Sylvia Salvesen
Encyclopedia
Sylvia Salvesen was a member of the high society in Norway, and a resistance pioneer during World War II
. She was arrested and sent to the Ravensbrück concentration camp
in Germany. She witnessed at the Hamburg Ravensbrück Trials in 1946, and wrote a memoir book documenting her wartime experiences.
in Oslo, Harald Salvesen
. She was a member of the high Society in Oslo, and a friend of the King
's family. In 1938 Salvesen travelled to the United Kingdom along with Queen Maud
, where she also visited Scotland in order to study women's preparedness. Back in Norway she founded the organization Blåklokkene, which organized first aid
courses and other initiatives. The organization developed into what was called "K.B." (abbreviation for , or The King's Messengers). Among their activities were helping people who wanted to continue fighting in Northern Norway, with their travel via Sweden. The group also distributed pictures of King Haakon
all over the country. According to her memoirs, the group had 800 contacts throughout Norway late 1940. Gunnar Sønsteby
mentions that Salvesen had supported his first effort to reach the United Kingdom by boat.
Salvesen was first arrested in January 1942, being among the "King hostages", and spent one night at the prison Møllergata 19
and one week at Grini. She was arrested a second time in September 1942, when she was held in isolation at Grini until June 1943. She was then transferred with the ship SS Monte Rosa
to Aarhus, and further by train transport via Hamburg to the Ravensbrück concentration camp
in Germany.
In Ravensbrück, she was assigned a position at the "hospital" . While in Ravensbrück she was contacted by Wanda Hjort
, with whom she was remotely related. The families Hjort and Seip
had received a letter from professor Harald Salvesen at Rikshospitalet
, asking whether they could get his wife Sylvia's signature on a document and deliver a packet to her. Wanda Hjort and her brother Johan travelled to Ravensbrück, where they received the signature. Later, Wanda managed to achieve a from a higher SS officer in Berlin, and with this document she was presented to her "aunt", Ravensbrück prisoner 20,837 Sylvia Salvesen.
Salvesen was later able to send a complete list of the Norwegian female prisoners in Ravensbrück, brought by a German nurse to the people in Gross Kreutz. The information was transmitted to Stockholm and to Folke Bernadotte
. According to numbers given by the Germans, there were 13 Norwegian and 2 Danish prisoners in the Ravensbrück camp, while the Gross Kreutz group could document that there were 92 Norwegian and 20 Danish prisoners in Ravensbrück.
operation. In 1946, she witnessed at the Ravensbrück Trials in Hamburg. Her testimony both described the general conditions in the camp, and more specific incidents at the . These incidents included the practice of induced abortion of pregnancy, treatment of newborn babies in a way that resulted in death of most of them, experimental surgery on patients, "selection for transports" to the gas chambers, and sterilizing of gypsies. Salvesen was the first witness to testify at the trial, from the afternoon 5 December 1946, continuing morning and afternoon on 6 December, and ending after cross examinations 7 December 1946. The next witnesses were Helene Dziedziecka from Poland and Neeltje Epker from the Netherlands, and later Odette Sansom
and Violette Lecoq
.
In 1947 she published a memoir, (Forgive - but do not forget).
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...
. She was arrested and sent to the Ravensbrück concentration camp
Ravensbrück concentration camp
Ravensbrück was a notorious women's concentration camp during World War II, located in northern Germany, 90 km north of Berlin at a site near the village of Ravensbrück ....
in Germany. She witnessed at the Hamburg Ravensbrück Trials in 1946, and wrote a memoir book documenting her wartime experiences.
Biography
Sylvia Salvesen was married to medical professor at RikshospitaletRikshospitalet
Rikshospitalet is located in Oslo, Norway. From January 1, 2009, the hospital is part of Oslo University Hospital....
in Oslo, Harald Salvesen
Harald Salvesen
Harald Salvesen was a Norwegian medical doctor and internist, a professor at Rikshospitalet in Oslo. His publications were mainly in the field of physiological chemistry. He was married to Sylvia Salvesen.-References:...
. She was a member of the high Society in Oslo, and a friend of the King
Haakon VII of Norway
Haakon VII , known as Prince Carl of Denmark until 1905, was the first king of Norway after the 1905 dissolution of the personal union with Sweden. He was a member of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg...
's family. In 1938 Salvesen travelled to the United Kingdom along with Queen Maud
Maud of Wales
Princess Maud of Wales was Queen of Norway as spouse of King Haakon VII. She was a member of the British Royal Family as the youngest daughter of Edward VII and Alexandra of Denmark and granddaughter of Queen Victoria and also of Christian IX of Denmark. She was the younger sister of George V...
