Reichskommissariat Norwegen
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Reichskommissariat Norwegen (Norway Reich Commission) was a colony and occupation authority of Nazi Germany of German-occupied Norway in World War II. It was governed by a Reichskommissar (Reich Commissioner) named Josef Terboven.
[edit] German Invasion and Occupation of Norway
The need by Nazi Germany to occupy and incorporate Norway into a German empire came about due to two principal reasons. The first was that in 1940, Germany was dependent on natural resources being sent from Sweden to Germany, if Norway allowed Allied vessels to pass through its waters, they could potentially blockade the trade routes. The second reason was part of Nazi ideology which called for unification of the "Aryan" Germanic race, which Norway was considered a part of.
Germany took advantage of the British boarding of the German transport ship Altmark to claim that the United Kingdom had violated Norway's official neutrality and with the British considering sending an expeditionary force to Norway , it was decided that Germany would invade and occupy Norway by claiming it was defending Norweigans from the British. Thus in April 1940 German forces began Operation Weserübung, which was the name for the invasion of Denmark and Norway.
[edit] Quisling Regime
Collaborationist support came from the pro-Nazi Nasjonal Samling (National Gathering) party led by Vidkun Quisling who was allowed by Adolf Hitler to form a Norwegian government under German supervision. Quisling became Minister President of Norway in 1942 but had little real power, Reichskommissar Terboven held control over Norway as a governor and all the military forces stationed in the Norway were under Germany's command.
