Council of State Secretariat/Government Secretariat NS (1940–1945)

After Nazi Germany’s attack on Norway on 9 April 1940, which forced King Haakon VII and Johan Nygaardsvold’s Government to leave Oslo with civil servants from the ministries, government offices in Oslo were placed under Nazi-German occupation authorities (marked NS). From 11 June 1940, Nygaardsvold’s Government established a Norwegian structure of ministries in London.

In Oslo, the illegal government appointed on 9 April 1940 by Vidkun Quisling, leader of the Norwegian Nazi party Nasjonal Samling (NS), attempted to take control of the ministries until it was dissolved by Nazi-German occupation authorities on 14 April 1940. Until 25 September 1940, ministries in Oslo were to a certain degree controlled by the Administrative Council, appointed by the Supreme Court with the understanding of the occupation authorities. From 25 September 1940, the ministries in Oslo were under the control of the occupation authorities, from 1 February 1942 formally via Vidkun Quisling’s illegal government of that date.

The Council of State Secretariat NS was part of the Ministry of the Interior NS 25 September 1940-20 October 1941. It then became a separate secretariat which from the summer of 1944 was part of Quisling’s illegal «premier chancery» at the Royal Palace. The name was changed to Government Secretariat on 1 February 1942.

On 8 May 1945, the ministry structure in Oslo was re-established as it was on 9 April 1940.

Politicians