up in an English uniform top and knickerbockers (very stylish). The German officer almost refused to surrender to this guy and had to be calmed down and really convinced by some of his junior officers that this was seriously ment.

Hello!
Not quite right everything you wrote......

The photo was taken on 11th May when the Akershus fortress was surrendered to the resistance. The officer on the photo is Major Nichterlein, which in advance had accepted to surrender his fortress.
The major gave a 5 minutes speech to his soldiers before he surrendered to the commander of Milorg D13, Terje Rollem.

The German major was sent to a prison south of Oslo where he a few later signed a few photos of the one you posted, so obviously he didn`t take it that hard

The photo still stands as a strong symbol of the German surrender in Norway. Maybe thats why it`s often mixed up......

EE

[OMK]

Hello Erik E,

My apologies for putting untrue material on this site, and thank you for pointing it out. That should teach me to trust hearsay..

By the way, do you know (roughly) how many German soldiers were in Norway at the end of the war, and how long did it take to repatriate them?

OMK

[Bjørn from Norway]

Hello!
Erik is 100% right. Major Nichterlein was btw a famous piano player.

Together with coastal defence units, 51 387 men, naval units, 24 380 men, airforce units, 40 626 men, the German Military Force in Norway counted 311 979 men at 10.5.1945, 12 O´Clock.
Additional were 15 414 men and women from SS, Organisation Todt, Transportflotte Speer and other.

The number of German forces in Norway was 327 393.

Most were repatriated in 1945, but some as late as 1948, mostly naval units.

B.

[Vulkan]

I presume that Norway was a rather safe place to spend the war, if you were a german soldier. Am I right??

[Erik E]

Compared to the frontlines on the european continent it was definately more "comfortable". However bombings, raids and regular combat took place from north to south throughout the war, so safe is maybe not the right word.
Not many soldiers are safe in a war......

EE

[Michate]

Hello!
Erik is 100% right. Major Nichterlein was btw a famous piano player.

Together with coastal defence units, 51 387 men, naval units, 24 380 men, airforce units, 40 626 men, the German Military Force in Norway counted 311 979 men at 10.5.1945, 12 O´Clock.
Additional were 15 414 men and women from SS, Organisation Todt, Transportflotte Speer and other.

The number of German forces in Norway was 327 393.

Most were repatriated in 1945, but some as late as 1948, mostly naval units.

B.

Thanks for this interesting post.

My grandfather was among the German soldiers in Norway (he had belonged to 20th Mountain Army until late 1944).

IIRC, he came back to Germany and his family in autumn 1945.

Best regards,
Michael

[Bjørn from Norway]

Hello!
I have a list of the different POW camps as well. In what unit did your grandfather serve?

B.

[norwegianartilleryman]

Sorry for reopening an old tdiscussion, but there are very wrong info posted here..

The German trops in Norway, all of them, under the comand of general Bohme surrendered without any conditions to the allied forces in the early morning of 8.May 1945 (this is the reason Norway is celebrating this date and not 7.May as the rest of Europe) represented by brigadier Hilton. No officers representing the norwegian exil goverment were involved (2 norwegians serving in Royal Navy were present but as represenattives of UK, not Norway). Norway were governed by general Thorne until 7.June 1940, power were then handed over to the norwegian king and governemnt, excluding the fortress of Akershus, the former german HQ at Lillehammer and all other German installations (camps, forts). This remained under british comand until 31.October 1945.
The picture in the 2nd post is a "mock-up"; for proaganda this picture was set up and used. Until a few years ago the story attached to it wass that it were form the surrender of Akershus 8.May.

Reason for gen.Bohme surrendereing to the allied and not to norwegian forces were the legal fact that Germany was not in war with Norway after the Norwegian surrender 10.July 1940.

[AlifRafikKhan]

Here is better picture of the same event...

Source: http://www.moonwheel-historical.com/ind ... Path=34_57

[mcdonaldsmanea]

My ex Father in Law (now deceased) told me that the RAF (in which he served) were awarded the 'honour' of accepting the German surrender in Norway.

