In the area of and around Lofoten Islands there was a strong German presence during the war. Not so much early on in fact, but after the British/Norwegian commando raids in 1941, i.e Operation Claymore, Hitler really became afraid of an invasion there where it could be easy to cut Norway in half. He therefore ordered it to be fortified and commanded an army of engineers, builders and slaves up there. The result was a large number of bunkers,cannons,smaller forts and close defences erected all over Lofoten. Svolvaer town had more concrete pr sq.meter than any other town in Norway after the war. When peace came some of the fortresses was taken in use by NATO, some was left to decay, some bricked up and forgotten about and some was destroyed.
A few years ago a friend had found a bricked up entrance to a unfinished smaller complex. It lay on a little hill outside Svolvaer and we could find several trenches and Mg positions walking around and up to the hill. We found the closed entrance in what looked like a cave. One brick was missing so we just crawled inside, turning on our flashlights. Now we was in a rather roomy tunnel leading into the center of the hill where it branched off to different levels and directions. Inside here was no concrete, only naked, crude mountain walls and dirt floor. Following the tunnels they lead us to different positions that was blocked off, some shafts went straight up and we could see traces of ladders having been there. On the walls were rests of lighting fixtures and cables, electrical and for communication. In the sides of the tunnels rooms had been carved out of the mountain and in a tunnel leading downwards it was a large cave which had a big opening bricked up,it could look like a garage or storage room prehaps. Here and there on the floors there was some rust, but most of it seemed to be from the 1950`s and 60`s, so no finds but it was a fun and interesting trip.
A few years ago a friend had found a bricked up entrance to a unfinished smaller complex. It lay on a little hill outside Svolvaer and we could find several trenches and Mg positions walking around and up to the hill. We found the closed entrance in what looked like a cave. One brick was missing so we just crawled inside, turning on our flashlights. Now we was in a rather roomy tunnel leading into the center of the hill where it branched off to different levels and directions. Inside here was no concrete, only naked, crude mountain walls and dirt floor. Following the tunnels they lead us to different positions that was blocked off, some shafts went straight up and we could see traces of ladders having been there. On the walls were rests of lighting fixtures and cables, electrical and for communication. In the sides of the tunnels rooms had been carved out of the mountain and in a tunnel leading downwards it was a large cave which had a big opening bricked up,it could look like a garage or storage room prehaps. Here and there on the floors there was some rust, but most of it seemed to be from the 1950`s and 60`s, so no finds but it was a fun and interesting trip.
And when you are leaving a place like this,with only a tiny way out, an old bunkercrawl-tip is to let the big guy leave last so you dont get stuck in behind there.
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