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JEWISH LOSSES DURING THE HOLOCAUST: BY COUNTRY

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JEWISH LOSSES DURING THE HOLOCAUST: BY COUNTRY

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The students will compare the numbers of Holocaust victims by Country. Denmark was not the only Country attacked during WW2. They had the least amount of losses thanks to the Dane Resistance.

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1943 The German occupation regime took a relatively benign approach to Denmark

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1943 The German occupation regime took a relatively benign approach to Denmark

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This article focuses on the Denmark Invasion of the Germans. The book talks about the secrets shared within the adults to safely hide and transport their friends to Sweden.

The students will learn more about the Jews and Danish-Jews

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Jewish Population of Denmark

In 1933, in a service attended by Danish King Christian X, the Jews of Copenhagen celebrated the hundredth anniversary of their synagogue's existence. Over the next seven years, Denmark would welcome approximately 4,500 German and eastern European Jewish refugees. Around 3,000 of these new arrivals were known as chalutzim, the Hebrew word for "pioneers," who came to Denmark for agricultural training before emigration to Palestine.

When Germany occupied Denmark on April 9, 1940, the Jewish population was approximately 7,500, accounting for 0.2% of the country's total population. About 6,000 of these Jews were Danish citizens. The rest were German and eastern European refugees. Most Jews lived in the country's capital and largest city, Copenhagen.

German Occupation of Denmark

Until 1943, the German occupation regime took a relatively benign approach to Denmark. The Germans were eager to cultivate good relations with a population they perceived as "fellow Aryans." Although Germany dominated Danish foreign policy, the Germans permitted the Danish government complete autonomy in running domestic affairs, including maintaining control over the legal system and police forces.

Considering the relatively small Jewish population and the support most Danes gave to their fellow Jewish citizens, Germany initially decided not to make a major issue of the "Jewish question" in Denmark. In fact, the representative of the German Foreign Office at the Wannsee Conference recommended that the Scandinavian countries be excluded from the "Final Solution" on the assumption that the "Jewish question" could be resolved there once overall victory had been achieved. While the implementation of the Final Solution in Norway negated this recommendation, the general policy of non-interference in Denmark was decisive for the absence of such measures there.

Unlike in other western European countries, the Danish government did not require Jews to register their property and assets, to identify themselves, or to give up apartments, homes, and businesses.

In addition, Jews were not required to wear a yellow star or badge. Two attempts were made to set fire to the Copenhagen synagogue in 1941 and 1942, but local police intervened both times to prevent the arson and arrest the perpetrators. The Jewish community continued to function, including holding religious services regularly throughout the German occupation. The refusal of the Danish authorities to discriminate against the Danish Jews and King Christian's outspoken support of the Jewish community has given rise to the apocryphal story that the king himself wore a yellow star. Though untrue, the story reflects the king's opposition to persecuting Denmark's Jewish citizens and residents and the popular perception of Denmark as a country which protected the Jews.

Resistance and Rescue in Denmark

The tone of the German occupation changed in early 1943. Allied victories convinced many Danes that Germany could be defeated. While there had been minimal resistance to the Germans during the first years of the occupation, labor strikes and acts of sabotage now strained relations with Germany. The Danish government resigned on August 28, 1943, rather than yield to new German demands that German military courts try future saboteurs. The following night, the German military commander, General Hermann von Hannecken, declared martial law. German authorities arrested Danish civilians, Jews and non-Jews alike, and Danish military personnel. Under the state of emergency German authorities took direct control over the Danish military and police forces.

On September 8, 1943, SS General Werner Best, the German civilian administrator in Denmark, sent a telegram to Adolf Hitler to propose that the Germans make use of the martial law provisions to deport the Danish Jews. Hitler approved the measure nine days later. As preparations proceeded, Best, who had second thoughts about the political consequences of the deportations, informed Georg Ferdinand Duckwitz, a German naval attaché, of the impending deportation operation. Before the final order for deportation came to Copenhagen on September 28, Duckwitz, along with other German officials, warned non-Jewish Danes of the plan. In turn, these Danes alerted the local Jewish community.

