Gyltvik

German construction site and prison camp

The remains of the construction activities at Gyltviksjøen are monumental. The camp was concentrated from the railway line up towards the local settlement. The facility was productive. Northwest of Gyltvik, two tunnels of 364 and 94 meters respectively have been driven through. Massive rock fills can be found between these two tunnels. Southeast of the inlet, a 46-meter tunnel has been driven. The company Pollensky & Zöllner was the contractor for the facility. A Norwegian company was also involved in 1943. In the inlet between the tunnel openings, there are still large stone structures, and remains of the quay construction.

From the railway line upwards, we can find walls from large and small buildings that were used for workshops, crew barracks, laundries and offices, among other things.

The Germans built a cable car from the quay and up. It was absolutely necessary to transport heavy equipment in the steep terrain. The cable car was located approximately where the path runs today.

The prison camp was located above the German camp area. The remains of the prison camp are not visible today. There were approximately 400 Soviet prisoners of war in this camp between 1943 and 1945. Eight died in captivity. One of them, Vladimir Saluid, was shot after an escape attempt. A memorial is carved into a hill between Gyltvik and Kvarv, where the execution took place. The dead were moved to Helland cemetery in 1945. Six years later, in 1951, all dead Soviet prisoners in northern Norway were moved to a common cemetery at Tjøtta in Helgeland.

NB! Staying in tunnels is not recommended and is at your own risk.