Three-year-old Mona Levin lived with her mother Solveig in the Norwegian capital, Oslo. When all Jewish women and children in Norway were to be arrested on November 26, 1942, Solveig and Mona Levin fled to Sweden, aided by escape helpers. Solveig’s old schoolfriend Kari Musæus took them both into her home, before they met an escape helper in the evening. They received forged border-zone certificates issued in the names of Solveig and Mona Kristoffersen, and boarded a train to Askim, around 37 miles (60 kilometers) southeast of Oslo. There were many German soldiers in the compartments. Fearing discovery, Solveig Levin locked herself in one of the train’s toilets and ignored the hammering at the door.
Their flight with nine other refugees continued by truck, rowing boat, and on foot. Mona Levin and all other small children were given a sedative for the escape. However, it did not work and her crying endangered the whole group. She was then given a life-threatening amount of extra sedative. Mona Levin did not regain consciousness until hours after their escape had succeeded.