Carl Gustav Fleischer
Encyclopedia
Carl Gustav Fleischer KCB
(28 December 1883 – 19 December 1942) was a Norwegian
general and the first land commander to win a major victory against the Germans
in the Second World War
. Having followed the Norwegian government into exile at the end of the Norwegian Campaign, Fleischer committed suicide after being bypassed with regards to the post as commander-in-chief of the Norwegian Armed Forces in exile and being sent to the insignificant post as commander of Norwegian forces in Canada.
Rectory
(now Roan
) in Sør-Trøndelag
as the son of the Church of Norway
pastor
Carl Edvard Fleischer (1843–1885) and Johanne Sophie Fergstad (1850–1926). After his father died, Fleischer moved with his mother to grow up in Trondheim
. His childhood home was one characterized by Christianity
, simplicity
and frugality
.
His family had migrated from Elbing
in East Prussia
to Norway, first with Tobias Fleischer (1630–1690) who found a position in Kongsberg
. The current linaege is descended from Tobias' nephew Herman Reinhold Fleischer (1656–1712), who also had notable children in Denmark. Carl Gustav Fleischer was a descendant of Herman's son Philip Johan Fleischer (1699–1763). Notable relatives include Philip's brother Baltzer Fleischer
and grandnephew Palle Rømer Fleischer
, and Carl Gustav's brother, bishop Andreas Fleischer
. Carl Gustav Fleischer was also a more distant relative of Carl August Fleischer
, Nanna Fleischer
, Agnes Fleischer
and August Fleischer
.
Carl Gustav Fleischer married Antonie Charlotte Hygen (1888–1947) in 1919 in Kristiania
.
In his spare time Fleischer enjoyed watercolor painting
and trout
fishing.
and graduated as the second best student in 1905. The academy instilled in young Fleischer a strong belief in that the first task of a military officer was to defend his country and that regulations were to be considered standing orders in critical situations.
In 1917 Fleischer made the rank of captain.
In 1919-1923 he was the staff officer of the Norwegian 6th Division before becoming Commanding Officer of Infantry Regiment 14 (IR 14) in Mosjøen
. While serving in North Norway Fleischer became an avid writer of military manuals and worked continually on developing the Norwegian Defence Force
s in line with the special prerequisites caused by the Norwegian nature and society.
From 1909 to 1933 he held various positions in the Norwegian General Staff. In addition he served as a captain in the Norwegian Royal Guards
in 1926-1929, chief of the Commanding General's staff of adjutant
s in 1933-1934 and as a teacher at the Norwegian Defence Staff College in 1928-1934. He also edited the military journal Norsk Militært Tidsskrift
. During his time at the General Staff Fleischer warned of the possibility of a surprise attack on central areas of Norway. He also stated that the best way of confronting such an attack was a combination of defending coastal outposts while the main forces mobilised in rear areas in the interior of the country.
In 1930 he was promoted to the rank of major, and in 1934 became a colonel, assuming command of the Sør-Hålogaland Regiment (Infantry Regiment 14).
(generalmajor
) and Commanding Officer of the Norwegian 6th Division, the position that would lead him to become the first allied general to defeat the Wehrmacht
in a head-on land confrontation. January 1940 saw Fleischer appointed by royal resolution as commander-in-chief of North Norway in case of war.
After the Winter War
between Finland
and Russia
broke out in November 1939 the 6th Division was mobilised and Fleischer repeatedly took the initiative to encourage the Norwegian government to increase the country's military readiness in North Norway. Included amongst these initiatives were wide-ranging measures against the region's communists
. Fleischer's distrust of the Soviet Union
continued to show itself throughout the following Norwegian Campaign
in 1940, when he kept substantial forces at the Soviet border in eastern Finnmark
despite a desperate need of reinforcements at the front line at Narvik
against Maj. Gen. Eduard Dietl
's Gebirgsjäger
forces.
