The cave in Jofjord

«Empty your house and run to the mountains, before the Nazis come and burn your houses down” this was the warning that was received in the November of 1944, just days before the residents here in Hønseby were forcibly evacuated and their houses burnt down. The Second World War was a very dramatic time here in Finnmark, and there was no exception out here on the islands in Seiland. Right where we are standing now, you can follow the footsteps of a family of 9 who refused to be forcibly evacuated. They escaped in a dramatic fashion up the mountain and hid themselves in a cave towards Jøfjord. The youngest child was only 6 years old. From there they witnessed the smoke pouring from all the houses that were burning on the island, as well as the boats full of soldiers and evacuees sailing out on the fjord. They lived in the cave in constant fear of being discovered. If you follow the link, you can read more about the local history and find out about the organised tour that you can take to Gammelvær, where you will find the only building that was still standing after the war, and further on to Jøfjord where you can find the cave. You will hear many dramatic accounts of the family that defied the German’s order to evacuate, the skirmish that took place and the burning down of their home.