This announcement coincided with the 70th anniversary of the deportation of 532 Jews from the Scandinavian countries to Germany, where most of them were awaiting death.
According to the Norwegian historians, the local police were engaged in search and arrest of Jews in the country but not occupying German authorities. The police acted on the orders of the collaborationist regime headed by Vidkun Quisling who was executed after the liberation of Norway in 1945.
“On behalf of the Norwegian police, and those who carried out these deportations, I want to apologize to the victims and their families,” – said the head of department Odd Reidar Humlegaard.
The Jewish community of Norway commended the Interior Ministry statement, although they said that these words should be sounded much earlier.
During the war 772 Jews were sent from Norway to Germany, of whom only 34 survived.
