[The Norwegian Medical Association under German control. Intrigues, the power game, the breakdown]

Norway was occupied by the Germans from April-May 1940 until May 1945. As from September 1940, Hitler decided to establish a civilian administration in Norway with the help of the collaborating party "Nasjonal Samling" (NS). NS quickly tried to gain control over the professional organizations, with the aim of legalizing the NS administration in the eyes of the Germans. They met great resistance, also at the Norwegian Medical Association. The legal executive committee refused to cooperate with the NS leadership, and 85% of the members left the Association in 1941. A strong secret resistance movement began among the doctors, and the strongly curtailed NS-controlled Medical Association attained no political influence during the war, and was finally reduced to an appendix of the Ministry.