In 1940, following the German invasion of Norway
General Fleischer was appointed commander-in-chief of the Norwegian armed forces in North Norway. At the time of the attack on 9 April 1940 Fleischer was at Vadsø
in Finnmark as part of an inspection journey together with his chief-of-staff, Major Odd Lindbäck-Larsen
. When message of the invasion reached him the area was in middle of a ferocious blizzard. Due to the extreme weather Fleischer could not leave Vadsø either by Hurtigruten
ship or naval aircraft
, and had to stay overnight. County Governor of Finnmark Hans Gabrielsen invited Fleischer to stay at the governor's mansion. After discussing the situation with Gabrielsen, Fleischer managed to set off for Tromsø
the next day, arriving there by M.F.11 naval aircraft after flying in terrible conditions. From Tromsø he issued orders for a total civilian and military mobilization and declared Northern Norway a theatre of war
. He handed over most of the civilian powers to the respective County Governors in Troms
and Finnmark, Hans Gabrielsen taking all civilian power in Northern Norway after the death of the County Governor of Troms a few days after the invasion. Fleischer's strategic plan was to first wipe out the German forces at Narvik and then transfer his division to Nordland
to meet a German advance from Trøndelag
. Fleischer valued offensive actions against enemy forces, using the unique nature of the Norwegian terrain to carry out attacks against an enemy's flanks and rear. General Fleischer had already in 1934 opposed the concept of fighting delaying actions while waiting for Allied reinforcements, a tactic on which General Otto Ruge
relied during his defence of the vital Eastern Norway region.
Narvik was the first major allied infantry victory in the Second World War. Unfortunately for the Norwegians, following the German invasion of France and the Low Countries
on 10 May 1940, the Allied task force was withdrawn in early June. Without the support from the Allies, the Norwegian Army alone would not be able to defend its positions and a capitulation agreement for mainland Norway was signed. The Germans reoccupied Narvik on 9 June.
As the Norwegian forces in mainland Norway were about to surrender, General Fleischer was ordered to follow King Haakon VII
and the Cabinet Nygaardsvold
into exile in the United Kingdom, having been made commander of the Norwegian army in exile on 7 June 1940.
, General Fleischer quickly built up a Norwegian infantry brigade based in Dumfries
, Scotland
from June 1940. However, he soon got at odds with the Norwegian political leadership in exile due to his strong headed attitudes and unwillingness to compromise. He also became controversial in factions of the cabinet due to his support of British commando raids
on the Norwegian coast, even stating his willingness to personally participate in the attacks on the German occupying forces in Norway
. While stationed in the UK, he received a number of allied awards. Among these were the Polish Virtuti Militari
for bravery, the French Croix de guerre
, and appointment by the British as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
.
Most likely because of a personal antagonism due to this fact, General Fleischer was bypassed when the exile government of prime minister Johan Nygaardsvold
in 1942 decided to recreate the post of commander-in-chief of the Norwegian Armed Forces
.
This post had existed temporarily during the 1940 campaign, but General Otto Ruge
, who had been commander-in-chief during the campaign, stayed in Norway and surrendered with his troops. Instead of Fleischer, who was the obvious choice, the cabinet promoted the young Helsinki
, Finland defence attaché
Major
Wilhelm von Tangen Hansteen
directly to general and gave him the post. In response to this act Fleischer delivered his resignation.
The cabinet ordered General Fleischer to take up a new post as commander of Norwegian forces in Canada
. Apart from the Royal Norwegian Air Force
's training base Little Norway
near Toronto
, which was already headed by Ole Reistad
, and a school for merchant marine gunners
at Lunenburg
near Halifax
, Nova Scotia
, there were no Norwegian forces in Canada. A plan to create a Norwegian Army in Canada of expatriate Norwegian American
s came to nothing.
Before leaving for Canada Fleischer inspected the Norwegian garrison on the distant Norwegian island Jan Mayen
in the Atlantic Ocean
. The General concluded that the garrison was too small to defend anything more than the mid-section of the island, leaving several landing beaches open to the Germans during the relatively calm summer months. Based on his observations Fleischer reported that the garrison should be reinforced during the summer, a small garrison being sufficient during winter. He also inspected the Norwegian forces based on Iceland
.
aircraft. In London Brinck-Johnsen was ordered to keep the circumstances of Fleischer's death secret. Only in 1995 did Brinck-Johnsen speak out, stating that in his opinion Fleischer had taken his own life in sorrow of being set aside and not being needed by anyone.
