Folklore Fights the Nazis: Humor in Occupied Norway, 1940–1945

5. Answering Back: The Growth of Anti-Nazi Solidarity

5 Answering Back: The Growth of Anti-Nazi Solidarity Both despite and because of Nazi cruelty and reprisals, more and more Norwegians found ways to express their opposition to the "New Order's" domination. This chapter examines a few of the more unique demonstrations of this growing anti-Nazi sentiment: a subversive children's book, underground Christmas cards, and regime-mocking magazine covers. Though not jokes per se, these alternative forms of protest circulated widely and complement the jokes in theme and method. The chapter concludes with a consideration of how Norwegian occupation jokes compare with those of other repressive regimes. SNORRI THE SEAL: A CHILDREN'S BOOK GOES UNDERGROUND In November 1941 a deceptively innocent-looking children's book appeared on the Norwegian market. Snorre sel (Snorri the seal), written and illustrated by Frithjof Srelen, tells of "the vainest little seal in the Arctic Ocean," who ignores his mother's advice that "to live in peace one must constantly be on guard." Instead Snorri spends his time dreamily admiring his beautiful coat in blissful ignorance of the enemies poised to attack him. The situation resembles Norway's pre-9 April 1940 attitude toward the war in Europe and her complacent assumption of being left in peace since she herself posed no threat. I The book's second illustration, likening the ice floe on which Snorri sits to a map of Norway, dispels any doubt that the author intended this parallel. Snorri's enemy Brummelab, a lip-smacking polar bear who has Stalin's gleam in his eye, represents the Soviet Union. Notwithstanding the latter's ultimately indispensable role in turning the tide of Hitler's fortunes in favor of the Allies, the Soviet Union 89 90 FOLKLORE FIGHTS THE NAZIS Snorri the seal jumps from an ice floe resembling the map of Norway. From Frithjof SlI!len's "fable for children and adults," Snorre set, 1941. Reprinted here with permission of Frithjof SlI!len. represented a threat at the time of Srelen's book. The Soviets had attacked Norway's Scandinavian neighbor Finland in September 1940, usurped the Baltic states as well as territory in Romania, and entered a mutual nonaggression pact with Germany to divide up Poland.2 Snorri receives many warnings from Uncle Bart the kindly walrus , who represents England and whom Srelen draws with a characteristically British mustache. Despite Bart's warnings, Snorri 5: ANSWERING BACK 91 allows himself to be lulled into complacency then suddenly is startled to discover Brummelab's hot breath on his face seconds before the polar bear plans to devour him. Snorri just barely escapes being Brummelab's dinner. But by jumping into the sea to save himself, he also manages to get into even deeper trouble. He finds himself in the realm of Glefs, the killer whale, who initially hides his evil intentions by playing on Snorri's vanity and admiring his beautiful coat, just as German propaganda had exalted the Norwegians' Aryan features and claimed that they had come as friends. Finally realizing his folly, Snorri cries out for help, but having neglected to let his mother and Uncle Bart know where he was going (an allusion to Norway's lack of an articulated foreign policy), he sadly realizes they won't know where to find him. A pair of sea gulls, Sving and Svang (who share more than initials with the Nazi SS)3 add to Snorri's problems by constantly revealing Snorri's hiding places both to Brummelab and to Glefs. Sporting the red and yellow colors of the Nazi party and having a "false gleam" in their eyes, the gulls incessantly screech, Skui, skui, an allusion to the inescapable Nazi hell og sal salute. Promising Glefs, "if you want steak, we can get it for you," the treacherous pair reflect not only Quisling's aid in luring Norway into Germany's grasp, but also the abundance enjoyed by the occupiers and their Norwegian collaborators as others endured crippling shortages and rationing. At the same time, Glefs's own plan of polishing them off when he is finished with Snorri reveals an awareness of the German exploitation of the Norwegian Nazi party for her own ends while ignoring the party's own goal of Norway's ultimate sovereignty.4 Cornered on an ice floe by Glefs, Snorri again remembers Uncle Bart's warnings and feels "almost angry" that his uncle isn't there to save...