132-532: A/S Fred. Olsens Flyselskap ( FOF ), trading internationally as Fred. Olsen Airtransport , was a Norwegian charter airline which operated between 1946 and 1997, largely operating cargo aircraft . Based at Oslo Airport, Fornebu , it was created as a spin-off of Norwegian Air Lines and was part of Fred. Olsen & Co. , which owned it through its subsidiaries Ganger Rolf and Bonheur . The airline commenced operations with Douglas C-47 aircraft, operating out of Fornebu and Copenhagen Airport . It introduced
264-584: A Douglas DC-4 , Vickers Viscounts and Curtiss C-46 Commandos during the mid-1950s. These were in part superseded by the Douglas DC-6 during the 1960s and finally the Lockheed L-188 Electra from the mid-1970s. A major customer was Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS), for whom Fred. Olsen operated most of the night cargo flights. Fred. Olsen had a significant business in corporate jets between 1967 and 1978, using four Dassault Falcon 20s . It held
396-657: A per-capita basis, Norway is the world's largest producer of oil and natural gas outside of the Middle East. The country has the fourth- and eighth-highest per-capita income in the world on the World Bank 's and IMF 's list, respectively. It has the world's largest sovereign wealth fund , with a value of US$ 1.3 trillion. Norway has two official names: Norge in Bokmål and Noreg in Nynorsk . The English name Norway comes from
528-571: A resistance movement which incorporated civil disobedience and armed resistance including the destruction of Norsk Hydro 's heavy water plant and stockpile of heavy water at Vemork , which crippled the German nuclear programme . More important to the Allied war effort, however, was the role of the Norwegian Merchant Marine , the fourth-largest merchant marine fleet in the world. It was led by
660-571: A DC-6, painted in Joitn Church Aid livery, was contracted. FOF built up a full operational base at São Tomé International Airport . This resulted in the aircraft being bombed in November 1969. Thus a new DC-6 was sent down. The Curtisses were sold in 1971. FOF established a heavy technical division in 1966. A hangar was bought at Fornebu and in 1969 it was expanded to allow room for the DC-6 and allowed all
792-721: A cargo-only Douglas DC-6 in 1965. Its capacity of 13 tonnes cargo was twice that of the Curtiss, and the aircraft was wet-leased to SAS to use on its European cargo routes. Two additional DC-6s were bought in 1967, allowing Fred. Olsen to take over all cargo flights in the SAS system. During the Biafran airlift of the Nigerian Civil War , which commenced in 1968, Fred. Olsen was contracted by Joint Church Aid to operate aid flights out of São Tomé to Uli . Initially two Curtisses were used, but later
924-515: A central role in the peaceful separation of Norway from Sweden on 7 June 1905. A national referendum confirmed the people's preference for a monarchy over a republic. However, no Norwegian could legitimately claim the throne, since none of Norway's noble families could claim royal descent . The government then offered the throne of Norway to Prince Carl of Denmark, a prince of the Dano-German royal house of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and
1056-454: A conservative society. Life in Norway (especially economic life) was "dominated by the aristocracy of professional men who filled most of the important posts in the central government". There was no strong bourgeois class to demand a breakdown of this aristocratic control. Thus, even while revolution swept over most of the countries of Europe in 1848, Norway was largely unaffected. Marcus Thrane
1188-506: A contract to conduct heavy maintenance on them. The Electras were mostly used for charter flights for SAS, although they were also used to an extent on charter flights, particularly hauling of flowers from Genova and flights to Greenland . SAS gradually established its own network of cargo routes, reducing the amount subcontracted to Fred. Olsen. In the end SAS launched the Air de Cologne (AdC) concept, and one of Fred. Olsen's aircraft were painted in
1320-524: A contract with the Civil Aviation Administration to operate its calibration aircraft, from 1967 a Convair CV-340 , from 1976 a Hawker Siddeley HS 748 and from 1996 a de Havilland Canada Dash 8 . The airline ceased operations in 1997. It suffered four write-off accidents, including the fatal Drangedal Accident in 1952. Fred. Olsen & Co., owned by the brothers Thomas Fredrik Olsen and Rudolf Olsen , announced their plans to establish
1452-640: A distant relative of Norway's medieval kings. Following the plebiscite, he was unanimously elected king by the Norwegian Parliament ; he took the name Haakon VII . Throughout the First World War , Norway remained neutral; however, diplomatic pressure from the British government meant that it heavily favoured the Allies . During the war, Norway exported fish to both Germany and Britain, until an ultimatum from
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#17328490527291584-457: A distinct national character. The movement covered all branches of culture, including literature ( Henrik Wergeland , Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson , Peter Christen Asbjørnsen , Jørgen Moe ), painting ( Hans Gude , Adolph Tidemand ), music ( Edvard Grieg ), and even language policy, where attempts to define a native written language for Norway led to today's two official written forms for Norwegian: Bokmål and Nynorsk . King Charles III John came to
1716-440: A forty-percent stake in the new company. On 16 March 1935 the newly appointed Labor Nygaardsvold's Cabinet decided that construction of airports was to be accelerated in order to stimulate the economy. Hence DNL was granted concessions for a coastal route north to Tromsø and an international route from Oslo via Kristiansand to Amsterdam . Grants from both the government and Norway Post were awarded. DNL decided to purchase
1848-511: A group of German ships a considerable distance west-northwest of Trondheim, bearing west. This reinforced the notion that the Germans were indeed intending a breakout, and the Home Fleet changed direction from northeast to northwest to again try to intercept. Additionally, Churchill cancelled Plan R 4 and ordered the four cruisers carrying the soldiers and their supplies to disembark their cargo and join
1980-601: A long eastern border with Sweden , and is bordered by Finland and Russia to the northeast. Norway has an extensive coastline facing the Skagerrak strait, the North Atlantic Ocean, and the Barents Sea . The unified kingdom of Norway was established in 872 as a merger of petty kingdoms and has existed continuously for 1,151–1,152 years. From 1537 to 1814, Norway was part of Denmark–Norway , and, from 1814 to 1905, it
2112-653: A national airline for Norway in 1933. Founded on 16 October, Norwegian Air Lines was owned by Thomas Olsen, Rudolf Olsen, Johan L. Müller, Ganger Rolf and Bonheur —all within the Fred. Olsen sphere. Named Det Norske Luftfartselskap Fred. Olsen A/S, it hired Hjalmar Riiser-Larsen —since 1921 director of the Civil Aviation Council—as managing director. The company lay plans for both domestic and international routes, which required government concessions with which it had to compete with Widerøe to receive. Fred. Olsen wanted
