After Öreryd in Småland proved inadequate, on June 15, 1942, Kjesäter was designated as the main assembly and transit point for refugees who had fled the Nazi German occupation of Norway by crossing the border into Sweden. These refugees included political activists, members of the resistance, and Jews fleeing deportation to extermination camps. It is estimated that about 50,000 individuals made it across the border to Sweden during the war. Refugees would typically be intercepted by Swedish border patrols soon after they had entered into Swedish territory, interviewed, and be given an "emergency visa" with 2-week duration with directions and fare (if needed) to Kjesäter. The processing there would take 3–4 days and typically involved medical examination, in-depth interrogations, etc. Norwegian nationals would be given a Norwegian passport; stateless individuals would be given a Swedish identification card. The refugees would also be given fare for their next destination, food, and clothing. At its peak, the center had 30 barracks and a capacity of 700-800 refugees. As Norwegian authorities in exile set up offices in Stockholm, the center served as an important adjunct facility for registering Norwegians in the paramilitary police force and sending younger refugees to the Norwegian high school that had been established in Uppsala.
