How heroes outwitted collaborators in Nazi-occupied Norway

Butthe1,536whoobedientlyregisteredstayedoninthehopethatthingswouldn’tgetanyworse,andforacoupleofyearsthatappearedtobethecase. InMarch1942Quisling’sadministrationstartedtotightenthescrewsbyreinstatingaparagraphoftheconstitutionof1814prohibitingJewsfromenteringNorway,whichhadbeenrescindedin1851.AsFerguson,aBritishauthorlongresidentinNorway,writes:“AtastroketheparagraphmadethemerepresenceofJewsinNorwayacriminaloffence.” ThelastnailinthecoffincameinOctober1942withafailedattemptbyresistancememberstogetagroupofJewsoutofNorwaybytraintoSwedenthatendedwithaborderpolicemanbeingshotdead.ThatprovidedtheexcusetostartroundingupallmaleJewsovertheageof15,swiftlyfollowedbywomen,children,thesickandelderly.NearlyhalfofNorway’sJewsweredeportedbyseatoPolandandAuschwitz. ButsincetheNazishadoccupiedtheircountry,manybraveNorwegianshadjoinedtheresistanceandtwogroupsformedtotrytorescueasmanyoftheremainingJewsaspossibleandhelpthemtofleethecount