Quisling home becomes Holocaust centre

Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg: Emphasising tolerance

The Norwegian Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg, has announced plans to turn the former headquarters of Vidkun Quisling - the head of the Nazi puppet government during World War II - into a centre for Holocaust and minority studies.

This house will provide a worthy end to an unworthy chapter in our Norwegian history

Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg

Since the end of the war Quisling's imposing 46-room mansion, called the Villa Grande, has been used by the local authority as a hospital, nursing home and school.

But by turning it into a Holocaust centre, Mr Stoltenberg said the house would provide a worthy end to an unworthy chapter in Norway's history.

Villa Grande has been used as a hospital, nursing home and school

"I want to show you the house to emphasize the weight we put on tolerance, human dignity and for respect for minorities," the prime minister said, sitting before the giant fireplace of what had been the mansion's main dining room.

Quisling was executed at the end of the war for his collaboration with the German occupation forces and his name remains a synonym for traitor.

During the Quisling years, about one-third of Norway's prewar community of 2,100 Jews died under Nazi persecution and much of their property was stolen.