2244-460: A national airline. This airline took over the DNL brand and had Balchen as its CEO. Rudolf Olsen retained of the legal successor of DNL, which was named Fre. Olsen Air Transport. The company was formerly incorporated on 16 October 1945, and was the entirety of its existence owned as joint venture between Ganger Rolf and Bonheur. FOF immediately took orders for three former military Douglas C-47 (DC-3) from
2376-542: A network of agents abroad. Rudolf Olsen became the company's first director. The first commercial flight took off on 7 November heading for Colombo with a part for a ship's engine operated by Wilh. Wilhelmsen . International assistance was secured through an agreement with the British Overseas Airways Corporation . Flight time was forty-one hours and cost NOK 4 per kilometer (NOK 6 per mile). The second aircraft entered service in November and
2508-527: A new plan, named Weserübung , be developed. Work on Weserübung began on 5 February. The Altmark incident occurred in the late hours of 16 February 1940 when the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Cossack entered Norwegian territorial waters, intercepting and boarding the German auxiliary ship Altmark in the Jøssingfjord . Altmark had spent the prior months as a fleet oiler turned prison ship for
2640-481: A partner for DNL, in part to strengthen its geographic spread, and meetings were held between Olsen family and Falck to introduce the Bergen-based company as a partner in DNL. On 7 November 1934, Bergenske Dampskibsselskab (BDS) became a partner in DNL, and the company renamed Det Norske Luftfartselskap Fred. Olsen og Bergenske A/S. The dispute with Widerøe was resolved by DNL buying the former, leaving Fred. Olsen with
2772-619: A potential Soviet attack, positioned mostly in the eastern regions of Finnmark. Parts of the 6th Division's forces remained in Finnmark even after the German invasion, guarding against the danger. During the Winter War, the Norwegian authorities secretly broke the country's own neutrality by sending the Finns a shipment of 12 Ehrhardt 7.5 cm Model 1901 artillery pieces and 12,000 shells, as well as allowing
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#17328490527292904-511: A profit in the Central European freight market as reasons for the termination. A contributing factor was the age of the Electras, which could not compete in operating costs with newer aircraft. The following is a list of Fred. Olsen Air Transport's fleet of aircraft. It specified the total number of aircraft operated of each type, which may be more than the peak inventory. It also specifies when
3036-613: A small group had left Norway following their king to Britain. This group included 13 ships, five aircraft, and 500 men from the Royal Norwegian Navy. By the end of the war, the force had grown to 58 ships and 7,500 men in service in the Royal Norwegian Navy, 5 squadrons of aircraft in the newly formed Norwegian Air Force, and land forces including the Norwegian Independent Company 1 and 5 Troop as well as No. 10 Commandos . During German occupation , Norwegians built
3168-504: A three-engine Junkers W 34 . It was registered as LN-DAB on 1 June 1935 and named Ternen . Riiser-Larsen and Bernt Balchen were hired to manage the company, while marketing and sales was carried out by Fred. Olsen. The airline's main base was located at Gressholmen Airport in Oslo. A Sikorsky S-43 flying boat was bought after an initial agreement was made to cooperate on transatlantic flights in cooperation with Pan American Airways , but
3300-617: A union between the two countries. In 1397, under Margaret I , the Kalmar Union was created between the three Scandinavian countries. She waged war against the Germans, resulting in a trade blockade and higher taxation on Norwegian goods, which led to a rebellion . However, the Norwegian Council of State was too weak to pull out of the union. Margaret pursued a centralising policy which inevitably favoured Denmark because of its greater population. Margaret also granted trade privileges to
3432-618: A united Norway. Harald's realm was mainly a South Norwegian coastal state. Fairhair ruled with a strong hand and according to the sagas, many Norwegians left the country to live in Iceland, the Faroe Islands , Greenland , and parts of Britain and Ireland. Haakon I the Good was Norway's first Christian king, in the mid-10th century, though his attempt to introduce the religion was rejected. Norse traditions were replaced slowly by Christian ones in
3564-454: Is little archaeological evidence dating to the early Iron Age (the last 500 years BC). The dead were cremated, and their graves contained few goods. During the first four centuries AD, the people of Norway were in contact with Roman-occupied Gaul ; about 70 Roman bronze cauldrons, often used as burial urns, have been found. Contact with countries farther south brought a knowledge of runes ; the oldest known Norwegian runic inscription dates from
3696-448: The Civil Aviation Administration and for freight charter. However, with the construction of the regional airport network , the aircraft was constantly occupied with calibration runs. It was later subcontracted to Widerøe , which used it on the route connecting Bodø Airport , Bardufoss Airport , Tromsø Airport and Andøya Airport, Andenes . Fred. Olsen entered the jet age with the delivery of its first Dassault Falcon 20 in 1967 and
3828-1039: The European Union and the United States . Norway is a founding member of the United Nations , NATO , the European Free Trade Association , the Council of Europe , the Antarctic Treaty , and the Nordic Council ; a member of the European Economic Area , the WTO , and the OECD ; and a part of the Schengen Area . The Norwegian dialects share mutual intelligibility with Danish and Swedish . Norway maintains
3960-519: The German invasion of France . King Haakon and the Norwegian government escaped to Rotherhithe in London. Throughout the war they sent radio speeches and supported clandestine military actions against the Germans. On the day of the invasion, the leader of the small National-Socialist party Nasjonal Samling , Vidkun Quisling , tried to seize power, but was forced by the German occupiers to step aside. Real power
4092-479: The Labour Party held an absolute majority in the parliament. The government, led by prime minister Einar Gerhardsen , embarked on a programme inspired by Keynesian economics , emphasising state financed industrialisation and co-operation between trade unions and employers' organisations . Many measures of state control of the economy imposed during the war were continued, although the rationing of dairy products
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4224-479: The Nordic welfare model with universal health care and a comprehensive social security system, and its values are rooted in egalitarian ideals. The Norwegian state has large ownership positions in key industrial sectors, having extensive reserves of petroleum, natural gas, minerals, lumber, seafood, and fresh water. The petroleum industry accounts for around a quarter of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). On
4356-576: The Old English word Norþweg mentioned in 880, meaning "northern way" or "way leading to the north", which is how the Anglo-Saxons referred to the coastline of Atlantic Norway. The Anglo-Saxons of Britain also referred to the kingdom of Norway in 880 as Norðmanna land . There is some disagreement about whether the native name of Norway originally had the same etymology as the English form. According to
