Rollem was a second lieutenantconscript in the Norwegian Army when war broke out in Norway. Rollem began driving to the front at Trøndelag on 11 April 1940, two days after the invasion began. However, a German paratrooper landing at Dombås prevented him from reaching the front, so he travelled to Hamar to join up with the 2nd Dragoon Regiment (DR 2). With DR 2 Rollem fought in several battles to prevent the German advance, including in Gudbrandsdalen, and was at Åndalsnes when the Norwegians surrendered in Southern Norway.[1]
After the Norwegians' defence against Germany failed, Rollem returned to finish his degree at Oslo Technical School. In 1941 he was hired at the engineering firm Ingeniør Falkenberg, where he worked until 1944. It was during this period that Rollem became involved with illegal work for the Norwegian resistance organization Milorg, division D 13.233 (Oslo area between Akerselva and Lysakerelva), and in 1944 he began working for the organization full-time. To avoid detection, Rollem moved from his home in Blommenholm to a cabin at Sollihøgda, which became his base of operations when he was chosen as the Milorg head of district D 13, comprising the greater Oslo area.[3] Among other activities, Rollem trained volunteers at Katnosa farm, a resistance base on the banks of Katnosa that was 50 soldiers strong.[2]
On the night of 8 May 1945, the Milorg men were informed via radio of the German capitulation. Rollem was suddenly responsible for mobilizing his troops to retake buildings all over Oslo. Tensions were high as armed German units still roamed the city streets, and in the first days of Oslo's retaking, six people were killed by uneasy soldiers.[1]
Milorg soldiers march from Akershus Fortress after retaking it for Norway on 11 May 1945.
Akershus handover
At 10:15 am on 11 May 1945, Rollem was ordered to retake Akershus Fortress for Norway, and he sent a messenger to inform the Germans of their arrival. Rollem, who was stationed nearby at Tollbugata 11, assembled a force of 100 men who carried many Norwegian flags on their march towards the castle at 1:00 pm. Though Rollem had the full cooperation of the commanding officer, Major Josef Nichterlein, the fortress was still a major stronghold for the Germans, and there were doubts whether they would surrender peacefully. Rollem later said of the incident:
When I was instructed to occupy Akershus on 11 May, I immediately sent one of my people there to give notice of our arrival. This was accepted by Major Nichterlein, but we had no guarantee that the 400 armed Germans at the fortress would respect some boys from the woods, with a green armband as our only—albeit, according to the Geneva Convention, fully legal—"alibi."
The handover occurred at 2:30 pm, on the square in front of the fort kommandant's residence. Rollem had insisted on not having a photographer along, feeling that there was no need for such a photograph and the high-strung German soldiers might mistake the camera snaps for gunfire. However, Rollem's supervisor, platoon leader Viggo Didrichson, sent anyway for photographer Johannes Stage to join them on their march to the castle.
The iconic photograph of Rollem assuming command of Akershus Fortress on behalf of the resistance. From left: Rollem, Nichterlein, Hamel.
The handover was captured in a photograph that was later displayed in homes across Norway as symbol of Norwegian liberation. The photograph was taken by Stage with Didrichson by his side, supervising the handover. Terje Rollem is shown standing at attention as Major Nichterlein gives a grim salute along with his adjutant Captain Hamel. Rollem was dressed in old uniform pants refashioned into knickerbockers, Selbu pattern stockings, and a jacket covered by a Milorg armband, a bandolier, and a belt that held his handgun. This outfit, in stark contrast to the neatly uniformed Germans, was an image that represented for many people the everyman regaining control of his country from German oppression.[4] "Luckily Didrichson was more sensible than me," said Rollem in a January 1981 interview with Vi Menn. "He realized the importance of photographic documentation. That the transfer was a historic moment did not cross my mind. I was just concerned with my assignment. Today I am very glad the photographer was present."[1]
After some words between the two men, with Rollem speaking in broken German, Nichterlein gave one last five-minute speech to the soldiers at the fortress. Along with Captain Hamel, Rollem went around the castle grounds, replacing German guards with his own Milorg men. Two Poles condemned to death were freed, and a Norwegian flag was raised, allegedly the same one that was lowered at the fortress in 1940. Nichterlein and his men were transferred to a prisoner-of-war camp in Skien.
Nichterlein's imprisonment
Josef Nichterlein[5] had been a renowned pianist before his involvement in the war, playing in venues all across Europe, such as in Paris, Madrid, and Royal Albert Hall in London. While imprisoned in Skien he kept in contact with Albert Schweitzer, a personal friend who he had toured with on piano with Schweitzer playing organ. The Norwegian guards were quite fond of Nichterlein and many asked him to sign the famous liberation photograph. Nichterlein agreed, but said of the photo, "I hope nobody thinks that I brought my hand up for a Hitler salute in the picture—because that man I have loathed all my life."[1] Nichterlein was sent back to Germany in June 1947[6][circular reference], but died only a month later and never saw his wife and children again.
Terje Rollem was married to Ellen Marie (“Nusse”) Hansen (18.10.1919–5.11.1995)[7] on 9 June 1944, the same year he adopted Rollem as his surname and dropped his middle name. They were divorced in 1978, after which Rollem lived with his partner Liv Sjetne. After his retirement in 1980, Rollem lived in Lillehammer and maintained his keen interest in the military. He died on 4 April 1993, outlived by his partner Sjetne, and was buried in Lillehammer. In 1995, on the 50th anniversary of Norway's liberation, a postage stamp was issued in Rollem's honor. Rollem was a recipient of the Defence Medal 1940–1945 with a rosette to indicate his further role in the Norwegian resistance after the initial fight against Germany.[2]
