Word: berggrav
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...leader of Norway's church defiance of Quisling and Hitler-ex-Primate and ex-Bishop of Oslo Eivind Berggrav-was thrown into the Bretvedt concentration camp along with three of his pastors last week, on charges of "instigation to rebellion...
Leader of the resistance is the ex-Primate of Norway, forthright Bishop Eivind Berggrav of Oslo. Quisling haled him in soon after his resignation, accused him of treason, finally shouted: "You triple traitor! You deserve to have your head chopped off." "Here I am," answered Berggrav, but his offer was not taken...
Norway's overlords have good cause to hate Bishop Berggrav. As Primate of 97%-Lutheran Norway he has stubbornly fought them at every turn, with the result that only 27 of Norway's 700 parish pastors back Quisling. Last year Eivind Berggrav and his fellow bishops defied a Nazi ban and circulated a pastoral indicting the Nazis for their interference with churches, courts and schools, their effort to make pastors break their oath of silence on matters confided to them, and "the systematic rule of terror by Nazi storm troopers...
...Bishop Berggrav's resignation last week was inspired by a new decree, that all children between ten and 18 must join the Nazi youth organization. He called this order a menace to the influence of the home and the church on youth. Norway's teachers agreed, and when they were further required to join a Nazi union, they went out on strike and closed every Norwegian school...
Physically as well as spiritually, Bishop Berggrav is equipped to cope with the Nazis. Tall, blue-eyed, with hair that is still bright blond in his 50s, he is an enthusiastic hunter, fisherman and sailor. A hard-working bishop, who before the war was constantly on the move visiting his flock, he also found time to write newspaper and magazine articles and best-selling travel books. He has never been a man to keep quiet on any issue. If the Nazis have indeed imprisoned him, his very silence will be loud...