4488-527: The Syttende mai (Seventeenth of May) holiday. Norwegian opposition to the decision to link Norway with Sweden caused the Norwegian–Swedish War to break out as Sweden tried to subdue Norway by military means. As Sweden's military was not strong enough to defeat the Norwegian forces outright, and Norway's treasury was not large enough to support a protracted war, and as British and Russian navies blockaded
4620-569: The archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of Norway. Bouvet Island , located in the Subantarctic , is a dependency , and not a part of the Kingdom; Norway also claims the Antarctic territories of Peter I Island and Queen Maud Land . The capital and largest city in Norway is Oslo . Norway has a total area of 385,207 square kilometres (148,729 sq mi). The country shares
4752-612: The blockade of Germany , giving access to the Atlantic Ocean. These ports would allow Germany to use its sea power effectively against the Allies. Control of Norwegian air bases would allow German reconnaissance aircraft to operate far into the North Atlantic, while German U-boats and surface ships operating out of Norwegian naval bases would be able to break the British blockade line across
4884-571: The introduction of Protestantism in 1536, the archbishopric in Trondheim was dissolved; Norway lost its independence and effectually became a colony of Denmark. The Church's incomes and possessions were instead redirected to the court in Copenhagen. Norway lost the steady stream of pilgrims to the relics of St. Olav at the Nidaros shrine, and with them, much of the contact with cultural and economic life in
5016-510: The parliament , the cabinet , and the supreme court , as determined by the 1814 constitution . Norway has both administrative and political subdivisions on two levels: counties and municipalities . The Sámi people have a certain amount of self-determination and influence over traditional territories through the Sámi Parliament and the Finnmark Act . Norway maintains close ties with
5148-467: The union with Sweden . Under this arrangement, Norway kept its liberal constitution and its own independent institutions, though it shared a monarch and foreign policy with Sweden. Following the recession caused by the Napoleonic Wars , economic development of Norway remained slow until 1830. This period also saw the rise of Norwegian romantic nationalism , as Norwegians sought to define and express
5280-469: The Åndalsnes landings on 13 April. The main strategic reason for Germany to invade Norway was to seize the port of Narvik and guarantee the delivery of iron ore needed for German steel production . The campaign was fought until 10 June 1940 and saw the escape of King Haakon VII and Crown Prince Olav to the United Kingdom. A British, French and Polish expeditionary force of 38,000 troops landed in
5412-583: The Allies would then proceed to occupy Narvik, Trondheim, Bergen, and Stavanger . The planners hoped that the operation would not provoke the Norwegians to resist the Allies with armed force. The Allies disagreed over the additional Operation Royal Marine , where mines would also be placed in the Rhine River . While the British supported this operation, the French vetoed it for three months since they also depended on
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5544-811: The Allies, in particular the French, this was based on a desire to avoid repeating the trench warfare of the First World War , which had occurred on the Franco-German border . Following the outbreak of the Second World War, the Norwegian government had mobilized parts of the Norwegian Army and all but two of the Royal Norwegian Navy 's warships. The Norwegian Army Air Service and the Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service were also called up to protect Norwegian neutrality from violations by
5676-540: The British Home Fleet , was notified of this and set out to intercept them at 20:15. With both sides unaware of the magnitude of the situation, they proceeded as planned. Renown arrived at the Vestfjord late that night and maintained position near the entrance while the minelaying destroyers proceeded to their task. Meanwhile, the Germans launched the remainder of their invasion force. The first direct contact between
5808-531: The British government and anti-German sentiments as a result of German submarines targeting Norwegian merchantmen led to a termination of trade with Germany. 436 Norwegian merchantmen were sunk by the Kaiserliche Marine , with 1,150 Norwegian sailors killed. Norway once more proclaimed its neutrality during the Second World War , but was invaded by German forces on 9 April 1940. Although Norway
5940-637: The British to use Norwegian territory to transfer aircraft and other weaponry to Finland. This presented an opportunity to the Allies; offering them the potential to use the invasion to also send troop support to occupy ore fields in Sweden and ports in Norway. The plan, promoted by the British General Edmund Ironside , included two divisions landing at Narvik, five battalions somewhere in mid-Norway, and another two divisions at Trondheim. The French government pushed for action to be taken to confront
6072-584: The CAA signed the maintenance contract with FOF. The introduction of the Dash 8 reduced the hourly operating cost from NOK 23,000 to 14,000, and was introduced in 1996. The company announced in February 1997 that it would cease operations. Negotiations had been carried out with the employees for them to take over the company, but this had not been successful. FOF cited the loss of maintenance contracts and difficulties in making
6204-418: The DC-6 aircraft were degraded to the spot charter market. The last DC-6 was sold in 1977, leaving Fred. Olsen with only Electras in their cargo fleet. The Convair was sold in 1976 and replaced by a used Hawker Siddeley HS 748 from Varig which was dedicated for navaid flight inspection and calibration for the CAA. The Falcons were sold to the RNoAF, the last being handed over in 1978, although FOF retained
6336-464: The Danish kingdom was on the losing side in 1814, it was forced by the Treaty of Kiel to cede Norway to Sweden, while the old Norwegian provinces of Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands remained with the Danish crown. Norway took this opportunity to declare independence, adopted a constitution based on American and French models, and elected the Crown Prince of Denmark and Norway, Christian Frederick , as king on 17 May 1814 – celebrated as
6468-487: The German Invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939, both declared war on Nazi Germany . However, neither country mounted significant offensive operations and for several months there were no major engagements, and this period became known as the Phoney War or "Twilight War". Winston Churchill in particular wished to escalate the war into a more active phase, in contrast to Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain . During this time both sides wished to open secondary fronts. For
6600-471: The German cruiser Admiral Graf Spee while the latter was acting as a commerce raider in the South Atlantic. When she began the return journey to Germany, she carried 299 prisoners taken from Allied ships sunk by the Graf Spee . She rounded Scotland , then entered Norwegian territorial waters near the Trondheimsfjord , flying the Imperial Service Flag ( Reichsdienstflagge ). A Norwegian naval escort accompanied Altmark as she proceeded southwards, hugging
