Crown Princess Märtha, who contributed greatly in the mobilization work for Norway's self-protection, made a public announcement on 26 January 1940 in which she encouraged Norwegian women to take part in the mobilization work. During the flight from the German invasion in 9–10 April 1940, it was decided that the Crown Princess and her children were to flee across the border to her native Sweden while her husband and father-in-law remained. Upon their arrival at the border, they were first denied entry because they could not provide passports: when she decided to run over the gate, however, she was allowed to pass.