Espionage in Norway during World War I
Encyclopedia
Norway
was a neutral country during World War I
, but the country was subject to extensive espionage from both sides in the conflict.
Police Johan Søhr
was responsible for police investigations of espionage in Norway during World War I. In 1938 he wrote a book giving an account of the espionage investigations during the war period.
borders to both Finland and Russia, and during the Finnish Civil War
and the Russian Civil War
considerable amounts of goods were transported from Skibotn
into Finland, and from Karasjok
into Russia. Among the famous incidents of espionage was the arrest and expulsion of the Swedish Baron Otto von Rosen
, who operated in Northern Norway as a German agent. He was arrested in Karasjok in January 1917. Among the confiscations in this affair were anthrax
bacteria and the toxin curare
, and also explosives.
were investigated. Among the best known cases was the Rautenfels affair, when the German diplomatic courier Walter von Rautenfels
was accused of leading a sabotage league with the purpose of attacking Allied ships. After a long investigation 188 kg of explosives, in suitcases and packing cases, were confiscated at the railway station Oslo Ø. These included 95 larger and 12 smaller explosive bombs, 104 fire bombs, detonators and percussion caps. Due to diplomatic pressure Rautenfels was extradicted to Germany because of his immunity as courier for the German Emperor, while other members of the league were eventually convicted to prison.
and Trondheim
were subject to several espionage cases during World War I. Bergen was an important harbour, and information about ships traffic was sensitive due to the U-boat Campaign
by the German Empire
against Britain
and her allies. From 1914 to 1918 more than 800 Norwegian merchant ships were sunk due to the German U-boat Campaign. A series of unexplained fires occurred in 1917. These involved fires in Horten
, Holmestrand
, Stavanger
, Sørengen, Trondheim and Orkdal
, Greaker
, Tveitsund
, Hurum
, Gjøvik
, Skien
and Tønsberg
.
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...
was a neutral country during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, but the country was subject to extensive espionage from both sides in the conflict.
Background
Two proactive Acts had been sanctioned by the Norwegian Parliament in the early phase of the conflict. These were Lov om forsvarshemmeligheter in 1914, and Lov om kontroll av post- og telegrafforbindelser in 1915. Chief of the criminal department of the KristianiaOslo
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...
Police Johan Søhr
Johan Søhr
Johan Olaus Søhr was a Norwegian jurist and police officer. Commonly known as Joh. Søhr.-Personal life:...
was responsible for police investigations of espionage in Norway during World War I. In 1938 he wrote a book giving an account of the espionage investigations during the war period.
Finnmark
The county of FinnmarkFinnmark
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...
borders to both Finland and Russia, and during the Finnish Civil War
Finnish Civil War
The Finnish Civil War was a part of the national, political and social turmoil caused by World War I in Europe. The Civil War concerned control and leadership of The Grand Duchy of Finland as it achieved independence from Russia after the October Revolution in Petrograd...
and the Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
considerable amounts of goods were transported from Skibotn
Skibotn
Skibotn is a village with approximately 700 inhabitants in Storfjord municipality, located on the southeastern shore of the Lyngen Fjord in the Northern Norwegian county of Troms. The village area is located at the crossroads of the highways E6 and E8...
into Finland, and from Karasjok
Karasjok
Kárášjohka or is a village and municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Karasjok.-Name:Karasjok is a Norwegianized form of the Sámi name Kárášjohka...
into Russia. Among the famous incidents of espionage was the arrest and expulsion of the Swedish Baron Otto von Rosen
Otto von Rosen
Otto von Rosen was a Swedish military officer and sport shooter.He was born in Stockholm, Sweden. He participated at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London...
, who operated in Northern Norway as a German agent. He was arrested in Karasjok in January 1917. Among the confiscations in this affair were anthrax
Anthrax
Anthrax is an acute disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Most forms of the disease are lethal, and it affects both humans and other animals...
bacteria and the toxin curare
Curare
Curare is a common name for various arrow poisons originating from South America. The three main types of curare are:* tubocurare...
, and also explosives.
Oslo
A number of suspected spies operating in or near KristianiaOslo
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...
were investigated. Among the best known cases was the Rautenfels affair, when the German diplomatic courier Walter von Rautenfels
Walter von Gerich
Walter von Gerich was a Finnish civil servant and later an agent in German pay during World War I.He posed in 1917 as a German baron and diplomatic courier Walter von Rautenfels and was arrested for espionage in Norway and planning of sabotage in favour of the German Empire during World War I, when...
was accused of leading a sabotage league with the purpose of attacking Allied ships. After a long investigation 188 kg of explosives, in suitcases and packing cases, were confiscated at the railway station Oslo Ø. These included 95 larger and 12 smaller explosive bombs, 104 fire bombs, detonators and percussion caps. Due to diplomatic pressure Rautenfels was extradicted to Germany because of his immunity as courier for the German Emperor, while other members of the league were eventually convicted to prison.
Other cities
The cities BergenBergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
and 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...
were subject to several espionage cases during World War I. Bergen was an important harbour, and information about ships traffic was sensitive due to the U-boat Campaign
U-boat Campaign (World War I)
The U-boat Campaign from 1914 to 1918 was the World War I naval campaign fought by German U-boats against the trade routes of the Entente Powers...
by the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
against Britain
United 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...
and her allies. From 1914 to 1918 more than 800 Norwegian merchant ships were sunk due to the German U-boat Campaign. A series of unexplained fires occurred in 1917. These involved fires in Horten
Horten
is a town and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway—located along the Oslofjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Horten. The municipality also includes the villages of Borre, Åsgårdstrand, Skoppum, and Nykirke....
, Holmestrand
Holmestrand
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Holmestrad. The city was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . The neighboring rural municipality of Botne was merged into the municipality of Holmestrand on 1 January...
, Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
, Sørengen, Trondheim and Orkdal
Orkdal
Orkdal is a municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Orkdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Orkanger. Other villages in the municipality include Kjøra, Geitastrand, Gjølme, Thamshavn, Fannrem, Vormstad, Svorkmo, and...
, Greaker
Greåker
Greåker is a borough in the city of Sarpsborg, Norway, located 7 km west of the city centre. Before 1992 Greåker was a part of Tune municipality. It is situated at the river Glomma just between Sarpsborg and Fredrikstad....
, Tveitsund
Tveitsund
Tveitsund is a village in Nissedal municipality, Norway. The urban area Tveitsund, which consists of Tveitsund and Treungen, has a population of 361....
, Hurum
Hurum
Hurum is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village Klokkarstua. The municipality of Hurum was established on 1 January 1838 . The small village of Holmsbu was granted town status in 1847, but it did not become a municipality of its own...
, Gjøvik
Gjøvik
is a town and a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Gjøvik.In 1861, the village of Gjøvik in the municipality of Vardal was granted town status and was separated from Vardal to form a separate municipality...
, Skien
Skien
' is a city and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Skien. Skien is also the administrative centre of Telemark county....
and Tønsberg
Tønsberg
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, southern Norway, located around north-east of Sandefjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tønsberg....
.