“Hei, I remember hearing some talk about eight men from the fishing vessel Brattholm at the Gestapo headquarters,” he said just loud enough for the other prisoners to hear.
“But those men were in the service. They wouldn’t execute them.”
“Oh, wouldn’t they? When did the Gestapo ever follow the laws of society?”
“I pity those men. MÅ Gud bevare dem,” may God protect them, a rough, trembling voice added.
“Ruhe!” Silence! A Gestapo officer cocked his gun and came closer.
The strenuous work of digging the large grave continued in silence. The deep snow was shoveled away to enable them to break up the heavy marsh soil. The frost lay shallow because of the heavy snow, and yet it took real strength to hack with their spades at the intertwined roots. The Gestapo and their loaded machine guns made the prisoners uneasy. One could never be too sure of what would set the soldiers off. The prisoners’ conversation had made them more alert.
Once the gaping hole had been readied, the prisoners removed the snow from one edge of the grave. The Gestapo wanted it cleared twenty-five feet back to where the executioners would stand to give them a full view of the edge of the grave. The soldiers did some trial shooting and found all to be satisfactory. The shots unnerved several of the younger prisoners. Some tensed, others grabbed hold of a comrade’s arm, while others who turned pale had to be steadied by their buddies.
“Take it easy, we’ll be all right!” encouraged an emaciated, tall prisoner.
Earlier in the day the Gestapo had instructed the men that they were to remain until after the execution to cover up the corpses. Instead, when the grave had been dug in the late afternoon, the Gestapo hustled them down the hill and back into the truck that had brought them to GrønnÅsen. The temperate April spring day sent sporadic rays of sunshine through the back of the truck. Nearing the center, the streets filled with run-off from the melted snows and brief sun breaks warmed the day.
When they reached Skippergata in downtown Tromsø, another truck with a tarpaulin cover fastened to the iron frame covering the truck bed approached. The eight Brattholm men and their executioners sat inside. Silence fell over the prisoners who had been forced to dig their graves.
Earlier in the day the eight Brattholm prisoners had been brought up from the basement in Bankgaten 13, Gestapo headquarters. Police officer Edvin Wikan watched, heavy-hearted, a short distance away. Gestapo soldiers ordered the cluster of men into the waiting truck. Wikan had watched such happenings before and surmised something dreadful was about to take place, though he did not know what. The prisoners were chained together two by two, some with cow chains, and others with thick cords.
The Brattholm men had been ordered to walk barefoot. At the last moment the Gestapo changed their directives. The truck with the prisoners would be parked a good distance away from the rifle range, and most likely they would encounter passersby on the long walk. The Gestapo did not want to appear cruel. The prisoners’ wrists were linked together, the right arm of one to the left of the next. Because of the torture inflicted on them during the last 48 hours, some had difficulty walking. Their comrades helped them along.
It was nearing 8 p.m. by the time the prisoners began their walk to the rifle range. The soldiers threw their capes over the prisoners so the chains would not be visible to other pedestrians. Harassed and fatigued by their treatment, the prisoners trudged through the spring thaw. They carried their private burdens heroically. All knew death was imminent. What they did not know was what had befallen their other four friends. They would have gloried in knowing that one had escaped, Jan Baalsrud.
At the Tromsø rifle range, the Gestapo ordered the Brattholm men lined up in a row with their backs to the open grave. One Gestapo officer felt they moved too slowly.
“Schnell! Schnell!” Quick! Quick!, he pushed a prisoner with his rifle butt.
Some twenty-five feet in front of them the executioners lined up and readied their rifles. They took aim and fired a few rounds. The cracking shots resounded several times among the nearby hills.
Ordered by the Gestapo to be present, Sheriff Hoel observed the execution. As the sheriff watched his countrymen fall, he agonized over the telephone call he’d made only a couple of days earlier – the call which took so many lives.
Most of the men were shot in the abdomen and doubled up with pain as the bullets hit their mark. Those who fell pulled the others down with them, chained together as they were. Those who did not fall down into the grave were kicked over the edge, dead or not. The agony remained on their frozen faces as they laid helter skelter in the large black cavity prepared for them in the marshes. A load of Russian prisoners was brought in to cover their tortured bodies with the black soil.
