2004
Liten gutt på Lunner 1943 – do you remember me ?

Photo installation 190 x 118 cm and 118 x 137 cm

Exhibitions:

2007 Cross Talking, Christiansands Kunstforrening (Internasj. kirkefestspilluts.)
2008 Lautom contemporary 24.april - 25.mai

Police inspector Knut Rød was in charge of the actions against the Jews in the Oslo and the Aker area on 26 October 1942 when all fit men were arrested and on 26 November 1942 when women, children and elderly and ill men were taken in. A total of 532 individuals were taken on board the German ship ”Donau” for deportation to Auschwitz. On the same day as the ”Donau” left Oslo harbour, the ”Monte Rosa” sailed with 26 Jews from the Grini camp, who were also deported to Auschwitz. On 24 February 1943 another 134 individuals were deported to the concentration camps on the ”Gotland”. On this occasion Rød arranged for a case of toys for the Jewish children that were deported on the ship.

In a general arrest order of 14 January 1943 Knut Rød demanded that all Jews - as well as women married to ”Arians” - be sought for and arrested. During the spring of 1943 Knut Røed initiated a number of enquiries about Jews who had tried to escape. Around 50 individuals were deported in small groups to Auschwitz.

The responsibility for the arrests on the 26 October 1942 rested with personel from the Norwegian State Police, the Norwegian crime squad and the Germanic SS-Norway, 126 persons in all. On 26 November 1942 60 officers from the Norwegian crime squad, 30 from the Germanic SS-Norway and around 150 from the Norwegian State Police, 300 persons in all.

In the verdict of the District Court on 9 April 1948, where the main charge against Knut Rød was his part in the actions agaist the Jews, Rød was found not guilty.
The verdict was unanimous.

THE COURT found that Knut Røed had carried out the actions he was accused of with no other intention than to camouflage his work for the resistance movement. Accordingly, he was found not guilty.

NONE OF RØD´S FORMER SUBORDINATES were investigated or charged, as the civil servant, police inspector Knut Rød, had been found not guilty.

KNUT RØD WAS RE-EMPLOYED BY THE OSLO POLICE ON 1 JUNE 1952 AND CONTINUED WORKING THERE UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT ON 30 JUNE 1965.

BY THAT TIME KNUT RØD HAD GAINED THE POSITION OF DEPARTMENTAL HEAD OF THE CRIME SQUAD and was, according to Dagbladet of 30 June 1965, praised by the Oslo police chief, J. Gjerde, for his good service to the police DURING 38 YEARS (1927-65). Rød was described as ONE OF THE HIGHLY EXPERIENCED AND COMPETENT POLICEMEN.