Internment camps in Sweden during World War II
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A number of internment camps were operated by
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
during World War II. These camps were used for
internment Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simpl ...
of, among others, suspected criminals, German refugees, anarchists and Swedish
communist Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...
s. Military personnel from both sides in the war, if they entered Sweden without prior agreement, were also often subject to internment. The camps were claimed to have been a decision necessary in the ambition to keep Sweden out of the war. It was made by the then-ruling grand coalition government under social democrat prime minister
Per Albin Hansson Per Albin Hansson (28 October 1885 – 6 October 1946) was a Swedish politician, chairman of the Social Democrats from 1925 and two-time Prime Minister in four governments between 1932 and 1946, governing all that period save for a short-lived ...
, which included all parties in the Parliament of Sweden, with the notable exception of the
Communist Party of Sweden The name Communist Party of Sweden ( sv, Sveriges Kommunistiska Parti, link=no, abbreviated SKP) has been used by several political parties in Sweden: * Left Party (Sweden), known as the Communist Party of Sweden from 1921 to 1967 ** Communist Part ...
.


Camps during the war

In February 1940, the decision was made to build several internment camps, which are believed to have held around 3,000 inmates between the years 1940–1948. - Axmar,
Gävle Municipality Gävle Municipality (''Gävle kommun'') is a municipality in east central Sweden. The municipal seat is located in the Stad (city) of Gävle. Geographically the municipality is situated north of the mouth of the river Dalälven and is the south ...
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Gävleborg County Gävleborg County ( sv, Gävleborgs län) is a county or '' län'' on the Baltic Sea coast of Sweden. It borders the counties of Uppsala, Västmanland, Dalarna, Jämtland and Västernorrland. The capital is Gävle. Provinces Gävleborg Cou ...
(1945) - Ede, Krokom Municipality,
Jämtland County Jämtland County ( sv, Jämtlands län, ) is a county or '' län'' in the middle of Sweden consisting of the provinces of Jämtland and Härjedalen, along with minor parts of Hälsingland and Ångermanland, plus two small uninhabited strips of ...
(1943–1948) - Florsberg, Söderhamn Municipality,
Gävleborg County Gävleborg County ( sv, Gävleborgs län) is a county or '' län'' on the Baltic Sea coast of Sweden. It borders the counties of Uppsala, Västmanland, Dalarna, Jämtland and Västernorrland. The capital is Gävle. Provinces Gävleborg Cou ...
(1943–1948) - Grytan,
Östersund Municipality Östersund Municipality (, ) is a municipality in Jämtland County in northern Sweden. Its seat is located in Östersund, which is also the county seat of Jämtland County. The present municipality was formed in 1971 by the amalgamation of the Ci ...
,
Jämtland County Jämtland County ( sv, Jämtlands län, ) is a county or '' län'' in the middle of Sweden consisting of the provinces of Jämtland and Härjedalen, along with minor parts of Hälsingland and Ångermanland, plus two small uninhabited strips of ...
(January–September 1942) - Hälsingmo, Söderhamn Municipality,
Gävleborg County Gävleborg County ( sv, Gävleborgs län) is a county or '' län'' on the Baltic Sea coast of Sweden. It borders the counties of Uppsala, Västmanland, Dalarna, Jämtland and Västernorrland. The capital is Gävle. Provinces Gävleborg Cou ...
(1943–1948) - Ingels,
Rättvik Municipality Rättvik Municipality (''Rättviks kommun'') is a municipality in Dalarna County in central Sweden. Its seat is located in the town of Rättvik. In 1963 the municipality was reunited with ''Boda'', which had been detached from it in 1875, and in ...
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Dalarna County Dalarna County ( sv, Dalarnas län) is a county or '' län'' in central Sweden (Svealand). It borders on the counties of Uppsala, Jämtland, Gävleborg, Västmanland, Örebro and Värmland. It also borders on the Norwegian counties of Hedmark ...
(1942–1946) - Kusfors,