6732-414: The German high command that Norway and Sweden would then allow Allied troops to transit their territory to go to Finland's aid. The proposed Allied deployments never occurred, after protests from both Norway and Sweden, when the issue of transfers of troops through their territory was suggested. With the Moscow Peace Treaty on 12 March 1940, the Finland-related Allied plans were dropped. The abandonment of
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#17328490527296864-457: The German soldiers from the wreck were rescued by Norwegian fishing boats and the destroyer Odin . On interrogation the survivors disclosed that they were assigned to protect Bergen from the Allies. This information was passed on to Oslo, where the Norwegian Parliament ignored the sinking due to being distracted by the British mining operations off the Norwegian coast. At 14:00, the Admiralty received word that aerial reconnaissance had located
6996-405: The Germans away from France. These developments concerned the Germans. The Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact had placed Finland within the Soviet sphere of interest , and the Germans therefore claimed neutrality in the conflict. This policy caused a rise in anti-German sentiment throughout Scandinavia, since it was commonly believed that the Germans were allied with the Soviets. Fears began to crop up in
7128-403: The Hanseatic merchants of Lübeck in Bergen in return for recognition of her rule, and these hurt the Norwegian economy. The Hanseatic merchants formed a state within a state in Bergen for generations. The " Victual Brothers " launched three devastating pirate raids on the port (the last in 1427). Norway slipped ever more to the background under the Oldenburg dynasty (established 1448). There
7260-527: The North Sea and attack convoys heading to Great Britain. When the Soviet Union launched its attack against Finland on 30 November 1939, the Allies found themselves aligned with Norway and Sweden in support of Finland against the much larger aggressor. After the outbreak of the Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union, Norway mobilized larger land forces than what had initially been considered necessary. By early 1940 their 6th Division in Finnmark and Troms fielded 9,500 troops to defend against
7392-416: The Norwegian coast, the belligerents were forced to negotiate the Convention of Moss . Christian Frederik abdicated the Norwegian throne and authorised the Parliament of Norway to make the necessary constitutional amendments to allow for the personal union that Norway was forced to accept. On 4 November 1814, the Parliament (Storting) elected Charles XIII of Sweden as king of Norway, thereby establishing
7524-426: The Norwegian coastline. As Altmark was nearing Bergen harbour on 14 February, the Norwegian naval authorities demanded an inspection of her cargo. International law did not ban the transfer of prisoners of war through neutral waters, and the German captain refused the inspection. This led the commander in Bergen, Admiral Carsten Tank-Nielsen , to deny Altmark access to the restricted-access harbour zone. Tank-Nielsen
7656-429: The Norwegian ports would be of crucial importance for Germany in a war with the United Kingdom. On 14 December 1939, Raeder introduced Adolf Hitler to Vidkun Quisling , a Nasjonal Samling former defence minister of Norway . Quisling proposed pan-Germanic cooperation between Nazi Germany and Norway. In a second meeting on 18 December, Quisling and Hitler discussed the threat of an Allied invasion of Norway. After
7788-445: The Norwegian shipping company Nortraship under the Allies throughout the war and took part in every war operation from the evacuation of Dunkirk to the Normandy landings . Every December Norway gives a Christmas tree to the United Kingdom as thanks for the British assistance during the war. Svalbard was not occupied by German troops, but Germany secretly established a meteorological station there in 1944. From 1945 to 1962,
7920-432: The Norwegians sent protests to Britain. While Norwegian, Swedish and American experts in international law claimed the boarding of Altmark was a violation of Norwegian neutrality, the British government argued that the incident was at the most a technical violation that had been morally justified. The whole led to the Germans speeding up their plans for an invasion of Norway. On 21 February, General Nikolaus von Falkenhorst
8052-429: The Rhine and feared German air raids on their aircraft and munitions factories. Because of this delay, Operation Wilfred, originally scheduled for 5 April, was delayed until 8 April when the British agreed to undertake the Norwegian operations separately from those on the continent. Already in low-priority planning for months, Operation Weserübung found a new sense of urgency after the Altmark incident. The goals of
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#17328490527298184-453: The United States, stationed in Scotland. One was immediately flown to Norway, arriving on 24 June 1946, while the other two were overhauled in Scotland and were delivered in July and August. The first aircraft was overhauled by Hønningstad & Co. at Fornebu. The Royal Air Force pilot who had flown over the aircraft was hired as FOF's first pilot. There were shortages in all materials and the airline also used considerable energy establishing
8316-419: The action, Glowworm rammed Admiral Hipper . Significant damage was done to Admiral Hipper ' s starboard side, and Glowworm sank. During the fight Glowworm had broken radio silence and informed the Admiralty of her situation. She was not able to complete her transmission though, and all the Admiralty knew was that Glowworm had been confronted by a large German ship, shots were fired, and contact with
8448-415: The aircraft in their livery . They were also commonly used on charter flights to Svalbard . Fred. Olsen leased their Viscounts to Austrian Airlines when it was established in 1958. The wet leases ended in April 1960, when Austrian received its own Viscounts. The charter market for the size of aircraft was limited and they were sold to Indian Airlines in January 1962. This was a significant downsizing in
8580-418: The airline, resulting in a series of lay-offs. FOAM was liquidated in 1962, with some employees being transferred to FOF and a large number going to Kenya, where there was a lot of need for aviation personnel because of the Shifta War . The last C-47 was sold in 1961. Heavy maintenance was thereafter subcontracted to SAS for the Curtisses. To capitalize on the growing European freight market, Fred. Olsen bought
8712-481: The annual costs were 15 million Norwegian krone (NOK). In September 1993 the CAA announced that it would retire the Hawker Siddeley and that it was considering procuring a Dornier 328 , de Havilland Canada Dash 8 or ATR 42 . A deal was struck in February 1994, where Fred. Olsen, through its controlling post in Widerøe, was able to secure that the CAA could purchase a Dash 8 at a discounted price of NOK 78 million by utilizing one of Widerøe's options . In exchange
