On 08 May 1945, with the unconditional surrender of the Third Reich, approx. 300.000 - 350.000 German soldiers capitulated in Norway. They didn't became the status of a PoW but they were declared as SEP's by the British. They had to go to fixed reservations and the British left them to their own devices. British or Norwegian military scarcely appeared. The prisoners took care for food and lodging by their own. Large groups of prisoners were transported by ship via Mandel to Bremen. 100.000 of them had the bad luck to be handed over to US custody. They were transported via Camp Bretzenheim as laborer to French custody.
3.000 men were held in Norway to clear the mines. How long it lasted or how many died during that dangerous job is not known.
In the beginning of 1946 the British forces retreated and from this time on Norway was responsible for the last 40.000 prisoners. Until June 1947 they were transported in small groups to Germany. Here some very scarce pictures from captivity in Norway:
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Crew with dog "Fips"
Note the Edelweiss at their caps
Italian freighter "Comitas" hit by mine
Norway