Lillehammer Northern Civil Cemetery

Lillehammer Northern Civil Cemetery (Nordre gravlund) is a municipal cemetery in the northern part of Lillehammer, Norway, on Gausdalsgata. For most visitors it is above all a place of remembrance for the soldiers who fell in April 1940, during the fighting around Lillehammer and the Gudbrandsdalen valley.

How did the cemetery come about?

The grounds were laid out in the late 1930s but were not consecrated until September 1940, when Norway was already under German occupation. The first person buried here was a Norwegian soldier, Alf Haugen, who died in the fighting at Gausdal in April 1940. The stone wall around the oldest section was built by Russian prisoners of war. The cemetery was later extended with a newer area called Bjørkelunden.

Are there war graves here?

Yes. The original section holds 35 graves of Allied soldiers from the Second World War. Most are British servicemen who fell in the Norwegian campaign of spring 1940, when British troops tried to support the Norwegians and slow the German advance north. The graves are cared for as Commonwealth war graves and are listed in war-memorial registers.

Every year on 17 May, Norway's Constitution Day, a memorial ceremony is held at the graves. It is a good moment to see how the local community remembers soldiers from far-away countries.

Who else is buried here?

The cemetery is also the resting place of well-known Norwegians, including cross-country skier Arne Rustadstuen (1905-1978) and politician Oskar Skogly (1908-1988), who served as a minister in Einar Gerhardsen's third government. They show that Nordre gravlund is not only a war memorial site but also an ordinary, still-active cemetery for the people of Lillehammer.

Who runs the cemetery?

It is managed by the administration of Lillehammer kirkelige fellesråd, the joint parish council that looks after all of the town's churchyards. Local cemetery regulations apply, so keep quiet and show respect, as at any working cemetery.

Who is it for?

• Anyone interested in the Second World War and the 1940 Norwegian campaign.
• Families and researchers looking for the graves of British soldiers.
• Visitors who want a quiet look at a less obvious side of Lillehammer, best known for the 1994 Winter Olympics.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Nordre gravlund? In the northern part of Lillehammer, on Gausdalsgata, north of the town centre.

How many war graves are there? The original section contains 35 graves of Allied soldiers from the Second World War.

Can visitors enter the cemetery? It is an active municipal cemetery, so you can visit as long as you stay quiet and respect mourners. Current rules are published by the Lillehammer cemetery administration.

When is the annual ceremony? On 17 May, Norway's national day, a memorial ceremony is held at the war graves.