Helge Skappel
Encyclopedia
Helge Sommerfelt Skappel (5 September 1907 – 17 October 2001) was a Norwegian
aviator, photographer and cartographer. He was among the early aviation company owners in Norway, and later became known as a photographer in Widerøe
from 1934 to 1975, except for four years during World War II
when he was imprisoned in concentration camps for resistance
work. He pioneered the use of aerophotogrammetry
in Norway.
as a son of banker Halvdan Skappel and Dagny Sommerfelt Skappel. He took a pilot's education from 1929 to 1930 under the Norwegian Army
at Kjeller
. Skappel soon became involved in the pioneer days of aviation in Norway. He owned the company Lotsberg & Skappel, along with Leiv Brun, Ditlef Smith and Erik Engnæs. The company operated a Gipsy Moth airplane. It was used for private flights, taxi flights and air shows, the latter in cooperation with the company Widerøe & Bjørneby as well as Norsk Aero Klubb. Widerøe & Bjørneby became Widerøe's Flyveselskap
in February 1934, after Viggo Widerøe
had bought and flown a Waco Cabin from the United States. In the Easter of 1934, a meeting was held at Ustaoset
in which Skappel was recruited to Widerøe's Flyveselskap—his company would become incorporated into Widerøe's, and the co-owners be involved as well. Skappel was to lead the aerial school as well as a department for aerial photography. Incidentally, the Standard Moth plane owned by Skappel crashed shortly after, leading him to believe that he had lost his "entrance ticket" to Widerøe's, but he still became director of photography in the company. From 1935 he pioneered the use of aerophotogrammetry
. Among others, the company had a contract with the Norwegian Mapping and Cadastre Authority (then known as Norges Geografiske Oppmåling).
, Norway was invaded by Germany
on 9 April 1940. Helge Skappel's brother died in the Battle of Stryken already on 12 April. Skappel joined the resistance movement
, helping Norwegians to flee the country. He also transmitted information about German troop movements via illegal radio. He was arrested for conducting "intelligence" in June 1941, and was imprisoned at Møllergata 19
for a month. He was sentenced to six years of prison. He was transferred to Grini concentration camp in July 1941, as #353 of almost 20,000 prisoners. Viggo Widerøe was imprisoned as well, and they spent prison time in Åkebergveien from October to November 1941, before being shipped to Germany via Akershus Fortress
. He was imprisoned at Hamburg-Fühlsbuttel, and remained so until being saved by the White Buses
at the war's end.
His brother Vilhelm Skappel (1911–1992) was also a part of the resistance movement, but he fled to England in 1943. Like Helge he worked with aerial photography, having started as early as 1930. After the war, Vilhelm Skappel chaired Commission VII of the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
for ten years.
. In 1951-1952 he was a member of an aerial expedition to Antarctica, as a part of the larger Norwegian-British-Swedish Antarctic Expedition
. The small mountain Skappelnabben was discovered and named after him. In 1953 he made an advance to launch a program for economic mapping. This was his second advance; a proposal in 1937 led to some work being done by a committee, but it was hampered by World War II. Skappel's second advance led to a committee being formed in 1957, and economic mapping was eventually started by Norges Geografiske Oppmåling, however as late as in 1964. Skappel retired from the professional life in 1975.
Skappel was decorated with the Defence Medal 1940–1945 and the HM The King's Medal of Merit
, and was an honorary member of the national cartographic society. He lived in Nøtterøy in his later life, and died in October 2001, aged 94.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
aviator, photographer and cartographer. He was among the early aviation company owners in Norway, and later became known as a photographer in Widerøe
Widerøe
Widerøe's Flyveselskap AS, trading as Widerøe, is a regional airline in Norway and part of the SAS Group. It operates a fleet of 34 Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft , serving 41 domestic and 6 international destinations...
from 1934 to 1975, except for four years during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
when he was imprisoned in concentration camps for resistance
Norwegian resistance movement
The Norwegian resistance to the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany began after Operation Weserübung in 1940 and ended in 1945. It took several forms:...
work. He pioneered the use of aerophotogrammetry
Aerial survey
Aerial survey is a geomatics method of collecting information by using aerial photography, LiDAR or from remote sensing imagery using other bands of the electromagnetic spectrum, such as infrared, gamma, or ultraviolet. It can also refer to the chart or map made by analysing a region from the air...
in Norway.
Pre-war life
He was born in RingsakerRingsaker
is a municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hedmarken. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Brumunddal.The municipality of Ringsaker was established on 1 January 1838...
as a son of banker Halvdan Skappel and Dagny Sommerfelt Skappel. He took a pilot's education from 1929 to 1930 under the Norwegian Army
Norwegian Army
Norway achieved full independence in 1905, and in the first century of its short life has contributed to two major conflicts, the Cold War and the War on Terror. The Norwegian Army currently operates in the north of Norway and in Afghanistan as well as in Eastern Europe. The Army is the oldest of...
at Kjeller
Kjeller
Kjeller is located near Lillestrøm in the municipality of Skedsmo, Norway. It is located 25 kilometers north of Oslo.-The name:The Norse form of the name was probably Tjaldir. This is then the plural of tjald n 'tent'...
