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THE ALTMARK AFFAIR
Norwegian WWII History Volume 1 1999 Dear friends! This week I will continue the history on Norway's war. I have decided to end the story on Norway's war before I start writing about other things. In this way you do not have to keep on reading "back" on what I have written before. Norway had early in the Thirties stated should ever a war start again she wanted to be neutral. As a consequence of this she declared herself neutral as soon as France and Britain declared war on Germany on September 1, 1939. Trough out the Autumn of 1939 and the Winter of 1940 there were many incidents along the Norwegian coast line, ships from both Germany and Britain violated Norwegian water. Even aero planes from both countries violated our, Norwegian, air space. This week I will give you the most known story of violation of Norwegian waters that happened before Norway was invaded by Germany on April 9 1940. THE ALTMARK AFFAIR Altmark had been supply ship for the German battleship Admiral Graf von Spee. On December 20, 1939 Kaptän zur See Langsdorff of Admiral Graf von Spree sank Graf von Spree and committed suicide outside Montevideo. Ever since the start of WWII Admiral Graf von Spree had been anusance to the British supremacy in The South Atlantic. The story of Admiral Graf von Spree and her struggle to survive British pursuit and vengeance for sinking many British naval and merchant ships is well known. The story of the supply ship Altmark is less known I presume. As Admiral Graf von Spree sailed for Montevideo for repair Altmark stayed out at the open sea. As Kapitän zur See Langsdorff sank his ship Altmark had to start the long and dangerous travel back to Germany. Altmark did not have any guns or other ways of protection against attacks, so she had to stay out of sight for the Royal Navy that were hunting her down. By remarkable ways, she sail North of Iceland, Altmark ended in Norwegian waters, near the island of Frøya in the county of Sør-Trøndelag, in February 1940. Altmark had British prisoners of war onboard as she entered into Norwegian waters. As she entered Norwegian waters all ammunition she had onboard were hidden, she did not want to violate Norwegian neutrality, she also hid the British POWs. During her long trip, from Frøya to Bergen a trip of about 600 km, along the Norwegian coast she was visited by Norwegian authorities many times. The Captain of Altmark, Kapitän Heinrich Dau stated she was a vessel belonging to the government Germany and as such should be allowed free sailing through Norwegian waters. Vessels belonging to any government or warships were according to the Laws of the Sea not subject to foreign inspection when sailing in neutral waters. This was a law the British had put into these laws long before WWI, around 1905 I think. (Correct me if I am wrong.) As Altmark came to Bergen Norwegian authorities once again wanted to inspect her, but no inspection took place. Altmark was accompanied by Norwegian naval-vessels, two motor torpedo boats, along the Norwegian coast from Bergen and south towards Kristiansand. (A trip of about 700 km.) During the whole voyage British war ships followed. On February 16, 1940 Altmark entered Jøssingfjorden, The Fjord of Jøssing, now she was escorted by the guard boat "Firern" and the motor torpedo boats "Kjell" and "Skarv" all belonging to The Royal Norwegian Navy. As Altmark came into Jøssingfjord the British vessels set out to take her. The Norwegian vessel said they would open fire unless the British ships did not leave Norwegian Waters. The British on their side said they had no intention to leave without entering Altmark. Shortrly after the entered Altmark. Captain Vian, on The Royal Navy's Cossak said he would enter Altmark and defend his right to do so whatever the Norwegians wanted to do. While doing this the Norwegians contacted the Norwegian Admiralty, but were told to do nothing in fare of getting into a situation with the British. After WWII one of the captains, Comander of the Torpedo Boats, said he could have sunk Cossak with a torpedo without loss of any Norwegian lives, but were not allowed to shoot by the Admiralty. He wanted to sink Cossak to stat Norwegian neutrality, but was not given authority to do so. He was told to leave Cossak alone both by The Defence Ministry and the Admiralty. Cossak left Norwegian waters on February 17. In Jøssingfjorden Altmark laid with her stern towards land and broken rudder. During the British attack seven German sailors died, one was wounded and one missing in action. Captain