8844-414: The black livery. SAS discontinued its freight-only flights in 1988, and FOS lost most of its business. AdC was sold to TNT , and FOF was able to secure freight contracts with it and KLM . The airline soon signed a contract with DHL , with most of these flights being based out of Brussels Airport . This increased the business sufficiently that Fred. Olsen took delivery of a fourth Electra in 1991. By 1996
8976-409: The clandestine German troop transport ship Rio de Janeiro off the southern Norwegian port of Lillesand . Discovered among the wreckage were uniformed German soldiers and military supplies. Though Orzeł reported the incident to the Admiralty, they were too concerned by the situation with Glowworm and the presumed German breakout to give it much thought and did not pass the information on. Many of
9108-536: The coast, where the huge ice shelf of the last ice age first melted between 11,000 and 8000 BC. The oldest finds are stone tools dating from 9500 to 6000 BC, discovered in Finnmark ( Komsa culture ) in the north and Rogaland ( Fosna culture ) in the southwest. Theories about the two cultures being separate were deemed obsolete in the 1970s. Between 3000 and 2500 BC, new settlers ( Corded Ware culture ) arrived in eastern Norway . They were Indo-European farmers who grew grain and kept livestock, and gradually replaced
9240-434: The company was operating six Electras. Fred. Olsen was responsible for the maintenance of the Partnair Convair 580 which crashed as Partnair Flight 394 on 8 September 1989. Despite that the accident was caused by fraudulent aircraft parts , no-one was charged with criminal offenses. Since the inaugural calibration flights started, the CAA had awarded the operation and maintenance contracts to FOF without tenders. By 1993
9372-431: The company's facilities at Fornebu to be located at one place. The division was approved as an authorized aircraft maintenance facility in 1972, allowing it to carry out subcontracted work for other airlines and also on the Lockheed P-3 Orion and Lockheed C-130 Hercules for the Royal Norwegian Air Force . The airline bought a Convair CV-340 in 1968. It was intended to be used both for runway calibration on contract with
9504-480: The control of Queen Margaret when the country entered into the Kalmar Union . After Sweden broke out of the Kalmar Union in 1521, Norway tried to follow suit, but the subsequent rebellion was defeated, and Norway remained in a union with Denmark until 1814. This period was by some referred to as the "400-Year Night", since all of the kingdom's intellectual and administrative power was centred in Copenhagen . With
9636-731: The danger to Germany of Britain seizing the initiative and launching its own invasion in Scandinavia, for if the powerful Royal Navy had bases at Bergen , Narvik and Trondheim , the North Sea would be virtually closed to Germany, and the Kriegsmarine would be at risk even in the Baltic. Controlling Norway would also be a strategic asset in the Battle of the Atlantic . The capture of ports would create gaps in
9768-541: The deal fell through. Additional routes were established the following year. After the German invasion of Norway on 9 April 1940, all international routes and operations in Southern Norway were terminated. Two aircraft were requisitioned by the German forces and sent to Germany. A limited service was kept in Northern Norway during the resistance, but also these were terminated after the German forces took control of
9900-476: The death of Haakon in 1379, his 10-year-old son Olaf IV acceded to the throne. As Olaf had already been elected to the throne of Denmark in 1376, Denmark and Norway entered a personal union . Olaf's mother and Haakon's widow, Queen Margaret, managed the foreign affairs of Denmark and Norway during Olaf's minority. Margaret was on the verge of achieving a union of Sweden with Denmark and Norway when Olaf IV suddenly died. Denmark made Margaret temporary ruler on
10032-434: The death of Olaf. On 2 February 1388, Norway followed suit and crowned Margaret. Queen Margaret knew that her power would be more secure if she were able to find a king to rule in her place. She settled on Eric of Pomerania , grandson of her sister. Thus at an all-Scandinavian meeting held at Kalmar, Erik of Pomerania was crowned king of all three Scandinavian countries, bringing the thrones of Norway, Denmark, and Sweden under
10164-535: The destroyer could not be re-established. In response, the Admiralty ordered Renown and her single destroyer escort (the other two had gone to friendly ports for fuel), to abandon her post at the Vestfjord and head to Glowworm ' s last known location. At 10:45, the remaining eight destroyers of the minelaying force were ordered to join them as well. On the morning of 8 April, the Polish submarine ORP Orzeł sank
10296-486: The economy, because of the loans the Hansa had made to the royals and the large debt the kings were carrying. The League's monopolistic control over the economy of Norway put pressure on all classes, especially the peasantry, to the degree that no real burgher class existed in Norway. From the 1040s to 1130, the country was at peace. In 1130, the civil war era broke out on the basis of unclear succession laws , which allowed
10428-611: The end of the century. Throughout the High Middle Ages , the king established Norway as a sovereign state with a central administration and local representatives. In 1349, the Black Death spread to Norway and within a year killed a third of the population. Later plagues reduced the population to half the starting point by 1400. Many communities were entirely wiped out, resulting in an abundance of land, allowing farmers to switch to more animal husbandry . The reduction in taxes weakened
10560-433: The establishment of the brand Fred. Olsen Executive Service. The ten-seat corporate jet was mostly used for corporate executive charters and as an air ambulance service from Southern Europe to Scandinavia. FOF operated a peak four Falcons. The first two Lockheed L-188 Electras were produced in 1973, when Fred. Olsen bought Nordic Air . One more was bought the following year. These took over all regular cargo services, and
10692-479: The expense of Sweden and Russia. The famine of 1695–1696 killed roughly 10% of Norway's population. The harvest failed in Scandinavia at least nine times between 1740 and 1800, with great loss of life. After Denmark–Norway was attacked by the United Kingdom at the 1807 Battle of Copenhagen , it entered into an alliance with Napoleon , with the war leading to dire conditions and mass starvation in 1812. As
10824-400: The fighting, including 19,000 soldiers, mainly in six infantry divisions. The Norwegian Army had around 60,000 trained soldiers, with 3,750 troops per regiment. However, by the Germans' speed and surprise, only 52,000 ever saw combat. The Allied expeditionary force numbered around 38,000 men. The German invasion began on 3 April 1940, when covert supply vessels began to head out in advance of
10956-553: The first Norwegian operator of turboprop aircraft. They were intended for international scheduled flights, but the government disregarded that applications and the aircraft were instead leased to British European Airways . Fred. Olsen Aircraft Maintenance (FOAM) was established at Fornebu in 1955. It was a continuation of FOF's technical division, but was also to carry out maintenance for other airlines. The Viscounts were sold in 1957, but four more were ordered and delivered in April and August
