November 30, 2016 Newsletter Stutthof Diaries Collection In the premier issue of our Newsletter we thought it necessary to acquaint the reader with the historical events that led to the creation of the Stutthof Diaries Collection. These stories must be told before “clouded fact and memory have fused into what can be accepted as truth, whether it be so or not.” Theodore H White Tore and Grace Jørgensen The Stutthof project began 64 years ago when I first came across a publica- tion entitled ‘Norsk Politi bak Piggtråd’ (Norwegian Police behind Barbed Wire). I later learned that it contained excerpts from diaries of Norwegian police prisoners imprisoned at KZ Stutthof concentration camp in Eastern Poland, between December 1943 and April 1945, of which my fa- ther was one. Finally, after many years the Stutthof Diaries project is becoming real and will in- clude publications, a documentary and a TV mini-series. Though initially the project was to trans- late and retell the diaries kept by the Norwegian police, the project has taken on a broader scope Continued Page 2 Haakon VII became the first king of Norway after the 1905 dissolution of the union with Sweden. He reigned from November 1905 to September 1957. As one of the few elected monarchs, Haakon quickly won the respect and affec- tion of his people. He played a pivotal role in uniting the Norwegian nation in its resistance to the Nazi invasion and subsequent five-year-long occupation of his country during World War II. Regarded as one of the greatest Norwegians of the twentieth century, he is particularly revered for his courage during the German invasion—he threatened abdication if the government cooperated with the invading Germans—and for his lead- ership and preservation of Norwegian unity during the occupation. In this issue we present part one of King Haakon’s reign. Story Page 3-5 “I didn’t know the story of King Haakon VII—democratically elected king of Norway!—and his noble opposition to the Ger- man National Socialist invasion of the Kingdom of Norway in 1940 until today. That such heroism existed in the twentieth century gives me great hope for humanity.” Bradley J Blizer The movie “Kongens Nei” (The King’s Choice) is the Norwegian film contending to be the best non-English language film at the Oscars. The film is based on a true story about the three dramatic days in April 1940. Read more about this potential Oscar winner. Review Page 6 November 30, 2016 H7 Monogram—Resistance Symbol Norwegian Krone with H7 Monogram to include stories of other nationalities whose lives intertwined with the Norwegian prisoners. The Stutthof Project in reality began during the early years of WW II, with the then king of Norway, Haakon VI. In a recently released Norwegian movie (September 26, 2016), entitled ‘Kongens Nei’ (The Kings Choice), King Haakon VII is given an ultimatum by the Germans to surrender the gov- ernment and appoint Vidkun Quisling (Nasjonal Samling leader) to take control of the government or suffer the consequences. In a speech to the Norwegian Government on April 10, 1940 King Haa- kon said: “I am deeply affected by the responsibility laid on me if the German demand is rejected. The respon- sibility for the calamities that will befall people and country is indeed so grave that I dread to take it. It rests with the government to decide, but my position is clear. For my part I cannot accept the Ger- man demands. It would conflict with all that I have considered to be my duty as King of Norway since I came to this country nearly thirty-five years ago. The decision is yours. But if you choose to accept the German demands, I must abdicate. For, I cannot appoint Quisling as prime minister.” The elected Government of Johan Nygaard, inspired by the king’s resistance, voted to not surrender and fight the Germans. The king and the elected government escaped to England where they sup- ported the Allied war efforts. Three years later Norwegian police officers all over Norway were arrested and given an ultimatum by the Germans, either to sign an oath of loyalty to the German occupying powers and the puppet government of Quisling, or suffer the consequences. They refused to comply and stood as a collec- tive protest against the Nazi Regime. They realized they could no longer sit on the fence, but like their king, take a stand. This Newsletter issue is largely dedicated to King Haakon VII, whose ‘Nei’ became a rally cry for all those who defied the German occupation of Norway during World War II. Minister of Foreign Affairs Bjørn Tore Godal, speaking at the 50th anniversary for Victory in Europe Day, said Norway was the only country in which the initials of the head of state became a resistance symbol. The