Editing Tromsø (section)

===Early 1900s: exploration and war===
[[File:Tromsø 1900.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|left|Photochrom print from Tromsø, 1900]]
By the end of the 19th century, Tromsø had become a major [[Arctic]] trade centre from which many Arctic expeditions originated. Explorers like [[Roald Amundsen]], [[Umberto Nobile]] and [[Fridtjof Nansen]] made use of the know-how in Tromsø on the conditions in the Arctic, and often recruited their crews in the city.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tromsø, Norway - Lindblad Expeditions |url=http://www.expeditions.com/daily-expedition-reports/174193/ |access-date=2019-09-28 |website=www.expeditions.com |language=en |archive-date=28 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190928234635/https://www.expeditions.com/daily-expedition-reports/174193/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Bomann-Larsen |first=Tor |title=Roald Amundsen |date=2006 |publisher=Sutton |isbn=0750943432 |location=Stroud |oclc=69022308}}</ref> The [[Aurora (astronomy)|Northern lights]] observatory was founded in 1927.

When Germany invaded Norway in 1940, Tromsø served briefly as the seat of the Norwegian government. General [[Carl Gustav Fleischer]] arrived in Tromsø on 10 April 1940 after flying in terrible conditions from Vadsø. From Tromsø he issued orders for total civilian and military mobilisation and declared Northern Norway a theatre of war. Fleischer's strategic plan was to first wipe out the German forces at [[Narvik (town)|Narvik]] and then transfer his division to [[Nordland]] to meet a German advance from [[Trøndelag]]. The Germans eventually captured all of Norway, after allied support had been withdrawn, although they encountered fierce resistance from the [[Finnmark]]-based [[Alta Battalion]] at Narvik. Tromsø escaped the war unscathed, although the [[German battleship Tirpitz|German battleship ''Tirpitz'']] was sunk by [[RAF]] bombers<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 February 2011 |title=Lost heroes of the 'Tirpitz' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/tirpitz_heroes_01.shtml#eight |access-date=21 August 2018 |website=BBC History |publisher=BBC |archive-date=10 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220410201757/https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/tirpitz_heroes_01.shtml#eight |url-status=live }}</ref> during [[Operation Catechism]] off the Tromsøy island on 12 November 1944, killing close to 1,000 German sailors.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World War II Database |url=https://ww2db.com/ship_spec.php?ship_id=95 |access-date=21 August 2018 |archive-date=21 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821223406/https://ww2db.com/ship_spec.php?ship_id=95 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>617 Squadron - The Operational Record Book 1943 - 1945 {{Cite web |title=617 Squadron - The Operational Record Book 1943 – 1945 |url=http://www.dambusters.org.uk/docs/recordbook.pdf|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206073909/http://www.dambusters.org.uk/docs/recordbook.pdf |archive-date=2010-12-06 |access-date=2008-08-04}} http://www.dambusters.org with additional information by Tobin Jones; Binx Publishing, Pevensey House, Sheep Street, Bicester. OX26 6JF. Acknowledgement is given to [[HMSO]] as holders of the copyright on the Operational Record Book</ref>

[[File:Tirpitz altafjord 2.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|The [[German battleship Tirpitz|German battleship ''Tirpitz'']] was bombed and sunk by the RAF off Tromsø island in 1944.]]
At the end of the war, the city received thousands of refugees from [[Finnmark]] county and the northern areas of [[Troms]] - areas which had been devastated by German forces using [[scorched earth]] tactics in expectation of a [[Red Army]] [[Petsamo–Kirkenes Offensive|offensive]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Derry, T.K. |title=A History of Modern Norway: 1814—1972 |publisher=Clarendon Press, Oxford |year=1972 |isbn=0-19-822503-2}}</ref>