Nasjonal Samling Kvinneorganisasjon

Nasjonal Samlings Kvinneorganisasjon, abbreviated NSK or the NS Kvinneorganisasjon , was a special organization for women over the age of 18 associated with the Norwegian Nazi Party Nasjonal Samling (NS) before and during the Second World War. NKS was formed in 1934, shortly after the Nasjonal Samling's foundation the previous year. The Nasjonal Samling Women's Organization was closed down when the German occupying power surrendered and the Nasjonal Samling board was deposed upon liberation in May 1945. The NSK was one of the party's three major special organisations, together with the youth association NSUF and Hirden. It had an armed branch, the Kvinnehirden.

NS Kvinneorganisasjon
Founder	Marie Irgens
Founded	1934
Dissolved	May 1945
Ideology	Nationalism Nazism Fascism Anti-communism
Party flag

In 1940, the German occupation authorities and NS lifted the ban on political uniforms from 1937. The party was organized in the National Socialist and military tradition. Both the members of NSK and Kvinnehirden wore green uniforms, but NSK wore a hat with a brim, the shepherd women boater hats. Plan from the NS Yearbook 1944.

Vidkun Quisling, leader of the Nasjonal Samling (NS) and minister president 1942–1945, and Olga Bjoner, national leader of the NS Women's Organization, meet Kvinnehirden in Slottsplassen at the organization's tenth anniversary in 1944.
Credit: Riksarkivet

Photo: Riksarkivet

Quisling greets marching NS women outside Frogner Park during "the Eighth National Assembly", the party's national meeting in Oslo in September 1942.

Photo: Riksarkivet

History

NSK originally sprung from Maria Quisling's circle of acquaintances, but soon became a permanent part of the NS organisation.

The head of NSK was from 1934 the voice teacher Marie Irgens, then Øyvor Hansson and from 1941 until the end of the war the peasant women's leader and Tidens Tegn journalist Olga Bjoner. Bjoner, who took the title of national leader from 1944, also led Kvinnehirden, where the most enthusiastic young people joined. At most, NSK had around 16,000 members, that is, roughly a third of NS's 55,000 registered members. NSK ran maternity schools, housekeeping centers and sewing studios around the country. NS women also enlisted as "front sisters".

In 1934, Halldis Neegaard Østbye became propaganda leader in NS Kvinneorganisasjon.

NS Kvinneorganisasjon's "Home, family, fatherland" and other propaganda posters from the Second World War in Norway exhibited in the Hjemmefrontmuseet in Oslo. The photo also shows the women's organization's blue flag decorated with the fascist party's sun cross.
Credit: 2017

Photo: 2017