Near the old ferry landing on Dryna, on the island of Otrøya, a shallow cave in the rock served as a hiding place for French prisoners of war during the Second World War. The POWs had been brought to the area as forced labourers by the German occupation forces, part of the widespread use of foreign prisoners for construction projects across Norway.
Some of the French prisoners managed to escape their captors and found shelter in this natural rock overhang. Local families on Otrøya secretly supplied the escapees with food, at considerable personal risk. The cave is modest in size, barely enough to provide cover from the elements, which makes the story of survival here all the more striking.
The site is marked and accessible on foot near the shoreline. There is not much to see beyond the cave itself, but it stands as a quiet reminder of both the cruelty of the occupation and the courage of ordinary Norwegians who chose to help.
Some of the French prisoners managed to escape their captors and found shelter in this natural rock overhang. Local families on Otrøya secretly supplied the escapees with food, at considerable personal risk. The cave is modest in size, barely enough to provide cover from the elements, which makes the story of survival here all the more striking.
The site is marked and accessible on foot near the shoreline. There is not much to see beyond the cave itself, but it stands as a quiet reminder of both the cruelty of the occupation and the courage of ordinary Norwegians who chose to help.
