Travel guide to the fortifications in Northern Norway : Part 5. The Tromsø area

Tuotetiedot

Germany invaded Norway on April 9, 1940 and managed to capture the country within two months. The original purpose of the occupation was to secure the supply of iron ore from Sweden and to disrupt war material transportation to Murmansk. However, the nickel and copper of Kolosjoki in Petsamo soon became more important than the Swedish iron. The Finnish nickel became vital to the German war economy.

Germany remained in Norway for almost five years. During that time, German troops built a large coastal artillery fortification system to protect the coastal shipping routes and the main road Reichstrasse 50 ending in Kirkenes with a connection to Petsamo in Finland. The main weapons of the artillery batteries were a mixed collection of cannons and howitzers, mostly captured as war booty.

After the armistice with Finland, the Soviet Union attacked on Germany’s northern forces, and Finns were also forced to drive its former brother-in-arms out of their country. On October 3, the German troops received permission to abandon the mines in Kolosjoki and fell back, with delay, to the Lyngenfjord line (Operation Nordlicht). The Soviet troops followed as far as the Tanafjord and the Tana River. When falling back, the German troops took most of their coastal guns with them and blew up the fortifications. Some of the batteries on the eastern side of Lyngen were deployed in the Tromsø area.

This book is a guide to the coastal artillery’s permanent and field fortifications in the Tromsø area. It is based on reconnaissance trips made in 2025–2026 to most of the sites featured in the book. The fortifications were discovered in their expected locations, based on preliminary research into the area. This book provides information about the history, armament, and current state of the fortifications. Keep in mind that this book does not offer a comprehensive history of coastal artillery in Northern Norway. It is intended as a travel guide, featuring maps, aerial photos, and driving instructions to help you find the fortifications and make your own observations. Have a fruitful fortification trip.