Kjell Bull-Hansen
Encyclopedia
Kjell Bull-Hansen was a Norwegian resistance
member who was killed during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
.
and lived in Vestre Aker
, at Tåsen
. Before World War II he attended a technical evening school, and took classes in drawing, painting and mechanics.
, he became involved in Milorg
. He joined District 13's sabotage squad Aks 13000
, and served as one of several team leaders.
One of the notable missions led by Bull-Hansen was the sabotage against the garage belonging to the company Freia
in November 1944. The goal was to blow up the workshop for repairing airplane parts with 40 kilograms (88.2 lb) of dynamite and some plastic explosive
s. The dynamite was split in two packs, and Bull-Hansen brought one pack to Freia via bicycle. He also supplied matchsticks. The team—Kjell Bull-Hansen, Odd Isøy
, Arnold Guttormsen, Per Nitteberg, Bjørn Pedersen and Tor Pedersen—then gathered at Isøy's family's home, not far from Freia, in the evening. Bull-Hansen and Isøy were to enter the garage with a ladder and through the roof. The other team members were guarding the perimeter. After the fuse had been lit, four guards from the Luftwaffe
showed up, one of whom was shot to death by Guttormsen or Nitteberg. Although the saboteurs did not have time to perform a broader evacuation of civil inhabitants in the area, there was no collateral human damage. The garage was utterly destroyed.
In late 1944 he participated in the sabotage against the civil vigilance office in Møllergata 16. This was especially dangerous, since it neighbored Møllergata 19
. Bull-Hansen and Isøy performed the sabotage while vice leader of Aks 13000, Per Røed, coordinated. By foot Bull-Hansen carried 15 kilograms (33.1 lb) of dynamite, and Isøy 10 kilograms (22 lb); in addition each carried 20 litres of gasoline. They did not meet opposition when placing the explosives, but when calling the police a few minutes before the explosion to ensure the streets and vicinity had been cleared, Per Røed had to use a telephone in a cover-up apartment, compromising their hideout. However, they managed to escape before forces arrived, and besides no human lives were lost. After this, Bull-Hansen and Isøy attended a training camp in Sweden between 29 January and 23 March 1945. They went by boat from Strömstad
to Tønsberg
and by train from Tønsberg
to Oslo
, but Nazi patrollers discovered an error in Isøy's travel document, which was actually a complete forgery. The two were thrown off the train at Drammen Station
and placed in Statspolitiet custody. The two ran away from the police at Bragernes Torg, and since the guards stopped to draw their guns, the two got a 200 metre headstart. They ran down the road along the river Drammenselva
. When they reached the road's end, they could have run back into the city but instead climbed a fence, entering the property of the well-known brewery Aass
. Isøy passed the fence, careered past a warehouse and hid in the river. Bull-Hansen, however, slipped at the fence, ran into the city instead and tried to hide at the public baths (adjacent to Aass) but was discovered. He surrendered, but was shot in the right leg and left lung by a Hirdman. He was buried at Vår Frelsers gravlund
.
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:...
member who was killed during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany started with the German invasion of Norway on April 9, 1940, and ended on May 8, 1945, after the capitulation of German forces in Europe. Throughout this period, Norway was continuously occupied by the Wehrmacht...
.
Pre-war life
He was born in OsloOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
and lived in Vestre Aker
Vestre Aker
Vestre Aker is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway.The previous municipality Aker was merged into the city of Oslo in 1948.The borough of Vestre Aker was organized as part of the 1 January 2004 reform. Previous boroughs...
, at Tåsen
Tåsen
Tåsen is a neigboorhood of Oslo, Norway, aprox. four north of the city centre. The name origins from the norse name Tásvin. The station Tåsen serves the area.-References:*...
. Before World War II he attended a technical evening school, and took classes in drawing, painting and mechanics.
World War II
During the occupation of Norway by Nazi GermanyOccupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany started with the German invasion of Norway on April 9, 1940, and ended on May 8, 1945, after the capitulation of German forces in Europe. Throughout this period, Norway was continuously occupied by the Wehrmacht...
, he became involved in Milorg
Milorg
Milorg was the main Norwegian resistance movement in World War II....
. He joined District 13's sabotage squad Aks 13000
Aks 13000
Aks 13000 or Aks 13 was a sabotage squad which existed from 1944 to 1945, during parts of the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany in World War II. It was a part of the Norwegian resistance movement, specifically Milorg....
, and served as one of several team leaders.