Still disputed today, it is thought that one of the reason for sending him to Canada was because he favoured a series of coastal raids against Norway to hamper German use of the occupied nation. Fleischer also wanted to build substantial army forces abroad and employ them in active operations against the German occupying forces in Norway, something that was in direct conflict with the more passive strategy favoured by Cabinet Nygaardsvold. The prevailing view in the rest of the Cabinet was to build air and naval forces that could be used directly with Allied forces, as they feared such raids would provoke the Germans into severe punitive actions against the local populace, such as they did after the Telavåg
incident.
When General Fleischer's ashes were brought back to Norway after the war, the Labour cabinet denied him a state funeral. Despite the presence of the King
, the Crown Prince
, and representatives of all other parts of Norwegian society, no representatives of the cabinet or the Labour Party attended. When a monument to his honour was raised in Harstad
at the headquarters of the 6th Division, which was also attended by the King, the same lack of respect was shown by the cabinet and the Labour Party.
Harstad
(Gen. Fleischers gate), Bodø
(General Fleischers gate) and Bardufoss
(General Fleischers veg) all have streets named after the general.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(28 December 1883 – 19 December 1942) was a Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
general and the first land commander to win a major victory against the Germans
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
in the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Having followed the Norwegian government into exile at the end of the Norwegian Campaign, Fleischer committed suicide after being bypassed with regards to the post as commander-in-chief of the Norwegian Armed Forces in exile and being sent to the insignificant post as commander of Norwegian forces in Canada.
Early and personal life
Fleischer was born in BjørnørBjørnør
Bjørnør is a former municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It encompassed the present-day municipalities of Roan and Osen, plus the Stoksund area in present-day Åfjord, all in the western part of the Fosen peninsula...
Rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
(now Roan
Roan, Norway
Roan is a municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Fosen region in the northern part of the county. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Roan...
) in Sør-Trøndelag
Sør-Trøndelag
- References :...
as the son of the Church of Norway
Church of Norway
The Church of Norway is the state church of Norway, established after the Lutheran reformation in Denmark-Norway in 1536-1537 broke the ties to the Holy See. The church confesses the Lutheran Christian faith...
pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
Carl Edvard Fleischer (1843–1885) and Johanne Sophie Fergstad (1850–1926). After his father died, Fleischer moved with his mother to grow up in Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
. His childhood home was one characterized by Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, simplicity
Simplicity
Simplicity is the state or quality of being simple. It usually relates to the burden which a thing puts on someone trying to explain or understand it. Something which is easy to understand or explain is simple, in contrast to something complicated...
and frugality
Frugality
Frugality is the quality of being frugal, sparing, thrifty, prudent or economical in the use of consumable resources such as food, time or money, and avoiding waste, lavishness or extravagance....
.
His family had migrated from Elbing
Elblag
Elbląg is a city in northern Poland with 127,892 inhabitants . It is the capital of Elbląg County and has been assigned to the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship since 1999. Before then it was the capital of Elbląg Voivodeship and a county seat in Gdańsk Voivodeship...
in East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
to Norway, first with Tobias Fleischer (1630–1690) who found a position in Kongsberg
Kongsberg
is a town and municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is located at the southern end of the traditional region of Numedal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Kongsberg....
. The current linaege is descended from Tobias' nephew Herman Reinhold Fleischer (1656–1712), who also had notable children in Denmark. Carl Gustav Fleischer was a descendant of Herman's son Philip Johan Fleischer (1699–1763). Notable relatives include Philip's brother Baltzer Fleischer
Baltzer Fleischer
Baltzer Fleischer was a civil servant in Denmark–Norway. He was born in Holbæk, Denmark. He served as county manager of Smålenene for almost 25 years. He made a significant contribution to land cultivation of the county.-References:...
and grandnephew Palle Rømer Fleischer
Palle Rømer Fleischer
Palle Rømer Fleischer was the Norwegian Minister of the Army in five periods between 1837 and 1848, and a member of the Council of State Division in Stockholm three times between 1839 and 1847. Fleischer was a lieutenant general by profession....
