• Berg Internment Camp Monument
In October 1942, Norwegian security forces set up an internment camp for political opponents on the initiative of Vidkun Quisling, head of the collaborationist Norwegian government. The first prisoners at Berg were 320 Jews - all but fifty of them were deported.
Today, the former camp premises are home to a prison. Located on the prison grounds is a monument to the victims and inmates of the former Berg internment camp.
Image: Berg, probably 1944, Internment camp with the commandant's villa, the so-called »White House«, in the background, Norges Hjemmefrontmuseum
Berg, probably 1944, Internment camp with the commandant's villa, the so-called »White House«, in the background, Norges Hjemmefrontmuseum

Image: Berg, 2004, Monument on the former camp grounds, Bjarte Bruland
Berg, 2004, Monument on the former camp grounds, Bjarte Bruland
In October 1942, the establishment of the Berg internment camp for political opponents was decided upon on the initiative of Vidkun Quisling, the head of the collaborationist Norwegian government. The guard troops - under the command of Elvind Wallestad - were all members of the Quisling-party's paramilitary organisation »Hird«. The internment camp was administered by the Norwegian police ministry, making it the only camp under German occupation entirely run by Norwegian entities.
The first prisoners to be incarcerated at the camp were Jews; at the end of November 1942, 320 were imprisoned. All but fifty, who were from so-called mixed marriages, were taken away from the camp and later deported to Auschwitz.
Apart from Jews, political opponents of the Quisling regime comprised the largest prisoner group. All of the prisoners had to perform forced labour. Conditions of imprisonment were deteriorating with time. Towards the end of the war, there were up to 500 prisoners at the camp at one time.
Image: Berg, probably 1944, Internment camp with the commandant's villa, the so-called »White House«, in the background, Norges Hjemmefrontmuseum
Berg, probably 1944, Internment camp with the commandant's villa, the so-called »White House«, in the background, Norges Hjemmefrontmuseum

Image: Berg, 2004, Monument on the former camp grounds, Bjarte Bruland
Berg, 2004, Monument on the former camp grounds, Bjarte Bruland
In all, about 1,200 prisoners passed through the Berg internment camp - most of them were political prisoners. Of the approximately 280 Jews who were deported to concentration camps, only seven survived.
Image: Berg, probably 1944, Roll call, in the background the »Jewish Barracks«, Norges Hjemmefrontmuseum
Berg, probably 1944, Roll call, in the background the »Jewish Barracks«, Norges Hjemmefrontmuseum

Today, the former Berg internment camp grounds are home to a prison. Of the original buildings, only the kitchen cellar and part of a latrine barrack remain.
A memorial stone commemorates the internment camp. The camp's Jewish prisoners are not explicitly mentioned on the inscription.
Image: Berg, 2004, Cells in the kitchen cellar, Bjarte Bruland
Berg, 2004, Cells in the kitchen cellar, Bjarte Bruland

Name
Minnesmerket Berg Interneringsleir
Address
Berg fengsel, Søndre Berg 30
3125 Tønsberg
Open
Accessibility is restricted as the monument is situated on prison grounds.
Possibilities
Monument