On 6 May 1945, the prisoners were evacuated from the Tromsdalen camp and sent to work on a railway line near Narvik, but this plan was interrupted by the surrender of Nazi Germany on 8 May. When Denzer was informed that Germany was about to surrender, he lined the prisoners up and formally announced that the war was over and they were all free to go. He shook each prisoner by the hand, gave thanks for their cooperation, and wished them a happy reunion with their families. He then escaped back to Germany under mysterious circumstances before he could be arrested by Norwegian or British forces. He avoided capture for nearly two years until he was recognised by a Norwegian soldier in the street. After being sent back to Norway, Denzer was tried for war crimes in 1947 and sentenced to 15 years in prison for his activities at Grini.