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'Birger Kristian Eriksen' November 17 1875 - July 16 1958) was a Norwegian officer (Oberst = Colonel) who was instrumental in stopping the first wave of ''Gruppe 5'' of the German invasion force outside Oslo. Eriksen was born in Moskenes in Lofoten. Eriksen was the commander of Oscarsborg Fortress when Nazi Germany attacked Norway in the early hours of April 9 1940. He gained lasting recognition for ordering the fortress under his command to open fire on the vanguard forces of Operation Weserübung and sinking the 14,000 ton heavy cruiser Blücher.

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Early life

External links

Early life

Born in 1875 to a merchant family in Moskenes, Lofoten in North Norway, Birger Eriksen left home at age 12 to go to Kristiania (as Oslo was known as at the time) to study.
When Eriksen had completed high school he attended technical college in Berlin, Germany before returning home and starting his military career at military college. At age 25 he had reached the rank of Kaptein (Captain) in the Norwegian Army.
Eriksen went home to Moskenes every summer to visit his mother until she died in 1936, having been a widow for fifthy years.
In 1931 he reached the rank of Oberst (Colonel) and two years later he obtained the position of commander of Oscarsborg Fortress, a position he would hold until that faithful morning of April 9 1940.
Before his Oscarsborg command Eriksen had commanded the fortresses of Tønsberg, Agdenes and Bergen Fortress.
Birger Eriksen died as a celebrated war hero in 1958 and was buried at Vår Frelsers gravlund in Oslo.

External links

★ Birger Eriksen website

★ The Lofoten War Museum