Norsjö Municipality Norsjö Municipality () is a municipality in Västerbotten County in northern Sweden. Its seat is located in Norsjö. In 1974 Norsjö and Malå municipalities were amalgamated, forming the new Norsjö Municipality. In 1983 Malå Municipality w ...
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Västerbotten County Västerbotten County ( sv, Västerbottens län) is a county or ''län'' in the north of Sweden. It shares the borders with the counties of Västernorrland, Jämtland, and Norrbotten, as well as the Norwegian county of Nordland and the Gulf of Bot ...
(1944–1945) - Långmora,
Hedemora Municipality Hedemora Municipality (''Hedemora kommun'') is a municipality in Dalarna County in central Sweden. Its seat is in the city of Hedemora. In 1966 the ''City of Hedemora'' was amalgamated with the rural municipality by the same name and with ''Husby ...
,
Dalarna County Dalarna County ( sv, Dalarnas län) is a county or '' län'' in central Sweden (Svealand). It borders on the counties of Uppsala, Jämtland, Gävleborg, Västmanland, Örebro and Värmland. It also borders on the Norwegian counties of Hedmark ...
(March 1940 – 1945) - Lövnäsvallen,
Härjedalen Municipality Härjedalen Municipality (, , no, Herjedalen kommune) is a municipality in Jämtland County in northern Sweden. Its seat is located in Sveg. The municipality roughly, but not exactly, corresponds with the traditional province Härjedalen. The ...
,
Jämtland County Jämtland County ( sv, Jämtlands län, ) is a county or '' län'' in the middle of Sweden consisting of the provinces of Jämtland and Härjedalen, along with minor parts of Hälsingland and Ångermanland, plus two small uninhabited strips of ...
(September 1941–January 1942) - Naartijärvi, Haparanda Municipality,
Norrbotten County Norrbotten County ( sv, Norrbottens län; se, Norrbottena leatna, fi, Norrbottenin lääni) is the northernmost county or '' län'' of Sweden. It is also the largest county by land area, almost a quarter of Sweden's total area. It shares border ...
(January–March 1940) - Norra Bredåker, Boden Municipality,
Norrbotten County Norrbotten County ( sv, Norrbottens län; se, Norrbottena leatna, fi, Norrbottenin lääni) is the northernmost county or '' län'' of Sweden. It is also the largest county by land area, almost a quarter of Sweden's total area. It shares border ...
(December 1939–January 1940) (Merged with
Storsien Storsien is a small village in Kalix Municipality in northern Sweden. It is best known for the internment camp Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especi ...
internment camp in January 1940) -
Rengsjö Rengsjö is a locality situated in Bollnäs Municipality Bollnäs Municipality (''Bollnäs kommun'') is a municipality in Gävleborg County, east central Sweden. Its seat is located in Bollnäs. The municipality evolved during a series of loc ...
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Bollnäs Municipality Bollnäs Municipality (''Bollnäs kommun'') is a municipality in Gävleborg County, east central Sweden. Its seat is located in Bollnäs. The municipality evolved during a series of local government reforms in the 1950s and 1970s. It consists ...
,
Gävleborg County Gävleborg County ( sv, Gävleborgs län) is a county or '' län'' on the Baltic Sea coast of Sweden. It borders the counties of Uppsala, Västmanland, Dalarna, Jämtland and Västernorrland. The capital is Gävle. Provinces Gävleborg Cou ...
(1942–1945) - Smedsbo, Falun Municipality,
Dalarna County Dalarna County ( sv, Dalarnas län) is a county or '' län'' in central Sweden (Svealand). It borders on the counties of Uppsala, Jämtland, Gävleborg, Västmanland, Örebro and Värmland. It also borders on the Norwegian counties of Hedmark ...
(March 1940 – 1945) -
Stensele Stensele () is a locality situated in Storuman Municipality, Västerbotten County, Sweden with 546 inhabitants in 2010. It lies not far from the municipal seat of Storuman itself. The town boasts Sweden's largest wooden church. Climate Refer ...
, Storuman Municipality,
Västerbotten County Västerbotten County ( sv, Västerbottens län) is a county or ''län'' in the north of Sweden. It shares the borders with the counties of Västernorrland, Jämtland, and Norrbotten, as well as the Norwegian county of Nordland and the Gulf of Bot ...
(August–October 1943) -
