In 1940, 12-year-old Gudrun Berg lived in her own little world in Norway.
Closing off emotionally was a child’s way of dealing with war, death and destruction. Her school chums, Vera and Nadja, Russian Jews, vanished from Oslo and were never heard from again, she said.
Her family huddled near a radio at night to listen for scraps of news. Air raid sirens blared.
“The rumor was that the English navy was competing against the German navy to see who could get to Norway first,” Berg said. “Again, my young mind could not take it all in.”
The Nazis arrived first, and stayed.
Berg will share the harrowing story of surviving World War II in Norway at 10 a.m. Saturday during a meeting of the Daughters of Norway, Thelma Lodge No. 26, at St. Paul’s Church, 2005 Colby Ave, Everett.
Guests are welcome.
It’s remarkable there will be a Thelma gathering at all. In the spring, after 98 years, there was a leak in the pram.
Cultural director Betsy Diedrick said the lodge had only six active members.
“Thelma finally decided to give up the sinking ship,” Diedrick said. “When informed that the remaining crew was bailing out, National Grand Lodge decided scuttling the wreckage was not an option. They could not risk losing the history of one of the Daughters’ original lodges.”
They rolled up their bunads, threw a tea, invited Scandinavian women and welcomed scores of new members. Three delegates attended the national convention in July. They are energized about Thelma’s 100th birthday celebration in 2008.
More than a century ago, Norwegian settlers organized lodges, Diedrick said.
“Since most spoke no English, it was a good place to socialize, help newcomers get situated, and to provide a means of obtaining insurance, something not available to immigrants,” she said. “Later they also took the initiative of opening the bastion of their male lodges to women, unheard of in that era, which provided a monthly social outing that couples could attend together. Women infiltrated the men’s lodges, and likewise the women’s lodges took in the men.”
Seattle residents formed their own Norwegian groups, with Valkyrien Lodge in 1905, as the first ladies lodge in the association called Daughters of Norway of the West Coast. Thelma transferred to the West Coast Association.
“In time, the DoN of the West Coast Association decided to drop part of their name and just became the Daughters of Norway,” Diedrick said. “Thelma is the only lodge from the original founding Midwest group.”
Diedrick is enthusiastic about the flurry of new blood.
“The Daughters are a very active and interesting organization,” Diedrick said. “I have really received quite an education in Scandinavian history and culture. Socially, the sisterhood has been precious. They are a great bunch of ladies with an indomitable spirit.”
That spirit is evident in Gudrun Berg, 79, who lives in Everett. She emigrated alone in 1948. Her spacious apartment is decorated with her own gorgeous rosemaling, Norwegian decorative painting.
The widow is proud of her heritage, and was thrilled that her family war story was published in Western Viking, a Norwegian newspaper.
She’ll share the riveting saga Saturday, as will Edith Carlquist and perhaps a few others who lived through the German occupation of Norway.
Sorry, but they won’t serve any lutefisk. Berg said she got a belly full of fish soaked in lye during World War II.
Columnist Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451 or oharran@heraldnet.com.
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