There were 2 aeroplanes carrying various dignitaries, the first of which (with the most senior dignitaries) crashed on approach killing all one board. This left the second aeroplane containing lower ranking personnel who took the surrender and were subsequently feted by the Norwegians.

Fact or fiction? He was fond of telling a good tale, with embellishments.

I would appreciate if some light can be shone on the matter.

mcd

[Stephan]

Hello!
Erik is 100% right. Major Nichterlein was btw a famous piano player.

Together with coastal defence units, 51 387 men, naval units, 24 380 men, airforce units, 40 626 men, the German Military Force in Norway counted 311 979 men at 10.5.1945, 12 O´Clock.
Additional were 15 414 men and women from SS, Organisation Todt, Transportflotte Speer and other.

The number of German forces in Norway was 327 393.

Most were repatriated in 1945, but some as late as 1948, mostly naval units.

B.

What about the german army (in much waffen-ss mountain infantry - GebirsJäger) whom retreated from Finland, and whom earlier fought together with the fins againt soviet in the near Murmansk region? After the Finland switched sides [or rather, ceased fire, but promised to take care of the germans inside Finland, if they didnt wanted to surrender. The german forces didnt get long enough respite to retreat voluntarily], they retreated up through the north Finland during heavy fights and burning the land, into Norway - where they were still pursuited, first by the fins while in Finland, later by the soviets. The soviets thus holding the northest of Norway for a while - btw helping the civilian norway people to survive because everything was burned down by the retreating Gebirsjäger....

These Gebirsjäger come up to Norway, and I suppose most met the end of the war there?

I suspect they arent counted in the numbers here above, as these sounds as the normal garrison of Norway.

[nicholai]

My ex Father in Law (now deceased) told me that the RAF (in which he served) were awarded the 'honour' of accepting the German surrender in Norway.

There were 2 aeroplanes carrying various dignitaries, the first of which (with the most senior dignitaries) crashed on approach killing all one board. This left the second aeroplane containing lower ranking personnel who took the surrender and were subsequently feted by the Norwegians.

Fact or fiction? He was fond of telling a good tale, with embellishments.

I would appreciate if some light can be shone on the matter.

mcd

My Dad was in the RAF during the war and was at the liberation of Norway

He was typical of his time and spoke little of his time in service, but his story goes (from my auntie) that he was the first to land in Norway, getting there before those who were intended. He flew on transport planes at the time and was a radio operator.

I would be interested to hear if anyone has further information on the event. Apparently it appeared on newsreel over here in England.

[Poot]

Hello!
Erik is 100% right. Major Nichterlein was btw a famous piano player.

Together with coastal defence units, 51 387 men, naval units, 24 380 men, airforce units, 40 626 men, the German Military Force in Norway counted 311 979 men at 10.5.1945, 12 O´Clock.
Additional were 15 414 men and women from SS, Organisation Todt, Transportflotte Speer and other.

The number of German forces in Norway was 327 393.

Most were repatriated in 1945, but some as late as 1948, mostly naval units.

B.

What about the german army (in much waffen-ss mountain infantry - GebirsJäger) whom retreated from Finland, and whom earlier fought together with the fins againt soviet in the near Murmansk region? After the Finland switched sides [or rather, ceased fire, but promised to take care of the germans inside Finland, if they didnt wanted to surrender. The german forces didnt get long enough respite to retreat voluntarily], they retreated up through the north Finland during heavy fights and burning the land, into Norway - where they were still pursuited, first by the fins while in Finland, later by the soviets. The soviets thus holding the northest of Norway for a while - btw helping the civilian norway people to survive because everything was burned down by the retreating Gebirsjäger....

These Gebirsjäger come up to Norway, and I suppose most met the end of the war there?

I suspect they arent counted in the numbers here above, as these sounds as the normal garrison of Norway.

The book "Black Edelweiss" deals with that episode. The author, a machine gunner in the Reinhard Heidrich regiment of the 6th Waffen SS Division, retreated from Finland into Norway, and then was shipped back to Germany. His unit was engaged in combat for the last time against US forces in the Ruhr Valley area, where he was taken prisoner.

Pat