Storsien Storsien is a small village in Kalix Municipality in northern Sweden. It is best known for the internment camp Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especi ...
,
Kalix Municipality Kalix Municipality (, ) is a municipality in Norrbotten County in northern Sweden. Its seat is located in Kalix. In 1924 Töre Municipality was detached from Nederkalix Municipality, forming a municipality of its own. In 1967 the two units were r ...
,
Norrbotten County Norrbotten County ( sv, Norrbottens län; se, Norrbottena leatna, fi, Norrbottenin lääni) is the northernmost county or '' län'' of Sweden. It is also the largest county by land area, almost a quarter of Sweden's total area. It shares border ...
(December 1939–April 1940; May–July 1940) - Sunnerstaholm,
Bollnäs Municipality Bollnäs Municipality (''Bollnäs kommun'') is a municipality in Gävleborg County, east central Sweden. Its seat is located in Bollnäs. The municipality evolved during a series of local government reforms in the 1950s and 1970s. It consists ...
,
Gävleborg County Gävleborg County ( sv, Gävleborgs län) is a county or '' län'' on the Baltic Sea coast of Sweden. It borders the counties of Uppsala, Västmanland, Dalarna, Jämtland and Västernorrland. The capital is Gävle. Provinces Gävleborg Cou ...
(1945–1946) - Säter, Säter Municipality,
Dalarna County Dalarna County ( sv, Dalarnas län) is a county or '' län'' in central Sweden (Svealand). It borders on the counties of Uppsala, Jämtland, Gävleborg, Västmanland, Örebro and Värmland. It also borders on the Norwegian counties of Hedmark ...
(1943–1946) - Sörbyn, Boden Municipality,
Norrbotten County Norrbotten County ( sv, Norrbottens län; se, Norrbottena leatna, fi, Norrbottenin lääni) is the northernmost county or '' län'' of Sweden. It is also the largest county by land area, almost a quarter of Sweden's total area. It shares border ...
(1944–1945) - Tjörnarp,
Höör Municipality Höör Municipality (''Höörs kommun'') is a municipality in the central part of Skåne County in southern Sweden. Its seat is located in the town of Höör. The present municipality was formed in 1969 through the merger of "old" Höör with th ...
,
Skåne County Skåne County ( sv, Skåne län, link=no ), sometimes referred to as Scania County in English, is the most southern county, or , of Sweden, basically corresponding to the traditional province Scania. It borders the counties of Halland, Kronobe ...
(1945–1946) -
Vindeln Vindeln () is a locality and the seat of Vindeln Municipality in Västerbotten County, Sweden with 2,333 inhabitants in 2010. Climate Vindeln has a subarctic climate that is mildened for its latitude by its proximity to the Gulf Stream airflow ...
,
Vindeln Municipality Vindeln Municipality () is a municipality in Västerbotten County in northern Sweden. Its seat is located in Vindeln. History In 1971 a local government reform was implemented in Sweden. This municipality was, however, not amalgamated with any ot ...
,
Västerbotten County Västerbotten County ( sv, Västerbottens län) is a county or ''län'' in the north of Sweden. It shares the borders with the counties of Västernorrland, Jämtland, and Norrbotten, as well as the Norwegian county of Nordland and the Gulf of Bot ...
(August–October 1943) - Vägershult,
Uppvidinge Municipality Uppvidinge Municipality (''Uppvidinge kommun'') is a municipality in Kronoberg County, southern Sweden, with its seat in the town of Åseda. The present municipality, which took its name from a hundred, was formed by the local government reform ...
,
Kronoberg County Kronoberg County (; sv, Kronobergs län) is a county or '' län'' in southern Sweden. Kronoberg is one of three counties in the province of Småland. It borders the counties of Skåne, Halland, Jönköping, Kalmar, and Blekinge. Its capital is ...
(1942–1945) -
Öxnered Öxnered is a part of Vänersborg in Västra Götalands län in Sweden. It was formerly a separate railway village. It is located near the E45 road and at the crossing of the Norway/Vänern Line and Älvsborg Line The Älvsborg Line ( sv, ...
, Vänersborg Municipality,
Västra Götaland County Västra Götaland County ( sv, Västra Götalands län) is a county or '' län'' on the western coast of Sweden. The county is the second most populous of Sweden's counties and it comprises 49 municipalities (''kommuner''). Its population of 1 ...
(September 1941–January 1942)


