People from Salten, Ofoten, Lofoten and Vesterålen were piloted by brave tysfjerdings, mostly Sami pilots, from Norway and over to neutral Sweden.
Without the numbers being completely certain, a total of between 2500 and 3000 refugees were piloted to Sweden through several escape routes in Tysfjord during the war years. In retrospect, the pilots’ efforts were made suspicious and there were cases where individuals were exposed.
The vast majority of the border pilots were Sami, and the coverage was strongly influenced by the views of the time on the Sami, and by the Norwegianization policy that was pursued at the time.
Borderless network
The Sami border pilots connected to a “world” that was already there and could make use of an already existing network on both sides of the border.
It is one of several reasons, but perhaps the main reason why it went as well as it did.
The Germans had little control
It is suggested that the Germans had little or no control over the refugee traffic in Tysfjord, especially during the first years of the war.
The occupiers considered the natural conditions, topography and distances in the area to be so extreme that it in itself almost excluded traffic across the border.
The nearest German fortification was Korsnes Fort right out by the Vestfjord.
Flight, tantamount to suicide
The Germans are said to have once used a force of as many as 100 men to test the possible escape routes in Tysfjord – in Hellemoa, Grunnfjorden and Mannfjorden.
During this expedition, the soldiers were surprised by a snowstorm, and several are said to have lost their lives due to storms and heavy terrain.
The division commander at Drag is said to have concluded to the Gestapo in Narvik that if people wanted to escape via Tysfjord, let them! If they wanted to commit suicide, it was their own business.
Very demanding routes
From Tysfjord, there were refugee routes to Sweden from all the inland fjords; Sørfjorden, Mannfjorden, Grunnfjorden and Hellemofjord.
In addition, there was a supplementary route from Hamarøy to Musken.
And the routes via Tysfjord were very demanding.
Admittedly, the distance from the fjord to the national border was not a deterrent, but from the border to Vaisaluokta, where the Sami service had a cabin, it was almost four miles. And to the reception station in Suorva it was 8 miles! Gradually, the Germans become aware of the extensive and gradually increasing traffic across the border via Tysfjord.
A report from December 1944 states that “Swedish traffic has increased considerably, especially in Tysfjord. It is noteworthy that even families with small children set off. Based on topographical conditions, there is reason to believe that the escape to Sweden is made possible by pilots”…
Source: Nord-salten.no
Photos: Norwegian Folk Museum
