Kjesäter
Encyclopedia
Kjesäter is a manor in the municipality of Vingåker
in the county of Södermanland
that now serves as a folkhögskola
and youth hostel. During World War II
, it served as a refugee camp and transit center for refugees fleeing Nazi persecution in Norway
.
The escape from Norway usually involved transport by train or side roads to areas near the border, and then clandestine passage on foot, skis and occasionally boat to the Swedish border. Swedish border officials (landfiskaler) accepted the refugees and sent them to transit centers.
After Öreryd
in Småland
proved inadequate, on June 15, 1942, Kjesäter was designated as the main assembly and transit point for refugees who had fled the Nazi German occupation
of Norway by crossing the border into Sweden. These refugees included political activists, members of the resistance
, and Jews
fleeing deportation to extermination camps. It is estimated that about 50,000 individuals made it across the border to Sweden during the war. Refugees would typically be intercepted by Swedish border patrols soon after they had entered into Swedish territory, interviewed, and be given an "emergency visa" with 2-week duration with directions and fare (if needed) to Kjesäter. The processing there would take 3–4 days and typically involved medical examination, in-depth interrogations, etc. Norwegian nationals would be given a Norwegian passport; stateless individuals would be given a Swedish identification card. The refugees would also be given fare for their next destination, food, and clothing. At its peak, the center had 30 barracks and a capacity of 700-800 refugees. As Norwegian authorities in exile set up offices in Stockholm
, the center served as an important adjunct facility for registering Norwegians in the paramilitary police force and sending younger refugees to the Norwegian high school that had been established in Uppsala
.
The center in Kjesäter would serve as the main transit point for refugees from Norway throughout the war. It was directed by John Aae
, later mayor of Trondheim, from 1943 to 1945. In June 1943, an additional center was established in Jokkmokk
in Norrbotten
for Sami
refugees as well. These centers and other facilities became part of the extensive expatriate Norwegian organization that was part of the Norwegian refugee office in Stockholm.
Vingåker Municipality
Vingåker Municipality is a municipality in Södermanland County in central Sweden. Its seat is located in the town of Vingåker.The municipality has its present size since the local government reform of 1971.-Localities :...
in the county of Södermanland
Södermanland County
Södermanland County is a county or län on the south east coast of Sweden. It borders the counties of Östergötland, Örebro, Västmanland, Uppsala, Stockholm and to the Baltic sea....
that now serves as a folkhögskola
Folk high school
Folk high schools are institutions for adult education that generally do not grant academic degrees, though certain courses might exist leading to that goal...
and youth hostel. 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...
, it served as a refugee camp and transit center for refugees fleeing Nazi persecution in Norway
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...
.
Refugee camp and transit center
The first wave of refugees to Sweden came from Norway on or after April 9, 1940. These included officials of the legitimate Norwegian government, political activists, especially Communists, and some Jews who feared persecution. Many of these initial refugees returned to Norway when things appeared to stabilize. The Swedish government continued to grant asylum to political refugees throughout the war, and in 1942 groups persecuted for other reasons were also admitted by Swedish officials.The escape from Norway usually involved transport by train or side roads to areas near the border, and then clandestine passage on foot, skis and occasionally boat to the Swedish border. Swedish border officials (landfiskaler) accepted the refugees and sent them to transit centers.
After Öreryd
Öreryd
Öreryd is a village and parish in Småland, Sweden, in the county of Jönköping. During World War II, Öreryd hosted a refugee camp and transit center for refugees fleeing Nazi persecution in occupied Norway, from March 1941 until June 1942, when it was replaced by the camp Kjesäter...
in Småland
Småland
' is a historical province in southern Sweden.Småland borders Blekinge, Scania or Skåne, Halland, Västergötland, Östergötland and the island Öland in the Baltic Sea. The name Småland literally means Small Lands. . The latinized form Smolandia has been used in other languages...
proved inadequate, on June 15, 1942, Kjesäter was designated as the main assembly and transit point for refugees who had fled the Nazi German occupation
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...
of Norway by crossing the border into Sweden. These refugees included political activists, members of the 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:...
, and Jews
Holocaust in Norway
In the middle of the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany, there were at least 2,173 Jews in Norway. At least 775 of these were arrested, detained, and/or deported. 742 were murdered in the camps, 23 died as a result of extrajudicial execution, murder, and suicide during the war; bringing the total...
fleeing deportation to extermination camps. It is estimated that about 50,000 individuals made it across the border to Sweden during the war. Refugees would typically be intercepted by Swedish border patrols soon after they had entered into Swedish territory, interviewed, and be given an "emergency visa" with 2-week duration with directions and fare (if needed) to Kjesäter. The processing there would take 3–4 days and typically involved medical examination, in-depth interrogations, etc. Norwegian nationals would be given a Norwegian passport; stateless individuals would be given a Swedish identification card. The refugees would also be given fare for their next destination, food, and clothing. At its peak, the center had 30 barracks and a capacity of 700-800 refugees. As Norwegian authorities in exile set up offices in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, the center served as an important adjunct facility for registering Norwegians in the paramilitary police force and sending younger refugees to the Norwegian high school that had been established in Uppsala
Uppsala
- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...
.
The center in Kjesäter would serve as the main transit point for refugees from Norway throughout the war. It was directed by John Aae
John Aae
John Amandus Aae was a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party.He was born in Jämtland, but grew up in Snillfjord. He became manager of the newspaper Ny Tid in 1919. In the 1923 party split which saw the Communist Party break away from the Labour Party, Aae sided with the Labour Party...
, later mayor of Trondheim, from 1943 to 1945. In June 1943, an additional center was established in Jokkmokk
Jokkmokk
Jokkmokk is a locality and the seat of Jokkmokk Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden with 2,976 inhabitants in 2005. The Sámi name of the place means "River's Curve", due to the meandering river that runs through it...
in Norrbotten
Norrbotten
Norrbotten is a Swedish province in northernmost Sweden. It borders south to Västerbotten, west to Swedish Lapland, and east to Finland.- Administration :...
for Sami
Sami people
The Sami people, also spelled Sámi, or Saami, are the arctic indigenous people inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of far northern Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Kola Peninsula of Russia, and the border area between south and middle Sweden and Norway. The Sámi are Europe’s northernmost...
refugees as well. These centers and other facilities became part of the extensive expatriate Norwegian organization that was part of the Norwegian refugee office in Stockholm.