Accused of Being ‘German Whores'

The subject of this chapter is the internment of the ‘German girls’ or ‘German whores’, as they were called in Norway, following the capitulation of German troops there in May 1945. These terms were applied to women who had been in (sexual) relationships with one or more German soldiers over a shorter or longer period, or who had done ‘German work’. Neither having relations with a German soldier nor working in what were usually subordinate positions for German authorities (such as the Wehrmacht, the navy or the Organisation Todt ¹ ) were offences punishable under Norwegian law. And yet these women were still interned – under conditions that made the internment actually very similar to being in prison.