Internees

Internee A civilian internee is a civilian detained by a party to a war for security reasons. Internees are usually forced to reside in internment camps. Historical examples include Japanese American internment and internment of German Americans in the Unit ...
s were commonly suspected criminals, German refugees, left-wing activists or anti-Nazis. They were imprisoned without trial and without being informed of the accusations made against them. Most of these were foreigners.


Treatment

Wardens were instructed to ensure humane treatment of internees. All internees were forced to wear certain uniform and submit daily routines. Internees in Smedsbo internment camp had a typical daily routine of being woken up at 7.15am, they were then escorted to the dining room where they were expected to have their breakfast in complete silence followed by working passes. They were not permitted to leave their working station at any time. Jobs like road building, repair duty and woodcutting were commonly adopted. With one break for lunch, work proceeded until 2.45pm, after which internees were more or less free for the rest of the day.


Internment of Allied air crews

A number of Western Allied servicemen, primarily crew members of the aircraft damaged during bombing missions over Germany, found themselves on Swedish soil, and were interned by the Swedish authorities. Unlike civilian refugees from Germany, who were kept in internment camps, Allied airmen were placed in hotels and bed and breakfast establishments in the Falun area, and enjoyed relative freedom. They received their regular military pay from their home countries, which allowed them to be much better off than the local Swedish residents.


“Disclosure”

In 2008, Swedish journalist Niclas Sennerteg and researcher Tobias Berglund published ''Swedish Concentration Camps in the Shadow of the Third Reich'' (Swedish title: “Svenska koncentrationsläger i tredje rikets skugga”), where they claim to be exposing what the government had kept secret regarding the presence of Swedish concentration camps. After the discovery was brought to media and thus public attention, the use of the term concentration camp has been highly debated.


Post-war use of Swedish internment camps

After the war the internment camps were used to store foreigners that the
Swedish government The Government of the Kingdom of Sweden ( sv, Konungariket Sveriges regering) is the national cabinet of Sweden, and the country's executive authority. The Government consists of the Prime Ministerappointed and dismissed by the Speaker of the R ...
deemed dubious. However, details regarding much of this have still not been uncovered.


Quotes

"Den svenska staten använder sig av brutala tvångs- och våldsmetoder för att eftertryckligt trampa ned den utländska antifascisten som likt en vrakspillra efter den tyska demokratins skeppsbrott kastats upp på svensk strand"
''Translation:''
"The Swedish government is using brutal methods to forcefully crush the foreign antifascists who like remnants after the shipwreck of the German democracy was washed upon Swedish shores.”
"Det svenska folket får inte tolerera att oskyldiga människor kastas i fängelse och kvarhålles där på obestämd tid.”
''Translation:''
”The Swedish people must not tolerate the imprisonment of innocent people for an undetermined time.”


See also

* List of concentration and internment camps * Sweden in World War II


Notes and references


External links

* http://www.bt.se/nyheter/boras/bt-journalist-avslojar-svenska-koncentrationslager-i-ny-bok(823045).gm#comments {{DEFAULTSORT:Internment Camps In Sweden During World War Ii Sweden in World War II World War II internment camps World War II sites in Sweden Political repression Anti-communism in Sweden