One of the notable missions led by Bull-Hansen was the sabotage against the garage belonging to the company Freia
Freia (chocolate)
Freia is a Norwegian chocolate candy manufacturing company. The company is famous for Freia Melkesjokolade and Kvikk Lunsj, as well as for other candy and dessert products.-History:...
in November 1944. The goal was to blow up the workshop for repairing airplane parts with 40 kilograms (88.2 lb) of dynamite and some plastic explosive
Plastic explosive
Plastic explosive is a specialised form of explosive material. It is a soft and hand moldable solid material. Plastic explosives are properly known as putty explosives within the field of explosives engineering....
s. The dynamite was split in two packs, and Bull-Hansen brought one pack to Freia via bicycle. He also supplied matchsticks. The team—Kjell Bull-Hansen, Odd Isøy
Odd Isøy
Odd E. Isøy was a Norwegian resistance member. Among others, he single-handledly placed explosives on the crane of the 3,215 ton Norwegian cargo ship MS Belpamela.-World War II:...
, Arnold Guttormsen, Per Nitteberg, Bjørn Pedersen and Tor Pedersen—then gathered at Isøy's family's home, not far from Freia, in the evening. Bull-Hansen and Isøy were to enter the garage with a ladder and through the roof. The other team members were guarding the perimeter. After the fuse had been lit, four guards from the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
showed up, one of whom was shot to death by Guttormsen or Nitteberg. Although the saboteurs did not have time to perform a broader evacuation of civil inhabitants in the area, there was no collateral human damage. The garage was utterly destroyed.
In late 1944 he participated in the sabotage against the civil vigilance office in Møllergata 16. This was especially dangerous, since it neighbored 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...
. Bull-Hansen and Isøy performed the sabotage while vice leader of Aks 13000, Per Røed, coordinated. By foot Bull-Hansen carried 15 kilograms (33.1 lb) of dynamite, and Isøy 10 kilograms (22 lb); in addition each carried 20 litres of gasoline. They did not meet opposition when placing the explosives, but when calling the police a few minutes before the explosion to ensure the streets and vicinity had been cleared, Per Røed had to use a telephone in a cover-up apartment, compromising their hideout. However, they managed to escape before forces arrived, and besides no human lives were lost. After this, Bull-Hansen and Isøy attended a training camp in Sweden between 29 January and 23 March 1945. They went by boat from Strömstad
Strömstad
Strömstad is a locality and the seat of Strömstad Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 6,110 inhabitants in 2005.Strömstad is, despite its small population, for historical reasons normally still referred to as a city.- History :...
to Tønsberg
Tønsberg
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, southern Norway, located around north-east of Sandefjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tønsberg....
and by train from Tønsberg
Tønsberg Station
Tønsberg Station on the Vestfold Line, is the main railway station in the town of Tønsberg in Vestfold, Norway. The station is located in the downtown area, to the east of the hill Slottsfjellet. It is located at an altitude of above mean sea level, and is from Oslo Central Station...
to Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, but Nazi patrollers discovered an error in Isøy's travel document, which was actually a complete forgery. The two were thrown off the train at Drammen Station
Drammen Station
Drammen is a railway station located in downtown Drammen in Buskerud, Norway. The station is the terminus of both the Randsfjord Line, the Drammen Line and the Vestfold Line...
and placed in Statspolitiet custody. The two ran away from the police at Bragernes Torg, and since the guards stopped to draw their guns, the two got a 200 metre headstart. They ran down the road along the river Drammenselva
Drammenselva
Drammenselva is a river in Buskerud county, southeastern Norway.-Location:Drammenselva is one of the largest rivers in Norway, with a drainage basin of about 17,000 square kilometers and a flow rate of 300 cubic meters per second. The river has an average discharge of about 300 m3 / s...
. When they reached the road's end, they could have run back into the city but instead climbed a fence, entering the property of the well-known brewery Aass
Aass Brewery
Aass Brewery is Norway's oldest brewery. Founded in 1834 in Drammen, Norway, the brewery's primary products are beer and aquavit. The company also produce a wide range of soft drinks...
. Isøy passed the fence, careered past a warehouse and hid in the river. Bull-Hansen, however, slipped at the fence, ran into the city instead and tried to hide at the public baths (adjacent to Aass) but was discovered. He surrendered, but was shot in the right leg and left lung by a Hirdman. He was buried at Vår Frelsers gravlund
Vår Frelsers gravlund
Vår Frelsers gravlund is a cemetery in Oslo, Norway, located north of Hammersborg in Gamle Aker district. It was created in 1808 as a result of the great famine and cholera epidemic of the Napoleonic Wars. Its grounds were extended in 1911. The cemetery has been full since 1952...
.