Legal purge in Norway after World War II

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Key events
Norway and World War II
Norwegian Campaign · Weserübung Elverum Authorization Midtskogen · Vinjesvingen Occupation and Resistance Camps · Telavåg Festung Norwegen Heavy water sabotage Post-war purge
People
Haakon VII · Nygaardsvold · CJ Hambro CG Fleischer · Otto Ruge · Max Manus Jens Chr. Hauge · Gunnar Sønsteby
Quisling · Jonas Lie · Henry Rinnan Josef Terboven · Wilhelm Rediess
Organizations
Milorg · XU · Linge · Nortraship
Nasjonal Samling

Following the general capitulation of Germany in Europe and in Norway on May 10, 1945, the legitimate Norwegian government moved quickly to prosecute individuals who were suspected of treason or war crimes during the German occupation.

In all cases, the jurisdiction of Norwegian law was invoked, and the specific statutes were derived from the Treason Ordinance (Landssvikanordningen) passed by the Norwegian government in exile, authorized under the Elverum Authorization, civil claims for damages incurred by the Nazi authorities and their collaborators, laws concerning war crimes, and existing legislation concerning the death penalty during times of war.

The purge has been subject to some controversy in later years. The constitutional basis has been questioned, both because some of the laws were retroactive in that all members of Nasjonal Samling after April 9, 1940 were subject to prosecution. There were also questions about the constitutionality of the Elverum authorization. In addition, the prosecution of individuals who had served with the German Red Cross was questioned, among them Hanna Kvanmo, who later rose to fame as a socialist politician.

In total, 28,750 individuals were arrested as part of the purge; these were subject to various kinds of penalties, including fines, prison sentences, and in a small number of cases, death.

Altogether, prosecutorial authorities called for the death penalty in 200 cases of treason; of these 30 were condemned, and 25 were carried out. The practice was controversial from the beginning, in part because the government instituted the death penalty before the parliament had convened after the war.

During the summer of 1945, there was a fierce debate in Norwegian newspapers about the prosecution and punishment of war criminals and traitors. Many spoke openly of retaliation, but others argued that death penalty was a "drawback for a civilized community". As tensions hardened, the ones fighting against death penalty for humanitarian reasons, were stigmatized as "the silk front". Those who favored harsh penalties were known as "the ice front". The editorial pages of Norwegian newspapers demanded harsh penalties reminiscent to many of a witch hunt. In later years, studies and inquiries have shown that justice was administered unevenly and - by today's standards - harshly. Those who sided with Nasjonal Samling during the war were often publicly shamed beyond the fines they paid and time they served.

To this day, there is great sensitivity on this subject within Norwegian public life.

1 People executed as part of the legal purge
- 1.1 Executed for treason:
- 1.2 Executed for war crimes:
2 External links

[edit] People executed as part of the legal purge

In total, 45 individuals were condemned to death as a result of the legal purge - 30 for treason and 15 for war crimes. Of these, 37 were executed - the first on August 17, 1945 and the last on August 28, 1948. All were executed by an 11-member firing squad at five meters' distance under the command of the local chief of police in one of the four designated cities (Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, and Tromsø) for execution. As all those involved in the execution were sworn to secrecy, there are few reliable accounts of the executions.

[edit] Executed for treason:

Olav Aspheim, executed March 19, 1948, Akershus fortress, Oslo
Per Fredrik Bergeen, member of the Rinnan gang, executed July 12, 1947, Kristiansten Fortress, Trondheim
Hermann Eduard Franz Dragass, executed July 10, 1948, Kristiansten
Einar Olav Christianen Dønnum, executed April 22, 1947, Akershus
Hans Birger Egeberg, Rinnan gang, executed October 4, 1945, Kristiansten
Harald Grøtte, Rinnan gang, executed July 12, 1947, Kristiansten
Alfred Josef Gärtner, executed August 8, 1946, Sverresborg fortress, Bergen
Albert Viljam Hagelin, executed May 25, 1946, Akershus
Olaus Salberg Peter Hamrun, Rinnan gang, July 12, 1947, Kristiansten
Harry Arnfinn Hofstad, Rinnan gang, executed July 12, 1947, Kristiansten
Reidar Haaland, executed August 17, 1945, Akershus
Bjarne Konrad Jenshus, Rinnan gang, executed July 12, 1947, Kristiansten
Johny Alf Larsen, executed May 29, 1947, Bremnes fortress, Bodø
Aksel Julius Mære, Rinnan gang, executed July 12, 1947, Kristiansten festning
Hans Jakob Skaar Pedersen, executed March 30, 1946, Sverresborg
Eilif Rye Pisani, executed April 2, 1947, Kvarven Fortress, Bergen
Vidkun Quisling, executed October 24, 1945, Akershus
Kristian Johan Randal, Rinnan gang, executed July 12, 1947, Kristiansten
Henry Rinnan, leader of the Rinnan gang, executed February 1, 1947, Kristiansten
Max Emil Gustav Rook, executed June 5, 1947, Sverresborg
Harry Aleksander Rønning, Rinnan gang, executed July 12, 1947, Kristiansten
Ragnar Skancke, executed August 28, 1948 in Akershus, the last person to be executed in Norway.
Arne Braa Saatvedt, executed October 20, 1945, Akershus
Holger Tou, executed January 30, 1947, Sverresborg
Ole Wehus, executed October 20, 1945, Akershus