Trandumskogen is a forest located in Ullensaker, Akershus county, Norway. It was the site of one of the first discoveries in May 1945 of German mass graves in Norway. The German executioner Oskar Hans was the officer in command of the unit performing the executions.[1]
In total 173 Norwegians, 6 British and 15 Soviet citizens were executed in Trandumskogen. Many had been sentenced to death by the German occupation forces, but there was also a great number who were subject to arbitrary executions. Most were resistance fighters, while the Russians were prisoners in German prison camps who had tried to escape. Five of the Britons had been arrested for planning to blow up the heavy water plant at Vemork, and the sixth Briton was involved in a sabotage attempt on the battleship Tirpitz. After the Second World War, Norwegian citizens sentenced for treason, and leading members of the Norwegian national socialist party Nasjonal Samling were forced to open the graves and exhume the bodies of the executed prisoners.[2] The medical identification of the corps was led by professor in forensic medicine Georg Waaler, assisted by dentist Ferdinand Strøm.[3]
From May 5, 2020, Trandumskogen is protected as a national cultural heritage site.[4]
Memorial
editOn 10 October 1954, the memorial in Trandumskogen was unveiled. Crown Prince Olav stood for the ceremony. Per Palle Storm, artist and sculptor and professor at the National Art Academy had carried out the artistic part of the work. The memorial is carved of light Granite (Iddefjordgranitt). To the south side an inscription is carved in Norwegian. The same text translated into Russian is cut into the east side and in English to the west side. The memorial is located south of the burial ground. The memorial lists the names of those who were executed there. The memorial has status as a Norwegian national memorial.[5]
The text on the memorial reads:[6]
- IN THE COMBAT FOR FREEDOM
DURING THE 1940-1945 WAR
173 NORWEGIANS 15 SOVJET-
SUBJECTS AND 6 BRITONS WERE
HERE IN THE WOODS OF TRAN-
DUM EXECUTED BY THE ENEMY
The names of those executed at Trandumskogen
editGrave 1, 1 March 1943
edit- Arthur Oskar Berg from Odda
- Bjarne Dalland from Bergen
- Daniel Theodor Danielsen from Voss
- Thor Gerotti Espelid from Odda
- Ole Kjell Karlsen from Oslo
- Leif Arnoldus Kindem from Odda
- Ingolf Kleppestø from Odda
- Olav Kvernmo from Oslo
- Ottar Lie from Oslo
- Gustav Adolf Neråsen from Øyer
- Lars Nordbø from Oslo
- Olaf Prestegaard from Odda
- Harald Andreas Gerotti Slåttelid from Odda
- Arne Stensrud from Oslo
- Reidar Svendsen from Oslo
- Sigurd Syvertsen from Krokstadelva
- Knut Veka from Odda
Grave 2, 3 September 1943
edit- Marius Nikolai Karlsen from Skjervøy
- Hillfl David Lie from Oslo
- Karsten Løvestad from Trøgstad
Grave 3, 30 October 1944
edit- Nicolai Bachilin from the Soviet Union
- Jacob Brunelin from the Soviet Union
- Jacob Magnus Frøyland from Farsund
- Fedor Getnikow from the Soviet Union
- Eyolf Haug from Kongsberg
- Odd Trygve Christiansen from Fagernes
- Audun Lavik from Lyngdal
- Michael Lotikow from the Soviet Union
- Vladimir Medownikow from the Soviet Union
- Sverre Emil Narvesen from Modum
- Thormod Johannes Nygaard from Oslo
- Gunnar Onshuus from Sandefjord
- Simon Peachawow from the Soviet Union
- Rolf Edvin Pettersen from Drammen
- Borti Reichelt from Kragerø
- Boris Resnick from the Soviet Union
- Hugo Rossnes from Oslo
- Reidar Steen Olsen from Sandefjord
- Olaf Strand from Bergen
- Per Rolf Syvertsen
- Karl Ludvig Sørensen from Sandefjord
- Patike Tschikidse from the Soviet Union
Grave 4, 30 April 1942
edit- Leif Bye Nielsen from Oslo
- Arne Grønn Disch from Tønsberg
- Ole Elias Dyrøy from Borgund