, where she also visited Scotland in order to study women's preparedness. Back in Norway she founded the organization Blåklokkene, which organized first aid
First aid
First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care...
courses and other initiatives. The organization developed into what was called "K.B." (abbreviation for , or The King's Messengers). Among their activities were helping people who wanted to continue fighting in Northern Norway, with their travel via Sweden. The group also distributed pictures of King Haakon
Haakon VII of Norway
Haakon VII , known as Prince Carl of Denmark until 1905, was the first king of Norway after the 1905 dissolution of the personal union with Sweden. He was a member of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg...
all over the country. According to her memoirs, the group had 800 contacts throughout Norway late 1940. Gunnar Sønsteby
Gunnar Sønsteby
Gunnar Fridtjof Thurmann Sønsteby DSO was a member of the Norwegian resistance movement during the German occupation of Norway in World War II...
mentions that Salvesen had supported his first effort to reach the United Kingdom by boat.
Salvesen was first arrested in January 1942, being among the "King hostages", and spent one night at the prison 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...
and one week at Grini. She was arrested a second time in September 1942, when she was held in isolation at Grini until June 1943. She was then transferred with the ship SS Monte Rosa
MV Empire Windrush
The Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury on 22 June 1948, carrying 493 passengers from Jamaica wishing to start a new life in the United Kingdom. The passengers were the first large group of West Indian immigrants to the UK after the Second World War.Before 1948, the ship, under the name of Monte...
to Aarhus, and further by train transport via Hamburg to the Ravensbrück concentration camp
Ravensbrück concentration camp
Ravensbrück was a notorious women's concentration camp during World War II, located in northern Germany, 90 km north of Berlin at a site near the village of Ravensbrück ....
in Germany.
In Ravensbrück, she was assigned a position at the "hospital" . While in Ravensbrück she was contacted by Wanda Hjort
Wanda Hjort Heger
Wanda Maria Heger is a Norwegian social worker noted for her efforts to help Norwegian and other prisoners in Nazi concentration camps during World War II.- Background :...
, with whom she was remotely related. The families Hjort and Seip
Didrik Arup Seip
Didrik Arup Seip was Professor of North Germanic languages at the University of Oslo.He earned his doctorate in 1916 and was appointed professor the same year, retiring in 1954. Together with Herman Jæger, he edited and published the collected works of Henrik Wergeland in 23 volumes...
had received a letter from professor Harald Salvesen at Rikshospitalet
Rikshospitalet
Rikshospitalet is located in Oslo, Norway. From January 1, 2009, the hospital is part of Oslo University Hospital....
, asking whether they could get his wife Sylvia's signature on a document and deliver a packet to her. Wanda Hjort and her brother Johan travelled to Ravensbrück, where they received the signature. Later, Wanda managed to achieve a from a higher SS officer in Berlin, and with this document she was presented to her "aunt", Ravensbrück prisoner 20,837 Sylvia Salvesen.
Salvesen was later able to send a complete list of the Norwegian female prisoners in Ravensbrück, brought by a German nurse to the people in Gross Kreutz. The information was transmitted to Stockholm and to Folke Bernadotte
Folke Bernadotte
Folke Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg was a Swedish diplomat and nobleman noted for his negotiation of the release of about 31,000 prisoners from German concentration camps during World War II, including 450 Danish Jews from Theresienstadt released on 14 April 1945...
. According to numbers given by the Germans, there were 13 Norwegian and 2 Danish prisoners in the Ravensbrück camp, while the Gross Kreutz group could document that there were 92 Norwegian and 20 Danish prisoners in Ravensbrück.
Post-war activities
Salvesen returned from Germany with the Swedish Red Cross and their White BusesWhite 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...
operation. In 1946, she witnessed at the Ravensbrück Trials in Hamburg. Her testimony both described the general conditions in the camp, and more specific incidents at the . These incidents included the practice of induced abortion of pregnancy, treatment of newborn babies in a way that resulted in death of most of them, experimental surgery on patients, "selection for transports" to the gas chambers, and sterilizing of gypsies. Salvesen was the first witness to testify at the trial, from the afternoon 5 December 1946, continuing morning and afternoon on 6 December, and ending after cross examinations 7 December 1946. The next witnesses were Helene Dziedziecka from Poland and Neeltje Epker from the Netherlands, and later Odette Sansom
Odette Sansom
Odette Sansom Hallowes GC, MBE, Chevalier de la légion d'honneur was an Allied heroine of the Second World War.-Early years:...
and Violette Lecoq
Violette Lecoq
Violette Lecoq was a French nurse, illustrator, and a resistance member during World War II. She is known for her drawings from the Ravensbrück concentration camp, which were also used as evidence at the first Ravensbrück Trials in 1946....
.
In 1947 she published a memoir, (Forgive - but do not forget).