Woman caught lying after shooting (Norway)

Aftenposten ^ | March 23, 2005 | tr. Nina Berglund

[franksolich]

Woman caught lying after shooting

A woman who appeared to have been shot in the foot finally had to admit to just that on Tuesday. She'd earlier told police that a door-to-door salesman was to blame, which in turn prompted them to mount an armed manhunt.

The bizarre incident occurred in Sotra, outside Bergen, Wednesday night, and alarmed an entire neighbourhood.

It all began Wednesday afternoon when the woman was found injured in her own home by a member of her family. She was bleeding from a wound in her foot.

The woman said it was a gunshot wound, and that she'd been shot by a man who came to her door trying to sell books. She said he got angry when she didn't want to buy his books, and that he shot her.

That set off a major armed police action in her neighbourhood, as investigators tried to track down the alleged bookseller.

Doctors at Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, where the woman was taken for treatment, could soon determine, however, that the woman's wound didn't result from a gunshot. Nor had any neighbors heard any shots, and no one else could report a visit from a door-to-door bookseller.

The woman ultimately admitted she'd made up the tale. She underwent an operation on her foot, although the nature of the injury and how it was inflicted remained unclear. Police described the incident as a "personal tragedy," indicating the woman suffers from psychological problems.

"We're glad we could call off the manhunt, and assure everyone in Sotra that there isn't any dangerous man running around here," said a police spokesman.

[franksolich]

A new twist on the "disturbed person" syndrome; blaming the alien from outer space for inner problems.

[starfish923]

She needs attention, radical attention.
Meds.

This shows me how cold and dull it must be in Norway at this time of year. This makes international news. It's like the Norway story of the snoring dog where the entire apartment complex made the dog's owner move or get rid of the LOUD, snoring Mastiff.

Norway must be a fairly safe place to live, like a giant small town. :o) Ufda!

[franksolich]

Ping for the Norway ping list.

I have noticed a disturbing phenomenon here on Free Republic, and intend to put it to good use, increasing the coffers of Free Republic, so the truth may be made known.

If any member of the Norway ping list, or of the eastern European ping list sets the record straight and pings me, I will increase my quarterly donation to Free Republic by a certain amount.

The deal is, there are plenty of misrepresentations, slanders, and lies told about Norway, Poland, and the once-coach at the University of Nebraska.....and so if anyone on Norway ping list, or on the eastern European ping list, sets the record straight, and pings me, more coins into the bucket for Free Republic.

I am speaking of things such as people confusing Norway with "Sweden" or "Old Europe," or saying that the Poles cannot fight, or alleging that the former Cornhusker football coach was less than excellent--set the record straight, ping me, and I will up my contribution to Free Republic, so as to help Free Republic in its mission of illumination and enlightenment.

[franksolich]

Well, considering that Norway is one of the smallest countries in Europe--surely only Luxembourg (in Old Europe), Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania (in the newly-emerging Europe) are smaller than Norway.

Most capital cities of countries in Europe, both old and new, have more people than Norway.

Sweden and Denmark are "small" in population by most standards, but compared with their younger brothers the Norwegians, they are giants.

[calex59]

or saying that the Poles cannot fight,

I can't imagine anyone who knows WWII history saying Poles can't fight. They fought valiantly but their airforce just wasn't modern enough to give good air support and was soon shot down. also, their army was much smaller than Germany's army. Not an equal match up, still they fought hard and many brave poles died.

[franksolich]

True, sir, but old stereotypes die hard, even here on Free Republic.

Trying to swat down lies and misrepresentations about Norway, Poland, and the former football coach at the University of Nebraska is like attacking a whole cattleyard of flies with a fly-swatter; the more one swats and terminates, the more the flies proliferate.

Incidentally, Poland held out longer in September 1939 than any of the allied countries (excepting, of course, Britain) in 1940; longer than Denmark, longer than Norway, longer than the Netherlands, longer than Belgium, longer than Luxembourg, longer than France.

[ClearCase_guy]

I agree with you. I've seen pictures, and Oslo is a beautiful city! I'd love to go to Norway and see it in person!

[franksolich]

Interestingly, sir, I once met an old guy in England (near Canterbury), who had worked for the BBC in September 1939.

