[Pencilled note bottom page 1: BDC—OKW 1612.]
[Stamped:] 13/184
It must be made clear to the troops, engaged in this action, that the Norwegians will be thankful in a few months that they were saved from Bolshevism, and that the barbarian methods of the air war against our German country and her cultural shrines have brought a thousand times more misery to our people if compared with the humane evacuation and destruction of homes in Northern Norway, which is necessary for our war effort, and which, if it is not done, must be paid for with blood of German soldiers.
The population—whose livelihood is fishing—in Northern Norway, furthermore has enough shipping space at its disposal to be able to get out of the way en mass across the water. A large part of the small Norwegian ships which are kept hidden at present can be used for this and can later also be used for our own transportation needs.
The danger of the formation of guerilla bands on the part of the Norwegians appears to be negligible since they can no longer use the houses during the winter.
I.A. [By order]
signed: JODL
Supreme Command Armed Forces/Armed Forces Command St/
Army Operations/North/No 0012887/44 top secret
Distribution:
Chief Armed Forces Command St (1st copy)
Deputy Chief/Ktb (2nd copy)
Operations (Army) operations (Navy) (1 each 3rd & 4th copies)
Quartermaster and G-2 (1 each 5th & 6th copies)