Norwegian Youth Groups

Figure 1.--These Norwegian Scouts in this press photo are visiting the United States. The press caption read, "Norse Scouts on U.S. Good Will Trip: Twenty nine Norwegian Boy couts of Oslo arrived in New York aboard the S.S. Bergensfjord' today for a good will trip through 12 states and part of Canada [The ship would be used as an Allied troop ship during World War II.] They are on a month's tour sponsored by the International League of Norsemen. The boys are shown here on deck as they arrived for their first look at New York harbor." The photograph isdated Juky 1, 1936.

The principal youth groups in Norway are Scouts and Guides. HBU does not know of any uniformed boys' youth groups, except the Boy Scouts, in Norway before the NAZI invasion (April 1940). The Norwegian Government in fact had banned the wearing of political uniforms (1935) so political parties could not organize uniformed youth units. This changed almost over night after the German invasion when a a virtual riot of adult uniforms appeared. This was especially the case after Hitler officially asppointed Vidkun Quisling "Minister President". The Quisling and the NAZI occupation authorities organized a youth group and tried to recruit older boys for the war effort. Scouting was banned. Few Norwegian boys, but in 1941 Scouting and other youth groups were banned and all Norwegian boys had to join the Nasjonal Samling youth movement, the Umghird. After the War, Scouting was reestanlished. There are also a number of small groups. Buekorps ("Bow Corps" or "Archery Brigade") are traditional marching neighborhood youth organizations in Bergen. Natur og Ungdom (NU) which translates Nature and Youth, also known in English as Friends of the Earth Youth Norway is a recently organized Norwegian youth environment protecting organisation.