Blodveimuseet
Bygetunet, Saltnes, outside Rognan
About
On the southeastern outskirts of the city, at a distance of 5km (3 miles), you can visit this "Blood Road Museum." The museum re-creates those horrible POW days during 1942 to 1945 when the Nazis held an iron grip on northern Norway before burning it to the ground during their infamous retreat. Thousands of European prisoners of war labored to build a system of road and railroads in the area, and, of course, many lost their lives. In Saltdal alone there were 15 to 18 different prisoner-of-war camps, with nearly 10,000 Russian, Serbian, and Polish prisoners held captive. The "Road of Blood" extended for 2km (1 1/4 miles) from Saltnes to Saksenvik from the center of Rognan. People still walk this horrible road today, noting the blood-colored cross a prisoner painted on a rock face. At Saltnes, about 1km (1/2 mile) east of Rognan, the Blood Road Museum contains a collection of original rural buildings, the oldest dating from 1750. The original and horribly bleak German barracks are here as well, revealing the harsh life of the prisoners. The museum was opened in 1995 as part of Norway's 50th anniversary of its liberation from the Nazis.
