The Occupation in Norway

Founded in 1911, Oslo University (the only University in Norway), benefits from the generosity of the public authorities; in spite of the financial restrictions resulting from the war, the necessary grants were accorded it in view of a complete reorganisation. An entire group of new buildings was constructed in the suburbs of Oslo, including modern institutes and laboratories, among which was an institute of theoretical astrophysics, the cost of which was covered by the Rockefeller Foundation.

In January, 1941, came the first attempt to eliminate a professor. The new constitution once more reduced the age limit for staff from 70 to 65. The head of the Department should himself decide if a member of the staff who had attained this age should keep his post. This ruling applied equally to the professors of the University. Professor K. E. Schreiber, head of the University Institute of Anatomy, was the first to be affected by this measure. His successor was to be the Protector of the Institute, a party member.

Eighty professors, 140 assistants, and likewise members of the Students' Union openly signified that they would stop work if the measure were applied to the University. The department gave way. Schreiber's successor abandoned his University activities to become Secretary of the Society of Norwegian Doctors.

February '41 brought a fresh conflict. The Ministry of Culture and Education had struck off the rolls a series of examiners in law. They were to be replaced by new lawyers. The protests of the Faculty of Law professors and students secured the withdrawal of this order.

In September '41 a state of emergency was declared, on the pretext of "attempts at Marxist and Communist agitation." A meeting of professors and undergraduates was organised in the University aula under an S.S. guard. A partisan of the Germans announced the replacement of the Rector Seip by Skancke. A tribunal was to judge all those who refused to submit to the new order. The Quisling press announced that the University would become "a temple of truth and justice" after having been a hide-out of reactionaries.

Professor Seip, A. W. Brogger (Professor of History), Otto Louis Mohr (Professor of Medicine) and Professor Schreiber were sent to Grini. Prof. Seip, who was set free from the concentration camp at the beginning of 1943, nevertheless has not been permitted to leave Germany. Skancke nominated Prof. Hoel "vice-rector." The other professors openly announced that they regarded Hoel as nothing more than a representative of the National-Socialist party at the head of the University. Regarded by many as less dangerous than his extremist colleague, Klaus Hau, he was, however, nominated rector at the end of 1942.

Some people then proposed boycotting a university which had become, as it were, a party-barracks. But they renounced this, not through fear of reprisals, but from reluctance to abandon so important an institution.

At this time the Nazis founded the "Students' Union." Nevertheless, all attempts to make membership of this society obligatory failed.

In the summer of '42 arose a discussion on admission. Just as members of the National-Socialist party had been exempted from entrance examinations to the university at the beginning of '41, Nazi circles were now seeking to modify conditions of entrance to other big schools and to the faculties of medicine and pharmacy. In the summer of '42 a great struggle commenced. The authorities' intentions had now become clear. The dismissal of the Rector was accompanied by a reform of the regulations which let it be understood that the nomination of professors and the admission of students would depend on their political attitude. After a protest from the professors and under the guise of a reply, the Rector submitted a plan for new regulations. These, which had previously been discussed by the chief National Socialists, allowed 50 extra marks to those who had served in the Waffen S.S. or the Quisling Legion, 10-30 marks to those who had belonged to the New Norway Group, 5-10 marks to those who had volunteered for work days. The reason given was that members of the Nationalist movement or of the forces of the Reich ought to be recompensed because they had given evidence of their devotion to a constructive cause.

(To be concluded in our next issue.)