She Is, However, Hopeless (Inspection of the Underaged Underperformers)

Bjørøya Work Discipline Camp

While preparing for my exhibition at Villa Fridheim, I learned about the little-known history of the Bjørøya Work Discipline Camp. During World War II, the building served as an internment facility under the Law on the Prevention of Venereal Diseases. Young women considered a risk to German soldiers were held here under strict supervision.

Because of this, I created a diorama that highlights their daily lives and brings attention to a largely forgotten part of Norwegian wartime history.

The Girls

One figure in the diorama has a shaved head. This punishment was used for disobedience, escape attempts, or even foul language. Other forms of discipline included four days in a cell without food, waking at 4 a.m. for labor, or being sent to bed as early as 5 p.m.
These harsh routines formed the reality the girls faced every day.

The Director, the Nurse and the Guard

Some girls arrived still infected, so a small team of nurses cared for them. The nurses also reported on their behavior. The camp director, Nazi sympathizer Nils Lassen Kaurin, decided the punishments.

Because the staff was limited, local residents were hired as guards. People in the area were even paid if they helped capture girls who tried to escape.

The Room

There are no photographs from this period at Villa Fridheim. Therefore, the diorama is based on informed speculation. I chose to recreate a room that, judging by its size and layout, could have been used for basket-weaving.

Details and Interior Elements

The diorama includes several small objects, such as a nurse’s clipboard and a soaking bucket used in the basket-weaving process. I handmade the bucket from aluminum and filled it with crystal resin to imitate water.

On the wall, I added a wooden board showing the camp’s rules, punishments, and the legal basis for detaining the girls. A portrait of a well-known Norwegian Nazi figure hangs beside it—an imagined detail that reflects the camp’s political leadership.

Finally, I included a miniature letter to symbolize the personal correspondence often taken from the girls.

Research Material

A key source for this project was Jentene på Bjørøya by Dr. Knut Erich Papendorf, retired professor of criminology at the University of Oslo. Our conversations offered valuable context and insight.

The book also shaped the title of the scene. “She Is, However, Hopeless” comes from a psychiatric report about one of the girls. “Underaged Underperformers” was an official term used to classify them—evidence of how coldly the authorities viewed these young women.

The Clothes

For the clothing, I selected fabrics that reflect the austerity of the 1940s. The girls had to bring their own garments, as no uniforms were provided.

Inspired by a family story—my grandmother sewing dresses from umbrella fabric during the war—I used a vintage children’s umbrella to create two of the dresses. Each girl also holds a small piece of leather on her lap to protect her hands while weaving baskets.

The Baskets

The girls made baskets according to their individual skills. They worked in groups of five or six, and each person handled a specific task to keep the work efficient.

For the diorama, I recreated miniature baskets from thinly cut materials. They are shown at different stages of production to reflect the workflow the girls likely followed.

Propaganda Posters

I also recreated propaganda posters from the era, imagining that the camp’s Nazi-leaning director might have used them to decorate the walls. To match the style of my miniature universe, I reinterpreted the figures as mice. The posters were painted in watercolor and gouache while keeping the bold colors and graphic impact of the originals.

Wood-Burning Stacked Stove

The only piece of furniture I reconstructed in detail was the large wood-burning stacked stove. I built it from cardboard, polymer clay, and metal details.

For the rest of the interior, I relied on informed imagination. Since the building originally served as a boarding house for wealthy summer guests, the original furniture was likely stored away when the authorities turned it into a work camp. Therefore, I imagined that simple tables and stools were built locally or borrowed for the new purpose of the space.

Villa Fridheim

Villa Fridheim is a  Swiss-style wooden mansion located on the shores of Lake Krøderen in Norway. Built in the late 1800s as a summer residence,  is one of Norway’s largest and best-preserved wooden buildings from that era.