Resources from NAHA
Collections to explore on the theme of this exhibit:
Harald Sorhaug collection, 1940-1945
Harald Sorhaug was born in Norway in February 1913. During World War II, he worked for the Norwegian Resistance (Hjemmevernet). Sorhaug often told stories of the war, and around his 90th birthday, his daughter asked him to put his memories into writing.
Campbell Norsgaard collection, 1938-1946
Norsgaard was a professional photographer and cinematographer, originally from Norway, but for much of his late life he lived in Lakeville, Connecticut. Campbell Norsgaard was the official photographer for the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNAF) and its training facilities in Canada from nearly the beginning of World War II until its closure. During this period, he photographed the servicemen and their airplanes, the Royal Family, various training facilities and many official and unofficial activities. Later in life, Norsgaard made nature documentaries for the National Geographic Society.
Bjorn "Erik" Borgen interview, 1996 February 13
In this series of interviews by Odd Lovoll for his books “The Promise of America: History of the Norwegian-American People” and “The Promise Fulfilled: A Portrait of Norwegian Americans Today,” Bjorn Borgen and Odd Lovoll discuss Bjorn’s childhood in Norway during World War II and his subsequent immigration to Wisconsin. Bjorn also details his many academic and economic successes in business. He explains his history with the sport of skiing, the process of adjusting to living in a new country, and his later business ventures. Bjorn also talks about his thoughts on Norwegian values and his political views.
Torrey Savereid letters, 1942-1944
Torrey Savereid entered the armed forces with a background including being the son of a Norwegian immigrant, a Norwegian Lutheran and coming from rural Iowa. He had met a young Norwegian-American woman (Marjorie Thronson) who was working in Minneapolis before he left overseas. The letters tell of his early history (and life in the trenches) while the overseas courtship continued through war-time censorship and V-mail letters.
Camp Little Norway Association papers, 1941-1947
Correspondence, pamphlets, publications, pictures, reports, minutes, albums, ledgers, journals, publicity, lectures, and clippings of a nation-wide association organized in Minneapolis in September of 1940 to raise funds to aid Norway and Norwegian nationals in Canada and in the United States. Camp Little Norway, located in Toronto, Canada, was a training base for the Royal Norwegian Air Force. Beginning in 1944 the Association coordinated its activities with American Relief for Norway. Activities of the Association and related groups are described by A. N. Rygg in "American Relief for Norway" (1947). Lecturers on tour for the promotion of the association's program included A.D. Dahl, Axel Diderik C. Eitzen, Jorgen Juve, Harald Land, Axel McLeod, and Carl Stenerson.
Senior Civil Affairs Officer's Guide for Norway, 1944 September
"Detailed instructions, supply and economics." A manual prepared pursuant to an agreement signed May 16, 1944, "Civil administration and jurisdiction in liberated territory," by Trygve Lie (Minister for Foreign Affairs of Norway) and Dwight D. Eisenhower (General, U.S. Army). Concerns "the arrangements to be made for civil administration and jurisdiction in Norwegian territory liberated by an Allied Expeditionary Force." (The "agreement ceased to be effective upon withdrawal of Allied liberating forces from Norway...the bulk of such forces withdrew in late 1945."
Lise Aubert Lindbaek papers, 1944-1945
Notes and other materials of a Norwegian war correspondent who lectured in the United States in 1943-1945. Beginning in 1925 she covered news from Italy, Germany, France, Spain, and North Africa. For a time she was correspondent for "Nordisk Tidende" in Brooklyn.
Ninety-Ninth Infantry Battalion collection, 1942-1981
Thirteen issues (1942-1943) of "The Viking," a mimeographed newsletter containing information about events in camp and news from occupied Norway with cartoons by Claus Hoie, and a collection of clippings about the 99th. The Viking Battalion, as it was also called, was composed of "men of Norwegian extraction, Norwegian nationals, and Americanized Norwegians," and organized for particular missions during World War II. The unit trained at Camp Ripley and Fort Snelling in Minnesota, and at a mountain skiing center at Camp Hale in Colorado. For a complete statement, see "Bataljon 99," by Gerd Nyquist, Oslo, 1981.
Hermana Rye Haugan papers, 1893-1972
Papers of a Chicago woman, widow of the journalist and editor Reidar Rye Haugan. Mrs. Haugan was active in the Norwegian organizations in Chicago and was a leader in relief work for Norway during and after World War II. She was Secretary of the Chicago Working Center for Norway, a sewing and knitting group, 1944-45.
Claus Hoie papers, 1975-1976
A biographical sketch of Hoie, and photographs and descriptions of paintings done by a Norwegian-born artist who emigrated to the United States in 1924. Hoie served in the 99th Infantry of the United States Army in World War II, a battalion composed of Norwegian nationals and U.S. citizens of Norwegian background. Hoie's work has been shown in different museums in the United States. There is a permanent collection of his works at the Brooklyn Museum.
Øistein Madland biography, 1976
Information about a Norwegian seaman who came to the United States in 1959. The account deals with his experiences in the Norwegian underground and with his service with the British in World War II.
American Relief for Norway, Inc. papers, 1940-1946
Papers of an association incorporated ten days after the invasion of Norway during World War II. Founded to "relieve distress" among the people of Norway, it was officially dissolved December 31, 1946. Correspondence, reports, and publicity material fall into five categories: clothing drive files, executive secretary's files, president's files, treasurer's files, and corporate records. Topics treated include clothing drives; collection of funds; purchase and distribution of food, clothing, shoes, drugs; publicity; problems of storage and transportation; relations with governments; merging of relief agencies; affiliation with the National War Fund; women's activities; tools for Finmark; and the Anfin O. Sather trust fund for the National Association of Norwegian Agricultural Clubs.
Jacob Stefferud papers, 1916-1964
Articles, brochures, clippings, correspondence, reports, and scrapbooks of a Norwegian-born Minneapolis resident. Stefferud was chief clerk for the Norwegian America Line in their New York and Minneapolis offices, acting consul for Norway, and a commissioner for Nordmanns-Forbundet.
Norway in World War II papers, circa 1945
Papers concerning Norway and World War II consisting of brochures, clippings, correspondence, manuscripts, pamphlets, speeches, scrapbooks, occupation humor, Per Lorentzen and Nortraship, pictures and a collection of 54 slides covering King Haakon VII's return to Norway in June, 1945.
Arne M. Bjorndal journal, 1940
The journal of Arne Bjørndal, who was involved in resistance activities following the German invasion on April 9, 1940. The journal documents his experiences in Norway between April 9–20, 1940. It includes My Early Years: From School Days to War Time, which reflects on his early years in Norway, the invasion of Norway, becoming a “citizen arrestee,” and being sent to Ebreichsdorf sanitorium on the Austria/Hungary border. Transcription and translation of journal provided.