, and Carl Gustav's brother, bishop Andreas Fleischer
Andreas Fleischer
Andreas Fleischer was a Norwegian theologist, missionary and Lutheran Bishop. He was born in Hegra, and brother of Carl Gustav Fleischer. He was Bishop of the Diocese of Bjørgvin from 1932 to 1949....
. Carl Gustav Fleischer was also a more distant relative of Carl August Fleischer
Carl August Fleischer
Carl August Fleischer is a Norwegian jurist, born in Oslo. He was professor of jurisprudence at the University of Oslo from 1970. He has been a long-term consultant for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and participated in a number of public committees.-References:...
, Nanna Fleischer
Nanna Fleischer
Nanna Fleischer was a Norwegian pioneering teacher for disabled persons. She was born in Christiania, and the sister of Agnes Fleischer. Together with her sister Agnes, who suffered from a hip and back disease, she established a school for disabled persons in 1892, which was the basis for the...
, Agnes Fleischer
Agnes Fleischer
Agnes Fleischer was a Norwegian pioneering teacher for disabled persons. She was born in Christiania, and the sister of Nanna Fleischer...
and August Fleischer
August Fleischer
August Konow Fleischer was a Norwegian railway engineer and manager. He was born in Bergen. He worked for the Norwegian State Railways from 1863, and was acting director-general from 1910 to 1912.-References:...
.
Carl Gustav Fleischer married Antonie Charlotte Hygen (1888–1947) in 1919 in Kristiania
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
.
In his spare time Fleischer enjoyed watercolor painting
Watercolor painting
Watercolor or watercolour , also aquarelle from French, is a painting method. A watercolor is the medium or the resulting artwork in which the paints are made of pigments suspended in a water-soluble vehicle...
and trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
fishing.
Pre-Second World War
Motivated by economic uncertainties, Fleischer joined the Norwegian Military AcademyNorwegian Military Academy
The Norwegian Army Academy was established in 1750. It is the oldest university-level educational institution in Norway, and one of the oldest active military academies in the world. Krigsskolen primarily educates officers for the Norwegian Army. There are separate academies for the Royal...
and graduated as the second best student in 1905. The academy instilled in young Fleischer a strong belief in that the first task of a military officer was to defend his country and that regulations were to be considered standing orders in critical situations.
In 1917 Fleischer made the rank of captain.
In 1919-1923 he was the staff officer of the Norwegian 6th Division before becoming Commanding Officer of Infantry Regiment 14 (IR 14) in Mosjøen
Mosjøen
-History:Mosjøen was founded in the 17th century as local farmers met here to trade, and has been growing since then. Sawmills were built here in 1866 by a British company, and Mosjøen got township rights in 1875. It is the oldest town in the Helgeland region and the second oldest town in Nordland...
. While serving in North Norway Fleischer became an avid writer of military manuals and worked continually on developing the Norwegian Defence Force
Norwegian Defence Force
The Norwegian Armed Forces numbers about 23,000 personnel, including civilian employees. According to mobilisation plans , the strength during full mobilisation would be approximately 83,000 combatant personnel. Norway has mandatory military service for men and voluntary service for women...
s in line with the special prerequisites caused by the Norwegian nature and society.
From 1909 to 1933 he held various positions in the Norwegian General Staff. In addition he served as a captain in the Norwegian Royal Guards
Hans Majestet Kongens Garde
Hans Majestet Kongens Garde is a battalion of the Norwegian Army. The battalion has two main roles; it serves as the Norwegian King's bodyguards, guarding the royal residences and Akershus Fortress in Oslo, and is also the main infantry unit responsible for the defence of...
in 1926-1929, chief of the Commanding General's staff of adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
s in 1933-1934 and as a teacher at the Norwegian Defence Staff College in 1928-1934. He also edited the military journal Norsk Militært Tidsskrift
Norsk Militært Tidsskrift
Norsk Militært Tidsskrift is a Norwegian journal first issued in 1831, and published by Oslo Militære Samfund from 1835. The original title of the magazine was Militairt Tidsskrift, later prefixed with Norskt, and the current name is Norsk Militært Tidsskrift...
