President of the Storting Tone Wilhelmsen Trøen took the opportunity to honour the Norwegians who lost their lives during World War II. Anniken Huitfeldt, Chair of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, also reminded the audience how important it is to remember the huge contribution made by those who gave their lives for Norway.

“We are celebrating the return of liberty, after five years of occupation and war. We are celebrating the fact that on 8^th May 1945 Norway could throw off the yoke of dictatorship and start its work to rebuild democracy; to return to normal life after the darkness and suffering of war,” said Trøen in her speech to mark the laying of the wreath at the execution site at Akershus Fortress.

During the winter of 1945, 42 Norwegians were executed on this spot by the German occupying forces.

Lost her fourth child

Anniken Huitfeldt told the story of one of those executed at Akershus Fortress. Asle Helland Grepp was 25 when he was robbed of his life; he was the Grepp family’s fourth child to die before morning. Huitfeldt quoted from Grepp’s farewell letter to his mother.

She added that “those who survived have passed on an important message: Take responsibility for a strong defence and don’t allow opposition and hatred to build up and spread. Take responsibility for strong international cooperation.”

A message to Falstad

The President of the Storting also sent a message to a digital event at the Falstad Centre in Trøndelag. Several thousand Norwegians, Russians and Serbs were held prisoner at the Falstad SS camp during the war. Nearly 1000 of these were executed by the occupying forces.

“Physical locations like the Falstad Centre are very powerful. A place that was formerly the site of suffering and evil is now being used to build a future where strong human rights and good democratic readiness are fundamental,” said Trøen in her video message.