ss chief heinrich himmler encouraged german troops to partner and breed with local women .
many were also encouraged to have children . '
it was part of nazi germany 's white supremacist agenda that also led to the establishment of a " lebensborn " reproduction center in norway in 1941 .
norway 's prime minister erna solberg has issued an official government apology to norwegian women who were mistreated over world war two - era relationships with german soldiers .
many of the norwegian - german children were targeted for reprisals in norway when the war ended - standing accused of betraying the country .
solberg said the estimated 10,000 to 12,000 children who also suffered reprisals because they were suspected of having intimate wartime relations with nazi troops , ended up marked " for the rest of their lives . "
up to 50,000 norwegian women are thought to have had intimate relationships with german soldiers .
 
himmler , one of the most powerful men under adolf hitler , favoured norwegian women , hoping they could help promote the nazi concept of an aryan master race .