. During his time at the General Staff Fleischer warned of the possibility of a surprise attack on central areas of Norway. He also stated that the best way of confronting such an attack was a combination of defending coastal outposts while the main forces mobilised in rear areas in the interior of the country.
In 1930 he was promoted to the rank of major, and in 1934 became a colonel, assuming command of the Sør-Hålogaland Regiment (Infantry Regiment 14).
Background and strategy
On 16 January 1939 Fleischer was made Major GeneralMajor General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
(generalmajor
Norwegian military ranks
The green part represents soldiers and the equivalent of non-commissioned officers. The blue part represents officers. Norway does not have a NCO-system and thus Sergeant and Quartermaster are grouped with the officers under the common designation befal...
) and Commanding Officer of the Norwegian 6th Division, the position that would lead him to become the first allied general to defeat the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
in a head-on land confrontation. January 1940 saw Fleischer appointed by royal resolution as commander-in-chief of North Norway in case of war.
After the Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
between Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
broke out in November 1939 the 6th Division was mobilised and Fleischer repeatedly took the initiative to encourage the Norwegian government to increase the country's military readiness in North Norway. Included amongst these initiatives were wide-ranging measures against the region's communists
Communist Party of Norway
The Communist Party of Norway is a political party in Norway without parliamentary representation. It was formed in 1923, following a split in the Norwegian Labour Party. The party played an important role in the resistance to German occupation during the Second World War, and experienced a brief...
. Fleischer's distrust of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
continued to show itself throughout the following Norwegian Campaign
Norwegian Campaign
The Norwegian Campaign was a military campaign that was fought in Norway during the Second World War between the Allies and Germany, after the latter's invasion of the country. In April 1940, the United Kingdom and France came to Norway's aid with an expeditionary force...
in 1940, when he kept substantial forces at the Soviet border in eastern Finnmark
Finnmark
or Finnmárku is a county in the extreme northeast of Norway. By land it borders Troms county to the west, Finland to the south and Russia to the east, and by water, the Norwegian Sea to the northwest, and the Barents Sea to the north and northeast.The county was formerly known as Finmarkens...
despite a desperate need of reinforcements at the front line at Narvik
Narvik
is the third largest city and municipality in Nordland county, Norway by population. Narvik is located on the shores of the Narvik Fjord . The municipality is part of the Ofoten traditional region of North Norway, inside the arctic circle...
against Maj. Gen. Eduard Dietl
Eduard Dietl
Eduard Dietl was a German general of World War II. He was born in Bad Aibling, Bavaria. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
's Gebirgsjäger
Gebirgsjäger
Gebirgsjäger, in English Mountain Riflemen, is the German designation for mountain infantry. The word Jäger is the traditional German term for rifleman...
forces.
In 1940, following the German invasion of Norway
Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
General Fleischer was appointed commander-in-chief of the Norwegian armed forces in North Norway. At the time of the attack on 9 April 1940 Fleischer was at Vadsø
Vadsø
is a city and municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The city is the administrative centre of the municipality and the county of Finnmark....
in Finnmark as part of an inspection journey together with his chief-of-staff, Major Odd Lindbäck-Larsen
Odd Lindbäck-Larsen
Odd Lindbäck-Larsen was a Norwegian military officer and war historian.-Early and personal life:Lindbäck-Larsen was born in Kristiania as the son of Ludvig Martinius Larsen and Fanny Olivia Lindbäck. He graduated from Oslo Cathedral School in 1915, and from the Norwegian Military Academy in 1918...
. When message of the invasion reached him the area was in middle of a ferocious blizzard. Due to the extreme weather Fleischer could not leave Vadsø either by Hurtigruten
Hurtigruten
Hurtigruten or Hurtigruta is a Norwegian passenger and freight line with daily sailings along Norway's western and northern coast. Sometimes referred to in English as Norwegian Coastal Express, Hurtigruten ships sail almost the entire length of the country, completing the roundtrip journey in 11...
ship or naval aircraft
Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service
The Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service was alongside the Norwegian Army Air Service the forerunner to the modern-day Royal Norwegian Air Force.- History :...
