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Silje Katrine Robinson / Stiftelsen Museum Vest
The Personal Stories
You will gain an insight into the unique stories of women, children, and men who experienced the worst acts of terror on Norwegian soil before July 22nd 2011. They tell stories of shock, sorrow, fright, arrests, and how it was to be imprisoned. You can hear how it felt for children to be separated from their mothers, and see a large selection of photographs of the women and children who were imprisoned. You can see the Nazis' own photographs taken during arrests and the destruction of the village, and read an eye witness report from one of the German soldiers who participated in burning down the village. You can access these unique stories via different still-image films.
Unique photographs and artifacts
You can see some of the few remaining artefacts from the destruction of the town. These were found after the war, in the ruins of the village. Other artefacts tell the story of life in captivity. Here there are also artefacts that tell of courage and the desire to return home and rebuild the town, for example tools which men bought in Sweden on their way home from Sachsenhausen.
Audio guide, digital library, and film
There is also an audio guide for the exhibitions. Through this you can learn even more about the stories behind the artefacts, hear the voices of those who once lived here, or hear a new recording of a song that was written for the christening of four children who were born and christened in prison. If you want to learn even more, you can study the photographs and see the short film clips in our digital library. There is among other things an abundance of images from when the town was rebuilt, the unveiling of the memorial, the Prime Minister Gerhardsen, and the Crown Prince Olav and King Håkon's visit to the town. You can also see some of the few remaining images that exist of the town from before 1942. In the exhibition there is a film that lasts 25 minutes, which gives the background to the Telavåg tragedy.
Who is the exhibition suitable for?
The exhibition is suitable for all ages, but is most appropriate for adults and children over 12 years of age. There is wheelchair access to the exhibition.
Facts
- 26th of April 1942: Shooting drama in Telavåg. Shots are exchanged between Gestapo officers and two Norwegian agents, two Gestapo officers and one Norwegian agent are killed.
- 30th April 1942: All men in Telavåg aged 16 to 60 are arrested.
- 1st May 1942: The remaining population is arrested.
- May 1942: Telavåg is razed.
