“What the Photograph reproduces to infinity has occurred only once: the Photograph mechanically repeats what could never be repeated existentially.” – Roland Barthes
But what if we could merge a photograph with the very place where it was originally taken? Could this challenge Barthes’ assertion, allowing us to revisit and perhaps even repeat a moment captured long ago? This concept creates what we might call a “time machine effect,” where past and present converge in a single image, offering a window into history. In this merging of “then” and “now,” the boundaries of time blur, and decades seem to collapse into an instant.
To highlight the passage of time and its effects, this project focuses on one of the most fraught periods in Oslo’s history: the German occupation from 1940 to 1945. More than 70 years later, we tread the same streets where German tanks once rolled and where occupying soldiers marched. What feels like distant history is revealed as surprisingly close and tangible.
For this project, private photographs taken by German soldiers in Oslo during the occupation were used. These images, infused with personal and historical significance, bridge the gap between past and present, inviting us to reflect on the enduring traces of history in the spaces we inhabit today.
Many German soldiers, who were amateur photographers, continued their hobby even during the war. Their photographs captured daily life, providing us with a unique glimpse into the unofficial and often overlooked aspects of wartime existence.
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The rapid invasion of Oslo was a critical objective for the Germans, but it was here that they faced their greatest resistance. The cannons of Oscarsborg Fortress fired upon the German cruiser Blücher, sinking it along with its troops and delaying the landing. In the photo, German officers are seen saluting the memorial dedicated to the fallen crew of the Blücher at Oscarsborg.
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The Nazi honorary graveyard at Ekeberg was the largest of its kind in Norway, located on Ekeberg Hill in Oslo. In 1953, the graveyard was relocated to the outskirts of the city, marking the end of its presence in this prominent location.
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University Square frequently served as a venue for significant events during the occupation. In the photo, a parade commemorates Hitler’s birthday on April 20, 1942. Among those standing on the podium are Reichskommissar Josef Terboven and Minister-President Vidkun Quisling, along with other prominent figures of the time.
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