, and had to stay overnight. County Governor of Finnmark Hans Gabrielsen invited Fleischer to stay at the governor's mansion. After discussing the situation with Gabrielsen, Fleischer managed to set off for Tromsø
Tromsø
Tromsø is a city and municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø.Tromsø city is the ninth largest urban area in Norway by population, and the seventh largest city in Norway by population...
the next day, arriving there by M.F.11 naval aircraft after flying in terrible conditions. From Tromsø he issued orders for a total civilian and military mobilization and declared Northern Norway a theatre of war
Theater (warfare)
In warfare, a theater, is defined as an area or place within which important military events occur or are progressing. The entirety of the air, land, and sea area that is or that may potentially become involved in war operations....
. He handed over most of the civilian powers to the respective County Governors in Troms
Troms
or Romsa is a county in North Norway, bordering Finnmark to the northeast and Nordland in the southwest. To the south is Norrbotten Län in Sweden and further southeast is a shorter border with Lapland Province in Finland. To the west is the Norwegian Sea...
and Finnmark, Hans Gabrielsen taking all civilian power in Northern Norway after the death of the County Governor of Troms a few days after the invasion. Fleischer's strategic plan was to first wipe out the German forces at Narvik and then transfer his division to Nordland
Nordland
is a county in Norway in the North Norway region, bordering Troms in the north, Nord-Trøndelag in the south, Norrbottens län in Sweden to the east, Västerbottens län to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The county was formerly known as Nordlandene amt. The county administration is...
to meet a German advance from Trøndelag
Trøndelag
Trøndelag is the name of a geographical region in the central part of Norway, consisting of the two counties Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag. The region is, together with Møre og Romsdal, part of a larger...
. Fleischer valued offensive actions against enemy forces, using the unique nature of the Norwegian terrain to carry out attacks against an enemy's flanks and rear. General Fleischer had already in 1934 opposed the concept of fighting delaying actions while waiting for Allied reinforcements, a tactic on which General Otto Ruge
Otto Ruge
Otto Ruge was a Norwegian general. He was Commander-in-chief of the Royal Norwegian Armed Forces after Nazi Germany's assault on Norway in April 1940.-Background:...
relied during his defence of the vital Eastern Norway region.
Operations in 1940
As commander of the 6th Division, Maj. Gen. Carl Gustav Fleischer coordinated Norwegian, French, Polish and British forces in the recapturing of Narvik on 28 May from Maj. Gen. Eduard Dietl's Austro-German 3rd Mountain Division. The victory was accomplished despite shifting allied strategies and leadership. Following the evacuation of southern Norway Fleischer was embroiled in conflicts with the political and military leadership arriving from the abandoned southern parts of the country. The General's hard-headed and uncompromising style did not help in this regard.Narvik was the first major allied infantry victory in the Second World War. Unfortunately for the Norwegians, following the German invasion of France and the Low Countries
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
on 10 May 1940, the Allied task force was withdrawn in early June. Without the support from the Allies, the Norwegian Army alone would not be able to defend its positions and a capitulation agreement for mainland Norway was signed. The Germans reoccupied Narvik on 9 June.
As the Norwegian forces in mainland Norway were about to surrender, General Fleischer was ordered to follow King Haakon VII
Haakon VII of Norway
Haakon VII , known as Prince Carl of Denmark until 1905, was the first king of Norway after the 1905 dissolution of the personal union with Sweden. He was a member of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg...
and the Cabinet Nygaardsvold
Cabinet Nygaardsvold
Nygaardsvold's Cabinet was appointed on 20 March 1935, the second Labour cabinet in Norway. It closed the brought to an end the non-socialist, minority Governments that had been dominating politics since the introduction of the parliamentary system in 1884, and replaced it with stable, Labour...
into exile in the United Kingdom, having been made commander of the Norwegian army in exile on 7 June 1940.