He said that the last radio message from Warsaw was an appeal from the mayor for the British and French to fulfill their promises--that Poland was hanging on, based upon those promises--and Poland was fighting both Germany and the Soviet Union, squeezed on two sides.

Then after the message from the mayor, the radio in Warsaw simply transmitted some musical piece by Chopin over and over and over again, for hours and days. Nothing else; just that musical piece by Chopin.

When the music stopped in late September 1939, then everyone knew Poland had fallen.

[Tamberlane]

Well, considering that Norway is one of the smallest countries in Europe--surely only Luxembourg (in Old Europe), Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania (in the newly-emerging Europe) are smaller than Norway.

Also Iceland, Lichtenstein, Andorra, Monaco and probably some others escaping my memory at the moment. But sure, we aren't many. And the territory is roughly the size of Germany, and presents considerable logistic and climatic challenges, so it's no easy task to defend. I suppose this is why we spend more on defense per capita than any other NATO country save the US.

Sweden and Denmark are "small" in population by most standards, but compared with their younger brothers the Norwegians, they are giants.

I must correct you here - the difference isn't that great. We are ~ 4,5 million; Denmark ~5,5; Sweden is the big brother at above 8 (something they never let us forget...)

[Tamberlane]

Incidentally, Poland held out longer in September 1939 than any of the allied countries (excepting, of course, Britain) in 1940; longer than Denmark, longer than Norway, longer than the Netherlands, longer than Belgium, longer than Luxembourg, longer than France.

Norway actually fought the Krauts for about three months on its own soil if I remember correctly, which would technically beat the Poles. But of course, the comparison is unfair given the geographical facts of the matter.

[Lukasz]

Of course Norway would never beat Poland, because is simply too small. But it is curiosity that during WWII Poles fought in battle of Narvik, there is even a book about them.

Bieganski, Witold. "Poles in the Battle of Narvik." Warsaw: Interpress Publishers, 1969.

A small, slender volume, but the best English-language account of the Podhale Brigade in action in Norway.

There were also three Polish destroyers: ORP Grom, ORP Burza and ORP Blyskawica

[Tamberlane]

Of course Norway would never beat Poland, because is simply too small.

I believe you misunderstand; what I said is that Norway technically speaking lasted longer against the Germans than did Poland, owing no doubt to the shape of the territory. But it is curiosity that during WWII Poles fought in battle of Narvik, there is even a book about them.

Correct. The transient reconquest of that northern town was actually the first Allied victory in WWII. Thanks much!

[Tamberlane]

Sigh, it seems I will never get fully accustomed to having to insert the paragraph breaks manually. I don't really see why that can't be done automatically on such a sophisticated site as this one. Oh well.

[franksolich]

Someone explained to me that Free Republic is somewhat "low tech" (such as having to use the "<>" thingamajigs) because it was a choice between spiffy snazzy "high tech," and "speed," and most members of Free Republic chose "speed" as being more important than all of these gadgets and toys that slow down "high tech" web-sites.

If one compares the whacked-out "counterpart" to Free Republic, DUmmieland, with all of its spritzle and spratzle, one finds that plain ordinary Free Republic comes up a great deal faster (at least on a dial-up connection).

Someone correct me if I am wrong, please.

[franksolich]

Actually, sir, Norway in April 1940 would make an epic movie, as the whole story had a great deal of surprise, drama, excitement, and passion.

I am relying upon Time and Life magazines from April-May-June 1940 here, with all those photographs, which should be examined closely.

Apparently the Norwegians were caught by surprise, although not so much as the Danes. Denmark was occupied within minutes, whereas Norway had a few hours.

From the news-stories of the time, immediately upon being notified that the Germans were on their way to Oslo, the king (Haakon VII) ordered the national treasury and whatever other treasures that could be gathered up quickly, loaded onto trains sent to the western ports.

Then he ordered the Royal Norwegian Navy to stand by, and the Norwegian mechant marine (then the second-largest merchant marine in the world) to steam for British ports and put themselves under the British flag.

