Home - Articles - Videos - Pictures - Contact - Links
This text was published in Norwegian newspaper Oppland Arbeiderblad July 1st 2010. This websites comments are marked with an * and can be found at the bottom of the article.
«It must be Arne Austeens grave»
Highly decorated WW2 fighter pilot from Gjøvik, Arne Austeen last resting place is most likely found in Hamburg.
Since he was shot down 4th of May 1945, only four days before the war was officially over, his family never had a grave to visit.
It's Lillehammer-born and journalist Asbjørn Svarstad, who lives in Berlin, that found the grave. He was travelling with German Thorsten Wubber, looking for Norwegians at the British war cemetary in Hamburg. There, they stumbled across the grave of an unknown British pilot, dated 4th of May 1945.
Shot down
«Four British pilots were killed this day in May. Two collided outside Nord-Jylland*, and a Polish pilot was killed when he was shot down*. His plane exploded togheter with the ship he was attacking. There's only one left, and that is Arne Austeen, says Svarstad.
Who lies in the grave in Hamburg? Ltn. Lesław Szczerbiński (left) or Arne Austeen (right)
Austeens P-51 Mustang III was shot down over Flensburg, so it was most likely several witnesses to the crash. It is most likely that Austeen was picked up, and brought to a local cemetary. Later on, all KIA British personell were transfered and buried at Ohlendorf War Cemetary in Hamburg. There's 460 soldiers buried there, who fought with the British during the second world war.
Nordahl Grieg*
Wubber have in the past also found the spot where Norwegian Jens Eilif Holwech was shot down on the 12th of April 1945. He was found in the cockpit of his Spitfire in Oudenburg, and has now been given a proper grave with his name on it in Germany.
Svarstad is also dediced to erecting a memorial were the bomber with Nordhal Grieg onboard, crashed in December of 1943. All of the eight crew members were killed. Outside Berlin, there is a small memorial over the known poet, wroter and journalist. The grave itself has never been identified or found.
«I am almost sure that Nordhal Grieg is buried as an unknown soldier at a war cemetery in Berlin», Svarstad says.
Political questions
«14 Norwegians that died on German soil has not been found. Four, including Arne Austeen, we are sure of. It can't be anyone else than Austeen that rests at Ohlendorf», he says.
«It's been difficult to get proper access to archives and documents in this case. There's a lack of registration, and a lack of dignified treatment of those [foreigners] who fell fighting on their [British] side during the last war*. This is a political question, and the Norwegian government have to get involved to get a final conclusion»
«The next step would be to take a DNA test from the grave in Hamburg», Svarstad says.
Dignity
«The Norwegian ambassador in Berlin, Sven Erik Svedman, is positive in helping out. «We need help, both in skills and money, so Austeen can get a proper and dignified tombstone», he says. He adds that this should be an excellent task for a Masterdegree student in History.
Arne Austeens grave in Germany? Photo: Asbjørn Svarstad.
* Plt Officers Basil Matthew Natta and Flt Lt Joseph Davidson.
* The last Polish pilot to be killed in action was Ltn. Lesław Szczerbiński, who sank a German ship on 4 May 1945, but died in the bomb explosion. He was not shot down, but killed in the explosion over Wilhelmshaven. http://www.wspolnota-polska.org.pl/index.php?id=epb16
* Famous Norwegian poet, MIA after joining an RAF Bomber on a mission over Germany* www.spitfirepilots.com does not share his opinion on this matter. The MREU teams looked upon all casualties equally. In fact, many of the sites they visited turned out upon inspection to be US aircraft and remains (or crash locations) were turned over to the US authorities. There is no evidence that non-British subjects were treated differently. Suggesting that non British casualties were treated differently (or indifferently) is simply untrue. However, there is evidence that British attitudes to some German casualties in the UK (recovery/burial thereof) was often indifferent, slap-dash or simply ignored. It is also worth mentioning that the Battle of Britain Memorial flight and Historic Aircraft Collection both have Spitfires painted in Polish squadron codes and symbols. (portion of this text is taken from an experts opinion at www.flypast.com)
www.spitfirepilots.com comments:
While Svarstad has a very good cause, this website does not share his certainty that this is Austeens grave. If we do exclude Davidson and Natta from the picture (due to distance to Hamburg), the Pole can't be excluded that easily. The distance from Wilhelmshaven to Hamburg is about the same as Flensburg to Hamburg, ergo we can't be sure, which is also most likely the reason why the grave is not named properly. Austeens squadron always assumed with good reason that he crashed into the sea. While his body may have drifted ashore, we can't be certain. He may for example have been picked up by naval vessels in the area, which gives this deal a better cause, but until a DNA test or his uniform with proper markings can be found in the grave, we have to treat this case as a 50-50 chance. www.spitfirepilots.com does have hope that it is Austeens grave, and that this case can be concluded as quickly as possible with a posivite outcome.
