Harry Vestli
Encyclopedia
Harry August Vestli was a Norwegian trade unionist who was imprisoned and died during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
.
Harry Vestli was born in Sande i Vestfold as the son of Petter Rikard Vestli and his Swedish wife Emma Kristine. He had gone through middle school, and worked at the factory Lilleborg
, where he was the union steward
.
On 9 September 1941, the so-called milk strike
occurred in Oslo
. The Nazi German occupants of Norway
ordered a harsh crackdown on the striking workers, and martial law was declared the next day. A local union leader, Rolf Wickstrøm
, and chief jurist in the Confederation of Trade Unions
, Viggo Hansteen
were executed immediately. Arrested on 12 September, Harry Vestli was sentenced to death together with Ludvik Buland
and Josef Larsson
, but the three were later reprieved, and instead given a life-long jail sentence. Vestli was imprisoned at both Grini and Akershus Fortress
, before being sent to Germany on 16 October 1941. While imprisoned here he contracted tuberculosis
. He died in September 1942 at a hospital in Hamburg
.
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...
.
Harry Vestli was born in Sande i Vestfold as the son of Petter Rikard Vestli and his Swedish wife Emma Kristine. He had gone through middle school, and worked at the factory Lilleborg
Lilleborg
Lilleborg AS is a major hygiene and cleaning article company in Norway, owned by the Orkla Group. It was established in 1833, and was one of the first companies in Norway to start manufacturing brand name products...
, where he was the union steward
Union steward
A union representative, union steward, or shop steward is an employee of an organization or company, who represents and defends the interests of her/his fellow employees but who is also a labor union official...
.
On 9 September 1941, the so-called milk strike
Milk strike
The milk strike was a strike in Nazi occupied Oslo on 8 and 9 September 1941. It led to strong reprisals from the German occupiers, in the form of martial law, court-martial, mass arrests, two executions and several long-term jail sentences.-Start:...
occurred in Oslo
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...
. The Nazi German occupants of 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...
ordered a harsh crackdown on the striking workers, and martial law was declared the next day. A local union leader, Rolf Wickstrøm
Rolf Wickstrøm
Rolf Wickstrøm was a Norwegian labour activist and a victim of the German occupation of Norway during World War II.-Biography:...
, and chief jurist in the Confederation of Trade Unions
Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions is a national trade union center, decidedly the largest and probably the most influential umbrella organization of labour unions in Norway. The 21 national unions affiliated to the LO have more than 850,000 members of a Norwegian population of 4.8 million...
, Viggo Hansteen
Viggo Hansteen
Harald Viggo Hansteen was a Norwegian lawyer who was executed by the Nazis during the five-year Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany. -Biography:...
were executed immediately. Arrested on 12 September, Harry Vestli was sentenced to death together with Ludvik Buland
Ludvik Buland
Ludvik Buland was a Norwegian trade unionist. He chaired the Norwegian Union of Railway Workers, but was imprisoned and died during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany.-Early life and career:...
and Josef Larsson
Josef Larsson
Josef Larsson was a Norwegian metal worker and trade unionist, born in Sweden. From 1931 he was a secretary for the Norwegian Union of Iron and Metalworkers...
, but the three were later reprieved, and instead given a life-long jail sentence. Vestli was imprisoned at both Grini and Akershus Fortress
Akershus Fortress
Akershus Fortress or Akershus Castle is a medieval castle that was built to protect Oslo, the capital of Norway. It has also been used as a prison.- Construction :...
, before being sent to Germany on 16 October 1941. While imprisoned here he contracted tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. He died in September 1942 at a hospital in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
.