Operation Blumenpflücken
Encyclopedia
Operation Blumenpflücken ("Operation Flower Picking") was a counter-resistance
operation in occupied Norway
, planned and carried out by the Gestapo
/Sicherheitspolizei
in 1944 and early 1945.
It was planned by Ernst Weiner
, and was a part of the Gegenterror organized to weaken the Norwegian resistance. The purpose was not to terrorize or liquidate central resistance leaders, but rather to capture and kill other known Norwegians and hide the real purpose
. According to Arnfinn Moland
, the killings were made to look like actions by the Norwegian resistance (Home Front), specifically the Communist parts of it.
Many believed the deception well into the 1990s. Egil Ulateig's 1996 book Med rett til å drepe, with consultant help from Hans Fredrik Dahl, made such a claim about two of the Blumenpflücken victims. During the war, even some of the German participants thought the initiative had come from Siegfried Fehmer or the Reichskommissariat Norwegen
. Arnfinn Moland also claimed that the Norwegian Nazi police Statspolitiet were not informed. Historian Tore Pryser
has stated that Statspolitiet were indeed involved.
According to Moland, Weiner participated and, between 12 June and 1 July 1944, shot the first three of the eleven victims, Einar Hærland
(long thought to have been liquidated by Norwegians), Sigurd Roll
and Gunnar Spangen. According to Berit Nøkleby
in Norsk krigsleksikon 1940-45
, a woman named Sigrid Hammerø was also killed, the operation's only female victim. The next seven killings took place in November and December 1944. The first was carried out by two Norwegian perpetrators and a German helper, Erwin Morio. The next three were carried out by Germans only; Heinz Vierke was legally acquitted for one killing during the legal purge in Norway after World War II
. The next killing was by two Norwegians. The last three were carried out by Nickerl (first name unknown, participated twice) or Heinz Vierke (once) with Norwegian helpers. The last victim, Georg Henrik Resch, killed in Drammen on 6 January 1945, was the wrong person. Two attempts failed, one on 4 September 1944 and the other on 30 October 1944. All but three killings took place in Oslo
or Aker
.
Of the eleven killings that went to trial after the war, there were convictions in each case, except the one with Heinz Vierke. Ernst Weiner was among the arrested, but was said to have shot himself and a fellow inmate while in prison. Historian Tore Pryser
has cast some doubt on the "official version" that is was a suicide.
Norwegian resistance movement
The Norwegian resistance to the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany began after Operation Weserübung in 1940 and ended in 1945. It took several forms:...
operation in occupied 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...
, planned and carried out by the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
/Sicherheitspolizei
Sicherheitspolizei
The Sicherheitspolizei , often abbreviated as SiPo, was a term used in Nazi Germany to describe the state political and criminal investigation security agencies. It was made up by the combined forces of the Gestapo and the Kripo between 1936 and 1939...
in 1944 and early 1945.
It was planned by Ernst Weiner
Ernst Weiner
Ernst Josef Albert Weiner was a German SS Hauptsturmführer during World War II, most noted for his role in the Sicherheitspolizei in Norway during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany....
, and was a part of the Gegenterror organized to weaken the Norwegian resistance. The purpose was not to terrorize or liquidate central resistance leaders, but rather to capture and kill other known Norwegians and hide the real purpose
False flag
False flag operations are covert operations designed to deceive the public in such a way that the operations appear as though they are being carried out by other entities. The name is derived from the military concept of flying false colors; that is flying the flag of a country other than one's own...
. According to Arnfinn Moland
Arnfinn Moland
Arnfinn Moland is a Norwegian historian.He was born in Kvinesdal. He finished his secondary education in Flekkefjord in 1970, served in His Majesty the King's Guard from 1973 to 1974, and graduated from the University of Oslo with the cand.philol. degree in 1977. His master's thesis was...
, the killings were made to look like actions by the Norwegian resistance (Home Front), specifically the Communist parts of it.
