Between two sunny days, the final year class went to Drøbak for a field trip in the rain and in a beautiful cloudy atmosphere that gave the Oslo fjord a mysterious aspect reminiscent of Scottish lakes.
The Drøbak site enabled us to discover the exceptional geology and geomorphology of the area, and to become aware of the multimillennial history of the soils and geology of Norway, which lies on some of the oldest soils in Europe. The analysis of geological forms highlighted the major tectonic and geological structures of the area, and enabled us to measure the importance of glacial phenomena, to reflect on the causes of the settlement of habitats and towns based on a comparison of maps and the surrounding landscape, but also on the notion of geological and historical time. The present-day site of Drøbak was at the heart of a paleocontinent that stretched from Alaska to Russia and from Greenland to northern France, but was also close to a mountain range comparable in size to the Himalayas, which has now disappeared.
The second objective of the visit was to discover the history of a crucial fishing location, and the importance of its ice-free port in winter, unlike the Oslo fjord. This port has played a role in the world maritime economy, exporting ice and importing resources such as seal and whale blubber, as well as fishery products from Arctic and Antarctic expeditions.
Finally, a visit to the fortress of Oscarsborg highlighted the importance of a minor battle with major consequences in the history of the Second World War. On April 9, 1940, a confrontation between the Oscarsborg fortress and warships of warring Nazi Germany resulted in the destruction of a powerful warship and technological flagship of the Kriegsmarine, the Blücher. This 200-meter heavy cruiser was sunk by torpedoes fired from the island of Oscarsborg. A visit to the torpedo battery provided an insight into the military technologies of the time, and allowed visitors to reflect on the defense policies pursued by European states between the two great world wars, in which Norway was twice neutral.
The violent scuffle on the night of April 9, 1940 led to the evacuation of the royal family, members of the Storting and the Bank of Norway’s gold, who were to join the United Kingdom, soon the only country to resist. A Norwegian government in exile was soon formed in London, along with 7 other governments of European states invaded by Nazi armies, and General de Gaulle’s Free French government in London from June 1940.
The weather didn’t dampen the spirits of the Terminale class!
