1944 in Norway

Events in the year 1944 in Norway.

Incumbents

Government in Exile
* Monarch – Haakon VII.
* Prime Minister – Johan Nygaardsvold
German Military Governor
* Reichskommissar in Norway – Josef Terboven
German Puppet Government in Oslo
* Minister-President – Vidkun Quisling

Events

3 April – The German battleship was bombed and damaged by British carrier-borne aircraft at Kåfjorden in Alta Municipality.
20 April – The German ammunition transport Voorbode accidentally explodes in the harbour of the Western Norway city of Bergen, killing around 160 people and leaving some 5,000 homeless.
3 October – Soviet troops cross the border to Norway.
4 October – British aircraft bomb the U-boat bunker "Bruno" and the dock area in Bergen harbour. As a result, 194 civilians, including 60 children, are killed.
25 October – the Petsamo–Kirkenes Offensive the Red Army liberates Kirkenes, the first town in Norway to be liberated.
28 October – Hitler orders the German forces to withdraw from northern Norway. The Germans were determined to leave nothing of value to the Soviets, as Hitler had ordered to leave the area devoid of people, shelter and supplies.
29 October – The Laksevåg borough of Bergen was bombed again. 52 civilians were killed.
10 November – The first Norwegian troops arrive in Finnmark.
12 November – 29 Royal Air Force Avro Lancaster bombers sink the German battleship Tirpitz anchored in a fjord at Tromsø, with 12,000 lb Tallboy bombs.
27 November – The German prisoner ship Rigel is sunk off Sandnessjøen by Fleet Air Arm bombers in the deadliest ship disaster in Norwegian history.
31 December – Allied bombers tried to bomb the Victoria Terrasse building in Oslo, which was used as the Gestapo headquarters, but missed the target and instead hit civilian targets. 77 civilians are killed.

Popular culture

Music

Song of Norway by Robert Wright and George Forrest, adapted from the music of Edvard Grieg

Film

Brudekronen, directed by Walter Fyrst

Notable births

January

5 January
*Eystein Eggen, writer.
*Eirin Faldet, politician.
*Ørnulf Opdahl, painter.
6 January
*Ørnulf Andresen, cyclist.
*Mona Lyngar, novelist.
7 January – Arne Scheie, sports commentator.
9 January – Roy Hellvin, jazz pianist.
13 January – Terje Steen, ice hockey player.
14 January – Jan Aas, footballer.
15 January – Lars Albert Wensell, civil servant and diplomat.
18 January – Kjersti Ericsson, psychologist, poet and politician.
23 January – Kjell Georg Lund, race walker.
24 January – Kåre Hovda, biathlete.

February

3 February – Bjørn Johansen, ice hockey player.
7 February – Bjørn Morisse, musician, illustrator and comics creator.
10 February – Rakel Surlien, judge, civil servant and politician.
13 February – Lasse Efskind, speed skater, medical doctor and writer.
20 February – Erik Fjeldstad, ice hockey player.
21 February – Harald Sunde, international soccer player and coach
22 February – Karsten Isachsen, Lutheran priest and non-fiction writer.
23 February – Per Martin Sunde, alpine skier.
24 February
*Bjørn Aamodt, poet.
*Terje Sandkjær, politician.
26 February – Arne Henriksen, architect.

March

3 March – Arvid Knutsen, soccer player and coach
6 March – Jarmund Øyen, politician
11 March – Øyvind Grøn, physicist
12 March – Fredrik Engelstad, sociologist
15 March
*Jørun Drevland, politician
*Knut Hendriksen, opera director.
*Roger Hverven, handball player.
17 March – Arne Strand, journalist and newspaper editor.
20 March – Jan Erik Weber, oceanographer.
22 March – Rigmor Kofoed-Larsen, politician
26 March – Per Werenskiold, sailor.
30 March – Bjarne Johannes Hope, civil servant
31 March – Oddvar Flæte, county governor.

April

3 April – Steinar Imsen, historian and professor.
5 April – Arne Risa, long-distance runner
6 April – Halvor Stenstadvold, business person and politician.
7 April – Jorunn Kjellsby, actress
8 April – Odd Nerdrum, painter
9 April – Kåre Olav Berg, nordic combined skier.
11 April – Terje Haugland, long jumper
14 April – Bjørn Atle Holter-Hovind, media and corporate executive.
18 April – Åse Gunhild Woie Duesund, politician
20 April
*Peter Butenschøn, architect and publicist.
*Frank Olafsen, football player, bandy player and ice hockey player.
23 April
*Tore Milsett, cyclist.
*Tore Sandberg, journalist, non-fiction writer and private investigator.
*Terje Thoen, ice hockey player.
25 April
*Berit Berthelsen, athlete.
*Einar Steen-Nøkleberg, classical pianist and musical pedagogue.
28 April – Magne Aarøen, politician
27 April
*Siri Austeng, politician.
*Bjørn Dyrdahl, luger.
30 April – Jon Bing, writer and law professor.

May

2 May – Wenche Cumming, politician.
5 May – Arne Risa, long-distance runner who specialized in 3000 metres steeplechase and 10,000 metres.
6 May – Carl I. Hagen, politician
7 May – Eva Norvind, writer, documentary producer, director, sex therapist and actress
10 May – John Fredriksen, oil tanker and shipping tycoon
16 May – Jørgen Holte, politician
17 May – Harald Wigaard, gymnast.
24 May – Ivar Fonnes, civil servant, national archivist.
26 May – Jan Kinder, ice hockey player.
27 May – Karen Fladset, handball player and coach.

