Arne Berge (29 June 1908 – 13 August 1988) was a Norwegian priest. He was seamen's priest in Hamburg during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, when he also worked among Scandinavian prisoners in Germany, and helped planning and carrying out the operation of the

White Buses White Buses was a Swedish humanitarian operation with the objective of freeing Scandinavians in German concentration camps in Nazi Germany during the final stages of World War II. Although the White Buses operation was envisioned to rescue Scan ...

(''De Hvide Busser'').

Background

Berge was born in Stavanger as the son of stereotyper Alfred Berge (1878-1962) and his wife Albertine Johanne Husebø (1879-1956). He finished his

examen artium Examen artium was the name of the academic certification conferred in Denmark and Norway, qualifying the student for admission to university studies. Examen artium was originally introduced as the entrance exam of the University of Copenhagen in 1 ...

at the

University of Oslo The University of Oslo ( no, Universitetet i Oslo; la, Universitas Osloensis) is a public research university located in Oslo, Norway. It is the highest ranked and oldest university in Norway. It is consistently ranked among the top universit ...

in 1928, and graduated as cand.theol. in 1934. He was assistant priest in Modum from 1935 to 1936. From 1937 to 1940 he was a priest in

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population ...

Career

Berge was priest at the Seamen's Church (''Sjømannskirken'') in

Hamburg (male), (female) en, Hamburger(s), Hamburgian(s) , timezone1 = Central (CET) , utc_offset1 = +1 , timezone1_DST = Central (CEST) , utc_offset1_DST = +2 , postal ...

during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

. Berge took over the position previously held by Finn Moestue Husebye, when Huseby had to leave Hamburg because of a conflict with Nazi-friendly Norwegian settlers in Germany. Together with his assistant priest Conrad Vogt-Svendsen he also worked among Scandinavian prisoners in

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

, making thousands of visits on behalf of the prisoners' families. They distributed large quantities of clothes and food to prisoners all over Germany. Berge and Vogt-Svendsen compiled extensive lists of prisons and prisoners, which were sent to Stockholm and later used as a basis for the

operation in Spring 1945. They also passed on information on planned mass liquidation of concentration camp prisoners towards the end of the war. The Seamen's Church in Hamburg remained intact until Easter 1945, when it was destroyed in a bomb attack on Good Friday, an attack which killed the church's caretaker Oskar M. Olsen. After the liberation of Norway, he was a priest at Ilebu prison from 1946, and priest in Horten from 1950. Berge was decorated Knight, First class of the

Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, Iowa, a ci ...

in 1945, for his work for prisoners in Germany. He was also awarded the Danish

King Christian X's Liberty Medal King Christian X's Liberty Medal ( da, Kong Christian den Tiendes frihedsmedaille) was a commemorative decoration awarded by King Christian X for special services to Denmark during World War II. Appearance The medal is circular and made of silver. ...

References

Other sources

*Johannes Holm (1984) ''Sandheden om de hvide busser'' (Copenhagen: Samleren Forlag AS) {{DEFAULTSORT:Berge, Arne 1908 births 1988 deaths Clergy from Stavanger University of Oslo alumni 20th-century Norwegian Lutheran clergy Norwegian people of World War II Norwegian expatriates in Germany Recipients of the St. Olav's Medal

Background

Career

See also

References

Other sources