Interview with Ornulf Bjornstad

Norwegian private served with SS Infantry Regiment Germania, 5th SS Panzer Div 'Wiking' on Eastern Front, 1941

REEL 1 Aspects of period of training with Norwegian Army at Fredrikstad, Norway, 1938-1939: grandfather's military service; basic training; shooting and range work; route marching; physical activities and sports; question of Norwegian Army's emphasis on physical training; fieldcraft; contrast between Germans and Norwegian fieldcraft; civilian employment; manoeuvres and tactics; question of German Army only teaching offensive tactics; training for artillery attacks; joining local volunteer training group; question of being disturbed by official neglect of military preparation. Aspects of period as reservist with Norwegian Army during German invasion of Norway, 4/1940-6/1940: sight of German Air Force aircraft over Oslo; attempt to follow unit to Sweden; reporting to fortress; report that Royal Air Force would bomb Oslo; return to Oslo; panic led to mass evacuation; arrival of German forces in Oslo; Norwegian capitulation, 6/1940; return to civilian occupation; shortages; German behaviour; reasons for joining German forces; question of lack of interest in politics. Aspects of recruitment into Schutzstaffel (SS) in Norway, 12/1940-1/1941: Norwegian Quisling Government proclamation; volunteering; medical examination; interview and registration; call-up for military service, 1/1941; question of expectation of fighting GB. REEL 2 Continues: signing on for one year period; question of not being able to choose service branch; flight to Denmark, 15/1/1941; overnight in Copenhagen, Denmark; arrival in Germany and visit to Nazi Party Rally Grounds in Nüremberg. Aspects of training as private with Schutzstaffel (SS) in Graz, Austria, 1941: relations with Schutzstaffel (SS) officers; disappointment at treatment by Germans; physical training; drills and punishment; story of complaining to company commander about treatment; officers and NCOs; contrast between German and Norwegian uniforms; recreational activities; basic training; nature of the training; question of discipline; question of political and ideological instruction; rations and accommodation; punishment pit; failure rate; Norwegian company; physical training; punishment; off duty activities; singing and songs; advanced training; posting to mortar section; sickness; story of volunteering for SS Regiment Nordland but being posted to SS Infantry Regiment Germania. REEL 3 Continues: question of lack of mortar training. Recollection of period of training as private with SS Infantry Regiment Germania at Heisingen, Germany, 1941: joining 12 Coy; composition of heavy weapons company; rifle companies; question of number of Norwegians in SS Infantry Regiment Germania; question of having to prove themselves; training in offensive tactics; role as ammunition carrier; personal armament; contrast between German rifles and Norwegian Krag-Jorgensen Rifle; mortar crew roles; question of mortar's range and rate of fire; time taken to get into action; transportation; communications; fire control; nature of manoeuvres; expectation of war with Soviet Union; hearing radio broadcast of invasion of Soviet Union, 22/6/1941. Recollections of operations as private with SS Infantry Regiment Germania, 5th SS Panzer Div, 'Wiking', Waffen-SS in Poland, 6/1941-7/1941: divisional advance; troop movements and air activities; impressions of wrecked Soviet tanks; Soviet prisoners of war. REEL 4 Continues: German wounded; warning about snipers; terrain; overnight stops; nature of advance; first action near Lwów including night march, forming up, attack by Soviet tank, advance over hill, sight of German artillery firing on Soviet Army formation, infantry attack over open ground, nature of action, targets, use of motor cycle combination to collection ammunition, abandoning motor cycle after spotting Soviet Army machine gun, discovery of Soviet Army soldier in crops after action, infantry formation during attack, first Norwegian casualty, effects of German fire, nature of Soviet formation, conversation with company commander after action and reaction to being in action; security operations; release of prisoners from Lwów Prison; story of watching a civilian murder; condition of Lwów; relations with Ukrainian population in Lwów; opinion of German handling of Ukrainians REEL 5 Continues: orders of how to behave towards civilians; question of fraternisation being punishable; trading and requisition of rations from collective farms; story of friend obtaining pig from civilian; ration and ammunition supply; weather conditions; delays caused by mud. Recollections of operations as private with SS Infantry Regiment Germania, 5th SS Panzer Div, 'Wiking', Waffen-SS at Tarnopol, Poland, 7/1941: advance to town; sheltering under bridge; story of sleeping Norwegian soldier; German Air Force Ju 87 Stuka dive bombers attacking town; ground attack, terrain; distance covered in attack; clearing trenches; rolling artillery barrage; description of Soviet positions; casualties; final assault on Tarnopol, 2/7/1941; nature of buildings in Tarnopol; size of town; Soviet Army snipers; clearing town; relations with civilian population; Soviet prisoners of war; contrast between German and Soviet mortars; nature of Soviet mortar fire; opinion of Soviet tanks; opinion of Soviet Army small arms and artillery.