I wanted to visit the Akerhus fortress after seeing it late at night when I arrived in Oslo,
beautifully lit and looming mysteriously across the harbour.

snow and moss on a tree trunk

The fortress was deserted, paths muffled in snow - making the weapons of past defence seem incongruous.

Antique cannon, toothlessly guarding its old city.

The elephant handles on these cannon were intriguing. However, don't be misled by their age.

The fortress saw action relatively recently, when coastal defences resisted the Nazi invasion of Oslo in 1941.

An exhibition within the walls documents the story of the Norway during the war, and details the extraordinary courage of local resistance movements.

There were many stories about actions of resistance and defiance, both violent and non-violent, from boycotts of the Nazi curriculum by schools and churches to the daring (and often costly) military guerrilla raids.

Underground newsheets kept the population informed despite German propaganda and censorship. This was very important and courageous, given the frequent discovery and subsequent executions for such activities.

Norweigian resistance was dealt a cruel blow when the Allies misled both enemies and allies into believing a new front would be opened up in northern Norway, a decoy for the actual offensive in north Africa. Many from the local Norweigan resistance subsequently lost their lives.

There was just a tantalising glimpse of how Norweigan merchant navy, having to flee its own shores, helped support Allied shipping efforts.

A map showed markers on coasts all around the world.
I'd love to know some of the stories it hinted at.

I found this is a powerful and moving museum.

 

The ultimatum delivered by Germany, down the barrel of a gun.

frozen dew-drop with gossamer, kingdom of ice

lost in the mists of the harbour, in a quieter time