- Harald Bølerud from Oslo
- Per Andreas Fillinger from Oslo
- Jakob Otto Friis from Oslo
- Andreas Gjertsen from Oslo
- Leonard Godager from Furnes
- Ole Kjeldserg from Nordstrand
- Alfred Waldemar Garmann Larsen from Oslo
- Ole Arntzen Lutzow Holm from Oslo
- Einar Oliver Mjølhus from Hjelmland
- Jesper Kjell Næss from Odal
- Bjarne Fillip Olsen from Ålesund
- Magnus Tuntland from Hjelmland
- Peter Kristian Boe Young from Oslo
- Birger Aasland from Hjelmland
- Kåre Angell Elgenes from Molde (executed 1 May)
Grave 6, 5 September 1944
edit- Kristian Andresen from Gjøvik
- Fedor Barkow from the Soviet Union
- Finn Brede Bråthen from Modum
- Peter Christensen from Oslo
- Arne Reidar Gustavsen from Drammen
- Reinhard Halvorsen from Norderhov
- Petter Albert Hammerø from Oslo
- Reidar Hansen from Norderhov
- Åge Hansen from Oslo
- Daniel Jacowitz from the Soviet Union
- Ove Jensen from Asker
- Georg Johannes Jenserud from Norderhov
- Martin Kleppan from Oslo
- Johan Karelius Moen from Norderhov
- Helge Olsen from Norderhov
- Kåre Pettersen from Drammen
- Stephan Pleschatschew from the Soviet Union
- Wasil Sacharschenko from the Soviet Union
- Gunnar K Skinstad from Modum
- Gjermund Karl Skaarud from Oslo
- Per Thore Stensrud from Oslo
- Alexander Szeinzuk from the Soviet Union
- Benani Tschikikow from the Soviet Union
Grave 7, 3 June 1944
edit- Gunnar Hanssen from Oslo
- Kaare Hexeberg from Nittedal
- Oskar Haakon Johannessen from Nittedal
- Per Grell Lønning from Oslo
- Odd Næss from Oslo
Grave 8, 25/26 May 1944
edit25 May 1944
edit- Hans Skjærvø from Osen
- Georg Stokke from Oslo
26 May 1944
edit- Thore Eugen Sentzen from Svanvik in Sør-Varanger
- Magnus Dahlen from Fåberg
- Lars Emil Erichsen from Oslo
- John Hatland from Oslo
- Frederik Wilhelm Holter from Oslo
- Odvar Jacobsen from Oslo
- Leif Richard Johansen from Oslo
- Harald Reitan from Oslo
- Per Arne Stranger Thorsen from Oslo
- Sven Olav Vogt from Oslo
Grave 9, Unknown date
edit- F. Bonner from the United Kingdom
- J. N. Blackburn from the United Kingdom
- R. P. Evans from the United Kingdom
- W. Jackson from the United Kingdom
- J. Walsh from the United Kingdom
- T. W. White from the United Kingdom
Grave 10, 2/3 March 1943
edit2. March 1943
edit- Johan Peter Bruun from Oslo
- Haakon Marius Sunde from Kopervik
3 March 1943
edit- Ragnar Alf Anderson from Nesodden
- Osmund Lindgård Brønnum from Oslo
- Arne Gunnestad from Asker
- Kaare Bjørn Jensen from Oslo
- Thorleif Krogh from Oslo
- Jacob Dybcad Sømme from Oslo
- Lorentz Helge Aarnes from Oslo
Grave 11, 13/14 October
edit13 October 1943
edit- Anders Johansen Krok from Mjøndalen
- Erling Christian Marthinson from Eidsvåg i Åsane
14 October 1943
edit- Thomas Henry Thornau Agnæs from Drammen
- Sverre Andersen from Oslo
- Reidar Furu from Drammen
- Aksel Eugen Grønholdt from Oslo
- Kaare Gundersen from Oslo
- Sverre Emil Halvorsen from Oslo
- Sigurd Jacobsen from Oslo
- Alv Johan Johnsen from Drammen
- Arthur Simensen from Nedre Eiker
- Emil Gustav Hvaal from Sem
- Lars Elias Telle from Sund
- Olaf Østerud from Oslo
- Christian Fredrik Fasting Aall from Fana
Grave 12, 21 May 1943
edit- Anton Bø from Nærbø
- Olaf Ege from Vigrestad
- Karl Hellestø from Sola
- Jørstein Johannesen from Time
- Magnus Mæland from Mæland
- Martin Opstad from Bø
- Ingvar Ree from Nærbø
- Ole Rosland from Time
- Torgeir Sikvaland from Time
- Augustus Stensland from Time
- Andreas Steinsland from Time
- Ragnvald Torland from Torland
- Trygve Varden from Vigrestad
- Arne Vigre from Nærbø
- Sverre Valdeland from Valdeland
Grave 13, 4 July 1944
edit- Ovin Christoffer Bronsta from Drammen
- Jan Segelcke Koren from Oslo
- Gay Børre Kristiansen from Kristiansand
