Terje Rollem

[1] Terje Rollem was born in Bærum Municipality to a clerk named Theodor Georg Martinsen and his wife Margit Dagny Berner Høglund.

After taking exams at Holte Gymnasium in Denmark, Rollem entered Stabekk Upper Secondary School with a focus on realfag (emphasis on primarily science and mathematics).

He finished the examen artium in 1934, and the next year began his military career at the Officer Candidate School for Kavaleriet (cavalry/dragoon branch of the Norwegian Army, lit.

However, a German paratrooper landing at Dombås prevented him from reaching the front, so he travelled to Hamar to join up with the 2nd Dragoon Regiment (DR 2).

With DR 2 Rollem fought in several battles to prevent the German advance, including in Gudbrandsdalen, and was at Åndalsnes when the Norwegians surrendered in Southern Norway.

To avoid detection, Rollem moved from his home in Blommenholm to a cabin at Sollihøgda, which became his base of operations when he was chosen as the Milorg head of district D 13, comprising the greater Oslo area.

Tensions were high as armed German units still roamed the city streets, and in the first days of Oslo's retaking, six people were killed by uneasy soldiers.

Rollem, who was stationed nearby at Tollbugata 11, assembled a force of 100 men who carried many Norwegian flags on their march towards the castle at 1:00 pm.

This was accepted by Major Nichterlein, but we had no guarantee that the 400 armed Germans at the fortress would respect some boys from the woods, with a green armband as our only—albeit, according to the Geneva Convention, fully legal—"alibi.

Terje Rollem is shown standing at attention as Major Nichterlein gives a grim salute along with his adjutant Captain Hamel.

Rollem was dressed in old uniform pants refashioned into knickerbockers, Selburose pattern stockings, and a jacket covered by a Milorg armband, a bandolier, and a belt that held his handgun.

Josef Nichterlein[5] had been a renowned pianist before his involvement in the war, playing in venues all across Europe, such as in Paris, Madrid, and Royal Albert Hall in London.