1941 theatre strike in Norway

The theatre strike in Norway in 1941 was a conflict between Norwegian actors and Nazi authorities, during the German occupation of the country.

The strike started on 21 May 1941, as a response to the revocation of working permits for six actors, after they had refused to perform in the Nazified radio.

But eventually, about the turn of the year 1940/1941, actors started to express unwillingness to participate in German festivities, and to perform on radio.

On 23 January board members of NSF were summoned to Reichskommissar Terboven's office, where they were told that German authorities supported the Ministry, and that violations would be met by the strongest measures.

[3] A strike parole, formulated by Gerda Ring and August Lange, was secretly distributed among actors, signed and hidden.

[3] In early May 1941, seven actors eventually received a letter from the Ministry, in which they were ordered to play for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation when requested.

On 24 May the Germans presented a new ultimatum, they also arrested union representatives at the theatres in Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim, and the next day also central members of the Norwegian Actors' Equity Association.

[6][7] After the conflict the Ministry of Culture, subordinated to Nazi authorities, decided to take full control of the theatres.

The board members of Nationaltheatret were replaced, and Harald Grieg, Francis Bull and Johannes Sejersted Bødtker were arrested and incarcerated at the Grini concentration camp for years.

Its director Henry Gleditsch was warned several times that there might be an imminent crackdown on his theatre, and advised to flee to the neutral country Sweden.