Diplomatic contacts between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Kingdom of Norway
Bilateral relations
Germany–Norway relations are foreign relations between
Germany and
Norway .
Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1905, after
Norway's independence . During
World War II , Norway was
occupied by Nazi Germany , lasting from 1940 until 1945.
Both countries are full members of
NATO ,
[1] and of the
Council of Europe .
[2] As of 2022, there were around 15,000
Norwegians living in Germany and around 10,000
Germans living in Norway.
[3]
To promote the German-Norwegian relations, in 1982, the German-Norwegian Society,
[4] and in 1988, the German-Norwegian Friendship Society, were founded.
[5]
Country comparison
Official name
Federal Republic of Germany
Kingdom of Norway
Flag
Coat of Arms
Anthem
Deutschlandlied
Ja, vi elsker dette landet ;
Royal anthem :
Kongesangen
National day
3 October
17 May
Capital city
Berlin
Oslo
Largest city
Berlin - 3,677,472 (Metro: 6,144,600)
Oslo - 709,037 (Metro: 1,588,457)
Government
Federal
parliamentary
constitutional republic
Unitary
parliamentary
constitutional monarchy
Head of State
Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Harald V of Norway
Head of Government
Olaf Scholz
Jonas Gahr Støre
Military
Bundeswehr
Norwegian Armed Forces
Official language(s)
German ;
Danish ,
Low German ,
Sorbian ,
Romani , and
Frisian recognized as
minority languages
Norwegian ,
Sami ;
Kven ,
Romani , and
Scandoromani recognized as minority languages.
Religion
55%
Christianity 37,7%
No religion 6,5%
Islam 0,8% Other
74,9%
Christianity —68%
Church of Norway —6,9% Other
Christian 21,2%
No religion 3,1%
Islam 0,8%
Others
Current Constitution
8 May 1949
17 May 1814
Area
357,114 km2 (137,882 sq mi)
385,207 km2 (148,729 sq mi)
EEZ
57,485 km2 (22,195 sq mi)
2,385,178 km2 (920,922 sq mi)
Time zones
1
1
Population
83,695,000
5,488,984
Population density
233/km2
14.3/km2
Expatriate populations
15,000 Norwegians in Germany as of 2022
10,000 Germans living in Norway as of 2022
Ethnic groups
80%
Germans , 5%
Turks , 5% other Europeans, 10%
other
81.5%
Norwegians , 18.5%
non-Norwegians
GDP (nominal)
$4.031 trillion
$504 billion
GDP (nominal) per capita
$48,398
$92,646
GDP (PPP)
$5.317 trillion
$425 billion
GDP (PPP) per capita
$63,835
$78,128
HDI
0.942
0.961
Currency
Euro
Norwegian krone
History
Both what is now Germany and Norway were settled by
Proto-Germanic peoples. The
Ahrensburg culture , named after the town of
Ahrensburg in the German state of
Schleswig-Holstein , originated mostly in the
North German Plain and were the first known peoples to settle modern-day Norway.
[6] By the 2nd century AD,
Proto-Norse evolved from Proto-Germanic in
Scandinavia .
[7] This separated the
West Germanic peoples (of whom Germans are associated) and the
North Germanic (of whom the Norwegians are associated).
[8]
The
Hanseatic League was a coalition of German towns.
[9] The league engaged in trade relations with Norway. A
kontor , a Hanseatic trading post, was established in
Bergen ,
[10] this first buildings in the area. This post dominated Norwegian trade for almost 400 years.
[11]
Following the
dissolution of the union between Norway and Sweden in 1905 , the
German Empire established relations with the Kingdom of Norway.
During
World War II ,
Nazi Germany led an invasion of
Denmark and Norway in
Operation Weserübung in April 1940.
Vidkun Quisling , a former foreign minister, was the leader of the
Norwegian puppet state . The Norwegians were considered racially superior to the German people by
Hitler , and plans were made to improve the country's infrastructure. The
German occupation of Norway lasted until May 1945.
[12]
Norway,
West Germany , and
East Germany became members of the
United Nations .
[13] West Germany and Norway also became members of
NATO .
[1]
Erna Solberg and Angela Merkel in 2016 German and Norwegian leaders have established closer relations in recent times. Former Norwegian Prime Minister
Erna Solberg 's first overseas visit in November 2013 was to
Angela Merkel in Germany.
