Dimitri - der Ost Arbeiter

Dimitri was a young man in his 20s. He was from Ukraine. In 1942 he was sent to Norway as a "Ost-Arbeiter" (Eastern Worker). The Ost Arbeiter were men and women from the occupied Ukraine. These people were called volunteers, but the fact was that they were forced labourers.

Between 1942-45 ca 900 men and 100 women, including some children, came to Bodø in Nordland as Eastern Workers. 8 of them died there.

Dimitri was at first set to work at a fish filet factory, and in 1943 he was moved to Fauske where he took part in the construction of a German Lazarett.

Later Dimitri tried to escape and get himself to Sweden, but he didn`t succeed and it is assumed he died somewhere in the mountains near the border during the escape.

During his stay in Norway he made several drawings. He drew what he experienced and witnessed. He also commented the drawings, writing in cyrillic and backwards.

Before his escape Dimitri gave the drawings to a local Norwegian, and is now in the care of Fauske Museum and part of an exhibition in the Lazarett.

​Here are some of the drawings for you to study.