Sunday 16 August 2026Before the Wire, which starts 26 October 2026Updated 23:59
Midnight sun, all 24 hours. The sun sets again 25 August.
Svalbard Wire starts on 26 October 2026. Pages before that date show the history of the island.
This week in history, 14 August
1925
Norway formally took over sovereignty on 14 August 1925. Of 74 reported property claims, 40 were approved, spread over 17 companies and private persons, covering 4223 square kilometres.
History Store norske leksikon
From the timeline, War and rebuilding
1941
The Norwegian and Soviet mines were put out of operation in the summer of 1941 and the population was evacuated, the Russians to Arkhangelsk and the Norwegians to Scotland. The Germans kept a small force in Longyearbyen until it was evacuated in July 1942.
History Store norske leksikon
The timeline by era
Svalbard