{{Short description|Norwegian self-managed social centre}} {{redirect|Blitz (movement)|other topics|Blitz (disambiguation)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Infobox building | name = Blitz House | native_name = Blitzhuset | native_name_lang = no | image = Blitz House in Pilestredet Oslo.jpg | image_alt = | image_caption = Blitz House in Pilestredet Oslo | coordinates = {{coord|59|55|06|N|10|44|16|E|type:landmark_source:kolossus-nowiki|display=inline,title}} | status = Legal | opened_date = 1982 | location = Oslo, Norway | classification = Self-managed social centre | affiliation = {{hlist|Left-wing anarchism|feminism}} | website = {{url|www.blitz.no}} }}
The '''Blitz House''' ({{langx|no|Blitzhuset}}) is a self-managed social centre hosting left-wing anarchists in Oslo, the capital city of Norway. Founded in 1982 as a squat, it is now legalized and based in Pilestredet. It hosts activities such as political meetings, the feminist radio station radiOrakel, a vegan café, and musician practice rooms. The Blitz movement has been involved in a number of protests and riots (such as the 2008–2009 Oslo riots), and has been attacked by right-wing extremists on numerous occasions.
== Facilities == thumb|right|The Blitz House after renovation in 2010
The Blitz House is a self-managed social centre in Oslo, Norway. It started out as a squatted building in Skippergata 6 in downtown Oslo in 1982 and has since been a centre of anarchist activism.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.blitz.no/info/historie.html | title = Historien om Blitz | publisher = Blitz | access-date = 28 April 2007 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070628092856/http://www.blitz.no/info/historie.html | archive-date = 28 June 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/2007/04/27/498992.html | title = Politiet stormet Blitz-huset | publisher = Dagbladet | author1 = Ralf Lofstad | author2 = Harald S. Klungetveit | author3 = Øistein Norum Monsen | date = 27 April 2007 | access-date = 28 April 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110605003143/http://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/2007/04/27/498992.html | archive-date = 5 June 2011 | url-status = live }}</ref>
In 1982, Skippergata was evicted and the squatters moved into Pilestredet 30c in central Oslo, where an agreement was made with the city. They were allowed to rent the house for a symbolic rent, and in return they would maintain the building. In 2002, the city council, led by the Conservative Party, put the Blitz house on sale. The activists responded with protests and battered the entrance of the Oslo City Hall, and the sale was stopped.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://oslopuls.no/nyheter/article1677338.ece | title = Lang strid: Blitz år for år | publisher = Aftenposten | date = 7 March 2007 | access-date = 28 April 2007 | archive-date = 21 August 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200821040712/https://www.aftenposten.no/osloby/ | url-status = live }}</ref> The Christian Democratic Party (KrF) criticized the group and attempted to stop the lease.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/2007/04/27/499063.html | title = – Ser ikke forskjell på Blitz og nynazister | publisher = Dagbladet | author = Eiliv Frich Flydal | date = 27 April 2007 | access-date = 28 April 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110605003159/http://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/2007/04/27/499063.html | archive-date = 5 June 2011 | url-status = live }}</ref>
Among the activities of the house are a feminist radio station (radiOrakel), a vegan café, a concert hall, practice rooms for musicians and bookshop and infoshop.<ref name="Juridica">{{cite web |title=Blitz - An Autonomous Youth House - Department of Criminology and Sociology of Law |url=https://www.jus.uio.no/ikrs/english/research/news-and-events/events/conferences/2013/CCIACW/news/blitz.html |website=www.jus.uio.no |access-date=12 February 2021 |language=en}}</ref> Alongside Hausmania in Oslo and UFFA in Trondheim, Blitz is a centre for anarchism in Norway.<ref name="Anarchism">{{cite book |last1=Kuhn |first1=Gabriel |title=The International Encyclopedia of Revolution and Protest |chapter=Anarchism, Norway |date=2009 |pages=1–2 |doi=10.1002/9781405198073.wbierp0067 |isbn=9781405198073 |url=https://doi.org/10.1002/9781405198073.wbierp0067|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
== Incidents == During the 1980s, the people around Blitz were involved in many protests for example during the visits of the British prime minister Margaret Thatcher in 1986 and US Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger in 1987.<ref name="Liberalen">{{cite news | url = http://www.liberaleren.no/2004/11/14/ensidig-om-blitz/ | title = Ensidig om Blitz | work = Liberaleren | author = Per Aage Pleym Christensen | date = 14 November 2004 | access-date = 28 April 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110716204901/http://www.liberaleren.no/2004/11/14/ensidig-om-blitz/ | archive-date = 16 July 2011 | url-status = dead }}</ref> The demonstrations turned into street battles between Blitz sympathisers and the police. From the 1990s onwards, Blitz has often obstructed legal meetings of right-wing political parties such as the Progress Party, the minor Fatherland Party and the Democrats.<ref name="Liberalen" />
The house was bombed by neo-Nazis in 1990 and 1994.<ref name="Ponk">{{cite news |last1=Hvidsten |first1=Sigfrid |title=Pønk og politikk |url=https://www.dagbladet.no/kultur/ponk-og-politikk/66007197 |access-date=6 February 2021 |work=Dagbladet |date=3 November 2004 |language=no}}</ref> Mayhem bassist Varg Vikernes allegedly planned to blow up the Blitz House and had stockpiled 150 kg of explosives and 3,000 rounds of ammunition at the time of his arrest for the murder of bandmate Euronymous in 1993.<ref name="Dagbladet.no">{{cite web |author=Midtskogen, Rune |title="Greven" angrer ingenting |date=4 July 2009 |url=http://www.dagbladet.no/2009/07/04/magasinet/innenriks/kriminalomsorg/kirkebrann/drapsdom/7051663/ |access-date=25 August 2009 |language=no |trans-title="The Count" regrets nothing |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110111033124/http://www.dagbladet.no/2009/07/04/magasinet/innenriks/kriminalomsorg/kirkebrann/drapsdom/7051663/ |archive-date=11 January 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> Blitz openly supported and took part in the 2008–09 Oslo riots.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Blitz hilser opprørerne velkommen|url=http://www.nrk.no/ostlandssendingen/blitz-hilser-opprorerne-velkommen-1.6425480|publisher=NRK/NTB|date=9 January 2009|language=no|access-date=30 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304103316/http://www.nrk.no/ostlandssendingen/blitz-hilser-opprorerne-velkommen-1.6425480|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>
== See also == * Anarchism in Norway * Squatting in Norway * Ungdomshuset, a similar project in Denmark
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * [http://www.blitz.no/ Official site]
{{Infoshops}}
{{Authority control}} Category:1980s in Oslo Category:1982 establishments in Norway Category:20th century in Oslo Category:Anarchist squats Category:Anarchism in Norway Category:Autonomism Category:Left-wing politics in Norway Category:Former squats Category:Infoshops Category:Politics of Norway Category:Vegan restaurants Category:Squatting in Norway