Then everybody high-tailed out of Oslo, heading west, following the British ambassador in his miniature Bentley, little Union Jacks flapping from the hood. This was a characteristic of all such gettings-away during the second world war, following the British ambassador; the quite reasonable assumption that the British ambassador knew where the Royal Navy was, so one could get aboard.

There were no paved roads or highways from Oslo to the ports of western Norway; at best, gravel, and narrow, twisting, turning, and steep, between the mountains and the fjords.

As hundreds of steam-locomotives pulling anything with wheels rushed west, the Norwegian army aboard in case the Germans bombed the lines (the soldiers could then repair the lines), apparently about 250,000 people left Oslo, in anything that could move; Studebakers, Packards, Buicks, Fords, bicycles, ox-carts, wagons, skis.

There was no point in resistance; Norway at the time had circa 2,000,000 people as compared with the then-80,000,000 of Germany, with armies corresponding in proportion.

The Royal Navy picked up the British ambassador, the gold, the art treasures, most of the government, nearly all of the army, at various ports along the western coast, taking them to England.

But unlike other governments, other kings, Haakon VII refused to leave Norway as long as there was a square inch of a free Norway extant. He was yelled at, hollered at, and cursed at, by the British and the Norwegian government-in-exile, but he stood his ground.

Then occurred one of the most remarkable "chases" of modern history, as the Germans wanted very badly to capture this king. The chase took place over several weeks, and was the distance, approximately, of that between New York City and Omaha.....the difference being, this was in the mountains, the forests, the fjords.

The Germans rushed quickly northward, but the king (who was not a young man, by the way) managed to stay some hours ahead of them, from Stavanger and Bergen to Kristiansund to Trondheim to Steinkjer to Namsos to Hemnes to Bodo to Narvik way up to Tromso, far past the Arctic Circle.

By the time Haakon VII reached Tromso several weeks later, the 250,000 who had left Oslo with him had diminished to barely a few dozen, all of them by now merely on horseback, in ox-carts, or on foot.

It was at Tromso--almost to the North Pole, remember (or so it seems)--on the last square inch of free Norwegian territory, that the king and his few remaining tattered, weary, exhausted, drained followers consented to be taken aboard a British ship, going off to exile.

It would make a great movie.

[JLO]

"DUmmieland, with all of its spritzle and spratzle"
===

LOL!

[DM1]

I think Greece held out longer than Poland but not sure exactly

[Tamberlane]

An apt and eloquent summary, Frank.

Let me add that while King Haakon and Crown Prince Olav led the continuing resistance from London (my family, like many, had an illegal radio to hear the King's speeches to the nation), Crown Princess Märtha and the royal children were evacuated to Washington DC. The Crown Princess became a good friend of President Roosevelt; the family were frequent guests in the White House and even lived there a couple of months.

In fact, about two weeks ago, King Harald and Queen Sonja had lunch with President Bush in that excellent house. The King remarked that his return felt like coming home.

As to April 9 1940, there were some crucial successes for the defensive forces. For instance, the sinking of the heavy cruiser Blücher by shore-sited guns and torpedoes in the Oslo Fiord, which claimed about 1,000 German troops assigned to seize control of Oslo, is what enabled King and government to escape.

The wreck remains in the fiord, now with the status of a cemetary of war.

[franksolich]

No Norway ping list until, apparently, the middle of next week.

According to news sources, Easter weekend is traditionally "holiday time" in Norway, and so everyone takes off, from Thursday until the following Wednesday.

According to my informants in Oslo, the capital city might as well be in the Sahara Desert, so empty and barren of people.

Even the English translators of Norwegian newspapers appear to have high-tailed out to the mountains, the fjords, the lakes, the reindeer, the bison.

So apparently nothing will happen in Norway for a few days.

This sort of resembles the French in August--although the French take off an entire month, not just a single week--when it is impossible to find a single waiter or taxi-driver or air-conditioning salesman in Paris during August.

One hopes that the End of the World, Gabriel's Trumpet, the Second Coming, do not occur this week, because it will be next Wednesday before the Norwegians know the world has come to an end.

[fredo1070]

Some pictures from the southern most point in Norway...this is what what remains from the German fortifications...hopefully the pictures will post...I was there about 2 years ago...