Falstad's history

The Falstad building was erected by Norwegian public authorities in 1921 as a reformative school.

In 1941 the German occupiers seized the school and established a prison camp at the premises. “SS Strafgefangenenlager Falstad” became the second largest prison camp in Norway. About 4500 people from 13 nations were imprisoned here in the period 1941–45. The majority were Norwegian political prisoners.

To a great number of them, Falstad served as a station “en route” to Grini prison camp outside Oslo or to concentration camps in Germany. In 1942 Norwegian Jews were imprisoned here before being deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau.

After the liberation, Falstad served as a labour camp and prison during the post war trials. This camp was closed in 1949, and in the period 1951–92 the building housed a special school.

The Falstad Forest, situated one kilometre south of the Falstad Building, is today a national cultural memorial and a war grave site. About 300 prisoners were executed in this forest during 1942–43.