Kåre Olafsen
Encyclopedia
Kåre Adolf Olafsen was a Norwegian resistance
member who was executed during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
.
He was born in Sørum
, and lived in Østre Aker. He became involved in Milorg
in 1941, during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
, and was responsible for transport and provisioning in the district. His last mission was Aksjon smør, in which Milorg men stole foodstuffs from two warehouses, one in the street Tollbugata belonging to German forces, and one in the street Skippergata belonging to Arbeidstjenesten. The foodstuffs were distributed to Milorg men who hid in the forests surrounding Oslo.
He was arrested by the Nazi authorities on 13 February 1945, during a crackdown which began when two Gestapo officers intercepted a resistance meeting in Storm Weinholdt
's home. Storm Weinholdt and Frank Olsen
were arrested, and Adolf Bogstad
was killed. Olafsen and several others were rounded up. He was sentenced to death on 15 March in an SS
court-martial; prosecutor was Siegfried Fehmer. He was executed by gunshot at Hovedøya
on 17 March, and his body was lowered in the Oslofjord
. This was the second to last execution of Norwegians by Germans during the war; the last person was an SS-Jäger executed for desertion on 19 April.
Together with eight other resistance members—Adolf Bogstad, Erik Bruun, Henry Gundersen
, Arvid Hansen
, Ingolf Nordstrøm, Frank Olsen, Kjell Ramberg and Storm Weinholdt—he is commemorated with a memorial stone at Sarabråten
in Østmarka
.
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 executed 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...
.
He was born in Sørum
Sørum
Sørum is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Romerike. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Sørumsand. Sørum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
, and lived in Østre Aker. He became involved in Milorg
Milorg
Milorg was the main Norwegian resistance movement in World War II....
in 1941, 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...
, and was responsible for transport and provisioning in the district. His last mission was Aksjon smør, in which Milorg men stole foodstuffs from two warehouses, one in the street Tollbugata belonging to German forces, and one in the street Skippergata belonging to Arbeidstjenesten. The foodstuffs were distributed to Milorg men who hid in the forests surrounding Oslo.
He was arrested by the Nazi authorities on 13 February 1945, during a crackdown which began when two Gestapo officers intercepted a resistance meeting in Storm Weinholdt
Storm Weinholdt
Storm Willads Weinholdt was a Norwegian resistance member who was executed during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany....
's home. Storm Weinholdt and Frank Olsen
Frank Olsen (resistance member)
Frank Olsen was a Norwegian resistance member who was executed during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany....
were arrested, and Adolf Bogstad
Adolf Bogstad
Adolf Bogstad was a Norwegian resistance member who was killed during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany....
was killed. Olafsen and several others were rounded up. He was sentenced to death on 15 March in an SS
Schutzstaffel
The Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
court-martial; prosecutor was Siegfried Fehmer. He was executed by gunshot at Hovedøya
Hovedøya
Hovedøya or Hovedøen is one of several small islands off the coast of Oslo, Norway in the Oslofjord. The island is quite small, no more than 800 metres across in any direction, the total area is 0,4 square kilometre. It is well known for its lush and green nature, with a wide variety of trees,...
on 17 March, and his body was lowered in the Oslofjord
Oslofjord
The Oslofjord is a bay in the south-east of Norway, stretching from an imaginary line between the Torbjørnskjær and Færder lighthouses and down to Langesund in the south to Oslo in the north....
. This was the second to last execution of Norwegians by Germans during the war; the last person was an SS-Jäger executed for desertion on 19 April.
Together with eight other resistance members—Adolf Bogstad, Erik Bruun, Henry Gundersen
Henry Gundersen
Henry Gundersen was a Norwegian resistance member who was executed during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany....
, Arvid Hansen
Arvid Hansen
Arvid Hansen was a Norwegian resistance member who was executed during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany....
, Ingolf Nordstrøm, Frank Olsen, Kjell Ramberg and Storm Weinholdt—he is commemorated with a memorial stone at Sarabråten
Sarabråten
Sarabråten is an area near the lake Nøklevann in Østmarka, Oslo, Norway.Now a recreational area, it was owned by Thomas Johannessen Heftye and his descendants from 1856 to 1911, and after that by Oslo municipality. It was first recorded under the name Jørgensrud in 1578, when owned by the Diocese...
in Østmarka
Østmarka
Østmarka is a forested area to the east of Oslo and part of the congregation of woodland areas known as Oslomarka. The area is situated within the municipalities Oslo, Lørenskog, Rælingen, Ski and Enebakk...
.