Evening star., 1943-08-19
scandinavian Turmoil


and neutral alike. is gripped by an
intense political crisis. The detonat-
ing incident is campaign of terror
ism launched by the German occu-
pational authorities in Norway, but
this action comedies with political
tension in subjugated Denmark and
with Sweden's vigorous assertion of
its neutrality by formally ending
German transit privileges. These de-
velopments are reacting upon each
other and intensifying the critical
trend throughout the Scandinavian
North. Coupled with the possibility
Of an Allied invasion of Norway, they
may portend sensational happenings
in the near future.
The Germans must be fearful of
big trouble in Norway; otherwise
they would hardly have resorted to
terroristic measures which disrupt
even their own and-picked native
Quisling regime. The sole efficacy of
that subservient organization in Nor
wegian eyes was that it preserved at
least semblance Of domestic gov
ernment. Now, the last vestige OF
that pretense must be destroyed
when the Chief of Police in the capi-
tai city of Oslo is court-martialed and
shot by the Germans, and when the
entire native police force is COM
PEELED, under pain of death, to sign
a declaration of loyalty" to the
Reich and is formally incorporated
into the German armed forces. In
addition, wholesale arrests are being
made, including all retired Norwe-
gian army officers paroled at the
beginning Of the German occupation.
These extreme measures do not
seem to have been caused by native
violence or wholesale sabotage The
Norwegian government in exile has
been warning it's citizens at home
not to provoke German reprisals by
a premature revolt, and those in
structions apparently have been
obeyed. 1t looks therefore as though
the German authorities are expect
ing trouble from without, which
would logically mean either Allied
commando raids or a genuine inva-
sion.
The effect of this terrorism in Nor
way upon Sweden is profound. The
Swedish press is outspoken in it's
condemnation, and popular manifes-
tations are taking place, notably the
smashing of the windows of the Ger
man Tourist Agency in the heart OF
Stockholm, the Swedish capital. In
cidentally, the execution Of Oslos
police chief occurred the very day
after the Swedish Government had
banned the transit of war materials
and supplies across Swedish territory
to the German garrisons in isolated
Northern Norway, and four days be-
fore the ban was to be extended to
the transit of German soldiers "on
leave" BY those very decisions the
Swedish Government showed its de-
termination to assert its neutral
rights under any circumstances, and
popular indignation at the new wave
of German terrorism in neighboring
Norway should harden the Swedish
attitude.
The rising tide of elf-assertiveness
is seen even in little Denmark, where
the Danish Government has refused
to take extreme measures demanded
by the Germans to deal with patri-
otic demonstrations, and has threat
ened to resign If Berlin continued to
insist. That would be body blow
to German prestige, because Den
mark has been held up by Nazi
propaganda as the model exhibit of
the rewards and favors shown a
country that submits and "collabo-
rates" with the Reich in its European
New Order" However, here again,
the Germans seem highly nervous
about Allied invasion possibilities