Description
Object description
Norwegian civilian police officer with Norwegian Police in Oslo, Norway, 9/1940-6/1941; officer served with Norwegian Legion, Waffen-SS in Norway and Germany, 6/1941-2/1942; served with Norwegian Legion, 2nd SS Infantry Bde, Waffen SS in Soviet Union, 2/1942-5/1942. Partly in Norwegian.
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of period as police officer with Norwegian Police in Oslo, Norway, 9/1940-6/1941: treatment of officers by Germans; how reservists allowed to go home; recall to police duties in Oslo, 9/1940; situation in Oslo; increase in security measures; lack of signs of threats to stability or security; question of Vidkun Quisling's speech causing a division in Norwegian society, 9/4/1940; actions of the Archbishop of Oslo; desire to act for Norway's future; question of incompetence of political management of the military campaign in 1940; reaction to peace; story of a Captain Hotta fighting with Waffen-SS.
REEL 2 Continues: propaganda and recruitment drive by National Gathering (NS) party; question of Germany's strength and friend's joining National Gathering (NS) to preserve Norwegian identity; formation and nature of Hirden paramilitary organisation; police officers sent to train Hirden; question of success in improving Hirden behaviour; nature of Hirden school in Oslo; foundation of SS-Norway and beginning of Waffen-SS recruitment. Aspects of period as officer with SS-Norway, Elverum, Norway, 1941: nature of SS-Norway organisation; selection process; platoon commanders; nature of training; degree of anti-Communist propaganda. Recollections of training as officer with Norwegian Legion, Waffen-SS in Norway and Germany, 6/1941-2/1942: volunteering for Norwegian Legion, 6/1941; lack of military training at Elverum, Norway; reasons for entering German service.
REEL 3 Continues: question of prospect of an anti-Communist war; question of clash between Vidkun Quisling and Heinrich Himmler; selection process; organisation of unit; role as platoon commander for training, 8/1941; training and advisors; German weapons and organisation; use of Norwegian language; comparison of Norwegian and German military tactics and discipline; question of volunteers' motivation; German discipline; comparison of German and Norwegian machine guns and uniforms; opinion of Soviet Army uniforms; nature of training, Lüneburg, Germany.
REEL 4 Continues: question of being trained for action in Finland; offensive tactics; opinion of veterans of war in Finland; disagreements between Norwegian veterans and German advisors; static warfare training; political problems in unit; lack of experienced Norwegian NCOs; nature of training; organisation and weapons of sections and platoons; question of slow development of German anti-tank guns; introduction of hand held anti-tank weapons; question of too many officers and too few soldiers; disputes over uniforms; reliance on horses during training; nature of exercises.
REEL 5 Continues: role as company commander; nature and style of orders; informal relations with platoon commanders; contrast between orders in training and action; question of German interference in company tactics; question of lack of professional NCOs and junior officers; changes in command technique in action; German principle of duty and responsibility; opinion of training at Stettin, Germany, 2/1942.
REEL 6 Continues: being detained by ice at Stettin, Germany; story of meeting Heinrich Himmler and new orders to move to Leningrad area, Soviet Union. Recollections of operations as officer with Norwegian Legion, 2nd SS Infantry Bde, Waffen-SS in Soviet Union, 2/1942-5/1942: flight to Soviet Union; question of vehicles already en route to Soviet Union; aircraft crash landings in poor weather at Luga; march towards front; arrival in railway station in abandoned village; use of rear party of strongest men to gather stragglers; conditions in railway waiting room; conditions in freight trains; motor transport to Pushkin; Norwegian winter uniforms; question of being handicapped by wearing winter clothing.
REEL 7 Continues: arrival at Catherine Palace, Pushkin; question of Norwegians relieving Spanish Blue Division; Soviet psychological warfare; defensive positions; nature of reinforced companies; effect of Soviet Army flares; condition of positions and bunkers; terrain; view of Leningrad and Soviet Army positions; artillery, mortar and machine gun support; ration supply; improving bunkers; state of health; method of calling and nature of artillery support; barbed wire obstacles; stopping Soviet Army attacks; nature of mortar defensive fire.
