Vadheim

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Vadheim
Village
View of Vadheim
View of Vadheim
Vadheim is located in Vestland
Vadheim
Vadheim
Location of the village
Coordinates: 61°12′29″N 05°49′48″E / 61.20806°N 5.83000°E / 61.20806; 5.83000Coordinates: 61°12′29″N 05°49′48″E / 61.20806°N 5.83000°E / 61.20806; 5.83000
CountryNorway
RegionWestern Norway
CountyVestland
DistrictSogn
MunicipalityHøyanger
Area
[1]
 • Total0.36 km2 (0.14 sq mi)
Elevation
[2]
7 m (23 ft)
Population
 (2013)[1]
 • Total238
 • Density661/km2 (1,710/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Post Code
6996 Vadheim

Vadheim is a village in the municipality of Høyanger in Vestland county, Norway. It is located on the north shore of the Sognefjorden, along the small Vadheimsfjorden branch. The European route E39 highway runs through the village. It is located about 25 kilometres (16 mi) northeast of the village of Lavik, about 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) northwest of the village of Kyrkjebø, and about 13.5 kilometres (8.4 mi) northwest of the village of Austreim.[3] The 0.36-square-kilometre (89-acre) village has a population (2013) of 238, giving the village a population density of 661 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,710/sq mi).[1]

History[]

Vadheim in 1884, by

Vadheim is the resting place for one of the most famous warships of World War I. During that conflict, Germany converted a number of merchant ships to armed surface raiders. These ships cruised the world's shipping lanes and captured/sank Allied shipping. The most famous and successful of these was SMS Möwe. One of the ships she sank was Mount Temple which carried dinosaur fossils destined for the British Museum in London, England.[4] Möwe survived the war. During World War II, under the name Oldenburg, was used in support of the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany. On 7 April 1945 Bristol Beaufighter aircraft from No. 114 Squadron RAF, No. 455 Squadron RAAF, and No. 489 Squadron RNZAF sank Oldenburg at her moorings following an intense strafing and rocket attack.

Shortly after the end of World War II, the pre-war criminal and wartime resistance fighter Johannes S. Andersen broke into the German barracks in Vadheim and killed two German prisoners-of-war. The incident caused a controversy in Norway after the war when Andersen was charged in court with killing them. It was decided in 1947 that his indictment would be withdrawn.

Near Vadheim is , an 18th-century stone bridge. It is a popular tourist attraction.

Notable residents[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c Statistisk sentralbyrå (1 January 2013). "Urban settlements. Population and area, by municipality".
  2. ^ "Vadheim" (in Norwegian). yr.no. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
  3. ^ Store norske leksikon. "Vadheim" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2014-01-17.
  4. ^ Tanke, D.H.; Hernes, N.L.; Guldberg, T.E. (2002). "The 1916 Sinking of the SS Mount Temple: Historical Perspectives on a Unique Aspect of Alberta's Paleontological Heritage". Canadian Paleobiology. 7: 5–26.
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