11088-682: The first aircraft of a given class entered service and when the last left service. Fred. Olsen has operated a total of thirty aircraft. Norway in Europe (green and dark grey) Norway ( Bokmål : Norge , Nynorsk : Noreg ), officially the Kingdom of Norway , is a Nordic country in Northern Europe , situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula with a population of 5.5 million as of 2024. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and
11220-499: The first meeting with Quisling, Hitler ordered the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW) to begin investigating possible invasion plans of Norway. Meeting Quisling was central in igniting Hitler's interest in bringing the country effectively under his control. The first comprehensive German plan for the occupation of Norway, Studie Nord , ordered by Hitler on 14 December, was completed by 10 January 1940. On 27 January, Hitler ordered that
11352-409: The fjord at 22:20 local time, the Norwegian vessels did not intervene when the British boarded Altmark in the late hours of 16 February. The boarding action led to the freeing of 299 British prisoners of war held on the German ship. The boarding party fought in hand-to-hand combat with the crew of Altmark , killing seven German sailors. Following this, the Germans sent strong protests to Norway, and
11484-542: The hunting-fishing population of the west coast. From about 1500 BC, bronze was gradually introduced. Burial cairns built close to the sea as far north as Harstad and also inland in the south are characteristic of this period, with rock carving motifs that differ from those of the Stone Age , depicting ships resembling the Hjortspring boat , while large stone burial monuments known as stone ships were also erected. There
11616-508: The invasion were to secure the port of Narvik and the Leads for ore transport, and to control the country to prevent collaboration with the Allies. It was to be presented as an armed protection of Norway's neutrality. One subject debated by German strategists was the occupation of Denmark. Denmark was considered vital because its location facilitated greater air and naval control of the area. While some wanted to simply pressure Denmark to acquiesce, it
11748-481: The king's position, and many aristocrats lost the basis for their surplus. High tithes to church made it increasingly powerful and the archbishop became a member of the Council of State . The Hanseatic League took control over Norwegian trade during the 14th century and established a trading centre in Bergen . In 1380, Olaf Haakonsson inherited both the Norwegian (as Olaf IV) and Danish thrones (as Olaf II), creating
11880-419: The king's sons to rule jointly. The Archdiocese of Nidaros was created in 1152 and attempted to control the appointment of kings. The church inevitably had to take sides in the conflicts. The wars ended in 1217 with the appointment of Håkon IV Håkonsson , who introduced clear laws of succession. From 1000 to 1300, the population increased from 150,000 to 400,000, resulting both in more land being cleared and
12012-437: The kings of Sweden and of Denmark were elected to the throne by their respective nobles. Thus Sweden and Norway were united under King Magnus VII. In 1349, the Black Death killed between 50% and 60% of Norway's population and led to a period of social and economic decline. Although the death rate was comparable with the rest of Europe, economic recovery took much longer because of the small, scattered population. Even before
12144-507: The late 10th and early 11th centuries. This is largely attributed to the missionary kings Olaf I Tryggvasson and Olaf II Haraldsson (St. Olaf). Olaf Tryggvasson conducted raids in England, including attacking London. Arriving back in Norway in 995, Olaf landed in Moster where he built a church which became the first Christian church in Norway. From Moster, Olaf sailed north to Trondheim where he
12276-509: The longest distance to travel. Although the weather did make reconnaissance difficult, the two German groups were discovered 170 km (110 mi) south of the Naze (the southernmost part of Norway) slightly after 08:00 by Royal Air Force (RAF) patrols and reported as one cruiser and six destroyers. A trailing squad of bombers sent out to attack the German ships found them 125 km (78 mi) farther north than they had been before. No damage
12408-542: The main force. The Allies initiated their plans on the following day, with 16 Allied submarines ordered to the Skagerrak and Kattegat to serve as a screen and give advance warning of a German response to Operation Wilfred, which was launched the following day when Admiral William Whitworth in HMS ; Renown set out from Scapa Flow for the Vestfjorden with twelve destroyers. On 7 April, bad weather began to develop in
12540-468: The new French prime minister, Paul Reynaud , took a more aggressive stance than his predecessor and wanted some form of action taken against Germany. Churchill was a strong agitator for action in Scandinavia because he wanted to cut Germany off from Sweden and push the Scandinavian countries to side with the United Kingdom. This initially involved a 1939 plan to penetrate the Baltic with a naval force. This
12672-632: The nights, which provided vital cover for the naval forces, were shortening as spring approached, it therefore had to be sooner. Eventually, on 2 April, the Germans set 9 April as the day of the invasion ( Wesertag ), and 04:15 (Norwegian time) as the hour of the landings ( Weserzeit ). In Norway, the German plan called for the capture of six primary targets by amphibious landings: Oslo , Kristiansand , Egersund , Bergen, Trondheim and Narvik. Additionally, supporting Fallschirmjäger (paratroops) were to capture other key locations, such as airfields at Fornebu outside Oslo and Sola outside Stavanger. The plan
12804-510: The ninth century when heading for the Faroe Islands , and eventually came across Vinland , known today as Newfoundland , in Canada. The Vikings from Norway were most active in the northern and western British Isles and eastern North America isles . According to tradition, Harald Fairhair unified them into one in 872 after the Battle of Hafrsfjord in Stavanger , thus becoming the first king of
12936-610: The north, and heavy fighters of the Luftwaffe would destroy the Danish aircraft on the ground. While there were also several naval task groups organized for this invasion, none of them had any large ships. Unescorted troopships would transport soldiers to capture the Danish High Command in Copenhagen . The following German naval forces used to invade Denmark were as organized: The Germans hoped they could avoid armed confrontation with
13068-417: The north. It had moderate success but made a rapid strategic retreat after the Battle of France began on 14 May. The Norwegian government then went into exile in London. The campaign ended with the occupation of the entirety of Norway by Germany but elements of the Norwegian military escaped and fought on overseas. Britain and France had signed military assistance treaties with Poland and two days after
13200-440: The plague, the population was only about 500,000. After the plague, many farms lay idle while the population slowly increased. However, the few surviving farms' tenants found their bargaining positions with their landlords greatly strengthened. King Magnus VII ruled Norway until 1350, when his son, Haakon, was placed on the throne as Haakon VI . In 1363, Haakon married Margaret , daughter of King Valdemar IV of Denmark . Upon