Exile
During his exile in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, General Fleischer quickly built up a Norwegian infantry brigade based in Dumfries
Dumfries
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
from June 1940. However, he soon got at odds with the Norwegian political leadership in exile due to his strong headed attitudes and unwillingness to compromise. He also became controversial in factions of the cabinet due to his support of British commando raids
British Commandos
The British Commandos were formed during the Second World War in June 1940, following a request from the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, for a force that could carry out raids against German-occupied Europe...
on the Norwegian coast, even stating his willingness to personally participate in the attacks on the German occupying forces in Norway
Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany started with the German invasion of Norway on April 9, 1940, and ended on May 8, 1945, after the capitulation of German forces in Europe. Throughout this period, Norway was continuously occupied by the Wehrmacht...
. While stationed in the UK, he received a number of allied awards. Among these were the Polish Virtuti Militari
Virtuti Militari
The Order Wojenny Virtuti Militari is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war...
for bravery, the French Croix de guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
, and appointment by the British as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
.
Most likely because of a personal antagonism due to this fact, General Fleischer was bypassed when the exile government of prime minister Johan Nygaardsvold
Johan Nygaardsvold
Johan Nygaardsvold was a Norwegian politician from the Labour Party. He was Prime Minister of Norway from 1935 to 1945 , as head of the cabinet Nygaardsvold.-Political career:...
in 1942 decided to recreate the post of commander-in-chief of the Norwegian Armed Forces
Norwegian Armed Forces
The Norwegian Armed Forces numbers about 23,000 personnel, including civilian employees. According to mobilisation plans , the strength during full mobilisation would be approximately 83,000 combatant personnel. Norway has mandatory military service for men and voluntary service for women...
.
This post had existed temporarily during the 1940 campaign, but General Otto Ruge
Otto Ruge
Otto Ruge was a Norwegian general. He was Commander-in-chief of the Royal Norwegian Armed Forces after Nazi Germany's assault on Norway in April 1940.-Background:...
, who had been commander-in-chief during the campaign, stayed in Norway and surrendered with his troops. Instead of Fleischer, who was the obvious choice, the cabinet promoted the young Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland defence attaché
Military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Wilhelm von Tangen Hansteen
Wilhelm von Tangen Hansteen
Wilhelm von Tangen Hansteen was a Norwegian Army officer.From 1937 to 1941, Hansteen served as Norwegian Military attaché to Helsinki...
directly to general and gave him the post. In response to this act Fleischer delivered his resignation.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Apart from the Royal Norwegian Air Force
Royal Norwegian Air Force
The Royal Norwegian Air Force is the air force of Norway. It was established as a separate arm of the Norwegian armed forces on 10 November 1944. The RNoAF's peace force is approximately 1,430 employees . 600 personnel also serve their draft period in the RNoAF...
's training base Little Norway
Little Norway
The Flyvåpnenes Treningsleir , the official name) or "Little Norway" was a Norwegian Army Air Service/Royal Norwegian Air Force training camp in Canada during the Second World War.-Origins:...
near Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, which was already headed by Ole Reistad
Ole Reistad
Ole Imerslun Reistad was a Norwegian military officer and accomplished sports person.In the pentathlon he finished fourteenth at the 1920 Summer Olympics and became Norwegian champion in 1922. He also participated in the 1928 Olympic Winter Games in St. Moritz, Switzerland, in the demonstration...
, and a school for merchant marine gunners
Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships
Defensively Equipped Merchant Ship was an Admiralty Trade Division program established in June, 1939, to arm 5,500 British merchant ships with an adequate defence against enemy submarines and aircraft...
at Lunenburg
Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
Lunenburg , is a Canadian port town in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia.Situated on the province's South Shore, Lunenburg is located on a peninsula at the western side of Mahone Bay. The town is approximately 90 kilometres southwest of the county boundary with the Halifax Regional Municipality.The...
near Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, there were no Norwegian forces in Canada. A plan to create a Norwegian Army in Canada of expatriate Norwegian American
Norwegian American
Norwegian Americans are Americans of Norwegian descent. Norwegian immigrants went to the United States primarily in the later half of the 19th century and the first few decades of the 20th century. There are more than 4.5 million Norwegian Americans according to the most recent U.S. census, and...
s came to nothing.