[14] Likewise, Norwegian Prime Minister
Jonas Gahr Støre met with German Chancellor
Olaf Scholz
[15] and Vice Chancellor
Robert Habeck .
[16]
Relationship with the European Union
Despite Norway's status as a non-EU member, Norway communicates with the European Union and has identified diplomatic focuses that will help it gain influence, one of which being Germany.
[17]
Norway is also a member of the European Economic Area and has other bilateral agreements with the European Union.
[18]
Embassies
German diplomatic missions to Norway
The German embassy in
Oslo , Norway Germany has one
embassy in
Oslo , and 8
honorary consuls in
Ålesund ,
Bergen ,
Bodø ,
Kirkenes ,
Kristiansand ,
Stavanger ,
Tromsø , and
Trondheim .
The German ambassador to Norway is
Detlef Wächter .
[19] The honorary consuls are: Siri Reichel (Ålesund), Nils Børge Rokne (Bergen), Hege Alst (Bodø), Monika Christine Raab (Kirkenes), Lars Christian Jacobsen (Kristiansand), Per Arne Larsen (Stavanger), Ole-Martin Andreassen (Tromsø), and Kristin Offerdal (Trondheim).
[20]
Norwegian diplomatic missions to Germany
Embassies of the Nordic countries in
Berlin , Germany Norway has one embassy in
Berlin in the
Nordic Embassy Complex in
Tiergarten and 11 honorary consuls in
Bochum ,
Bremen ,
Frankfurt ,
Hamburg ,
Hanover ,
Kiel ,
Leipzig ,
Lübeck ,
Munich ,
Rostock , and
Stuttgart .
The Norwegian ambassador to Germany is
Torgeir Larsen . The honorary consuls are: Anja-Isabel Dotzenrath (Bochum), Hans-Christian Specht (Bremen), Axel Hellmann (Frankfurt), Detlef Palm (Hamburg), Tina Voß (Hanover), Arno Michael Witt (Kiel), Ulf Heitmüller (Leipzig), Petra Baader (Lübeck), Max J. Aschenbrenner (Munich), Oliver Brünnich (Rostock), and Thomas Edig (Stuttgart).
[21]
Twinnings
Flekkefjord ,
Agder and
Misburg-Anderten ,
Lower Saxony since 1971.
[22]
Frogn ,
Viken and
Mitte ,
Berlin since 1990.
[23]
Trondheim ,
Trøndelag and
Darmstadt ,
Hesse since 1968.
[24]
Haugesund ,
Rogaland and
Emden ,
Lower Saxony since 2009.
[25]
Lørenskog ,
Viken and
Garching ,
Bavaria since 1974.
[26]
Hamar ,
Innlandet and
Greifswald ,
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern since 1997.
[27]
Dovre ,
Innlandet and
Gronau ,
Lower Saxony since 2002.
[28]
Kristiansand ,
Agder and
Münster ,
North Rhine-Westphalia since 1967.
[29]
Lillehammer ,
Innlandet and
Oberhof ,
Thuringia since 1993.
[30]
Haugesund ,
Rogaland and
Oettingen ,
Bavaria since 1971.
[31]
Skien ,
Vestland and
Rendsburg ,
Schleswig-Holstein since 1995.
[32]
Bergen ,
Vestland and
Rostock ,
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern since 1965.
[33]
Halden ,
Viken and
Wismar ,
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern since 1991.
[34]
Notable German-Norwegians
Norwegians of German descent
As members of the
House of Glücksburg ,
[35] descending from the
House of Oldenburg , the sitting
Norwegian Royal Family is also of German descent.
[36]
Johan Gerhard Theodor Ameln (1838–1917), merchant and politician.
Nils Astrup (1778–1835), politician.
Johan Henrich Berlin (1741–1807), composer and organist.
Harald Beyer (1891–1960), literary historian.
Karoline Bjørnson (1835–1934), actress.
Harriet Bosse (1835–1934), actress.
Harald Damsleth (1906–1971), cartoonist who worked for the
Nasjonal Samling .
Carl Dørnberger (1864–1940), painter.
Anneli Drecker (1969–), singer and actress.
Simone Eriksrud (1970–), musician.
Gerd Fleischer (1942–), war child and activist, receiver of the Jenteprise.
Ragnar Frisch (1895–1973), influential economist
Fredrik Georg Gade (1830–1905), businessperson and politician
Eyvind Getz (1888–1956), politician and former mayor of Oslo.
Finn Graff (1938–), illustrator.