13332-519: The planned landings put immense French pressure on Neville Chamberlain's British government, and eventually led to the Allies laying mines off the Norwegian coast on 8 April. The German high command originally thought that having Norway remain neutral was in its interest. As long as the Allies did not enter Norwegian waters, there would be safe passage for merchant vessels transporting ore via Norwegian coastal waters to Germany. Großadmiral Erich Raeder, however, argued for an invasion. He believed that
13464-501: The purchase of another DC-3 and a Douglas DC-4 . The latter only remained in use for two years. The airline also bought a helicopter, a Hiller 360 , bought in 1954 which crashed on its inaugural flight. It was registered as LN-FOG, and since all of the airline's registration codes started with FO. In addition to Fornebu, FOF established a base at Copenhagen Airport , which was especially important for cargo operations. The airline took order of two Vickers Viscounts in 1955, thus becoming
13596-423: The region, blanketing the area with thick fog and causing rough seas, making travel difficult. Renown ' s force was soon caught in a heavy snowstorm, and HMS Glowworm , one of the destroyer escorts, had to drop out of formation to search for a man swept overboard. The weather aided the Germans, providing a screen for their forces, and in the early morning they sent out Gruppe 1 and Gruppe 2 , which had
13728-489: The reign of Charles III John brought some significant social and political reforms. In 1854, women won the right to inherit property. In 1863, the last trace of keeping unmarried women in the status of minors was removed. Furthermore, women were eligible for different occupations, particularly the common school teacher. By mid-century, Norway's democracy was limited; voting was limited to officials, property owners, leaseholders and burghers of incorporated towns. Norway remained
13860-618: The residents of both countries, and their troops were instructed to fire only if fired upon. The German forces used in the campaign were some 120,000 troops in seven divisions and one Fallschirmjäger battalion, as well as panzer and artillery units. Most of the Kriegsmarine 's major units were also earmarked for the campaign. The Luftwaffe's 10th Air Corps deployed against Norway consisted of 1,000 aircraft, including 500 transport planes and 186 Heinkel He 111 bombers. The Norwegian Armed Forces fielded around 55,000 combatants involved in
13992-584: The resistance of the Norwegian military to the country's invasion by Nazi Germany in World War II . Planned as Operation Wilfred and Plan R 4 , while the German attack was feared but had not yet happened, the battlecruiser HMS Renown set out from Scapa Flow for Vestfjorden with twelve destroyers on 4 April. The Royal Navy and the Kriegsmarine met at the first and second naval battles of Narvik on 10 and 13 April, and British forces conducted
14124-418: The rest of Europe. Eventually restored as a kingdom (albeit in legislative union with Denmark) in 1661, Norway saw its land area decrease in the 17th century with the loss of the provinces Båhuslen , Jemtland , and Herjedalen to Sweden, as the result of a number of disastrous wars with Sweden. In the north, its territory was increased by the acquisition of the northern provinces of Troms and Finnmark , at
14256-626: The same year. The Viscounts were supplemented with three Curtiss C-46 Commandos in 1957, which were first overhauled in Italy. This allowed all but one C-47 to be sold. The Curtisses were predominantly used in the cargo market, and common operation was the hauling of flowers to Norway. Two of the aircraft were wet leased to SAS from 1959 to operate their freight flights. The Viscounts were largely reserved for passenger charter, and most commonly leased to Air France and SAS. The latter used them regularly on their flights to Northern Norway and painted some of
14388-459: The strength of Nazi forces. Following protracted negotiations between 25 September and 20 November 1939, the Norwegians agreed to charter 150 tankers , as well as other ships with a tonnage of 450,000 gross tons. The Norwegian government's concern for the country's supply lines played an important role in persuading them to accept the agreement. Norway, although neutral, was considered strategically important for both sides for several reasons. First
14520-530: The subdivision of farms. While in the Viking Age farmers owned their own land, by 1300, seventy per cent of the land was owned by the king, the church, or the aristocracy, and about twenty per cent of yields went to these landowners. The 14th century is described as Norway's golden age , with peace and increase in trade, especially with the British Islands, although Germany became increasingly important towards
14652-571: The third century. By the time of the first historical records of Scandinavia, about the 8th century, several small political entities existed in Norway. It has been estimated that there were nine petty realms in Western Norway during the early Viking Age . Archaeologist Bergljot Solberg on this basis estimates that there would have been at least 20 in the whole country. In the Viking period, Norwegian Viking explorers discovered Iceland by accident in
14784-474: The third in early 1947. FOF and DNL started an operations cooperation in early 1947, but this lasted for only a year, when FOF withdrew and DNL shifted to cooperate in the Scandinavian Airlines System . Since FOF focused exclusively on the passenger and freight charter market. In April and May 1952 the airline experienced two write-off incidents, causing a shortage of aircraft and crew, resulting in
14916-452: The throne of Norway and Sweden in 1818 and reigned to 1844. He protected the constitution and liberties of Norway and Sweden during the age of Metternich . As such, he was regarded as a liberal monarch. However, he was ruthless in his use of paid informers, secret police and restrictions on the freedom of the press to put down public movements for reform—especially the Norwegian national independence movement. The Romantic Era that followed
15048-494: The traditional dominant view, the first component was originally norðr , a cognate of English north , so the full name was Norðr vegr , "the way northwards", referring to the sailing route along the Norwegian coast, and contrasting with suðrvegar "southern way" (from Old Norse suðr ) for (Germany), and austrvegr "eastern way" (from austr ) for the Baltic . The earliest traces of human occupation in Norway are found along
15180-468: The two sides occurred the next morning without either side's intention. Glowworm , on her way to rejoin Renown , happened to come up behind Z11 Bernd von Arnim and then Z18 Hans Lüdemann in the heavy fog around 08:00 on 8 April. Immediately a skirmish broke out and the German destroyers fled, signalling for help. The request was soon answered by Admiral Hipper , which quickly crippled Glowworm . During
15312-445: The warring countries. The first such violations were the sinkings in Norwegian territorial waters of several British ships by German U-boats . In the following months, aircraft from all the belligerents violated Norwegian neutrality. Almost immediately after the outbreak of war, the British began pressuring the Norwegian government to provide them with the services of the Norwegian merchant navy, being in dire need of shipping to oppose