P.L. Vian entered Altmark and freed the British seamen. Cossak took all British POWs with her and left Norwegian waters. She came home in glory and Churchill got his picture in the press. He praised the British sae men for their bravery. The Altmark affair arose much interest in the international media. Norwegian media were sorry for Cossak's violation of Norway's neutrality. British media were of cause saying that Britian was in her right to enter Altmark because she had British sae men onboard, and because Altmark had used Norwegian waters to avoid British pursuit and to get to German waters. British media claimed German Warship could not use Norwegian waters as a safe corridor from Germany to Murmansk in Soviet Union. (In the North of Russia, on to Kola peninsula.) French media said Altmark had violated Norwegian Neutrality by sailing along the Norwegian territorial waters and should have been interned. German media said there had been a outrageous assault upon a peaceful merchant vessel which had asked for protection in Norwegian waters. Germany said further that Norway had not given Altmark sufficient protection. None but Norges Handels- og Sjøfratstidene, Norway's Trade- and Maritime News Paper, looked at the Altmark affaire in relation to an incident during The French-German war of 1870/71 when a French vessel came into British waters with German Prisoner's of War onboard. The Consul of the German Federation in Leith, British port, demanded the release of the POW's, but Britain refused saying that release of POW's is not among the duties of a neutral country during wartime. On February 17, 09.30 the German Embassador handed the Foreign Ministry of Norway a sharp annotation saying Norway had not given Altmark sufficient protection. On the same day Prime Minister Nygaardsvold, who was acting Foreign Minister, called the British Embassador in Norway to a meeting saying Norway felt violated by the incident. Norway protested to Britain, and demanded that British naval ships in the future respected Norwegian neutral waters. Norway further demanded the German seamen should be given back to Norway, Norway also demanded compensation and reparation for the British violation of Norway neutrality. The same day Foreign Minister Lord Halifax met with Embassador Colban, Norway, who gave Lord Halifax a Norwegian annotation protesting the British violation. Lord Halifax on his side said it was an act of technical neutrality violation. ---------------- Comment (This was the first and last time the expression technical neutrality violation had ever been used. Looking into the Laws at Sae which were signed at Hague in 1905 the expression "technical neutrality violation" is no where to be found. Norway signed the Laws of the Sae in 1907.) ---------------- After the Altmark affair neither Britain nor Germany were doubting that Norway neither could nor were willing to protect her neutrality. On February 19, the Altmark affair were debated in the Foreign Affair's Committee, part of the Norwegian Storting (Parliament). There are no minutes from that meeting. In his statement for Storting on February 19, Foreign Minister Koht informed the Storting of what had happen. His statement is equal to that Minister Chamberlain gave and that of Lord Stanhope gave in House of Lords. An answer on Norway's annotation to Britain came on March 15. Norway did not answer. Norwegian media were very negativ towards the British violation of Norway neutrality. Following you will find what one news paper, Aftenposten - a conservative paper, wrote on February 19, 1940: quote The praeludium to the episode in Jøssingfjorden is not quite clair. But we know this much Britain have - seen from international law - committed a gross and very presumptuous violation of Norwegian neutrality. ... The fac that Altmark had British POW's onboard did not deprive her the right to sail in Norwegian waters on her way to Germany. Even if Norwegian authorities knew Altmark had POW's onboard would this not violate Norway's neutrality, and Norway had no right to deny her passage or stop her. unquote President of the Storting, I.C. Hambro, relative of the British, Jewish London based Hambro's Bank, said quote The British ships behaviour in Jøssingfjorden is the most flagrant violation of a neutral country's territory that have taken place in this war, and Norway has great difficulties in understanding the violation arrogant and aggressive violation of a small country's sovereignty of a country with long tradition as a friend of England unquote
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