Evening star., 1943-04-05
kazis Loot NorWay
OF S2,137,5O0,0OO
In 3-Year Occupation
Heaviest Burden Comes
In Direct Support
For Germun Troops
r. he Associated Pres

tIt hSSutidltu 1900.
STOCKHOLM. April s. - Tht
Nazis have looted Norway OF a
least 9,000,000O0O crowns (approxi
mately S2,137, 100000 in the three
years of occupation ending April 9
Norwegian economic experts esti.
mated today
The average of 100000, 900 an.
nually equals three fourths of Nor.
ways annual national income il
the prosperous pre- days
Because the Norwegians are un.
able to cover Nazl demands today
on the basis of current income, the
Germans have dipped deeply intt
the national fortune.
Authoritative sources estimated
that the national resources have
been reduced 5000, 100000 to 4OO0,.
100000 crowns in emptied stores
slaughtered livestock and genera
wear and tear.
The economic bleeding of the
NorWegians by the NaziS in turl
mainly led to 50 per cent decrease
in the standard of living in relatlo;
to prewar conditions, although tht
blockade also was partly responsible
(The Norwegian crown is APP
proXimately 1884 cents in Amer
ican money!
Methods of Plunder.
The following picture of Nazi
methods of plundering was given by
Norwegian sources:
The heaviest burden is the levy
on NorWegians for direct support of
the German troops In three years
the Nazis have requisitioned Sc bill
lion crowns in the National Norges
Bank. Requisitions lately have
been at the rate of 20O00O,OOO
monthly.
Although the German soldiers get
part of their foodstuffs and other
supplies from Germany, they are
drawn principally from the very
restricted Norwegian production-a
:meaSure which naturally eases the
economic strain in the Fatherland
but aggravates the difficult food sit
uation in Norway.
Another important item is the
mountain of goods which German
soldiers are permitted to send their
! families as gift packages" or take
with them on periodic leaves. Hard
~ soldier departs from Norway
on leave without a keg of herring
and sardines in oil tucked under
his arm.
Profiteer Prices Charged.
An estimated quarter of a billion
! crowns are said to have gone into
the pockets of German businessmen
through artificiallv high rigging of
. German prices While Norwegian ex-
port prices held constant.
Infiltration into the Norwegian
economic life became evident after
Josef Terboven's civil administration
had established itself. 1t first began
in the light metal industries, on
which the Germans have spent be-
tween 900 and 700 million crowns in
new construction. The Nazis also
took control of the fish refining in
dustry which ranked with shipping
as NorWay's most important source
OF income.
Not to be outdone by the Nazis,
Vldkun QuiSllng and his aides mean
time ran the official national debt to
twice the preWar figure Quisling
increased the debt by 1900. 900
crowns through long and short term
loans.
The destruction of estates, chat
tells and stores on hand was esti-
mated to have cost Norway 500 0OO,-
600 crowns.
Autos, Radios Taken.
Other items for which it is i'm
possible to give concrete figures are
rent Of official municipal BUILDINGS,
estates and schools requisitioned bv
the army which the Germans refuse
to pay.
Automobiles We're requiSitioned as
booty at the start of the occupation.
Since then radio sets valued at 100
100000 crowns, ships and fishing
boats worth at least 100000 900
crowns, blankets and ruckSacks all
have been taken without payment.
The bill for some Of the plunderlng
has been presented to the NorWe-
gianS through the Official budget, as,
for example, the German use of the
national railways without payment.
NorWeglanS even pay for German
propaganda in the country, for the
Qulsling labor service, which works
for the Germans and for the Norwe-
gian Legion fighting on the east
ern front. 1t was estimated that
these items cost the Norwcgians be-
tween 200 and 300 million crowns.
Finally, the Quisling and Ter
bowen administrations have con-
fScated the fortunes and property
ct NorWegians who have fed Nazi
terror in Norway,