After World War II, some Norwegians were called quislings. Who were they?
- Ancestors
- Norwegians who helped the king and the government escape
- Norwegians who helped Jews escape to Sweden
Explanation
On April 9, 1940, German troops arrived in Norway, including the German warship Blücher. The Norwegian king Haakon and the government led by Johan Nygaardvold refused to surrender and went to England. The war was over on May 8, 1945.
There was a lack of, among other things, freedom of expression and food. The war was a terrible time for many Norwegians. Many fought against the Germans. These were called resistance fighters. Those who fought on the German side were called traitors and quislings.
The story behind the name quisling is the Norwegian Vidkun Quisling, who fought on the German side during World War II. He led the German-backed government in Norway. After the war, he was convicted of treason and executed.