Scan Magazine – August 2018

100 | Issue 115 | August 2018

Shining a light on the past and

informing for the future

Fancy a peek into the private life of Adolf Hitler where he nourished his artistic side?
Or perhaps a glimpse at Eva Braun’s purse? This and many more curiosities from
World War II can be found at the Lofoten World War Memorial Museum. The museum
holds one of the world’s largest collections of unique artefacts that tell a story from
the war far from the battlefield.

By Helen Toftner & Astrid Eriksson | Photos: Lofoten Krigsminnemuseum

The Lofoten World War Museum is a mu-
seum that is out of the ordinary, where
the focus has drifted from the military to
the personal side of the war. Thus, the
museum takes pride in reflecting the
time span between 1940 and 1945 with
all its drama and brutality alongside ex-
amples of personal sacrifices, altruism
and courage. “It is a historical museum
with curiosities that attract people from
all over the world. It intends to encourage
people to think for themselves,” William
Hakvaag says. He is the enthusiast behind

the museum, and it has become his mis-

sion in life to locate and exhibit artefacts

that tell stories about people and the war.

“A museum ought to shed light on the

past, namely through photo material, pic-

tures and text. Together, this constitutes

a story, but the best thing it will do is to

encourage visitors to think and make up

their own conclusions,” Hakvaag says.

Josef Terboven’s porcelain

Being Norway’s largest exhibition of

uniforms, artefacts and small objects

from World War II, there are many

curiosities displayed within the museum

walls. Hakvaag himself has travelled

near and far to get his hands on the

unique pieces, and the current collection

consists of porcelain of Reichskommissar

for Norway, Josef Terboven; Christmas

trees called Frontbaums, sent up north

to cheer up Waffen-SS; Christmas tree

decorations with Hitler’s head painted

on them; as well as a large collection of

uniforms.

One of the most notable artefacts in-

cludes the main flag taken from the

German ship Blücher after it was sunk in

the Oslofjord. On that note, the museum

also holds the cap of Birger Eriksen, the

officer who ordered firing on the ship and

was thus instrumental in stopping the

first wave of Germans invading Norway.

Museum of the Month, Norway