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Photos: Tedd Urnes
The list of photos from the top of the report. 1. The museum of the occupation of Latvia 1940-1991.
2. Media researcher Jan Aasmund Jakobsen and Tedd Urnes (TAAM) attending a seminar in Bergen, Norway, at the University of Bergen. The subject for the seminar was WWII.
3. Pictures of Norwegian soldiers who died in Finland and Estonia and Latvia during WWII.
4. The title of the book published by NRK Aktivum 2009: " De som falt. Nordmenn drept i tysk krigstjeneste " written by the NRK journalist Eirik Veum. Photos published selected by Geir Brenden from his picture archive.
5. Ole Kristian Grimnes (left) and Stein Ugelvik Larsen (right)
2. Media researcher Jan Aasmund Jakobsen and Tedd Urnes (TAAM) attending a seminar in Bergen, Norway, at the University of Bergen. The subject for the seminar was WWII.
3. Pictures of Norwegian soldiers who died in Finland and Estonia and Latvia during WWII.
4. The title of the book published by NRK Aktivum 2009: " De som falt. Nordmenn drept i tysk krigstjeneste " written by the NRK journalist Eirik Veum. Photos published selected by Geir Brenden from his picture archive.
5. Ole Kristian Grimnes (left) and Stein Ugelvik Larsen (right)
6. The former Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme (1927- 86) is doing research work making an
attempt to find information in the old card catalogue of SVT. Olof Palme knew the history of the Baltic countries due to the fact that his mother, Elisabeth von Knieriem, was born in Latvia. She belonged to the German- Baltic aristocratcy in Riga. She was deported to Russia but escaped to
Sweden. She was a medical student at the time.
7. Posters from WWII used at an exhibition at the museum of occupation of Latvia, Riga.
7. Posters from WWII used at an exhibition at the museum of occupation of Latvia, Riga.
The annual BAAC conference takes place in Vilnius, Lithuania, October 4- 7 , 2009.
Baltic Audiovisual Archival Council (BAAC).
The history of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania during the Second World War is not on the agenda this time. Anyway - both the Norwegian and the Swedish embassies are attending the conference due to the fact that both Norway and Sweden have a history to tell. The Baltic countries are historically speaking a part of the Scandinavian history too.
RESEARCH WORK IN THE FIELD - THE CHURCHYARDS
Archives have been visited to see if information about lost and forgotten Norwegian soldiers is to be found among stored documents. The fields where the actions took place have also been visited by active media researchers like Jan Aasmund Jakobsen ( member of BAAC) and the Norwegian professor Stein Ugelvik Larsen from the University of Bergen, Norway. Professor Stein Ugelvik Larsen has concentrated his research in Karelen where the Russian army attacted Norwegian soldiers. The Norwegian soldiers wanted to fight for Finland against the communists
armies. After two weeks search in the field he has found 60 persons killed in action. The soldiers belonged to Waffen-SS. A history forgotten and a history not wanted to report due to the fact that the soldiers were not fighting for the Norwegian government in London but for the German
occupation of Europe including Norway.
NEW RESEARCH AND NEW INFORMATION: " DE SOM FALT " - A BOOK ABOUT NORWEGIANS KILLED IN THE BALTIC COUNTRIES FOR THE GERMAN ARMY
The book is written by Eirik Veum who is working for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK). The photos published are selected by Geir Brenden who has set up a photo archive contenting photos of those who decided to fight for the German occupation of Norway. The book is very interesting. The history of those who lost the war is not a happy story. I do not intend to write a review of the book but I recommend reading the book.
CHURCHYARD HISTORY - WHO ARE THE YOUNG NORWEGIAN MEN?
If you pay a visit to churchyards in the Baltic countries , you might begin to ask questions about the great number of young men buried during the war? Why are they here and what is the story
about the events taking place during the war?
Let me publish some of the names already published in the mentioned book. Photos of the soldiers are also published. If you happened to know the names, please contact Jan Aasmund Jakobsen and Stein Ugelvik Larsen at the University of Bergen, Norway.
ESTONIA
Olav Albert Jacobsen, John Jahr, Martin Madsen Hjørnevik, Kjell Frantz Hollmann, Arne Einar Olav Hanssen, Olaf Hedlund, Gøsta Ragnar Hilde-Brand- Myhrvold, Anstein Kristian Halseth,
Bjørn Odvar Hansen, Cristian Fredrik Hansen, Arne Fosselie, Kristian Frisvold, Einar Glestad, Erling Glosli, Julius Eriksen, Arne Osvald Ermesjø, Emil Bruun Evers, Einar Findahl, Steinar Fjeldseth, Albert Edvard Endreasen, Birger Ragnvald Blom, Gunnar Rosseland Bruland, Nils Endresen Bru, Ferdinand Bøe-Simonsen, Magne Berg, Thorvald Sandli Bergum, Harald Bratfoss,
Gunnar Brauti, Gjert A. Angelsen, Kjell Aune, Leif Elmer Anda and Carl Adler Nilsen.
Apart from one person they all died in year 1944. One person died in 1943. Names of sites where
they are buried: Tartu, Narva, Valga, Tapa, Sookula, Siivertsi, Jøhvi, Reidepøllu, Tallinn, Toila, Sirgula, Tagapere, Vaivara,
LATVIA
Ørnulf Hontvedt, Povel Huitfeldt, Kristian Håkonsen, Arild Haugen, Edvard Hermansen, Thomas Hersleb Gurholt, Tor Gurstad, Sverre Følstad, John A. Gahrmaker, Erling Hjalmar Eriksen, Magnus Dale, Knut Erichsen, Roald Berntsen, Kåre Torleif Bakken, Arne Wilhelm Becker, Anton Jenssen Berg, Johan Gustav Jæger, Rudolf Oskar Olsen, Gunnar Kjell Andersen.
The soldiers are buried in : Riga, Vecvagare, Saldus, Bunkas, Izriede, Zarini, Robezjnieki, Pilpuki,
The official statements made by those who survided the fighting in the Baltic countries are that
they all wanted to fight the communist regime of Russia and the leader J. Stalin. To assist the
German soldiers in the fight for a new Europe dominated by Germany should also be of great help for Norway as a nation among other nations in the occupied Europe. The statements were
not accepted by the Norwegian government in 1945 and the soldiers were sentenced to prison. Some of the reports of the reasons for the military participation in the Baltic countries supporting the Germans were also connected to a possible new military position in the new Norwegian army.
But history is history and facts. The researchers are not approaching the events from a moral point of view but to find out what happened to so many young boys -some only 17 years of age.
It is hard for me to understand in year 2009 the reason for a young boy of 18 to join Waffen -SS
and the fight for the German occupation of the Baltic countries?
Last information: Baltic Audiovisual Archival Council (BAAC) is inviting you all to the conference in Vilnius, Lithuania , October 4- 7, 2009.
