Hedret veteranene i Narvik

Narvik 28th April 2010 – Speech by MOD State Secretary Espen Barth Eide during the 70th Anniversary of the Allied Victory in the Battles of Narvik

Statssekretær Espen Barth Eide ved 70-årsmarkeringen i Narvik. - Foto: Adrian Lombardo, Forsvaret

Excellencies - ladies and gentlemen, honoured veterans

We are gathered here on this historic day at this historic place to pay tribute to the tens of thousands of brave allied soldiers who won the first major Allied victory against Nazi Germany, 70 years ago from today.

In April 1940, Adolf Hitler’s war machine had hammered its way through free and democratic Europe, and left a trail of destruction, terror and fear behind. At this point in history, Hitler seemed unstoppable, unbreakable and unbeatable. 

On the 9th of April 1940, Norway, too, was brutally attacked, and initially the Nazis met limited resistance. In the inter-war years, Norway had chosen the path of isolation because of the erroneous belief that our mere distance from the key European powers would spare us from the harsh realities of power politics. The assumption was that by standing alone, we would increase our security.

Foto: Adrian Lombardo, Forsvaret

On 9 April it became all too clear that this path led to occupation and disaster. Norway was unprepared and unprotected. We were unable to prevent Nazi-Germany from occupying most of our territory – including the strategically important town of Narvik.

70 years ago however, Norwegian, French, Polish and British soldiers were standing shoulder to shoulder right here in Narvik. Through their heroic joint effort, they won the first (major) allied victory of the war.

Let us for a moment imagine that we are right here, in the very centre of Narvik, but 70 years ago, to the minute.

It is half past nine on 28 May 1940. The sound of heavy shelling, which had been heard all over town for a long time, has finally ceased (thirty minutes ago). As the mist disappears, the roar of shells and gunshots is replaced by the sound of Allied aircraft flying low over the city. Civilians marked by the dramatic events are just starting to come out of the ruins. Many have just become homeless. Some are gathering at the fire station. It must have been a very shocking experience indeed.

Looking out towards the Ofotfjord, straight ahead – we can see 10 ships from the Royal Navy – a battleship accompanied by nine cruisers and destroyers. Further out, the aircraft carrier Ark Royal ensured Allied air superiority with their Swordfish and Sea Gladiator planes.

Allied infantry is now taking up positions and preparing to enter the city.

Foto: Adrian Lombardo, Forsvaret 

French Alpine troops is at this very moment progressing and are located towards Robakksfjorden, just across the mountains to the right.

By now, the Polish forces has been fighting hard along Ankenes mountain and made their way down toward Ankenes, on the left side of the Beisfjorden. Less than an hour ago - they finally managed to force the German forces from Nyborg towards Fagernes.

At the 6th field hospital at Bogen, the doctors and nurses at have their hands full treating the many soldiers wounded during the fighting. Many are seriously injured, some are dying.

Finally, at 18.30 pm, Norwegian soldiers enter the city of Narvik itself. This happens to be on the very same day Belgium surrendered to Hitler – but up here, Narvik is liberated in a heroic effort by almost 25 000 Allied soldiers working closely together.

Militarily, the victory was vital – not least because the Allies destroyed important parts of Hitler’s fleet. The German naval losses were high – in addition to 1.000 men, one submarine and several support ships, Hitler lost 10 destroyers, which amounted to no less than half of Hitler’s destroyer force. This was strategically significant: Such a substantial naval loss made a Nazi invasion of United Kingdom considerably more difficult. 

Even more importantly, however, was the effect the Allied victory in Narvik had on the morale and inspiration it provided to the population in Allied countries.

Remember that on 28 May 1940, we are in the midst of one of the darkest hours in European history. Here, in a small town in the High North, Norwegian and Allied soldiers lit a light. On 28 May 1940 the world was looking to Narvik. Looking to Narvik, because for the first time ever, Adolf Hitler’s soldiers were beaten at the battlefield. While frighteningly powerful on its rampage through the Continent, the German war machine had shown that it was not unbeatable, after all. Joint efforts by Europe’s democratic forces could actually drive them on retreat. 