Before leaving for Canada Fleischer inspected the Norwegian garrison on the distant Norwegian island Jan Mayen
Jan Mayen
Jan Mayen Island is a volcanic island in the Arctic Ocean and part of the Kingdom of Norway. It is long and 373 km2 in area, partly covered by glaciers . It has two parts: larger northeast Nord-Jan and smaller Sør-Jan, linked by an isthmus wide...
in the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. The General concluded that the garrison was too small to defend anything more than the mid-section of the island, leaving several landing beaches open to the Germans during the relatively calm summer months. Based on his observations Fleischer reported that the garrison should be reinforced during the summer, a small garrison being sufficient during winter. He also inspected the Norwegian forces based on Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
.
Suicide and aftermath
On 1 December 1942, General Fleischer was ordered to the position of Military Attaché to Washington D.C. This was another obvious humiliation, since usually officers of the ranks of Major or Lieutenant-Colonel served in this role. Being too much for him to swallow, he shot himself with his own gun through the heart on 19 December 1942. He was found by his adjutant Lieutenant Richard Brinck-Johnsen who brought the urn with the General's ashes to London in a LiberatorB-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
aircraft. In London Brinck-Johnsen was ordered to keep the circumstances of Fleischer's death secret. Only in 1995 did Brinck-Johnsen speak out, stating that in his opinion Fleischer had taken his own life in sorrow of being set aside and not being needed by anyone.
Still disputed today, it is thought that one of the reason for sending him to Canada was because he favoured a series of coastal raids against Norway to hamper German use of the occupied nation. Fleischer also wanted to build substantial army forces abroad and employ them in active operations against the German occupying forces in Norway, something that was in direct conflict with the more passive strategy favoured by Cabinet Nygaardsvold. The prevailing view in the rest of the Cabinet was to build air and naval forces that could be used directly with Allied forces, as they feared such raids would provoke the Germans into severe punitive actions against the local populace, such as they did after the Telavåg
Telavåg
Telavåg is a small village in the municipality of Sund, located 39 km south west of Bergen, Norway, with a population of about 600.-Telavåg tragedy:...
incident.
When General Fleischer's ashes were brought back to Norway after the war, the Labour cabinet denied him a state funeral. Despite the presence of the King
Haakon VII of Norway
Haakon VII , known as Prince Carl of Denmark until 1905, was the first king of Norway after the 1905 dissolution of the personal union with Sweden. He was a member of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg...
, the Crown Prince
Olav V of Norway
Olav V was the king of Norway from 1957 until his death. A member of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, Olav was born in the United Kingdom as the son of King Haakon VII of Norway and Queen Maud of Norway...
, and representatives of all other parts of Norwegian society, no representatives of the cabinet or the Labour Party attended. When a monument to his honour was raised in Harstad
Harstad
is the second largest city and municipality by population, in Troms county, Norway – the city is also the third largest in North Norway. Thus Harstad is the natural centre for its district. Situated approximately north of the Arctic Circle, the city celebrated its 100th anniversary in...
at the headquarters of the 6th Division, which was also attended by the King, the same lack of respect was shown by the cabinet and the Labour Party.
Harstad
Harstad
is the second largest city and municipality by population, in Troms county, Norway – the city is also the third largest in North Norway. Thus Harstad is the natural centre for its district. Situated approximately north of the Arctic Circle, the city celebrated its 100th anniversary in...
(Gen. Fleischers gate), Bodø
Bodø
is a city and a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten region.The city of Bodø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Bodin was merged with Bodø on 1 January 1968. Skjerstad was merged with Bodø on 1 January 2005...
(General Fleischers gate) and Bardufoss
Bardufoss
Bardufoss is a small village in the municipality of Målselv in Troms county, Norway. The population was 2,580. Bardufoss is located in the Målselvdalen valley near the confluence of the Barduelva and Målselva rivers. It is located about north of the city of Narvik and about south of the city...
(General Fleischers veg) all have streets named after the general.