The Brattholm men gave all for Norway and freedom. All had eagerly returned to Norway to take part in her fight for freedom. There were no flower-strewn caskets or platted wreaths or garlands for these young men. Instead, their sacrifice was dignified and majestic. There had been no whimpering or self-pity among them. They had chosen their work, and they knew the odds. To them a free Norway was worth even life itself, and in the end that is what they gave.
St. Elizabeth Hospital, Tromsø, April 2, 1943: By mid-morning the day following his arrest, Moursund was yanked from his cell and taken by car down the hilly snow-covered streets of Tromsø. All too fast, the colorful, individually constructed wooden row homes, some still with snow piled high in front, passed by them as the car sped up and down the winding streets. The sound of the tire chains hitting the car frame brought back many happy wintertime memories to Moursund. White-clad, snow-bedecked mountains surrounded the city he loved.
The black car he rode in turned a corner and rumbled down Strandgaten. Moursund’s blood chilled. They were heading down the cobblestone street leading to the Tromsø hospital, where a transmitter had been installed in the hospital’s tower. Moursund assumed the Germans had located it. To his amazement, the car did not stop, but continued some distance and turned in to St. Elizabeth Hospital. When he was ushered from the car up the cement steps leading to the hospital, bewilderment swept over him like a sudden wind gust. He could not have known Kneiser was setting one of his shrewd traps. The Gestapo led Moursund down pale green hospital corridors into a dimly lit small room of the same color. The room held only one bed.
Kneiser pushed Moursund forward and he was brought face to face with the patient in the bed. The man had an extremely deformed face and a deathlike pallor, making it difficult to tell his age. The patient, it was obvious, had been through a harrowing experience. He just lay there and moaned. Moursund wondered why he was brought here. To be shown what was in store for him and Knudsen? The patient’s face seemed to lighten as if he recognized Moursund. His cheekbones were a dark bluish-green, and he had difficulty seeing through his swollen eyelids. His slurred speech made it difficult for Moursund to understand his words.
Abruptly, as Moursund scrutinized the man, he came to the ghastly realization that he knew this beaten, mishandled being. Four months had passed since he last saw his face, but this had to be him. It was Erik Reichelt!
Reichelt tried to speak but could not be understood. He was offered some water through a straw, and he tried again. He motioned to Moursund to come closer to him. Kneiser moved in at the same time. The swollen lips began to move as Reichelt exerted all his efforts to share these last important words with his friend.
“It was not I who betrayed you, Kaare,” he groaned and closed his swollen eyes.
Kneiser’s trap had worked. He now had the proof that Reichelt and Moursund knew each other. Moursund was taken back to prison. Reichelt died the following day, April 3, 1943.
Tromsø, April 5, 1943: The Gestapo tortured a prisoner at their headquarters in Bankgaten 13, a prisoner who had illegally listened to a radio transmission from London. He had received blows to the face and kicks to the groin from the man with the flounder face. He ended up in one of the cells in the basement. The cell door
suddenly was kicked open, and two men were tossed on the dirt floor and the cell door slammed shut. The new prisoners were half-brothers Jernberg Kristiansen and Sedolf Andreassen who had offered to hide Brattholm’s provisions. Haakon Sørensen gave their names to the Brattholm men and then to the Gestapo.
A few minutes passed and their cellar door flung open with a clang once again. The soldiers cocked their machine guns and pointed them straight at the two, as if they were going to shoot. The half brothers struggled to their feet as best they could and huddled together in their corner. The other prisoner grew angry at such inhumane treatment, and he pulled at the half-brothers’ clothes in his effort to calm these bewildered men.
“If they shoot you men, they will have to kill all of us,” he shouted.
The soldiers grabbed the door and pulled it shut behind them. These two resolute fishermen had been torn away from their peaceful existence and thrown into the lion’s den. They endured bestial torture and several hours of interrogation. Following Schmidt’s treatment, all they revealed was that they had been offered 3000 kroner and some coffee in return for helping the men of Brattholm.
