Bote

Arriving in Oslo, they were sure enough both arrested by Statspolitiet soldiers and placed in Grini detention camp, on the outskirts of the capital. Quilsing, in his desire to solidify his own power and perhaps because he was unsure if he could trust the confusing powers that were shipgirls, had opted to imprison as many as possible and send them to the Reich for their own use, be it militarily or economically. Of those arrested and earmarked to be sent to Germany, the following were captured and either renamed or issued provisional serial numbers, which were merely catalogue numbers in the manner of those issued to captured field guns and weapons (though their 'names' were often just pet names the naval authorities gave them);

[i]Harald Haarfagre[/i] - #6514(n) - Renamed Tethis
[i]Tordenskjold[/i] - #6515(n) - Renamed Nymphe
[i]Norge[/i] - #6516(n) - Renamed Hund
[i]Eidsvold[/i] - #6517(n) - Renamed Hündin
[i]Odin[/i] - #6518(n) - Renamed Panther
[i]Gyller[/i] - #6519(n) - Renamed Löwe
[i]Tor[/i] - #6520(n) - Renamed Tiger
[i]Troll[/i] - #6521(n) - Renamed Köcher
[i]Trygg[/i] - #6522(n) - Renamed Zick
[i]Brand[/i] - #6523(n) - Renamed Tarantel
[i]Rauma[/i] - #6524(n) - Renamed Kamerun
[i]Otra[/i] - #6525(n) - Renamed Togo
[i]Olav Tryggvason[/i] - #6526(n) - Renamed Albatross II

Of course, of those sent to Germany, there were also many who were unfortunate enough to catch wind of the potential occurrence and tried to escape. Some were simply put down by the Statspolitiet themselves, while others who fled to sea were used as ample training for some of Germany's own shipgirls. Then there were those few who collaborated with the government, a handful of destroyers managed to secure themselves a place in Quilsing's new government and navy, being all that was left after what the government-in-exile (now in London) called the 'Norsk Desimering'. The girls were thrown in a transport under heavy Kriegsmarine guard and ferried across the Baltic to Cuxhaven, and to the later infamous 'Schiffsrückverlagerung und Materialrückgewinnungsdock' (naval repurposing and material recovery dock).

Given later revelations about the Nazi government and it's various dark undertakings, in hindsight the purpose of such a facility should have been apparent. The port was a nightmare, a veritable hell on earth for the vessels impounded there. Technically under OKM command, the port was in effect an SS playground, and the girls there were brutally abused, often with the intention of breaking them mentally to make them more pliable for serving Germany 'willingly'. However, the main goal was the breaking up of these girls for the materials they seemed to be built of, and in this end, many died. Though, as again, the SS had it's way of the base, many of the demands and orders for breaking were delayed indefinitely so they could 'enjoy' their spoils. Of those who had managed to escape, many report being constantly given a 'final meal' the day they were slated to be broken apart, only to be marched out to the doorway that it took place behind, then promptly marched right back to their cells.

The 'impounded ships' were kept locked in cells not more then four feet tall, and less then four feet wide, making it impossible to stand completely, or to sit and lay down entirely. When considering that all vessels on base were also kept locked in straitjackets and kept in leg irons almost indefinitely, it becomes possible to see how the prison functioned in breaking down it's inmates. Wardens intermittently walked the floor and slammed the doors with truncheons, so even if sleep was reached in the cramped cell, it was short-lived. Meals were infrequent and consisted of (if an inmate was lucky) stale bread and rotten vegetables. Many guards even with-held inmates meals after engaging in sexual acts on them because 'they were fed with the seed of a pure Aryan, what other food do they need?'.

Beatings and sexual contact were the norm in Cuxhaven, with one of the few reasons for a girl to be taken from her cell being for an officer or guard to have his way with her. In some cases, vessels would be given leave of their cell and taken to the barracks ground where they were left bound to a pole for any length of days. This was considered for the girls to be the best possible action, since leaving their cramped cells for any length of time, even if it meant being raped and beaten, was a major boost in emotional standing. Not to mention cells had no toilet facilities, take that as you may. Of course, these conditions endured for the entire duration of a vessels stay. And for many of them, that stay was to become indefinite.

Eidsvold herself had her scrapping date postponed indefinitely on February 7th, 1941. All she was told by the warden was that she would no longer be put up for scrapping but that she was not allowed to leave and was still considered not only an enemy to the Norwegian state, but was classed as an undesirable asset. Even the Kriegsmarine wouldn't take her, considering her age, or for that matter the majority of the girls impounded there. This was in 1941. In regard to the things that go on inside Cuxhaven it should be considered remarkable that Eidsvold and others remained sane as long as they did.  Eidsvold alone claims that she lost track of how many men laid with her, and reports she had become pregnant at least 7 times, although at least 3 were terminated by the facility medical staff.