- Alf Leonard Lande from Nøtterøy
- Per Nannestad Lindaas from Oslo
- Tomas Per Trægde from Drammen
- Olav Josef Wetterstad from Kongsberg
Grave 14, 7 September 1942
edit- Haakon Eriksen from Oslo
- Bjarne Hansen from Nedre Eiker
- Eli(as) Skjold Hansen from Oslo
- Karl Johan Jacobsen from Oslo
- Alf Kristiansen from Drammen
- Reidar Kristoffersen from Krokstadelva
- Karl Frithjof Schei from Nes på Romerike
Grave 15, 12 August 1942
edit- Poul Kvamme from Bergen
- Unknown from the Soviet Union
Grave 16, 28 June 1943
edit- Ragnar Fredriksen from Kristiansand
- Erling Karlsen from Oddernes
Grave 17, 9/10 May 1944
edit9. May 1944
edit- Arnt Andersen from Stavanger
- Arne Thurin Bjørge from Arendal
- Leif Dahl from Slagen
- Olav Dyvik from Grimstad
- Arthur Valdemar Emanuelsen from Stavanger
- Johan Alfred Gøranson from Oppegård
- Knut Haugneland from Stavanger
- Martin August Johannesen from Egersund
- Henry Victor Larsen from Stavanger
- Arne Laudal from Kristiansand
- Georg Osnes from Stavanger
- Rolf Olav Schulstad from Oslo
10 May 1944
edit- Knut Bø from Bygland
- Magnus Nielsen from Hetland
- Ingvald Georg Nordbø from Stavanger
- Lars Sandvik from Kvinneherad
- Torleif Tellefsen from Grimstad
- Ferdinand Tjemsland from Stavanger
- Aanund Tveit from Vestre Moland
Grave 18, Flatnermoen, 29 December 1941
edit- Borgen Bøe from Stavanger
- Karluf John Hans Bø from Stavanger
- Georg Fjeldberg from Hjelmeland
- Thomas Fjermstad from Stavanger
- Georg Helland from Stavanger
- Einar Hoseth from Stavanger
- Martin Jacobsen from Stavanger
- John Nilsen from Hetland
- Carl Johan Oftedahl from Stavanger
- Olav Ragnvald Olsson from Hetland
- Arnt Plesner-Pedersen from Stavanger
In May 2021, Forsvarsbygg cut down the trees in the forest causing widespread condemnation.[7] This action resulted in a criminal complaint which is as of June 2021, still under investigation.
2021 investigation of agency's tree-cutting at the heritage site
editIn 2021, Forsvarsbygg cut down trees in the forest.[8] On 2 June the county of Viken ordered that the cutting must stop; the mayor of Ullensaker filed a police report.[9] The Cabinet ordered a fact-finding commission regarding what had happened and how to prevent similar events at similar sites, according to the minister of defence.[10]
As of June 2021, the tree-cutting at the heritage site is still under investigation.[11]
References
edit- ^ "FKL - Trandumskogen". Elg-johansen.com. 2005-05-19. Retrieved 2015-06-01.
- ^ "Ullensaker kommune - Trandumskogen". www.ullensaker.kommune.no. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
- ^ Jacobsen, Alf R. (2015). 1945. Hat. Hevn. Håp (in Norwegian). Oslo: Vega forlag. pp. 199–201. ISBN 978-82-8211-419-6.
- ^ "Krigsminnet Trandumskogen fredet" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage. 2020-05-08. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
Trandumskogen i Ullensaker kommune blir formelt fredet på frigjøringsdagen 8. mai 2020, ved 75-årsjubileet for frigjøringen av Norge.
- ^ "Per Palle Storm – Norsk biografisk leksikon". Snl.no. Retrieved 2015-06-01.
- ^ Picture of the monument
- ^ "Forsvarsbygg gjennomgår rutiner etter krigsminne-hogst: – Det er gjort uopprettelig skade". 4 June 2021.
- ^ "Forsvarsbygg gjennomgår rutiner etter krigsminne-hogst: – Det er gjort uopprettelig skade". 4 June 2021.
- ^ "Forsvarsbygg gjennomgår rutiner etter krigsminne-hogst: – Det er gjort uopprettelig skade". 4 June 2021.
- ^ "Kommisjon skal granske hogst i kulturminne fra andre verdenskrig – VG Nå: Nyhetsdøgnet".
- ^ "Forsvarsbygg gjennomgår rutiner etter krigsminne-hogst: – Det er gjort uopprettelig skade". 4 June 2021.
External links
edit
- Kalde gufs fra fortiden (in Norwegian)