June

1 June – Øyvind Nordsletten, diplomat
7 June – Kjartan Fløgstad, author
8 June – Ann-Mari Hvaal, artistic gymnast.
12 June – Bjørn Elvenes, ice hockey player.
13 June – Bjørn Tveter, speed skater
15 June – Eva Lange, painter and printmaker.
18 June – Ailo Gaup, Sámi shaman and author
19 June – Arne Holen, musicologist
28 June – Ellen Auensen, illustrator.
29 June – Lars Grini, ski jumper and Olympic bronze medallist
30 June – Truls Olav Winther, literary historian.

July

3 July – Sverre Mitsem, judge
4 July – Jan Erik Kongshaug, sound engineering, jazz guitarist, and composer
12 July – Kjell Kristian Rike, sports commentator
14 July – Jon Michelet, thriller and crime fiction writer, publisher, newspaper editor and politician.
15 July – Trygve Retvik, artist.
18 July – Sverre Anker Ousdal, actor
19 July – Jan Reinås, businessperson.
23 July – Arne Mikkelsen, ice hockey player.
25 July – Svein Erik Nilsen, rower.
27 July – Johan C. Løken, politician.
31 July – Knut Einar Eriksen, historian

August

1 August – Tom Christensen, ice hockey player.
4 August – Nina Sundbye, sculptor.
5 August – Lars Myraune, military officer and politician.
11 August – Inger Nordal, botanist.
14 August – Åge Hadler, orienteer.
15 August – Thor Spydevold, footballer.
28 August – Katharina Mo-Berge, cross-country skier.

September

7 September – Britt Mjaasund Øyen, ice sledge speed racer.
9 September – Finn Urdal, handball player.
13 September – Halvor Moxnes, theologian.
20 September – Siri Frost Sterri, politician.
27 September – Villy Haugen, speed skater and Olympic bronze medallist.
29 September – Sven Kroken, curler.

October

1 October – Yngvar Numme, singer, actor, revue writer and director.
8 October – Didrik Tønseth, diplomat and lawyer.
9 October – Jan Fredrik Wiborg, civil engineer
11 October – Bernt Albert, politician.
12 October – Øivind Andersen, philologist.
13 October – Hans Olav Østgaard, jurist and civil servant.
14 October – Svein Flåtten, politician
17 October – Leiv Nergaard, businessperson
18 October – Finn Seemann, international soccer player
23 October – Liv Lundberg, author.
29 October – Geir Henning Braaten, pianist.

November

5 November
*Asmund Kristoffersen, politician
*Håkon Mjøen, alpine skier.
8 November – Else Mundal, philologist.
9 November – Else Bugge Fougner, lawyer and a politician.
11 November
*Tore Berger, sprint canoer, Olympic gold medallist and World Champion
*Per Ivar Moe, speed skater and Olympic silver medallist
12 November – Tore Hem, sport wrestler.
18 November – Unni Wikan, professor of social anthropology.
24 November – Brit Vingelsgaard Ryen, politician.
26 November
*Anstein Gjengedal, police chief.
*Kjellbjørg Lunde, politician

December

1 December – Nils Ole Oftebro, actor.
3 December – Jan Johansen, sprint canoer, Olympic gold medallist and World Champion
4 December – Ernst Wroldsen, politician.
8 December – Beate Audum Mulholland, children's writer.
10 December – Oddgeir Bruaset, journalist and non-fiction writer.
13 December – Ursula Evje, politician
14 December – Jon Terje Øverland, alpine skier.
16 December – Bjørn Ransve, painter and printmaker.
24 December – Jan Erik Berntsen, actor and singer
26 December
*Lasse Hamre, alpine skier.
*Børre Rognlien, sports official and politician.
27 December – John M. Jacobsen, film producer
31 December – Kristin Hille Valla, politician and minister

Full date unknown

Jiri Hlinka, music professor and piano teacher
Stein H. Annexstad, businessperson and politician
Ole T. Berg, political scientist
Sven G. Eliassen, historian
Øystein Josefsen, businessperson and politician
Bjørn Myrseth, biologist and businessperson
Nic. Nilsen, businessperson
Åsmund Reikvam, professor in medicine and former politician
Aud Talle, social anthropologist
Torkel Wetterhus, businessperson and politician

Deaths

23 January – Edvard Munch, painter and printmaker.
19 February – Reidar Haave Olsen, pilot
17 March – Lilly Heber, literary historian and magazine editor.
25 April – Olav Nielsen, boxer
30 May – Martin Rasmussen Hjelmen, sailor and activist.
12 June – Einar Hærland, military officer, executed
24 June – Sigurd Roll, diplomat and former sprinter
8 August – Ragnvald Hvoslef, politician
14 October – Torleif Torkildsen, gymnast and Olympic bronze medallist
13 November – Gregers Gram, resistance fighter and saboteur
5 December – Michael Hansson, judge.
12 December – Alf Hjort, electrical engineer in America

Full date unknown

Haakon Martin Five, politician and Minister
Alfred Klingenberg, pianist
Odd Sverressøn Klingenberg, politician and Minister