[Reports regarding Scandinavia in 1940]

The file contains informations regarding Scandinavia in the years of 1939 till 1942. The author writes reports and letters to inform the public about the situation in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finnland during the war. In his writings he is dicussing several topics regarding economical, political and social issues of the scandinavian countries. Furthermore he reports about happenings in Germany and the occupied countries. Nevertheless the main topic he reports about is the invasion of German forces in the neutral Scandinavian countries Norway and Denmark. By the autumn of 1939, there was an increasing sense of urgency that Norway had to prepare, not only to protect its neutrality, but indeed to fight for its freedom and independence. Efforts to improve military readiness and capability, and to sustain an extended blockade, were intensified between September 1939 and April 1940. After the invasion also the free commentaries in the Norwegian press died out soon, editors disapeared, well-known writers ceased to contribute and general lines were published, which gave a revealing picture of the methods of the German press policy in occupied Norway. Furthermore also the national movement in Norway and the sympathy for the Nazis were raising. In addition the author discusses the occupation in Denmark. Denmark was first a protectorate, then an occupied territory under Germany.