Tyskertøser

Tyskertøser is a pejorative term used in Norway and Denmark to refer to Norwegian and Danish women who entered into romantic or sexual relationships with German soldiers during the German occupation of Norway and Denmark in World War II. The term is considered derogatory and carries significant stigma.

These relationships were often viewed by the occupying forces and many of the civilian population as a betrayal of national loyalty. Women involved faced social ostracization, public humiliation, and sometimes violence from their own countrymen after the war. This mistreatment was particularly harsh in Norway, where some women were publicly paraded with their heads shaved.

The reasons for these relationships were varied, ranging from genuine affection and love to economic necessity, seeking protection, or a desire for a different life. However, the societal reaction focused on moral condemnation and nationalistic outrage.

After the war, the children born from these relationships, known as "tyskerbarn" (German children), also faced discrimination and stigma. The phenomenon of tyskertøser and tyskerbarn remains a sensitive and complex part of the historical memory of the occupation in both Norway and Denmark. Research and historical accounts continue to explore the nuances of these relationships and the societal responses they elicited.