Karasjok (village)

Karasjok
Kárášjohka
Kaarasjoki
Village

View of the historic church in the village
Karasjok
Karasjok

Location in Finnmark

Coordinates: 69°28′18″N 25°30′40″E / 69.47167°N 25.51111°E / 69.47167; 25.51111Coordinates: 69°28′18″N 25°30′40″E / 69.47167°N 25.51111°E / 69.47167; 25.51111
Country Norway
Region Northern Norway
County Finnmark
District Vest-Finnmark
Municipality Karasjok
Area[1]
  Total 2.22 km2 (0.86 sq mi)
Elevation[2] 141 m (463 ft)
Population (2013)[1]
  Total 1,858
  Density 837/km2 (2,170/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+01:00)
  Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+02:00)
Post Code 9730 Karasjok

Karasjok (Norwegian) or Kárášjohka (Northern Sami), Kaarasjoki (Finnish) is the administrative centre of Karasjok Municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The village is located along both sides of the Karasjohka river, just 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) west of the Norway-Finland border. The European route E06 highway runs through the village on its way from Lakselv to Tana bru and Kirkenes. The 2.22-square-kilometre (550-acre) village has a population (2013) of 1,858, which gives the village a population density of 837 inhabitants per square kilometre (2,170/sq mi).[1]

The village is an important centre in the municipality and region. About 2/3 of the municipal population lives in the village. The Sami Parliament of Norway is located in the village. It acts as an institution of cultural autonomy for the indigenous Sami people in Norway. The Old Karasjok Church and the newer Karasjok Church are located in the village. The newer church is also the seat of the Indre Finnmark deanery of the Church of Norway.[3]

History

Prior to the beginnig of the 1700s, there might not have been a permanent population there.[4] However the area was used by nomads.[5]

World War II

During World War II a Nazi concentration camp was built in Karasjok: Lager IV Karasjok (German for "Karasjok Camp No.4", Norwegian: Karasjok fangeleir).[6][7] The camp was run by SS, and it was among[8] the first four Nazi concentration camps in Northern Norway.

In July 1943, 374 political prisoners and POWs prisoners [mostly Yugoslav,] were brought to the concentration camp. They were tasked with widening the road to Karigasniemi, Finland.[9] After four or five months, only 111 of these prisoners were still alive.[9] At the end of the prisoners' stay in Karasjok, before transportation out of Karasjok, 45 prisoners were massacred by the firing of small arms.[9] At least one former prisoner is (as of 2013) still alive.[10]

After World War II

In 2015 the second edition of Sapmi Pride, the LGBT pride festival, was held in Karasjok.[11] To protest homosexuals attending the Karasjok Church, and to protest that a female priest held the services, Norges Samemisjon cancelled one of their radio broadcasts. [12]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Statistisk sentralbyrå (1 January 2013). "Urban settlements. Population and area, by municipality.".
  2. "Karasjok" (in Norwegian). yr.no. Retrieved 2013-03-29.
  3. Store norske leksikon. "Karasjok" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2013-03-29.
  4. https://snl.no/Karasjok
  5. https://snl.no/Karasjok
  6. Sigurd Bakke Styrvold, "Heil og Sæl. Jeg er utdannet morder!" - Den norske SS Vaktbataljon 1942 – 45" (PDF), MA in history - University of Oslo (in Norwegian), p. 14
  7. Timm C. Richter. Krieg und Verbrechen: Situation und Intention: Fallbeispiele. 2006. p. 114
  8. Sigurd Bakke Styrvold, "Heil og Sæl. Jeg er utdannet morder!" - Den norske SS Vaktbataljon 1942 – 45" (PDF), MA in history - University of Oslo (in Norwegian), p. 14, Det fantes på forskjellige tidspunkter flere serberleire i Norge, men de norske vaktene gjorde bare tjeneste i de fire første; Lager I Beisfjord, Lager II Elsfjord, Lager III Rognan (også kjent som Botn) og Lager IV Karasjok
  9. 1 2 3 Disse fangene bygget «blodveien» – og så ble de henrettet - De jugoslaviske fangene som var i Karasjok under andre verdenskrig skulle bare bygge veien til Finland, og deretter skulle de ikke eksistere mer. [These prisoners built 'the blood road' - and then they were executed - The Yugoslavian prisoners that were in Karasjok during World War Two, were only to build a road to Finland, and thereafter they were not to exist anymore]
  10. https://www.nrk.no/sapmi/folelsesladet-mote-med-karasjok-1.11041097
  11. https://www.nrk.no/sapmi/flytter-sapmi-pride-til-kautokeino-1.12979294
  12. https://www.nrk.no/sapmi/flytter-sapmi-pride-til-kautokeino-1.12979294

See also


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