About the event
Behind the peaceful gates of Vestre Cemetery in the heart of Oslo rest thousands of silent stories from one of humanity's darkest chapters. While everyday city life rushes past outside the fences, a unique opportunity awaits Oslo residents and visitors to connect deeply with the local fates of World War II.
In observance of the International War Graves Week and the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries, the Burial and Cremation Agency of Oslo is opening its gates for a special guided war history tour.
The walk is not just a local initiative, but a collaboration between the Burial and Cremation Agency of Oslo, the War Graves Service in Norway, and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which is responsible for commemorating 1.7 million men and women from Commonwealth countries who died in the two World Wars.
The tour will be guided by Haakon Vinje, head of the War Graves Service in Norway under the Ministry of Culture and Equality. His guidance will provide personal and historical context to the graves and the stories they represent. “These graves are more than stones and names; they are physical reminders of the personal sacrifices that lie behind the freedom of our time,” the organizers note.
Event details
- Date and time: Wednesday, May 20 at 5:00 PM
- Location: Vestre Cemetery, Oslo
- Meeting Point: Commonwealth War Graves, Section 060 (located centrally within the cemetery)
- Duration: approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Admission: free and open to all