In this sense, the first step on the way to the final Allied victory in the Second World War was taken right here, in Narvik. And let us not forget that the final victory was the liberation – not only of the Allies from occupation– but also the liberation of Germany and its people from the crushing grip of the Nazi regime. Today’s democratic, free and united Germany is the successor and heir of the brave opposition forces who dared to stand up against Hitler and Nazism. That is why I am so pleased to see the German Ambassador here today among the distinguished representatives of our allies from back then. This is also why I am so pleased to see the flag of free and democratic Germany represented on the flagpoles throughout Narvik on this historic day.

70 years is, of course, a long time. What can we learn today from the brutal events which took place in Narvik 70 years ago?

Let me point out three important lessons:

First, we learned the importance of making sure that we do not leave our country unprepared and unprotected. We need strong, relevant and flexible armed forces, prepared to meet a complex set of challenges, home and abroad. We need a comprehensive security policy, combining diplomacy, defence and the strengthening of international regimes and institutions.

Second, if we learned anything from Narvik we learned the importance of having close allies ready and willing to fight with us. We were standing alone when Norway was occupied – but we stood together when we won Narvik back.

During those bloody and brutal battles in the early spring of 1940, brave soldiers of France, Poland, the United Kingdom and Norway fought together, stood together, and won together. The very same countries that fought with us 70 years ago in these Fjords are our close allies today. Our long-term partners France and Britain have been our allies ever since the war. We salute that long-standing and unbroken friendship! Let me, however, emphasise the fact that after the many twists and turns of history, Poland is once again a close ally, militarily as well as politically. It has been so for more than a decade. Just think how natural this feels today – and how distant that seemed even when I was a young man.

There is an historic line to be drawn from the Allied soldiers fighting here in Narvik in 1940 via those who won the Second World War, and the hundreds of thousands of soldiers from Allied countries who have served in peace missions for the United Nations, for NATO and for the EU throughout the world, to the soldiers who serve today in Afghanistan, Africa and elsewhere are struggling to make the world a little safer for us all.
 
There is a strong symbolism in the fact that Norwegian and German soldiers, as we speak, are standing shoulder to shoulder with all our other allies represented here in Afghanistan in a common effort to create peace and stability for the Afghan people and for global stability. On a day like this, in a place like this, we should remind ourselves that we have indeed come a long way in the last 70 years.

For the third lesson from the victory in Narvik, I would like to quote Norway’s Prime Minister just after the war, Mr. Einar Gerhardsen, who himself had been imprisoned in Nazi-Germanys concentration camps. I quote:

“What happened [during the Second World War] taught us that there is no distinct Norwegian peace in a world on fire. We had to realise that peace is indivisible, that Norway’s peace, Nordic peace and Europe’s peace is a part of the world’s peace.”  

These wise words – uttered just after the end of the War - summarizes the essence of what has been the idea marking the course for Trans-Atlantic defence and security in the entire era following the Second World War. And prime minister Gerhardsen is completely right – it takes more co-operation, not less, to make peace.

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I would like to thank the City of Narvik and Mayor Karen Margrethe Kuvaas for a job well done in making the important event here today possible. It is vital that we continue to mark the occasion of historical events like the Allied victory here in Narvik. I would also like to greet and to thank the representatives from France, United Kingdom, Poland and Germany for their co-operation and contribution in today’s ceremonies and events. We are still grateful and thankful for the sacrifices the Allied soldiers in Narvik made in a common struggle to fight the Nazi aggression. I am particularly pleased to see the many veterans from 1940 who are with us here today. 

Most of all, I would like to thank and honour the Allied soldiers and remember the ultimate sacrifice of the many who were killed during the battles. Together we have to make sure that the memory of the bravery of these soldiers who fought and won will not fade, but that their spirit will be kept alive in order to inspire new generations to fight against tyranny and oppression.

Excelencies, ladies and gentlemen, honoured veterans

Today, we are honouring freedom.
Today, we are honouring the veterans of Narvik’s struggle for freedom.
Today, we are honouring the soldiers who fought and lost their life. They did not die in vain. They gave their lives, so that we could live in freedom. 

It is with humility I honour the soldiers who lost their lives here in Narvik during the battles in 1940 by laying a wreath at the memorial. We shall not and will not ever forget the sacrifice of the soldiers who gave their lives in the battle against occupation and Nazism and for our freedom and independence.

Peace be with them.