On May 7-8, a series of events were held in the commune of Vestvågøy in the Lofoten Islands to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazism in World War II.
First Secretary of the Embassy of Ukraine in Norway Nataliya Marikutsa participated in the official opening ceremony of a memorial dedicated to the memory of prisoners of war who were killed by the German occupation forces at the Ostad camp.
Two Ukrainians, Fedir Mukovoz from Kharkiv and Anton Rachok from Vinnytsia, were brutally shot while attempting to escape from the camp. The German occupation forces held 108 Soviet prisoners of war at the Ostad camp, two-thirds of whom were from Ukraine.
In her speech, the Ukrainian diplomat emphasized that May 8 is a significant date for Ukraine, as its people endured a national tragedy during World War II and played a crucial role in the victory over Nazism.
«This anniversary is not just a date; it serves as a reminder of the fragility of peace and the dangers that arise when hatred, violence, and totalitarianism resurface. Today, Ukraine is once again defending itself against aggression, as Russia has brought war, terror, and destruction to our land», - she stated.
The project was initiated by Per-Kaare Holdal and a group of activists*, including historians, scholars, and volunteers. With the support of the municipality of Vestvågøy, they worked for three years to implement the memorial project.
On May 7, the book Prison Life and Suffering was presented and an exhibition about German prisoner-of-war camps in northern Norway was opened.
During the visit, the First Secretary Natalia Marikutsa and the Mayor of Vestvågøy Municipality Jonny Finstad held a joint meeting with Ukrainians residing in the municipality.
* Project group:
Knut Nikolaisen, project manager
Per-Kaare Holdal, initiator
Frode Wigum, initiator
Michael Stokke, reseacher, Narviksenteret
Sigfús Kristmannsson, Vestvågøy historical association
Trond Handberg, Vestvågøy Municipality
Eldar Andersen, Vestvågøy historical association