WHITE PAPER ISSUED

Southland Times, Issue 24109, 24 April 1940, Page 5

WHITE PAPER ISSUED

Story Of German Aggression

NAZI DEMANDS ON NORWAY

(British Official Wireless) RUGBY, April 22.

The translation of a White Papei’ issued by Norway on April 14 became available in London last night. It tells in impressive and simple language the story of German aggression against Norway and gives an account of the events which compelled King Haakon and his Government to leave Oslo and finally to set about organizing, from an undisclosed centre, resistance by the Norwegians to the German attack. It demonstrates clearly how Norway went to the utmost limit of conciliation.

The White Paper opens with a statement that at 5 a.m. on April 9 Dr Brauer, the German Minister in Oslo, presented to Professor Koht, Norwegian Foreign Minister, a number of demands from his Government, and continues: “Several hours before these demands were presented the German forces had already attacked Norway. About midnight it was learned that foreign warships had passed Faerder and entered Oslo Fiord and threequarters of an hour later a report was received that an exchange of fire took place between these warships and the Norwegian forts at Bolearne and Rauer. About 2 a.m. it was learned that five large German warships had passed the outer fortifications of Bergen. At 3.30 a.m. it was reported that two warships had passed Agdenes and entered Trondheim Fiord. At the same time the warships that had entered Oslo Fiord—four large warships and a number of smaller ones—reached Filtvedt and soon afterwards fighting began between these warships and the coastal forts at Oskarsborg. Fighting was thus already in full swing and began also immediately after this outside Bergen.” GERMAN PRETENCE The White Paper then gives a very full summary of the communication made by Dr Brauer to Professor Koht in which Germany sought to justify her claims upon Norway by the pretence that she possessed proof of intended Allied occupation. Germany announced the seizure of strategic points and formulated a series of demands. It is interesting to note that Dr Brauer was cognizant of the fact that the German expedition had left its home ports before April 8 and made no attempt to represent the German action as a reprisal for the British mine laying.

Characteristic detail of the Nazi technique appears in the White Paper’s account of the rest of the interview with Dr Brauer. When Professor Koht said that he must consult the whole Government Dr Brauer replied that the decision must be taken urgently, “because German action had already advanced so far that if it were to be arrested the German demands must immediately be accepted.” There was little delay in giving the reply. The Norwegian Government quickly decided that “no independent country would accept such demands.” In informing the German Minister, Professor Koht “reminded him of the statement recently made by the German Fuhrer that a people who humbly submitted to an aggressor without the slightest resistance did not deserve to exist,” A later section of the document throws a revealing light on the embarrassments in which the Nazis became involved by their too precipitate attempt to emulate the not very happy example provided them by the Soviets in setting up the puppet government of M. Kuusinen in Finland. TELEGRAM TO KING On the evening of April 9 a telegram was received at Elverum to which the King and the Government and the Storting (Parliament) had moved after a meeting of the Storting earlier in the day at Hamar which confirmed the Government in office after learning of its action. This telegram asked King Haakon to receive the German Minister to discuss certain proposals. During the night a German detachment began its advance on Elverum and the King and the Government, except Professor Koht, left there. However, the German attacks were repulsed by the Norwegians and thus King Haakon was able to return and, after all, to receive the German envoy at Elverum on the afternoon of April 10. There were conversations first between the King and Dr Brauer and later, in the presence of Professor Koht, “the German Minister declared that the situation had now been so altered that the demands presented in the memorandum of the preivous day could no longer satisfy the German Government. The German Government must now demand the creation of a new Government in which Germany could have confidence and which would make possible amicable collaboration between Norway and Germany. He demanded that Major Quisling be appointed Prime Minister and that the Ministers should be men the Major had chosen for his Government, which could possibly be completed by a few other personalities.”

After the King and Professor Koht had pointed out that Major Quisling was quite without the confidence of the Norwegian people, the Foreign Minister declared that the Nygaardsvold Government had declared itself willing to resign and he asked whether the German Government could not consider the creation of a friendly Government which could collaborate with Germany, composed of persons other than those mentioned. Dr Brauer declared that he was prepared to make concessions as to the membership of the Government, but Herr Hitler insisted that Major Quisling must be Premier. HITLER’S REFUSAL Thus Herr Hitler refused, as usual, even to negotiate and preferred a breach with Norway and all its consequences to abandoning his demand for Major Quisling. He had been forced subsequently to discard Major Quisling, but the episode shows once more that in dealing with countries against which he has no grudge Herr Hitler is incapable of negotiating or making the least concession. Some hours later the German Minister, Dr Brauer, received a reply that the King could not appoint a Quisling Government. Dr Brauer asked whether this meant that Norwegian resistance against the German invasion would continue, and the Foreign Minister, Professor Koht, replied: “Yes, as long as possible.” On the same evening, the Government agreed upon a proclamation to the Norwegian people which was issued the following morning and started the organization of military resistance against attack. The White Paper records that during the following days the Government had to move from place to place because it was pursued by German aeroplanes everywhere the members settled, and, particularly on April 11, fierce bombardments took place in Trysil against King Haakon and the Government. The document concludes:

“The barbarous warfare the German authorities have thus started has compelled the Norwegians temporarily to conceal their residence, but the fight will be kept up and the Government has been promised military help from the Allied Western Powers. It feels confident that, in collaboration with these States, it can save Norway for the Norwegian people,”