The Blitz House (Norwegian: Blitzhuset) is a self-managed social centre hosting left-wing anarchists in Oslo, the capital city of Norway. Founded in 1982 as a squat, it is now legalized and based on Oslo's Pilestredet. It hosts activities such as political meetings, the feminist radio station radiOrakel, a vegan café, and musician practice rooms. The Blitz movement has been involved in a number of protests and riots (such as the 2008–2009 Oslo riots), and has been attacked by right-wing extremists on numerous occasions.
| Blitz House | |
|---|---|
Blitzhuset | |
 Political wall art on the Blitz House in February 2006, depicting a fist punching a Nazi swastika alongside a man wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh in front of a Palestinian flag, as well as graffiti slogans and various paintings. | |
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| General information | |
| Status | Legal |
| Classification | Self-managed social centre |
| Location | Oslo, Norway |
| Coordinates | 59°55′06″N 10°44′16″E / 59.91833°N 10.73778°E |
| Opened | 1982 |
| Affiliation | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Facilities
edit
The Blitz House is a self-managed social centre in Oslo, Norway. It started out as a squatted building in Skippergata 6 in downtown Oslo in 1982 and has since been a centre of anarchist activism.[1][2]
In 1982, Skippergata was evicted and the squatters moved into Pilestredet 30c in central Oslo, where an agreement was made with the city. They were allowed to rent the house for a symbolic rent, and in return they would maintain the building. In 2002, the city council, led by the Conservative Party, put the Blitz house on sale. The activists responded with protests and battered the entrance of the Oslo City Hall, and the sale was stopped.[3] The Christian Democratic Party (KrF) criticized the group and attempted to stop the lease.[4]
Among the activities of the house are a feminist radio station (radiOrakel), a vegan café, a concert hall, practice rooms for musicians and bookshop and infoshop.[5] Alongside Hausmania in Oslo and UFFA in Trondheim, Blitz is a centre for anarchism in Norway.[6]
Incidents
editDuring the 1980s, the people around Blitz were involved in many protests for example during the visits of the British prime minister Margaret Thatcher in 1986 and US Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger in 1987.[7] The demonstrations turned into street battles between Blitz sympathisers and the police. From the 1990s onwards, Blitz has often obstructed legal meetings of right-wing political parties such as the Progress Party, the minor Fatherland Party and the Democrats.[7]
The house was bombed by neo-Nazis in 1990 and 1994.[8] Mayhem bassist Varg Vikernes allegedly planned to blow up the Blitz House and had stockpiled 150 kg of explosives and 3,000 rounds of ammunition at the time of his arrest for the murder of bandmate Euronymous in 1993.[9] Blitz openly supported and took part in the 2008–09 Oslo riots.[10]
See also
edit- Anarchism in Norway
- Squatting in Norway
- Ungdomshuset, a similar project in Denmark
References
edit- ^ "Historien om Blitz". Blitz. Archived from the original on 28 June 2007. Retrieved 28 April 2007.
- ^ Ralf Lofstad; Harald S. Klungetveit; Øistein Norum Monsen (27 April 2007). "Politiet stormet Blitz-huset". Dagbladet. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2007.
- ^ "Lang strid: Blitz år for år". Aftenposten. 7 March 2007. Archived from the original on 21 August 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2007.
- ^ Eiliv Frich Flydal (27 April 2007). "– Ser ikke forskjell på Blitz og nynazister". Dagbladet. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2007.
- ^ "Blitz - An Autonomous Youth House - Department of Criminology and Sociology of Law". www.jus.uio.no. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
- ^ Kuhn, Gabriel (2009). "Anarchism, Norway". The International Encyclopedia of Revolution and Protest: 1–2. doi:10.1002/9781405198073.wbierp0067. ISBN 9781405198073.
- ^ a b Per Aage Pleym Christensen (14 November 2004). "Ensidig om Blitz". Liberaleren. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2007.
- ^ Hvidsten, Sigfrid (3 November 2004). "Pønk og politikk". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ Midtskogen, Rune (4 July 2009). ""Greven" angrer ingenting" ["The Count" regrets nothing] (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 11 January 2011. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
- ^ "Blitz hilser opprørerne velkommen" (in Norwegian). NRK/NTB. 9 January 2009. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2020.