15444-572: The whole country in early 1940. Most of DNL's pilots fled to the United Kingdom to support the Allied forces . During the war the Norwegian Aviation Board had been established with a combination of public and private representatives. Following liberation in May 1945, negotiations started concerning the re-establishment of civilian aviation, where Thomas Olsen participated. These lasted until early 1946 and concluded with that Norway should establish
15576-626: Was a Utopian socialist who in 1848 organised a labour society in Drammen . In just a few months, this society had a membership of 500 and was publishing its own newspaper. Within two years, 300 societies had been organised all over Norway, with a total membership of 20,000 drawn from the lower classes of both urban and rural areas. In the end, the revolt was easily crushed; Thrane was captured and jailed. In 1898, all men were granted universal suffrage , followed by all women in 1913. Christian Michelsen , Prime Minister of Norway from 1905 to 1907, played
15708-545: Was designed to quickly overwhelm the Norwegian defenders and occupy these vital areas before any form of organized resistance could be mounted. The following forces were thus organized: Additionally, the battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau would escort Gruppe 1 and Gruppe 2 as they travelled together, and there would also be several echelons of transports carrying additional troops, fuel and equipment. Against Denmark, two motorized brigades would capture bridges and troops; paratroops would capture Aalborg airfield in
15840-469: Was eventually determined that it would be safer for the operation if Denmark were captured by force. Another matter that caused additional reworking of the plan was Fall Gelb , the proposed invasion of northern France and the Low Countries , which would require the bulk of German forces. Because some forces were needed for both invasions, Weserübung could not occur at the same time as Gelb , and because
15972-496: Was in a personal union with Sweden. Norway was neutral during the First World War , and in the Second World War until April 1940 when it was invaded and occupied by Nazi Germany until the end of the war. Harald V of the House of Glücksburg is the current King of Norway . Jonas Gahr Støre has been Prime Minister of Norway since 2021. As a unitary state with a constitutional monarchy , Norway divides state power between
16104-574: Was inflicted by the attack, but the German group's strength was reassessed as being one battlecruiser, two cruisers and ten destroyers. Because of a strict enforcement of radio silence , the bombers were not able to report this until 17:30. On learning of the German movement, the Admiralty came to the conclusion that the Germans were attempting to break the blockade that the Allies had placed on Germany and use their fleet to disrupt Atlantic trade routes . Admiral Sir Charles Forbes , Commander-in-Chief of
16236-440: Was lifted in 1949, while price controls and rationing of housing and cars continued until 1960. German invasion of Norway Nazi Germany occupies Norway Asia-Pacific Mediterranean and Middle East Other campaigns Coups Finland Iceland Norway The Norwegian campaign (8 April – 10 June 1940) involved the attempt by Allied forces to defend northern Norway coupled with
16368-408: Was one revolt under Knut Alvsson in 1502. Norway took no part in the events which led to Swedish independence from Denmark in the 1520s. Upon the death of King Haakon V in 1319, Magnus Eriksson , at just three years old, inherited the throne as King Magnus VII. A simultaneous movement to make Magnus King of Sweden proved successful (he was a grandson of King Magnus Ladulås of Sweden), and both
16500-409: Was overruled by his superior, Admiral Henry Diesen , and she was escorted through. Per Norwegian neutrality regulations, government ships operated by the warring countries were forbidden from such strategically important Norwegian ports. This violation of the regulations was because Diesen feared that the British would intercept Altmark if she was forced to sail further out. On 16 February, Altmark
16632-403: Was placed in charge of its planning and in command of the land-based forces. The official approval for the invasion and occupation of Denmark and Norway was signed by Hitler on 1 March. With the end of the Winter War, the Allies determined that any occupation of Norway or Sweden would likely do more harm than good, possibly driving the neutral countries into an alliance with Germany. However,
16764-623: Was proclaimed King of Norway by the Eyrathing in 995. One of the most important sources for the history of the 11th century Vikings is the treaty between the Icelanders and Olaf II Haraldsson, king of Norway circa 1015 to 1028. Feudalism never really developed in Norway or Sweden, as it did in the rest of Europe. However, the administration of government took on a very conservative feudal character. The Hanseatic League forced royalty to cede to them greater and greater concessions over foreign trade and
16896-599: Was soon changed to a plan involving the mining of Norwegian waters to stop iron ore shipments from Narvik and provoke Germany into attacking Norway, where it could be defeated by the Royal Navy . It was agreed to use Churchill's naval mining plan, Operation Wilfred , designed to remove the sanctuary of the Leads and force transport ships into international waters, where the Royal Navy could engage and destroy them. Accompanying this would be Plan R 4 , an operation where, upon almost certain German counteraction to Operation Wilfred,
17028-482: Was spotted by three British aircraft. This led the Royal Navy to send one light cruiser and five destroyers that were patrolling nearby. Under the attack of two British destroyers (HMS Ivanhoe and Intrepid ), Altmark fled into the Jøssingfjord. She was escorted by the Norwegian torpedo boat Skarv . She was joined later in the fjord by a second – Kjell – and the patrol boat Firern . As HMS Cossack entered
17160-575: Was the importance of iron ore from Sweden – upon which Germany depended – exported through the Norwegian port of Narvik . This route was especially important in the winter months when much of the Baltic Sea was frozen over. Narvik became of greater significance to the British when it became apparent that Operation Catherine , a plan to gain control of the Baltic Sea, would not be realized. Großadmiral Erich Raeder had pointed out several times in 1939
17292-450: Was unprepared for the German surprise attack (see: Battle of Drøbak Sound , Norwegian Campaign , and Invasion of Norway ), military and naval resistance lasted for two months. Norwegian armed forces in the north launched an offensive against the German forces in the Battles of Narvik , but were forced to surrender on 10 June after losing British support which had been diverted to France during
17424-564: Was wielded by the leader of the German occupation authority, Josef Terboven . Quisling, as minister president , later formed a collaborationist government under German control . Up to 15,000 Norwegians volunteered to fight in German units, including the Waffen-SS . Many Norwegians and persons of Norwegian descent joined the Allied forces as well as the Free Norwegian Forces . In June 1940,
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