Norway Kirsten Svineng HEROIN AND TITO

[SasaYU]

President of Yugoslavia Josip Broz Tito, the first and only time in 1965. resided in Norway. Official visit to mark the one given Laponka, although her name was not even in the protocol. It was Kirsten Svineng, that this historic opportunity to remember the Norwegian journalist and writer Per Hanson. At the last moment he proposed to organize a meeting of the Lapland village women and President Tito. The anecdote is that in Norway in appropriate circumstances even retells said the whole country was then engaged to Kirsten invading from the far north to the capital. - The plane arrived quickly, but the sleigh travel - explained vividly his first airplane flight Kirsten Svineng. During his stay in Norway Tito on receipt Laponke never leave. Hanson was later asked what they were talking so much.

- We talked about everything. And about God, but I was surprised that it was not pious - she said.
- Despite the fact that he does not believe in God, when Tito dies someone has to follow the other world, because he defeated the fascists - is entrusted Svineng writer Kirsten Hanson.

Kirsten is known in Norway as Mama Karašok, and this gave her the nickname Yugoslav internees, prisoners in a German prison camp Karašok, who was in this country. This scaffold in 1942. here were detained 377 Yugoslavs, and life is forever leaving them 265th Despite a brutal regime, inmates were able to establish contact with the locals, who gave them the hope that they will survive.

A few of them managed to escape from the camp, and the first shelter fugitives were more than modest log cabin in which he lived Kirsten Svineng. Through the closed door whispered to avoid detection, "Mommy, Mommy." Kirsten has accepted them and teaching aids to escape incurring the high risk.
In appreciation, she was honored, and about the brave Laponki written and moving book. Order of the Yugoslav Flag with the star got in 1957, in 1970. The book was published Pera Hanson "Mama Karašok"
Writer he lived only two years longer than its heroine, died in 1982.
Tito died 4th May 1980, and died the same day and Mom Karašok.

[SasaYU]

Translated by Google translate, so sorry if translation is not correct.

[922F]

Fascinating story, translation notwithstanding. Incredible will and undeniable courage on the part of both Yugoslavs & Norwegians!! There must be a story, or at least speculation, regarding Yugoslav prisoners held in Norway.

[SasaYU]

During World War II the Germans from raziih camp in Yugoslavia: Sajmiste, Jasenovac, Nis, Gradiska, Sabac and other torture chambers, collected 4500 wounded and captured partisans, illegal workers and members of the National Liberation Movement and driven into camps Norway.

The Atlantic coast of Norway had great strategic importance. So the Germans have taken extensive measures to build a fort there, and a road to Finland. Therefore, it is the wide open spaces and far north of the country, from Bergen in the south to the north Karasjok, there were 23 camps in which they are concentrated Yugoslav internees. Prepared hard for them to death - slowly killing terribly hard work, hunger and extreme climates.

They were from all over: from Šumadija, western Serbia, Belgrade, Zagreb, Leskovac, Nis, Toplica, Pomoravlje, Kozara, Majevica Kordun, Banija, Lika, Slovenia, Bačka, Banat, Srem, Zeta, from Zvecan Povardarje ... Transported into three groups and after brief detention in Austria and Germany, transferred from ships to ports Stetin, Norway. The first group was the largest. It had about 3,000 Yugoslavs arrived in Norway in June 1942. They were divided into camps of northern Norway. Another group arrived October 1942., and the third April 1943. Of the 23 camps that housed Yugoslavs, 13 of them were in northern, 9 in central and 1 in southern Norway. During the war, some camps were abolished, and again formed, which depended on the number of inmates and the remaining tasks are performed.

In addition to these camps, that where found exclusively internees Yugoslavia, the Yugoslavs were transferred to other camps, such as Falstat in central Norway. It is a penitentiary prison camp where Norwegians, Russians, Poles, and others were imprisoned. Among the prisoners there were close to 100 Yugoslavs. A number of Yugoslav sick internees stayed in separate detention in hospital wards and Lilihameru Mirvana.

Camps in northern Norway held the SS units and members of the Central Organization TOT. From April 1944. The camps take on all regular Wehrmacht units.

