Quisling’s Castle Becomes Center For Holocaust

QUISLING’S CASTLE BECOMES CENTER FOR HOLOCAUST

Armenian Genocide to Be Represented There As well

Azg/arm
19 Jan 05

The Deutsche Press Agentur news agency informed from Oslo, Norway,
that the castle of Vidkun Quisling, former nazi ruler Norway, is
rebuilt into the Center for Holocaust Studies. The castle is situated
on the Bigdoy Island, in the west from Oslo. After long-lasting
construction works, 25 historians and other scientists will move to
the castle which has an area of 3 thousand square meters. In 1933-45,
the former minister and the head of the former Norwegian nazi occupant
government cooperated with Hitler. At present, only the study of
Quisling and the jewelry parlor of her wife are left untouched in the
castle and can remind of the former owners and the dwellers of the
building. 735 Norwegian Jews were killed in the times of Holocaust in
total and only 50 survived. According to the January 8 issue of The
Armenian Mirror Spectator, that cites other newspapers, Quisling was
arrested on May 9, 1945. He established Nacional Samling, Norwegian
party of Nazi in 1933. His name became the synonym for the term
“traitor.” He was executed on October 24, 1945.

It is envisaged that a permanent exhibition dedicated to the Holocaust
will open in the castle in September, 2006. Photos and documents of
the Herero genocide (South-Western Africa, 1905), the Armenian
genocide in Turkey (1915), the Cambodian genocide (1975), the genocide
in Rwanda (1994), the Balkan genocide (1995) will be exhibited at the
center, as well.

“Perhaps, we will also include historical documents concerning the
events in Darfur (Sudan) in the exhibition, too,” stated Odd-Bjorn
Furen, 62-year-old historian, stated. The representatives of the Oslo
Jewish community make the half of the center’s administration.

The idea of making the castle a center for genocide studies belongs to
retired general Bjorn Egg, former prisoner of the Sachsenhausen
concentration camp.

“We are not going to appeal to the feelings. We will emphasize
reasonable thinking and serious studies, to avert such tragedies in
future,” the head of the center said.

By Hakob Tsulikian