German sailor with Norwegian girl.

Obviously Germans thought highly of occupation service in Norway versus active war service in one of the bloody Frontlines in Europe.

Kriegsmarine in Norway

German (Bismark-class) battleship "Tirpitz" firing her 380 mm main guns.

Battleship Tirpitz

German battleship "Scharnhorst".  Laid down in 1935, "Scharnhorst" was influenced to some extent by predating treaty restrictions, subsequently renounced by Germany.  It was, thus, something between a cruiser and a battleship, with lighter main armament than a "full" battleship (nine 28 cm guns), but somewhat greater speed.

Scharnhorst operated in effect as an Atlantic raider in the 1939-'43 period, subject to a number of inactive periods necessitated by technical difficulties and accidents.  By mid-1943, the ship had been successfully deployed to Norway's Altafjord, joining the "Bismarck" Class battleship "Tirpitz" and nine destroyers.  This group conducted offensive operations against convoys, and against the Norwegian-held installations on the island of Spitzbergen.  This "happy time" was not to last ... JR.  