MAY 1940
| Day | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The King, Parliament and Cabinet arrive in Tromsø. To avoid German bombing, the King moves to a country house outside Målselv – his home for the next 36 days. Hospital ship ‘Dronning Maud’ bombed by German aircraft. Norwegian troops withdraw northwards from central Norway. |
|
| 4 | In a letter to several newspapers, Knut Hamsun writes: “Throw down your weapons and go home.” Oslo newspapers refuse to print letter. | |
| 5 | Hegra Fortress, near Trondheim capitulates to Germans | |
| 7 | Proclamation from King Haakon printed in ‘Lofotposten’“I implore all Norwegians to support us in our attempts to free the country…Norway’s future is at stake.” | |
| 11 – Bergen | Editor of newspaper Bergens Tidende severely censored by German commandant. Newspaper banned 14 to 21 May | |
| 12 – 13 | British ships sail into Herjangsfjord, north of Narvik and landed French and British troops in the first stage of the plan to drive the Germans from Narvik. Norwegian forces, although outnumbered by elite German forces, manage to drive them from the mountain plateau east of Narvik. | |
| 17 – Tromsø | Norway’s Independence Day – King Haakon speaks on radio to Norwegian people, advising of his departure and of his determination never to give up the fight to free the country.Nordahl Grieg reads his poem “Idag står flaggstangen naken” (Today the flag pole naked stands). | |
| 20 Trondheim | Shoes rationed in North and South Trøndelag. | |
| 22 – Oslo | First publication of the German Newspaper, ‘Deutsche Zeitung in Norwegen.’ Encourages Norwegians “to learn German”. | |
| 26 – Oslo | Labour Party Conference. Most of the leaders were in Northern Norway. Trygve Bratteli elected as party secretary. No support for ‘peace wing’ of party. | |
| 27 – Bodø Oslo |
Massive destruction by German aircraft.Terboven informs leaders of political parties that all political meetings are henceforth prohibited. | |
| 28 – Dunkerque Narvik |
A Norwegian coal transport, “Hird”, after 14 days enforced stay in the port, takes aboard 3500 British and French troops and civilians, and takes them safely to Cherbourg. French and Norwegian troops drive Germans from Narvik – Hitler’s first reverse. | |
| 29 – Oslo | The newspaper ‘Dagbladet’ banned for 8 days because of article describing the German occupation of Belgium. | |
| 31 – NarvikBodø |
Bombed by German aircraft for first time since German withdrawal.British troops evacuated from peninsula. |
■ 1940 / Timeline / Last Updated December 17, 2013 by Geronimo Gando /