. Skappel soon became involved in the pioneer days of aviation in Norway. He owned the company Lotsberg & Skappel, along with Leiv Brun, Ditlef Smith and Erik Engnæs. The company operated a Gipsy Moth airplane. It was used for private flights, taxi flights and air shows, the latter in cooperation with the company Widerøe & Bjørneby as well as Norsk Aero Klubb. Widerøe & Bjørneby became Widerøe's Flyveselskap
Widerøe
Widerøe's Flyveselskap AS, trading as Widerøe, is a regional airline in Norway and part of the SAS Group. It operates a fleet of 34 Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft , serving 41 domestic and 6 international destinations...
in February 1934, after Viggo Widerøe
Viggo Widerøe
Viggo Widerøe was a Norwegian aviator and entrepreneur. He founded Widerøe's Flyveselskap, Norway's third largest airline, in 1934. The airline is still in operation today.-Personal life:...
had bought and flown a Waco Cabin from the United States. In the Easter of 1934, a meeting was held at Ustaoset
Ustaoset
Ustaoset is a village in Hol municipality, Buskerud, Norway. It has a station on Bergensbanen between Geilo and Finse, as well as a hotel and mountain resort cabins....
in which Skappel was recruited to Widerøe's Flyveselskap—his company would become incorporated into Widerøe's, and the co-owners be involved as well. Skappel was to lead the aerial school as well as a department for aerial photography. Incidentally, the Standard Moth plane owned by Skappel crashed shortly after, leading him to believe that he had lost his "entrance ticket" to Widerøe's, but he still became director of photography in the company. From 1935 he pioneered the use of aerophotogrammetry
Aerial survey
Aerial survey is a geomatics method of collecting information by using aerial photography, LiDAR or from remote sensing imagery using other bands of the electromagnetic spectrum, such as infrared, gamma, or ultraviolet. It can also refer to the chart or map made by analysing a region from the air...
. Among others, the company had a contract with the Norwegian Mapping and Cadastre Authority (then known as Norges Geografiske Oppmåling).
World War II
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Norway was invaded by Germany
Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
on 9 April 1940. Helge Skappel's brother died in the Battle of Stryken already on 12 April. Skappel joined the resistance movement
Norwegian resistance movement
The Norwegian resistance to the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany began after Operation Weserübung in 1940 and ended in 1945. It took several forms:...
, helping Norwegians to flee the country. He also transmitted information about German troop movements via illegal radio. He was arrested for conducting "intelligence" in June 1941, and was imprisoned at Møllergata 19
Møllergata 19
Møllergata 19 is an address in Oslo, Norway where the city's main police station and jail was located. The address gained notoriety during the German occupation from 1940 to 1945, when the Nazi security police kept its headquarters here...
for a month. He was sentenced to six years of prison. He was transferred to Grini concentration camp in July 1941, as #353 of almost 20,000 prisoners. Viggo Widerøe was imprisoned as well, and they spent prison time in Åkebergveien from October to November 1941, before being shipped to Germany via Akershus Fortress
Akershus Fortress
Akershus Fortress or Akershus Castle is a medieval castle that was built to protect Oslo, the capital of Norway. It has also been used as a prison.- Construction :...
. He was imprisoned at Hamburg-Fühlsbuttel, and remained so until being saved by the White Buses
White Buses
"White Buses" refers to a program undertaken by the Swedish Red Cross and the Danish government in the spring of 1945 to rescue concentration camp inmates in areas under Nazi control and transport them to Sweden, a neutral country...
at the war's end.
His brother Vilhelm Skappel (1911–1992) was also a part of the resistance movement, but he fled to England in 1943. Like Helge he worked with aerial photography, having started as early as 1930. After the war, Vilhelm Skappel chaired Commission VII of the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
ISPRS
The International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing is a non-governmental organization devoted to the development of international cooperation for the advancement of photogrammetry, remote sensing and spatial information sciences and their applications.Established in 1910 by Professor...
for ten years.
Post-war life
Skappel continued in Widerøe after the war. In 1946 he released the book Pionertid, "Pioneer Time", together with Viggo Widerøe, chronicling their time as pioneers of aviation in NorwayAviation in Norway
-Early attempts:In the early days of Norwegian aviation the Norwegian enthusiasts lacked an engine and were therefore unable to perform real flights. The first engine powered aircraft was ordered during the world's first air show in Reims and came to Kristiania in December 1909. It was purchased by...
. In 1951-1952 he was a member of an aerial expedition to Antarctica, as a part of the larger Norwegian-British-Swedish Antarctic Expedition
Norwegian-British-Swedish Antarctic Expedition
Norwegian–British–Swedish Antarctic Expedition the first Antarctica expedition involving an international team of scientists...
. The small mountain Skappelnabben was discovered and named after him. In 1953 he made an advance to launch a program for economic mapping. This was his second advance; a proposal in 1937 led to some work being done by a committee, but it was hampered by World War II. Skappel's second advance led to a committee being formed in 1957, and economic mapping was eventually started by Norges Geografiske Oppmåling, however as late as in 1964. Skappel retired from the professional life in 1975.
Skappel was decorated with the Defence Medal 1940–1945 and the HM The King's Medal of Merit
HM The King's Medal of Merit
The King's Medal of Merit is a Norwegian award. It was instituted in 1908 to reward meritorious achievements in the fields of art, science, business and public service. It is divided in two classes: gold and silver. The medal in gold is rewarded for extraordinary achievements of importance to the...
, and was an honorary member of the national cartographic society. He lived in Nøtterøy in his later life, and died in October 2001, aged 94.