# Unknown WWII documentary found



## v2 (Jun 21, 2006)

A bit of random luck secured the unknown German documentary film "Kampf um Norwegen" (Struggle for Norway).
Associate Professor Jostein Saakvitne at Bergen University College stumbled over the film by accident at a German Internet auction. Now film archivist Ragnar Løvberg at the Norwegian Film Institute is responsible for the digital transfer of the five reels of delicate nitrate film from 1940.
"The film contains both known footage, but longer than we have previously seen, and a range of new scenes that have probably never been made public before. Among other things we see dramatic scenes from close range fighting between German and Norwegian forces, and a great deal of the film is devoted to the battle of Narvik ("Der Heldenkampf um Narvik")," Saakvitne said.
"Kampf um Norwegen", an 80-minute long documentary of the invasion of Norway in 1940 was commissioned by the German Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (Armed Forces High Command). Dr. Martin Rikli and Dr. Werner Buhne directed the film, and the credits list 29 photographers who worked on the documentary, from preparations in Germany to the battle in Narvik.
"The story is based on German forces coming and freeing Norway from an Allied threat of invasion. It is strange that we have not known about this film earlier. No one we have contacted knows it," Saakvitne said.
"This must be due to only a few copies being made and it being destroyed during the war. Germany had trouble towards the end of the war and many film archives were burned, and that makes it difficult to get an overview of what documentary films were made during this period," Saakvitne said.


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## evangilder (Jun 21, 2006)

Very interesting. I would like a chance to see that.


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## Gnomey (Jun 21, 2006)

Interesting! Yeah it would be great to see.


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## Tiger (Jun 26, 2006)

I wonder if they'll release to the public for free, what is the copyright status on a document of this nature? 

Certainly very interesting.


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## reddragon (Jun 26, 2006)

I would enjoy seeing it, too. Most of the documentaries I've seen seem to use the same footage used in so many others, and are almost always from the allied side. The only major German footage I've seen is in the documentary, "Die Deuteschen Panzer". Wish I could find a copy of "Die Deutschen Luftwaffe", but I didn't have the money to buy it when it was available. I didn't know it would be taken off the market.


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## Henk (Jun 26, 2006)

Any new WW2 footage is great news. Would love to be able to see it though.


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## HealzDevo (Oct 30, 2006)

Yes, I agree that it would be great to see some footage from the German side. I have seen some properganda footage from the Germans for a few battles including a slanted interpretation of D-Day by the Germans. But there is nothing on Norway that I know about. Healz.


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## Emac44 (Oct 30, 2006)

I agree it would be great to sit and watch a documenatry film from German perspective about Norway. We might not like what is said or protrayed and feel some what insensed by it but History has a habit of upsetting the senses at times. My vote would be yes. show me the the documentary and i will make up my own mind to its validity


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## R-2800 (Nov 1, 2006)

very cool always nice to find new thigs from the war


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