nordiclarpyearbook2015

Some of the characters were part of the
resistance, while others planned to avoid
the forced evacuation by running away and
hiding. - Something that demanded caution
and careful planning.
The Germans stayed in the house for two
nights. During that time they witnessed the
struggles and the sorrows of the civilians
and were themselves torn between duty and
compassion. In the morning of the last day
the German commander received a radio
message telling him to gather the civilians.
It was time for the evacuation and time to
implement the scorched earth campaign.
All players were gathered in the living room
prepared to leave. At this point the song Til
Ungdommen (For the Youth), a well-known
Norwegian song written by Nordahl Grieg,
was played. It is a song with strong lyrics
about human dignity and how war is contempt
for life. The theme of the song, and
the fact that it could represent both the civilians
and the Gebirgsjäger platoon, made
it an appropriate song with which to end the
larp. Most of the players experienced the
ending as very emotional, and tears flowed
during the song.
“When Til Ungdommen started playing, it
was like getting punched in the stomach.
The song summed up everything my character
thought and felt. It was a strong, but
good, ending.”
- Postgame player reaction
ø
Character stories
“The German going through my backpack
grabbed the cake tin and opened it. I felt
frozen. The film canister was hidden right
there, under the biscuits. The note had said
I should destroy it, rather than let the enemy
have it. If I tried now, they would probably
shoot me down, and Alfred too. My little
brother was held at gunpoint right next
to me, all stiff anger emanating from his
every pore. -Dear God, don’t let him find it!
The soldier was that horrible man who had
ruined our chess game the other day, by
slapping a fistful of pinecones on it, upsetting
the pieces, while roaring that he did
not appreciate finding them in his boots.
I know the kids did that, to annoy the Germans.
He was one of the two scary ones. The other
was totally unpredictable; small, wiry, always
sneaking, leering- and quick to anger;
like when he suddenly cut Pernille’s long,
beautiful braid clean off with his knife, just
because the young girl had put a paper clip
in it. This one was frightening in a way of
potential violence contained; one could almost
sense ill deeds, past and future, slipping
through the cracks of his personality.
He thoroughly stirred around the biscuits,
then his brow tensed... and I knew he had
found it.”
- Memories of Johanne Hildoen, Norwegian
civilian
t
Germans playing cards.
(Photo: Hanne Eik Pilskog)
“My German Gebirgsjäger platoon made a
fighting retreat from the east front. We arrived
in Tana and were ordered to take part
in the evacuation and burning of the area.
I saw the individuals of my unit being on
the brink of breakdown, but we managed
somehow.
During the stay at the Elilla farm I was
standing outside, looking at the children
playing around and having fun, and it hit
me that I would soon have to forcefully
evacuate these children and send them out
on an uncertain march. I would take away
all the fun they had and ruin their childhood.
It was not easy to balance the feelings
of compassion and the importance of
showing authority. During one lunch, my
group had settled at what appeared to be
the Elillas’ regular table. The situation became
tense when the matron said that no
one would eat before they got their table
back. I saw the room full of hungry refugees
waiting for the outcome, but I could
not back down. We did, however, not use
that table again.
The last evening the priest’s pregnant wife
fell in the stairs. We offered our medical
assistance, but we could not help and she
had a miscarriage. I had to bury the baby in
the forest. The next day I led the minister
and his wife to the site, where they had a
little ceremony of their own. I stood there
in tears.”
- Memories of Lieutenant Claus Schröner,
German officer
e
98 99