Norway, 1942-1945. Executions and torture of women in the Gestapo

The Second World War was conducted by total methods. The opposing sides used all available means to inflict the greatest damage on the enemy. The struggle against the guerrillas in the rear of the German troops was not limited to any moral standards, it used the most inhuman methods of inquiry.

In the occupied settlements on the territory of European countries, including the USSR, in the first days of the occupation, the work of the Gestapo branch was unfolded. Torture to which all suspects in clandestine work were subjected became a special article investigating the crimes of the Nazi regime in Nuremberg.

Considering the mass atrocities committed by the occupiers in the territory of the Soviet Union, one can understand the reasons why their cruelty toward citizens of other countries, including torture of women in the Gestapo, has remained a little-known page of history. But in such countries as Holland, Denmark, France, fascist executioners showed zeal, ruthlessly dealing with patriots.

In 1940, the Nazis captured the northern country of Norway. City Kristiansad from the beginning of 1942 became the place where they placed the "House of Horror", the headquarters of the secret state police of the Reich, the main function of which was the suppression of the underground activity of local antifascists and an obstacle to sabotage operations conducted by British intelligence. Torture of women in the Gestapo was carried out with a special sadistic sophistication, for which numerous inventively designed devices were used. After the war, a museum was opened in the house of the former city archive, where the torture chambers were located, in memory of the events of the war.

Beating with chains, passing electric current, unbearable heating of the head with electric reflectors - these methods of inquiry were used mainly in relation to men. Torture of women in the Gestapo usually consisted in the fact that they were mutilated, for this purpose special machines were made, pulling out nails or crushing joints. The exhibition presents these mechanisms, they are genuine and captured after the liberation of Norway by Soviet troops and patriots in 1945.

In the museum of the city of Kristiansad, some scenes of the "work" of the Gestapo have been reconstructed, photos of torture are also presented. Here is a married couple, suspected of working with the anti-fascist underground, is subjected to interrogation with passion. The husband was chained to the wall by a chain so that he could see how his wife was beating him. Torture of women in the Gestapo often combined methods of physical and psychological influence on prisoners on the basis of the fact that someone could not stand earlier and start talking. The beating of children in the presence of mothers also became a cruel test. In fact, nerves could not withstand even the executioners themselves, in order to maintain "working capacity", they used drugs and strong spirits.

In Norway, the death penalty was used extremely rarely, but Nazi punishers paid for their crimes with life. During the trial, three hundred witnesses gave evidence exposing the working methods of the Norwegian Gestapo department. The Criminal Code was temporarily amended, and in June 1947 the Nazis, guilty of bullying and executions of prisoners of war and civilians, were hanged.