Life of internees in concentration camps in Norway was very hard and difficult. Housed in wooden barracks at 40-50 in the room, they worked hard labor in the quarries, to felling trees, building forts, roads, railroads, power lines setting. Severe conditions, poor nutrition and unsanitary living conditions contributed to many died, many died from the beatings, and the majority were killed by SS. Various atrocities are being committed and applied different methods of torture. The camp is a real terror reigned. They were not even rare mass shootings are known by those in Korgen and Ozen, when the Germans in July 194. killed 59 inmates, then what in Botn, where for two days in November 1942. and January 1943. , wanton criminals killed 150 inmates. The biggest and the way he was made, the bloodiest mass shooting in July was the 1942. in the camp Bajsfjord, where 278 internees were shot. The most dramatic moment was when internees were barricaded and did not want to leave the barracks. Deadly machine-gun fire rained down on the barracks, but that did not help. Internees were still resisting. At the end commandant of the camp ordered that barracks to be sprinkled with gasoline and set on fire. The torch flame remaining internees found death in the most pain. It was insanely orgies and probably the most brutal criminal act done by the Germans in Norway. Many of the surviving internees had difficult days. Killing on the workplace is an everyday occurrence. For the Germans, the inmates were "a bunch of thugs and bandits." Number of inmates is declining steadily. The SS killed who they want and how they want. Frail killing as "lazy". Large grave in the middle of forests are filled quickly, and new ones are constantly digging. In some camps, the individuals were marked with red paint . That marked the internees were doomed to death. He would do the hardest work, and after a while the Germans would shoot him. In this horrid inventing ways to kill people, the German imagination was not equal. "The game sticks" was a party of German guards.

The guard threw the stick outside the work site, then try to isolate some of the internees and asked to go on a stick. Line site was not to be crossed, because it was considered a fugitive, and disobedience was also brought death. In this way, many people died. Swimming in cold glacial lake is also one of the forms of torture. The internees were forced to swim no matter the weather. Often they had to break the ice and to swim. After swimming these many have fallen ill from pneumonia and died soon. The others are the strongest and most resilient and they were little. Were done and other atrocities: hanging by the feet or hands, climbing a high tree, after which the inmate beaten if they fail to come up.

Germans except for the mass executions in other ways hindered the already difficult lives of inmates. In winter, for example, forcing inmates to work at temperatures up to - 40 degrees for ten hours, while the guards took turns on 1 hour watch. Poorly trained, exhausted by hunger and hard work, and they died on construction sites.

It's a long list of casualties Yugoslav internees. Any deceased could write a story, shocking and difficult. All internees of Southeastern Serbia passed through the Red Cross camp in Niš. They were from all parts of Serbia: Nis, Leskovac, Toplica, Zaplanje, Bela Palanka, Svrljig, Lebane, Bojnik Medvedja, Vlasotince, Zajecar and other places. Niche from the 23/24. aprnla 1942, was transported to the Sava port continues through Austria and Germany to Norway. There were partisan fighters of the region, activists of NOP, young illegal fighters. Their fate was identical with the fate of other internees. Of about 600 of them, barely 300 welcomed freedom.


In all the camps in Norway internees were established from the first day of friendly ties with Norwegian citizens who quickly became close friends Yugoslav prisoners. However, it was not just an expression of sympathy, time, organized action to assist in food, clothing, medicine, organizing points for transfer of fugitives in Sweden and in all occasions when it was necessary. There are numerous examples of help from the Norwegians, noble action, selflessness and sacrifice. Local resistance movement "Hjemmefront" did everythin they can to help inmates. Solidarity of Norwegian people with the Yugoslavs, Germans tried to prevent with drastic measures, but the Norwegians found countless ways to help a friend from camp wires. Everybody helped: children, youth, adults thus contributing to the difficult days of the war created a new friendship. because many actions to assist forced into concentration camps. Yet nothing could daunt to continue a noble act that started with a lot of courage. Main Committee of the Red Cross from Trondheim has great merits specifically in the supply of essential medicines to the camp.

It's hard to single out a particular, though here are at least a few names of those who have distinguished themselves in helping: Manson Korgen from Benoni, Od Jakobson from the Trondheim, Kore Neset and Trygve Eikset from Erlandet, Peter Rodsej from Stjern, Erling Nielsen, Julie Jensen, Gunnar Karlgord etc... By far the greater number of those whose names are unknown, and who also did a lot in common activity of helping internees, thus contributing to the war in the most difficult conditions to create the conditions for a lasting friendship.

From concentration camps in Norway during the war, about 100 internees escaped with the help of Norwegian patriots in Sweden. In Sweden they received a nice recovery and after a short they get a different job and have survived.

In the 23 camps of Bergen to Karasjok, of 4,500 internees as they were brought to Norway, freedom was welcomed 1,500, while the 3000 German Nazis shot, hung, hunger and weary slave labor. They are gone forever, and their graves marked the thorny path of freedom. They fell as heroes, and their graves will remain eternal witnesses of serious war days when the Germans destroyed the lives of our people.

To save memory and repay the spirits of dead, at the proposal of internees, and with the full support of the Norwegian government, erected monuments in Korgen, Osen, Rotvol, Ejzand, Brekstat, Potus, Arctic Circle, and other places where there were camps existed, as well as two central cemeteries in Muholt and Botn where there are collected the remains of dead Yugoslavs.

Today, the local Norwegian authorities care about their maintenance.

Pictures of some of the internees:

http://logorcrvenikrst.wikidot.com/jugosloveni-u-norveskoj

Edited January 7, 2013 by SasaYU

[SasaYU]

Again translated by Google translate, so sorry about poor translation.