Longyearbyen · 78.22 N 15.63 E

Svalbard Wire

Est. 2026

Everything said about Svalbard, in one place

Tuesday 26 November 2024Before the Wire, which starts 26 October 2026Updated 23:59

Daylight on 26 November: none, polar night, day 32. Polar night, day 32 of 112. The sun returns 15 February.

Polar night, day 32 of 112. The sun returns 15 February.

Svalbard Wire starts on 26 October 2026. Pages before that date show the history of the island.

History

The island's past

From the timeline, War and rebuilding

1943

The September raid

In September 1943 the Germans carried out a large raid on Svalbard with a fleet led by the battleships Tirpitz and Scharnhorst. Barentsburg, Longyearbyen and Grumantbyen were nearly completely razed.

History Store norske leksikon