The autonomous viceroy who ruled Norway with a scorched earth policy
In short: Josef Terboven operated with what he called "limitless power of command." As Reichskommissar for Norway, he functioned as a virtual viceroy, often ignoring directives from anyone but Adolf Hitler. His ruthless governance included establishing concentration camps and implementing a scorched earth policy that forced 50,000 Norwegians from their homes.
Appointed Reichskommissar for Norway on 24 April 1940, Terboven held a position that sat on the same hierarchical level as the Reich Ministries. While the German military, commanded by Generaloberst Nikolaus von Falkenhorst, sought to maintain a level of courtesy with the Norwegian population, Terboven’s administration was defined by petty and ruthless tactics. This approach even drew criticism from Joseph Goebbels, who noted that Terboven's "bullying tactics" served only to alienate the Norwegian people from the German occupation.
Terboven’s authority was vast but complex. He maintained a personal force of approximately 6,000 men, including 800 members of the secret police. While he oversaw the civilian administration and established a thirteen-member Provisional State Council to replace the Norwegian Administrative Council, he lacked direct authority over the 400,000 regular German Army troops stationed in the country. Despite this, his influence was felt through extreme measures, such as the summary proceedings of special SS and Police Tribunals, which sentenced an estimated 150 individuals to death.
His reign was marked by severe reprisals and massacres. Hundreds of Yugoslavian prisoners-of-war and political prisoners were murdered during the Beisfjord massacre ordered by Terboven in July 1942. In the village of Telavåg, a reprisal raid led to the destruction of all buildings and the deportation of 72 residents, 31 of whom were murdered in captivity. To create a Nazi fortress, Terboven used scorched earth tactics in northern Norway as Germany's fortunes declined, forcing 50,000 Norwegians to evacuate amidst massive destruction.
Terboven's career began in Essen, Germany, where he served as the Gauleiter of Gau Essen. On 7 May 1945, Großadmiral Karl Dönitz removed Terboven from his role following Adolf Hitler's suicide. Terboven ended his life on 8 May 1945, Germany's surrender day, by blowing up 50 kg of dynamite inside a Skaugum compound bunker in Norway.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Josef Terboven
- Also: Wikidata — Josef Terboven · CC0
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