Karsten Sølvberg Explained

Karsten Ludvig Sølvberg (19 January 1905 – 1976[1]) was a Norwegian communist, trade unionist and agent during the Second World War.

Before the Second World War he was a trade unionist and member of the Communist Party. He was a telegraph clerk by occupation.[2] His union was Norwegian: Norsk Telegrafforbund, and he edited the union's magazine Norwegian: Telegrafmannen.[3]

During the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany, the Nazis merged his union with others to form the Norwegian: Forbundet for Offentlige Yrker. Sølvberg was a union secretary.[4] He was initially a member of the resistance movement, and was arrested in October 1942 by account of "illegal activity".[2] He was incarcerated at Norwegian: [[Møllergata 19]] from 27 October 42, and also at Victoria Terrasse. He was released on 16 April 1943.[5] He had then been subject to torture. He was pressured to denounce his communist adherence, and to become a Nazi agent with the codename S 71.[2] He is best known for unveiling the Communist Party organizational centres in 1942, which had been established in secrecy in Vikersund and Hemsedal. Sølvberg supposedly escorted Gestapo officers to both hideouts.[2] The underground Communist Party leaders Arne Gauslaa and Ottar Lie were surprised there; Gauslaa and another person were shot to death while Lie was arrested and tortured.[6] His agent practice was unveiled when Georg Angerer defected to Sweden.[4]

After the war Sølvberg was not reinstated in his job, nor in his trade union post.[7] He was however acquitted of treason by Oslo City Court in 1949, when tried as a part of legal purge in Norway after World War II.[2]

Notes and References

  1. News: Anmeldte dødsfall . 19 July 2024 . Nationen . 21 May 1976 . Norwegian.
  2. Book: Pryser, Tore. Tore Pryser. Hitlers hemmelige agenter. Tysk etterretning i Norge 1939–1945. 2001. Universitetsforlaget. Oslo. Norwegian. 8215000754. 215.
  3. News: Norsk Telegrafforbund. 25 November 1929. Aftenposten. 2. Norwegian.
  4. Book: Pryser, Tore. Tore Pryser. Klassen og nasjonen 1935-1946. 1988. Volume four of Arbeiderbevegelsens historie i Norge. Tiden. Oslo. Norwegian. 82-10-02754-9. 440.
  5. Book: Ottosen, Kristian. Kristian Ottosen. Nordmenn i fangenskap 1940–1945. 2nd. 2004. Universitetsforlaget. Oslo. Norwegian. 82-15-00288-9. 664.
  6. Pryser, 1988: p. 375
  7. Pryser, 2001: p. 441