The Blood Road is a route northeast of Rognan in the municipality of Saltdal in Nordland county, Norway that was built by prisoners during the Second World War. The route was a new section of Norwegian National Road 50 between Rognan and Langset on the east side of Saltdal Fjord (Saltdalsfjorden), where there was a ferry service before the war. The specific incident that gave the road its name was a cross of blood that was painted on a rock cutting in June 1943. The blood came from a prisoner that was shot along the route, and the cross was painted by his brother.
Construction work between Rognan and Botn on Highway 50 (now E6), known as the Blood Road.
A ship arriving at Botn with POWs.
Panoramic view of the Botn camp. Today there is a Yugoslav and German wartime cemetery at the site.
News photo in the magazine Aktuell in June 1945 from one of the camps on Saltfjellet mountain. The conditions in the Botn camp were probably similar.
Saltdal is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Salten. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Rognan. Other villages in Saltdal include Røkland and Lønsdal.
View of Saltdal where the valley meets the fjord
Memorial for the Blood Road
Nordland National Park Centre is situated at Storjord, Saltdal
To the north, Saltdal borders Saltdal Fjord, innermost part of Skjerstadfjord, with road and railway to Fauske on the eastern slope of the fjord.
