Of all the 357 municipalities in Norway, the country’s new monarch chose to make his first official visit this week to Narvik. King Haakon VIII flew up to the northern city known for its harbour, mountains and strategic location that’s now more important than ever.
The new king noted himself that Narvik was no coincidental choice of venue. It’s always been a transport hub because of its harbour and its location just over the border from Sweden and its iron ore mines in Kiruna. Trains full of iron ore rumble constantly between Kiruna and Narvik on a rail line that’s more important than ever given international demand for metals, not least for the defense industry.
“This is a crossroads in Northern Norway,” King Haakon said in his remarks made outdoors at the city’s central square on Tuesday, packed for the occasion by locals and visitors keen to get a glimpse of him.
“You have a very important harbour,” the new monarch added, so important that Narvik was among the first major targets of invading Nazi German forces in the spring of 1940. Adolph Hitler wanted to quickly seize control of Narvik and the valuable iron ore shipments from Sweden, but met strong opposition.
Narvik eventually fell under Nazi German control, and both Norway and NATO are determined to ward off new threats after nearby Russia invaded Ukraine. The valuable mining- and transport operations linking Narvik and Kiruna can be targets of sabotage at a time when Norwegian officials and many of their NATO allies are fending off what they already view as hybrid attacks with Russia as the main suspect.
King Haakon was also in Narvik as crown prince regent when Narvik celebrated the allies’ first victory during World War II, 75 years after British, French, Polish and Norwegian forces fought together to win back Narvik from Nazi Germany on May 28, 1940. The Battle of Narvik, subject of a recent film, had been fierce and the area eventually fell again a few weeks later when allies needed to move troops to France. That’s when King Haakon’s grandfather, great-grandfather and the government went into exile in London and couldn’t return until Germany ultimately lost the war five years later.
On Tuesday, King Haakon met again with a survivor of the Battle of Narvik, this time 91-year-old Magne Øymo. He was just five years old when British naval forces mistakenly started firing at their small town of Bjerkvik just north of Narvik, thinking it was full of German occupation forces. It wasn’t, and Øymo saw both his mother and twin brother killed before his eyes. For years, he said, he and others in the town remained silent about the attack that killed 18 Norwegian civilians and destroyed more than 140 homes and farm buildings.
Decades later Øymo began not only talking about the attack but also relating his experience to school classes, and warning them of how “gruesome” war can be. He was recently awarded an army medal for his contribution as a witness, and on Tuesday the new King Haakon VIII paid him a visit.
“You have shown strength in talking about this, it’s a theme that’s tough to open up about,” King Haakon told him, “of course for you personally but also because it was our allies, actually our friends, who did this.” The British ships had orders to fire at German positions thought to be in Bjerkvik.
The visit to Øymo’s home in Bjerkvik was the first stop on the new king’s itinerary Tuesday. It was followed by a large public meeting at the outdoor plaza outside the city hall, where King Haakon expressed gratitude for all the sympathy and support he and family received when his father, King Harald V, died in late August. The official mourning period just ended last week.
“When there are many of us sharing the same sorrow, it becomes a bit lighter to carry,” King Haakon said in his address to the people of Narvik. He was met with cheers, applause and flags, but while praising the emerging ski center and festive mood, his visit is mostly devoted to the need not just for military defense but also “total defense.” That’s when various branches of the military coordinate efforts with local police, civil defense and medical emergency responders. King Haakon also visited the nearby war museum and local fire station that’s a hub for total defense.
“I think you Narvikinger want the best for one another, that you stand together,” he told the crowd. “Through that you build a resistance strength that’s good to have in good days and absolutely necessary in difficult days when we meet challenges.”
After his visit to Narvik, King Haakon was traveling on to Porsanger to meet the newly established departments of the Finnmark Brigade.
NewsinEnglish.no/Nina Berglund