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Fritjof in Norway (1940) - Resistance and Collaboration

When his father enlists for war, Norwegian villager Fritjof has to support his family as a fisherman boy.

Fritjof is a ten-year-old living in a fishing village in Norway, when the Second World War reaches his country. When his father goes to war, Fritjof must contribute to supporting his family. Together with his Uncle Arne, he goes out fishing, taking his father's place on the boat.

His first meeting with German soldiers surprises Fritjof, because they not only buy all their fish, they are also really friendly. At first, he and his uncle work for the Germans, but what they are paid can scarcely feed his family. Fritjof decides not to sell his share to the Germans and quickly discovers the other side of the 'friendly' occupiers. Nonetheless on their next trip, he tries to convince Arne not to sell their catch to the Germans and to keep it for themselves. But Arne warns him of the consequences. It is better if they co-operate. But Fritjof no longer wants to accept the situation and instead goes against the occupying forces 鈥 with far-reaching consequences for him and his family鈥

The Germans occupied Norway in April 1940 and initiated a system of Gleichschaltung, the Nazification of the state through suppression and persecution. It was especially the rationing of food and the economic exploitation of the land occupation brought that had most impact on everyday life in Norway. The second episode delves into the question as to what it meant/means to live in an occupied country or under foreign rule and the related question as to how one should deal with that.

Tha Fritjof (10) a鈥 fuireach ann am baile iasgaich ann an Nirribhidh mun 脿m a ruigeas an D脿rna Cogadh an d霉thaich sin. Tha athair a鈥 sabaid sa chogadh agus feumaidh Fritjof taic a chumail ri theaghlach. Bidh e a鈥 dol a-mach a dh鈥檌asgach c貌mhla ri Uncail Arne, a鈥 gabhail 脿ite athair air an eathar. Tha na saighdearan Gearmailteach a鈥 cur ioghnadh m貌r air Fritjof a鈥 chiad turas a choinnicheas e riutha, oir chan e a-mh脿in gun ceannaich iad na tha aige de dh鈥檌asg ach tha coltas c脿irdeil orra cuideachd. An-toiseach tha e fh猫in agus uncail ag obair dha na Gearmailtich ach tha am p脿igheadh cho beag 鈥檚 gur gann a th猫id aca air an teaghlach a bheathachadh. An uair a dhi霉ltas Fritjof a鈥 chuid fh猫in den iasg a reic ri na Gearmailtich, tha am balach a鈥 faicinn taobh eile dhe na c貌mhnaichean 鈥渃脿irdeil鈥. A dh鈥檃indheoin sin tha e a鈥 feuchainn ri toirt air Arne gun an t-iasg aca a reic ri na Gearmailtich agus a chumail dhaibh p猫in. Tha Arne a鈥 toirt dha rabhadh agus a鈥 moladh co-oibreachadh le na Gearmailtich. Ge-t脿, chan eil Fritjof de貌nach gabhail ris an t-suidheachadh, agus nuair a th猫id e an aghaidh nam feachdan coimheach, tha bhuil air a bheatha fh猫in agus beatha an teaghlaich.

Nuair a gh猫ill Nirribhidh do na Gearmailtich anns a鈥 Ghiblein 1940 st猫idhich na Gearmailtich siostam air an robh Gleichschaltung, a bha a鈥 sparradh feallsanachd Nadsaidh air an st脿it tro mh霉chadh agus geur-leanmhainn. Ge-t脿, 鈥檚 e an raiseanadh bidhe agus an smachd air fearann a th脿inig an cois an ionnsaigh, a bu mhotha a thug buaidh air beatha l脿itheil na d霉thcha.

25 minutes

Credits

Role Contributor
Narrator Patsi MacKenzie
Producer Tony Kearney

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