monogram, with H superimposed on 7, was drawn on fences, walls, houses, roads, in the snow and otherwise in the public sphere. It was also used in illegal art. Coins with the H7 sym- bol were also attached to clothes. Such coins were confiscated by the Nazi authorities. It was also used in the private sphere, among others on the inside of blinds. A symbol used in a similar way was the "V for victory", as popularized by Winston Churchill. The symbol was also evoked after World War II to have a commemorative effect, among others at the first post-war Holmenkollen ski jump event, when the symbol was formed in large scale by people. It was also used on post-war coins. Continued Page 3 For information on The Stutthof Diaries Collection or to receive our bi-monthly News- letter, please contact us at: Website: www.stutthofdiaries.com Email: [email protected] 2 November 30, 2016 Prince Carl of Denmark Queen Maude King and Queen of Norway After the Union between Sweden and Norway was dissolved in 1905, a committee of the Norwe- gian government identified several princes of European royal houses as candidates to become Nor- way's first king since 1387. Gradually, Prince Carl of Denmark became the leading candidate, largely because he was descended from independent Norwegian kings. He also had a son, providing an heir-apparent to the throne, and the fact that his wife, Princess Maud, was a member of the British Royal Family was viewed by many as an advantage to the newly independent Norwegian nation Prince Carl born, Christian Frederik Carl Georg Valdemar Axel on August 3, 1872 and was known as Prince Carl of Denmark until 1905. He was the second son of King Frederik VIII of Denmark and his wife Louise. Furthermore, he was a younger brother of Christian X, the future king of Denmark. Prince Carl was born at Charlottenlund Palace near Copenhagen. He belonged to the Schleswig- Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg branch of the House of Oldenburg. The family had permanent links with Norway beginning from the late Middle Ages. Several of Prince Carl’s paternal ancestors had been kings of independent Norway (Haakon V of Norway, Christian I of Norway, Frederick I, Christian III, Frederick II, Christian IV, as well as Frederick III of Norway who integrated Norway into the Oldenburg state with Denmark. Prince Carl was raised in the royal household in Copenhagen and educated at the Royal Danish Naval Academy. At Buckingham Palace on July 22, 1896, Prince Carl married his first cousin Princess Maud of Wales, youngest daughter of the future King Edward VII of England. Their son, Prince Alexander, the future Crown Prince Olav (and eventually king Olav V of Norway), was born on 2 July 1903. The democratically-minded Carl, aware that Norway was still debating whether to remain a king- dom or to switch to a republican form of government, was flattered by the Norwegian govern- ment's overtures, but he made his acceptance of the offer conditional on the holding of a referen- dum to show whether monarchy was the choice of the Norwegian people. After the referendum overwhelmingly confirmed by a 79 percent majority that Norwegians desired to retain a monarchy, Prince Carl was formally offered the throne of Norway by the Storting (parliament) and was elected on November 18 , 1905. When Prince Carl accepted the offer that same evening, he immediately endeared himself to his adopted country by taking the Old Norse name of Haakon, a name used by six previous kings of Norway and became King Haakon VII. The new royal family of Norway left Denmark on the Danish royal yacht Dannebrog and sailed into Oslofjord as far as the Oscarsborg Fortress. At the Fortress they boarded the Norwegian naval ship Heimdal and arrived in Kristiania (old name for Oslo) early on the morning of November 25, 1905. Two days later, Haakon took the oath as Norway's first independent king in 518 years. The corona- tion of Haakon and Maud took place in Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim on June 22, 1906. King Haakon gained much affection from the Norwegian people. He traveled extensively through Norway. Although the Constitution of Norway bestows the King with considerable executive pow- ers, in practice nearly all major governmental decisions were made by the Government (the Council of State) in his name. Haakon confined himself to non-partisan roles without interfering in politics, a practice continued by his son and grandson. However, his long rule gave him considerable moral authority as a symbol of the country's unity. Continued Page 4 3 November 30, 2016 Battleship Lützow Oscarsborg Fortress Crownprincess Märtha Louise King Haakon, Queen Maud and Crown Prince Olav became interested in skiing.