Speech in Kirkenes, August 14, 1935: The Whole People in Cooperation

Extract from a lecture in Kirkenes on August 14, 1935.

By Gulbrand Lunde.

We recognize that we have arrived at a time of change that demands a completely new attitude: the whole of the people in cooperation.

Our program is not a coincidence; it reflects what is necessary today. This is what our people must now collectively advocate for and work towards. We see that those who are in favor of NS are attacked in all possible ways. In particular, it has gone beyond our leader, Vidkun Quisling, he who devoted his life to doing good to his fellow men. He gave up his career to accompany Nansen on his relief expeditions in Russia and Armenia. He is probably the Norwegian who knows best what a revolution means, and he now wants to save his people from the horrors he experienced over there.

Unlike other nations struggling with the aftermath of world wars, we have not experienced such difficulties. We should be able to unite more easily. Our past demonstrates our ability to create a constitution befitting a free people.

Many of NS's thoughts and ideas are now taken up by the other parties. It has become fashionable to be national. Thus the Conservative Party calls itself "The National People's Party" and Koht talks in Copenhagen about national unity. But either it has to be a national gathering or an international gathering. Either we must now assert ourselves as a free people, or we will disappear in an international mush.

Under Olaf the Holy, we became a Christian kingdom. We will continue his unifying thought so that we can become a united people. That is why we have also adopted Liana’s mark: the golden cross on the red base. Although we are a kingdom, we remain a divided people. The tricolored Norwegian flag symbolizes freedom for us, while the Olav flag represents community. We aim for the right balance between individualism and community. However, we now perceive a significant threat to this unity. Our opponents are doing everything they can to undermine us. The Labor Party strives to keep the people divided, pitting individuals against each other and fostering animosity among countrymen. But those who spread lies and slander won’t prevail for long. They will never succeed. Moreover, across the country, there is a notable influx of NS, even in areas where we lack a press presence. These individuals join our cause, even if they face violence and hardship in the streets or risk losing their livelihoods.

I appeal to everyone to join us in our collective efforts. We are not just a kingdom; we aspire to become a united people. Let us work together to create a bigger and more prosperous Norway for all our compatriots.