Norway Potato Rationing Instructions From WW2

Here's an oddity that I've come across. It's an instruction card for potato rationing and consumption during WW2 German occupation for the period 20 November 1941 until 1 August 1942, and asks for forecast potato consumption, dropping hints that it shouldn't really exceed 150 kg per adult. Someone's stuck a Quisling stamp SG331 on the cover, with CDS (6.11.1942), but there's no address.

Google translate works pretty well for the rest if you're a non-native Norwegian speaker.

Hi: The short lived "Order of the Potato" existed in Norway a very short while
during the war.It does not have anything too do with your card but interesting.
The potato picking was always a political tool used by different authoritarian regimes.
__________________________________________________________________________________________

On April 9, 1940, Hitler invaded Norway. The Norwegian army resisted for a few weeks, but on June 4th the invasion was over and King Haakon and his government flew to London on June 7th. Germans who had a priori favorable towards the Nordic "races" try to exalt the purity of race of the Norwegians and try to integrate them. They bring to power Vidkun Quisling, leader of the National Socialist Party of Norway, in fact numerically insignificant.

Beginning in the fall, Quisling, who wanted to establish a Mussolini-style corporate state, demands from all public servants an oath of loyalty to the regime. Many refuse to do so. The Hird, or Norwegian Gestapo, is aggressive. Resistance increases. The first clandestine leaves circulate. In schools, resistance begins on the pleasant mode. The students began to wear buttonholes, in a badge-like manner, a paper clip that meant: "Let's stay united", and soon chains of staples. The police forbid this form of opposition, which only gives it more weight.

The students then replace the staples with a small potato stung on a toothpick; but the Order of the potato is immediately forbidden. Finally, each is adorned with a penny coin bearing the effigy of King Haakon. Immediately, the Order of the penny is forbidden. The teachers, in turn, play the fools. Whenever they receive ministerial circulars, they pretend not to understand or deceive themselves, or ask for explanations indefinitely.

Perf12 has already answered very well.
Just want to say that Norway was self-supported with food before the Nazi invasion, but then the Germans started exploiting us and sending lots of our 'good' food to Germany or the food was taken directly by German soldiers. That was the reason almost all food became rationed - and hence the generation that grew up during the WWII was raised on "potatoes and herring", as that was the only food available to most.

I would also like to emphasize that Quisling never had even a slight democratic support in the Norwegian people. He was unpopular even before the Nazis set him to power and after the war he has been known as the most disrespected Norwegian ever. His sole name is often used as synonymous with a 'traitor of his own nation'

Cool item Tim!

Jon, so close was the link between UK and Norway that we also use the term Quisling for the same kind of person.

From where did you get this item? I find it very interesting, like a relic with evidence of how war affects every aspect of everyday life. Unfortunately, the too-late and obvious non-postal use of the Quisling stamp does it no favour. Many stamps from this era are much less common postally used, so philatelic fabricated items are not uncommon.

Both the Red Army and the Wehrmacht fielded combat units recruited from Norway; the Norwegians serving with the Red Army were resisting the German occupation, while the Norwegians serving in the Wehrmacht were resisting the Commie-Slavic Hoard From The East.

That must have made for some interesting family reunions, after the war.

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

Jon, I bought the card a few years ago as part of an auction lot of Norway postal history items, maybe about 20 of them and mostly post-horns. This one wasn't even listed. I have the stamp off-cover with a good SOTN cancel, but many of my other stamps from this era have cancels which look "too nice", maybe CTO. I have a most of the London wartime issues with purple ship's postmarks but not yet the full set.

Might this be considered a precancel postcard? It was officially cancelled, not a favor cancel, with a space for an address that never was filled in. Just curious, George.

@funbaldguy - an interesting suggestion. However it does not add up for being a pre-cancel (official), if so the letter/form would logically have been cancelled well ahead of the deadline (20th Nov 1941) that is defined for submitting the form. The overprint on the stamp itself is also applied after this deadline.


@Tim - I would love to see those London issues with ship postmarks!


Yes, CTO / favour cancels are common on the commemorative stamps issued during the war. Authentic postal used are much more sought after.

Jon, if you can wait a while I'll post them. My laptop died horribly over Xmas and I only bought a new one today. Of course, I don't have a copy of the scanner driver any more so I need to buy a new printer / scanner too. Oh, and another copy of Paintshop Pro as well... Life is expensive at the moment

Thank you for the response Blaamand. Was misleading the date stamp. Interesting piece...