Solidarity Forever

01 October 2010 - 03 October 2010; Oslo, Norway






"The war will continue on other fronts, and there Norwegians will fight on."


General Ruge, before surrendering to the Germans during World War II






There is much for which the citizens of Norway should be proud. To begin with, they have one of the most  pristinely beautiful areas of anywhere in the world. Just before we landed at the satellite airport of Rygge, I opened the window and looked on as we flew past pastoral Scandinavia. Secondly, one must consider their often overlooked or forgotten history, which was much more than bearded Vikings in longboats. Thirdly, their capital city of Oslo is surprisingly diverse, the home of a large community of Eritreans. Lastly, and most significantly, Norway was the ancestral home of a man by the name of Glen Hagen, my late Grandfather whose oldest daughter later became the greatest mother in the universe.


At this point we still have yet to figure out whether we are the Three Amigos, Three Musketeers, or Three Stooges, but it is quite obvious that Eagle One, the Duke of Landesberg, and I are, for each other, hella fine company. In any case, the housemates were on their own, and off on another great adventure.


We ended up settling in a very comfortable hostel located in close proximity to the main boulevard. Oslo is home to a number of interesting museums, and we attempted to visit as many as we could. First we took a boat across the channel to the other side, where the Folk Museum (a cultural center in which everything and everyone were made to represent 16th century Norway) was located. For those who have visited the historic settlements at Colonial Williamsburg or Jamestown in Virginia, a trip that I made with my dear family some years ago, this would be more or less the same, Scandinavian style. There we found a Gol Stavkirke, which used to function as a church. Since I can remember, there has been a picture of a similar structure hanging above the fireplace in my home, but it was not the same. When I explained this to one of the museum employees, she informed me that it may be easier to find the Stavkirke in the picture at home than I realize, as there are only around forty or so left. Perhaps someday I will.

We spent hours there, which were well worth it. The grounds of the Folk Museum were colossal, and in addition to the live exhibitions and open air structures and theaters there were also actual museums featuring additional cultural and historical exhibits. From there we went on to see the Viking Ship Museum, which was rather disappointing. To be fair, I did not have high expectations, as I suspected it would not focus much on anything besides the longboats. The Maritime Museum proved to be much more interesting, featuring the history of shipbuilding and of the great seafaring heritage of Norway.


By the time we arrived back on the other side of the channel, there was an outdoor culinary festival in the city center, and we sampled a rich variety of local specialties, including sweet tasting pastries and whale meat. From there it was back to the hostel, then on to dinner. Like many cities, the character of Oslo changes after the sun sets, as a younger generation comes out to play. Our original goal was to walk from the Parliament building to the Palace, which we would have accomplished, had it not been for the unexpected company of Maurice, a local Norwegian American who joined our company en route. Claiming to be the son of an influential NATO official, Maurice led us to the student section, where we left him happy in the company of a group of girls dressed as angels on a scavenger hunt. When we reached the Palace it was quite dark, but the perspective from the elevated platform upon which it was situated gave us an excellent view of the city.


The next day we went to the fortified part of the city, where we visited the Armed Forces Museum and the Resistance Museum. Both Museums were primarily focused on World War II, which is a subject in which I have great academic and personal interest. Glen Hagen was a United States Marine, and landed at Okinawa, guarded by enemy fire from one Marine in front and one Marine behind him. Though they were both killed, Glen not only survived that battle but also the war.


To the north and the east, members of the Norwegian Army and later of the Norwegian Resistance, some of who may have been distant relatives of Glen, fought Hitler's Army in their occupied homeland. Norway's role in World War II is often overlooked, but they proved very important to the war effort for the Allies as a sea power and additionally as a country in which Hitler was forced to commit large amount of troops. Hitler was convinced that the Allies would attack Norway, and consequently was brutal in dealing with resistance fighters, who represented a continuous threat to his regime in Norway.

The German attack of Norway began with an amphibious assault. Though only a few thousand German soldiers actually landed in the initial wave, they were heavily reinforced by air and sea power from the Luftwaffe and the German Navy. The German invasion occurred early on in the war, and as such the pride of the German fleet at that time was not the Bismark but the Blucher, which led the assault. Sailing around Denmark, the Blucher was to lead the German Navy to strategic points on Norway's western coast. Though the invasion was swift and effective, the Blucher itself was sunk by Norwegian guns from two land-based outposts before it passed Norway, an unexpected setback for the Germans. 

The subsequent battles were fought in and around Norway. Following the sinking of the Blucher, German warships continued to head west and then north, up the coast. One of the fleets was challenged head on by an equally large British fleet, which sunk 22 of their destroyers. Despite the losses inflicted on the Germans, the invasion ultimately proved successful. A smaller German force, reinforced by paratroopers later on, fought Norwegian, French, British, and Polish troops before the German Armies in continental Europe were able to put adequate pressure on the Allied Forces in their home territory. The Allies were forced to withdraw, leaving a poorly trained, exhausted Norwegian Force alone against a better trained, better equipped German Army. 

That the Norwegians were inexperienced was due to the fact that they had finished a war of their own very recently, and did not have the strength to stand against a fresh German Empire. Many Norwegians fled to neutral Sweden, and others were transported to Great Britain for training in guerilla tactics. The Germans attempted to install the Head of the Norwegian Nazi Party as the Prime Minister, but such was the agitation against him that they were forced to fire him. Even so, the Norwegians put up a heroic and brave resistance, fighting on against the Nazis in an incredible display of patriotism and solidarity. Throughout the war, the Allied Powers depended heavily on Norwegian sea power, which supported the Allied War Effort tremendously. To this day the Norwegians are recognized as a leading marine power. When the USS Cole was bombed by the Taliban in Yemen, it was a Norwegian vessel that transported it back to the United States for repairs. 

Scandinavia is noticeably different than the rest of Europe. It may be the climate, or the ambience, or even the people. The calmness and peacefulness of Oslo makes it a direct contrast to the way many perceive its Viking legacy. It seems that back in the day, it was accepted that civilizations had to establish themselves by competing for resources. The tools of statecraft and those of diplomacy were less finely developed. Nevertheless, not all Vikings were warriors. Many were traders who settled down on new islands and integrated themselves to new customs while keeping their old ones. After seeing the video presentation of villages in Norway, it is hard to imagine why anyone would choose to leave. Perhaps it has something to do with the yearning for adventure, for glory, or maybe just the satisfaction of knowing. 

Someday I will be back to visit you, Norway, and when I do it will likely be with the rest of my family. I enjoyed walking through the streets of your fine capital, taking in the sights and enjoying the richness of a distinctly sea-oriented life. But one cannot see a country by seeing a city, and there are so many places yet to explore. As such, I will consider our first meeting a pleasant introduction, and will look forward to the day that we meet again. Besides, I have a Stavkirke to find.