Many believed the deception well into the 1990s. Egil Ulateig's 1996 book Med rett til å drepe, with consultant help from Hans Fredrik Dahl, made such a claim about two of the Blumenpflücken victims. During the war, even some of the German participants thought the initiative had come from Siegfried Fehmer or the Reichskommissariat Norwegen
Reichskommissariat Norwegen
The Reichskommissariat Norwegen, literally "Reich Commissariat of Norway", was the civilian occupation regime set up by Nazi Germany in German-occupied Norway during World War II. Its full title in German was the Reichskommissariat für die besetzten norwegischen Gebiete...
. Arnfinn Moland also claimed that the Norwegian Nazi police Statspolitiet were not informed. Historian Tore Pryser
Tore Pryser
Tore Pryser is a Norwegian historian, professor at the Lillehammer University College since 1993.Pryser was born in Oslo, and took the cand.philol. degree at the University of Oslo. He was appointed at the Lillehammer University College in 1975, became associate professor in 1978, and was promoted...
has stated that Statspolitiet were indeed involved.
According to Moland, Weiner participated and, between 12 June and 1 July 1944, shot the first three of the eleven victims, Einar Hærland
Einar Hærland
Einar Hærland was a Norwegian military officer who was executed during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany.He was born in Solum as the son of Ole Hærland and his wife Marie, née Knudsen...
(long thought to have been liquidated by Norwegians), Sigurd Roll
Sigurd Roll
Sigurd Emil Roll was a Norwegian diplomat and former sprinter who was executed during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany.-Early life and family:...
and Gunnar Spangen. According to Berit Nøkleby
Berit Nøkleby
Berit Nøkleby is a Norwegian historian.She was born in Drammen, and is a cand.philol. by education. She has contributed to several books on the German occupation of Norway. She wrote book II and IV of the series Norge i krig I–VIII. Fremmedåk og frihetskamp 1940–1945...
in Norsk krigsleksikon 1940-45
Norsk krigsleksikon 1940-45
Norsk krigsleksikon 1940-1945 is a Norwegian encyclopaedia covering the Second World War.It was issued in 1995 by the publishing house J.W. Cappelen. The editorial staff consisted of five editors: Hans Fredrik Dahl, Guri Hjeltnes, Berit Nøkleby, Nils Johan Ringdal and Øystein Sørensen...
, a woman named Sigrid Hammerø was also killed, the operation's only female victim. The next seven killings took place in November and December 1944. The first was carried out by two Norwegian perpetrators and a German helper, Erwin Morio. The next three were carried out by Germans only; Heinz Vierke was legally acquitted for one killing during the legal purge in Norway after World War II
Legal purge in Norway after World War II
When the occupation of Norway ended in May 1945, several thousand Norwegians and foreign citizens were tried and convicted for various acts that the occupying powers sanctioned...
. The next killing was by two Norwegians. The last three were carried out by Nickerl (first name unknown, participated twice) or Heinz Vierke (once) with Norwegian helpers. The last victim, Georg Henrik Resch, killed in Drammen on 6 January 1945, was the wrong person. Two attempts failed, one on 4 September 1944 and the other on 30 October 1944. All but three killings took place 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...
or Aker
Aker, Norway
Aker is a former municipality in Akershus, which lends its name to a municipality and a county in Norway. The name originally belonged to a farm which was located near the current Old Aker Church...
.
Of the eleven killings that went to trial after the war, there were convictions in each case, except the one with Heinz Vierke. Ernst Weiner was among the arrested, but was said to have shot himself and a fellow inmate while in prison. Historian Tore Pryser
Tore Pryser
Tore Pryser is a Norwegian historian, professor at the Lillehammer University College since 1993.Pryser was born in Oslo, and took the cand.philol. degree at the University of Oslo. He was appointed at the Lillehammer University College in 1975, became associate professor in 1978, and was promoted...
has cast some doubt on the "official version" that is was a suicide.