Straight as an arrow - A wartime road on the border between Norway and Russia in the Pasvik valley

During the war a road was built on the border between Norway and Russia in the high north. And the road is straight as an arrow as it goes through thick pine forest in the Pasvik valley. The purpose of this road was to provide logistic support to German forces that had invaded Russia and was trying to advance towards Murmansk. Fortunately they were repulsed and in the autumn of 1944 this road was used by advancing Soviet forces on their way towards Kirkenes. To give you an idea about how straight the road is I have increased the speed quite a lot. It starts next to an old farm named Nyrud and goes south towards Hestefossen and an old site used by ferries crossing the lake. It was units from the German “Armee Lappland/20. Gebirgs-Armee“ that used the road during the war. It was built with slave labour and was the scene of great human suffering. The tragic story of the road is fading away as time goes and fewer and fewer are left with memories of those cruel times. But the road is still there as a memory of