Near the Russian border
The last stop on the Hurtigruten route is Kirkenes, a small town only 5 miles (8 km) from the Russian border.
We saw some evidence of Russian influence, such as the street signs and the Soviet Liberation monument, but we still felt like we were in Norway.
The monument commemorates the liberation of Kirkenes by the Red Army in 1944. Kirkenes was on the front line in WW2. After the Germans occupied it in 1940 it became the staging area for the German assault on the Soviet Union and there were almost 100,000 German troops billeted there at any given time during the war. The town was subjected to constant bombing attacks by the Soviet forces and there were over 1000 air raids and 300 actual bombings, making Kirkenes one of the most frequently bombed places in Europe. During the bombing raids people in the town sought safety in Andersgrotta, an air raid shelter in the center of the town.
When the Germans retreated they forcibly evacuated the Norwegian civilians and destroyed almost everything left. By the end of the war there were only thirteen houses left standing in Kirkenes.
Kirkenes is still a strategically important area. On the way to the airport we saw several signs for military restricted zones and there were a lot of Norwegian soldiers in the airport departure lounge.
andeanadventure1 
Goodness Christine, all that bombing. It seems to have been a real strategy of the German Army to destroy as they retreated. In Port-Vendres in Roussillon, they bombed and completely destroyed the harbour before evacuating, destroying the livelihood of this port for many years to come.
On a lighter and more cheerful note, it looks as if you had some great blue skies from the photos!
Thanks Mandy.
We’ve been very lucky with the weather for most of our trip.
There was a very interesting small museum that had videos of elderly people talking about their childhood experiences of the bombings and evacuation. Some decided not to submit to the evacuation and instead hid in the surrounding area which must have been tough in that climate.
Gosh yes, then returned to what was left of the town I guess?