(; shortened STAPO) was from 1941 to 1945 a National Socialist armed police force that consisted of Norwegian officials after Nazi German pattern. It operated independently of the ordinary Norwegian police. The force was established on 1 June 1941 during the German occupation of Norway. The initiative for the force came from the later chief Karl Marthinsen and other prominent members of the collaborationist party Nasjonal Samling. At its peak, in 1944 there were 350 employees in Statspolitiet, in addition to a larger number who collaborated or rendered services for them.

Description

Its purpose was primarily to combat so-called ''political crimes'', refugees, espionage, sabotage, armed resistance and other kinds of resistance against the German occupation forces or the Norwegian collaborationist Quisling regime. Statspolitiet played an important role during the Holocaust in Norway, aiding in the deportation of the

Jews in Norway The history of Jews in Norway dates back to the 1400s. Although there were very likely Jewish merchants, sailors and others who entered Norway during the Middle Ages, no efforts were made to establish a Jewish community. Through the early mod ...

. Norwegians were arrested by contemporary laws, and many were later sent to prison camps in Norway and concentration camps in what was then Germany. Statspolitiet was organized with a headquarters in Oslo and six subsidiaries in Oslo and Aker,

Stavanger Stavanger (, , American English, US usually , ) is a city and municipalities of Norway, municipality in Norway. It is the fourth largest city and third largest metropolitan area in Norway (through conurbation with neighboring Sandnes) and the a ...

, Bergen, Trondheim, Tromsø and

Kirkenes Kirkenes (; ; Skolt Sami: ''Ǩeârkknjargg;'' fi, Kirkkoniemi; ; russian: Киркенес) is a List of towns and cities in Norway, town in Sør-Varanger Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, in the far northeastern part of Norway. The town ...

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Slik opererte det norske Gestapo
'' Aftenposten'' October 22, 2012 Statspolitiet was subordinate to the chief of the security police and the Norwegian Minister of Police, Jonas Lie. Statspolitiet also received orders directly from the

Reich Security Main Office The Reich Security Main Office (german: Reichssicherheitshauptamt or RSHA) was an organization under Heinrich Himmler in his dual capacity as ''Chef der Deutschen Polizei'' (Chief of German Police) and ''Reichsführer-SS'', the head of the Nazi ...

.Eirik Veum: Nådeløse nordmenn: Statspolitiet 1941-1945. Kagge forlag, 2012 The general of Statspolitiet, Karl A Marthinsen was assassinated by the Norwegian resistance movement on 8 February 1945. This caused massive reprisals, in which 34 imprisoned resistance fighters were executed at Akershus Fortress.

After World War II

After the German capitulation on May 8, 1945, Statspolitiet was disbanded immediately. Former officers of Statspolitiet were arrested and tried in Norwegian courts, and were found guilty of varying degrees of such crimes as treason, illegal detention, torture, maltreatments, murders and illegal executions. The punishments were harsh and included the use of capital punishment. The death sentences for the Statspolitiet officers Reidar Haaland,

Arne Saatvedt Arne Braa Saatvedt (18 June 1922 – 20 October 1945) was a Norwegian police official and member of the fascist party Nasjonal Samling who was sentenced to death and executed in 1945. Saatvedt was born in Meråker in Nord-Trøndelag. As a 19 ye ...

, Hans Jacob Skaar Pedersen,

Holger Tou Holger Tou (1 June 1919 – 30 January 1947) was a Norwegian police official and member of the fascist party Nasjonal Samling since before World War II, who was sentenced to death in 1946 and executed in 1947. He was born in Stavanger. During the o ...

Ole Wehus Ole Wehus (25 June 1909 – 10 March 1947) was a Norwegian police official and member of the fascist party Nasjonal Samling who was sentenced to death and executed in 1947. He was born in Kristiansand. During the occupation of Norway by Nazi Ge ...

, Olav Aspheim and Einar Dønnum were fulfilled, the officers being executed by firing squad.Asbjørn Jaklin: ''De dødsdømte'' (page 101), Gyldendal, Oslo 2011,

Ranks and rank insignia

References

{{Uniforms, insignia and ranks of Nazi Germany Organisations based in Oslo 1941 establishments in Norway 1945 disestablishments in Norway Government agencies established in 1941 Organizations disestablished in 1945 Defunct law enforcement agencies in Norway Norway in World War II The Holocaust in Norway Norwegian collaborators with Nazi Germany Collaboration during World War II Government paramilitary forces Collaboration with the Axis Powers