Reichskommissar Josef Terboven
On May 8, 1945, the war ended and Norway was liberated. The Gestapo officers in Tromsø were taken prisoner, and in the late summer of 1945, they were ordered to GrønnÅsen Rifle Range to unearth the executed Brattholm men. When they neared the victims as they dug, the Gestapo officers were forced to lay down their shovels and use their bare hands so as not to damage the bodies. Before the Norwegians were placed in their caskets, they were cleaned by the Gestapos.
Graves are opened
The Gestapo was ordered to excavate the graves
A view of the mass graves
Two men linked together with cow chains
Their suffering was still evident
The bodies are removed by the Gestapo
The bodies were washed and readied, and placed in their caskets by the Gestapo
FALLEN
Per Blindheim, Ålesund, Norway
Killed at Toftefjord, March 30, 1943.
EXECUTED AT TROMSØ RIFLE RANGE APRIL 1, 1943
Bjørn Norman Bolstad, Solbergfoss pr. Askim, Norway
Gabriel Salvesen, Farsund, Norway
Magnus Johan Kvalvik, Husøy i Solund, Norway
Sverre Odd Kvernhellen, Husøy i Solund, Norway
Harald Peter Ratvik, Borgund pr.Ålesund, Norway
Frithjof M. Haugland, Norway
Sjur Ludvigsen Trovaag, Kalgras i Ytre Sogn, Norway
Alfred A. Vik, Øystesø, Kvam i Hordaland, Norway
DIED AT ST. ELIZABETH’S HOSPITAL
FROM GUNSHOT WOUNDS AND TORTURE
Sigurd Eskeland, Risør, Norway
Erik Reichelt, Tønsberg, Norway
A TRIUMPHANT FIND
TOFTEFJORD, MARCH 30, 1943: The attack on Brattholm in Toftefjord was an extraordinary coup for the Germans. That is why they rewarded the informers with both food and spirits. In addition, the killing of one of the commandos, Per Blindheim, and the capture of ten prisoners made the triumph especially sweet.
Brattholm’s explosion tossed wreckage in every direction. The only thing remaining intact was the attaché case with the top-secret material. The attaché case was the one thing the saboteurs were to keep out of German hands at all costs. When the Germans saw it splash undamaged back down into the fjord, they quickly lowered a small rowboat off the warship and rowed out to recover it from the water. At that time even the Germans did not know how very successful their assault had been.
From the German Archives we learned that the attaché case contained numerous documents with secret information. The Germans had the Brattholm documents translated and scrutinized thoroughly. Analyses and reports were sent to several sources within two days. In addition to the recovered attaché case, the Gestapo interrogated and tortured eight of the Brattholm prisoners at the Gestapo headquarters in Tromsø. Two others were wounded and had been admitted to St. Elizabeth Hospital. They were also tortured. The Gestapo used every method available in their efforts to understand all that was happening around them.
Tromsø, April 1, 1943: A report was sent out. The exact translation follows:
SECRET COMMANDO WORK.
From GENERAL COMMANDER IN TROMSØ TO A.O.K.Ic:
“Evaluation of sabotage-fishing vessel in Toftesund, Toftefjord Sound:
12 men were aboard, all Norwegian under the leadership of Lieutenant Eskeland from Risør, (southern Norway), among them five seamen, all had a six-month training at sabotage school, including training as paratroopers.
Additionally four fishing vessels headed south from Tromsø in the direction of Bergen, among them were probably the fishing vessel Trondheim that was discovered empty in Trondheimsfjord March 22.
All the fishing vessels came from Shetland.
Assignment: To build up sabotage organizations that would take actions against military bases, battery positions, billets, chief of staff quarters, and bridges. Following a three months period of accomplishments, executing-on-command, and at the same time carrying out planned sabotage activities.
Arrangement to stockpile the sabotage supplies were made.
A few addresses of Norwegians willing to offer assistance were found. In that connection necessary steps are being taken.