Waldemar Hansteen (1857–1921), architect.
Carl Dietrich Hildisch (1867–1949), businessperson and member of the Nasjonal Samling.
Clara Holst (1868–1935), philologist and women's rights advocate.
Hans Holtermann (c. 1709–1781), businessman and landowner.
Sophus Kahrs (1918–1986), commander for the German SS.
Caspar Kauffeldt (1773–1843), industrialist
Halvdan Koht (1873–1965), historian and politician
August Konow (1780–1873), businessman and politician
Wollert Konow (1779–1839), merchant, politician, and vice consul
Jürgen Christoph von Koppelow (1684–1770), nobleman and officer in the Great Northern War
Karoline Krüger (1970–), singer, actress, and composer
Hans Linstow (1787–1851), architect and designer of the Norwegian Royal Palace
Morten Lyng Lossius (1819–1892), military officer, engineer, and politician
Anni-Frid Lyngstad (1945–), singer-songwriter and environmentalist; founding member and lead singer of ABBA
Catharina Lysholm (1744–1815), businesswoman and ship-owner.
Carl von und zu Mansbach (1790–1867), military officer and diplomat.
Linni Meister (1985–), model and singer.
Edvard Moser (1962–), psychologist, neuroscientist, and professor.
Ingunn Moser (1965–), sociologist and university and health executive.
Arne Næss Jr. (1937–2004), businessman and mountaineer.
Benjamin Wegner Nørregaard (1861–1935), journalist and army officer.
Henriette Pauss (1841-1918), teacher, editor, humanitarian, and missionary leader.
Peter Arnoldus Petersen (1851–1916), businessman.
Johan Christopher Ræder (1782–1853), military officer.
Johan Georg Ræder (1751–1808), military officer.
Pål Refsdal (1963–), journalist, photographer, and filmmaker.
Georg Reichwein (1630–1710), military leader.
Georg Richter (1915-1972), actor.
Olaus Michael Schmidt (1784-1851), judge and politician.
Cecilie Christine Schøller (1720-1786), socialite, land owner, and businessperson.
Emil Schreiner (1831-1910), philologist and educator.
Kristian Schreiner (1874-1957), professor of medicine.
Carl Schulz (1851-1944), educator and politician.
Tellef Dahll Schweigaard (1806-1886), politician.
Vebjørn Selbekk (1969–), newspaper editor and author.
Wilhelm Christian Suhrke (1863-1950), architect and politician.
Michael Tetzschner (1954–), politician.
Olav Anton Thommessen (1946–), contemporary composer.
Jørgen Thormøhlen (c.1640–1708), merchant, shipowner, slave trader, and industrialist.
Vicky Vette (1965–), porn star.
Lars-Christopher Vilsvik (1988–), footballer.
Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner (1967–), programmer and businessman.
Georg Reinholdt Wankel (1843-1907), politician.
Johan Peter Weisse (1832-1886), philologist.
Dikken Zwilgmeyer (1853–1913), fiction writer.
Families
Germans of Norwegian descent
Niklas Andersen (1988–), footballer.
Matthias Brandt (1961–), actor and audiobook narrator, son of former Chancellor
Willy Brandt
Thordis Brandt (1940–), American actress.
Johann Siegwald Dahl (1827–1902), animal painter.
Isabel Freese (1979–), dressage rider.
Olaf Andreas Gulbransson (1916–1961), architect.
Karen Horney (1885–1952), psychoanalyst.
Princess Marie Luise Charlotte of Hesse-Kassel (1814–1895), princess of
Anhalt-Dessau .
David McAllister (1971–), politician.
Bjørn Melhus (1966–), film and installation artist.
Miriam Neureuther (1990–), biathlete and cross-country skier.
Hans Thomsen (1891–1968), German Nazi diplomat.
Georg Uecker (1962–), German actor.
Immigrants
Jørn Andersen (1963–), football manager.
Rut Brandt (1920–2006), writer and Willy Brandt's wife.
Carl Frithjof Smith (1859–1917), painter
Kirsten Heiberg (1907–1976), actor who worked on a propaganda film for the Nazis.
Christian Lassen (1800–1876), orientalist and Indologist.
Vincent Stoltenberg Lerche (1837–1892), painter, illustrator, and author.
Ludvig Munthe (1841–1896), landscape painter.
Georg Anton Rasmussen (1842–1914), landscape painter.
Per Schwenzen (1899–1984), screenwriter, writer, and translator
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