Bodø and the World War II

Our first day of the new course: “Adventure Knowledge: Art, Architecture and Cultural Heritage“ began on the 17^th of November at the Nordlandsmuseum. The Nordlandsmuseum is one of the oldest buildings in the center of Bodø which was not destroyed in the World War II. In the museum are exhibitions of the history of Bodø, the Vikings, the Sami and the Lofoten fisheries. We watched a film about the history of Bodø and we learned that it was a town with canneries, a steam ship wharf and shops. And then, the World War II broke out and Bodø was affected. Bodø was attracted on the 27^th of May 1940 by the German air force and was almost completely destroyed. Therefore, there are only a few historical sights today. Bodø was the most destroyed city in Norway. After bombing raids, the city had to be rebuilt almost completely. The vast majority of inhabitants were housed in temporary barracks and homeless shelters, till the war ended. After rebuilding, a completely different town arose, which is characterized by a sober and functional style. It was quite interesting for me to learn something about the history of Bodø and to see, what kind of city Bodø was before and after the World War II. The development of the city is fascinating and almost everything was destroyed. And then, the city had to develop again. Personally, I find Bodø not really spectacular and quite simple. But if one knows the background and the historical past of the city, one should the inhabitants and the city face with respect.