Ten maps with military bases were noted. Five planned military camps with transcript or photos will follow via air with the quartermaster. Evaluation has already begun. Further information show planned arson, sabotage actions, silent executions and the use of chemicals to attain temperature fluctuations. The Gestapo’s initiatives will continue. Much more information is likely.
Preliminary information also to be found at Bds. and Ast.
Own interpretation: A full scale invasion in Norway is not likely within the next three months, thereafter waves of sabotage actions, and attacks are possible.”
General Commander LXXI.X.K.
Ic nr. 69/43 g. Kdos.
The Germans feared a surprise full-scale invasion in northern Norway. They had obtained the names and addresses of Kaare Moursund and Tor Knudsen, the resistance leaders in Tromsø. Moursund and Knudsen were picked up in their homes during the evening of April 1. Erik Reichelt was tortured the following afternoon, proving he spoke the truth when he groaned, “It was not I that betrayed you, Kaare.”
The same sender in the German General Commando squad sent an additional report to the same addressee:
Evaluation sabotage vessel, Toftesund:
26 maps confiscated and eleven situation reports, whereof five have sketched outlines, nine maps from Geographical Section Staff Nr. 4090 1: 00000, conveying Norwegian county charts 1:200000. Primarily maps of established territory reported, and some summary maps of Sweden, the latter probably because of the escape routes to Sweden.
General Commander LKKI.A.K.
Ic Nr. 148/43 III. Ang.
Tromsø, April 6, 1943: A third report was sent out:
SECRET
To the leader of the Air Force North/East.
Concerning sabotage vessel Toftesund.
Conf.: Tlf.-conversation Captain Treppe/Lieutenant Colonel Langbein v.6.4
1: Following a report from a Norwegian an enemy vessel was seized by own minesweeper in Toftefjord 30.3 around 5 p.m. As it neared, the vessel was blown up. The crew was seized, and overpowered following a shooting battle.
Of the 12 men, two killed, ten taken prisoner, of which two were wounded.
2: The Norwegian Navy sent the vessel out from Scalloway. Armaments two machine guns, two machine guns hidden in barrel, in addition four machine guns, six machine pistols, four cases of egg-hand grenades, 1000 kilos explosives, one small hand radio-transmitter. The leader aboard the vessel was a Norwegian Lieutenant.
3: The purpose was to build an organization for sabotage actions against military bases, battery positions, military staff and troop quarters, and bridges. The Administration was in London.
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Build up of the organization over a 2-3 month period. Stockpiling the sabotage material was planned. The seized maps presumably showed the operation territory for the troops between Porsanger and Narvik. In this area certain sketches showed diverse German Military bases and road and railway junctions on the mainland, VesterÅlen and Lofoten Islands. Four other vessels with saboteurs aboard are supposed to land between Tromsø and Bergen.
The General Commander stated that ten men were taken prisoners, two of these were wounded, Reichelt and Eskeland. They knew that there had been 12 men aboard Brattholm, and that one was dead, Per Blindheim. They were not quite sure of the last man, was he dead or had he been able to escape? After all, this man had killed a German officer up in the ravine.
In another document, the Germans presented another version of the twelfth man:
General Commander LXXI.A.K.A.
Dept. Ic Ax: BV/2
Nr.143/43 Secret.
Conc. Sabotage vessel Toftesund.
To the Army High Command Norway/Ic
Oslo.
—The escape of the crew from the fishing vessel was prevented by machine gun fire and hand rifles. One man was killed, one man seriously wounded and another man more lightly wounded. One member was killed in the explosion. The Gestapo took prisoners all together ten Norwegians, among them two wounded—
—The mine sweeper brought the survivors back to Tromsø, and were taken into custody by the Gestapo. Another search on 31 March did not reveal any additional enemy positions and contacts between the Norwegians on the islands of Rebbenesøy and Hersøy and the saboteurs.–
According to this report, the twelfth man had blown himself up together with Brattholm. And Per Blindheim was dead. The ten survivors were brought to Tromsø, and with this explanation the German High Command had been able to account for all the men aboard Brattholm.
The Germans took the information revealed from the attaché case quite seriously. From another report we read:
The 12th Man Page 9