In the intervening days, Danish authorities, Jewish community leaders, and countless private citizens facilitated a massive operation to get Jews into hiding or into temporary sanctuaries. When German police began the roundup on the night of October 1, 1943, they found few Jews. In general, the Danish police authorities refused to cooperate, denying German police the right to enter Jewish homes by force, or simply overlooking Jews they found in hiding. Popular protests quickly came from various quarters such as churches, the Danish royal family, and various social and economic organizations. The Danish resistance, assisted by many ordinary Danish citizens, organized a partly coordinated, partly spontaneous rescue operation.

Resistance workers and sympathizers initially helped Jews move into hiding places throughout the country and from there to the coast; fishermen then ferried them to neutral Sweden. The rescue operation expanded to include participation by the Danish police and the government. Over a period of about a month, some 7,200 Jews and 700 of their non-Jewish relatives traveled to safety in Sweden, which accepted the Danish refugees. Boat transports did not stop once the Jewish refugees were safely in Sweden: some continued to bring members of the underground resistance movement to Sweden or smuggle Swedish intelligence agents into Denmark.

Deportation to Theresienstadt

Despite the rescue efforts, the Germans seized about 470 Jews in Denmark and deported them to the Theresienstadt ghetto in occupied Czechoslovakia. Most of the deportees were German or eastern European refugees. Despite the fact that many of those deported were not Danish citizens, the Danish authorities and the Danish Red Cross vocally and insistently demanded information on their whereabouts and living conditions. The vigor of Danish protests likely deterred the Germans from transporting these Jews to killing centers in German-occupied Poland. The SS authorities at Theresienstadt even allowed Danish prisoners to receive letters and some care packages. The Danish Red Cross was a key driving force behind the request of the International Red Cross to visit and inspect Theresienstadt, first made in the autumn of 1943. After the Reich Security Main Office ( Reichssicherheitshauptamt; RSHA) authorized the visit, a Danish Red Cross representative accompanied International Red Cross officials during their visit in June 1944.

Danish Jews remained in Theresienstadt, where dozens of them died, until 1945. In late April of that year, German authorities handed the Danish prisoners over to the custody of the Swedish Red Cross. Virtually all of the refugees returned to Denmark in 1945. Although a housing shortage required some of them to live in shelters for a few months, most found their homes and businesses as they had left them, since the local authorities had refused to permit the Germans or their collaborators in Denmark to seize or plunder Jewish homes.

In total, some 120 Danish Jews died during the Holocaust, either in Theresienstadt or during the flight from Denmark. This relatively small number represents one of the highest Jewish survival rates for any German-occupied European country.

Author(s): United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, DC

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In 1933, in a service attended by Danish King Christian X, the Jews of Copenhagen celebrated the hundredth anniversary of their synagogue's existence. Over the next seven years, Denmark would welcome approximately 4,500 German and eastern European Jewish refugees.

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This song was written to give Jews confidence that the war would end soon. 

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A map showing Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Poland so the students can see the countries affected by WW2.

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A map showing Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Poland so the students can see the countries affected by WW2.

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The lyrics are for a Jew's oldest daughter that they were separated from during the war. In Number the Stars the Joansens also lost their eldest daughter.

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This historical fiction novel is a great choice for young readers to understand the Holocaust through the eyes of young girls and their families. The story begins with Annamarie, Kristi, Ellen and their parents. Their country and neighborhood is changing because of the Nazis taking over. They have curfews and they have to follow strict orders from the German soldiers at all times. People begin to disappear and word gets out that the Nazis are targeting the Danish Jews. Her friend Ellen and her parents must go into hiding right away! Annemarie and her family, with the help of her Brother in Law and her Uncle, secretly help them escape to Sweden by boat. This novel talks about true historic facts that occurred such as the impact the Danish resistance to help save so many Jews from being killed. The characters all show so much bravery during the hardest moments in WW2.

Students can read this novel in order to understand the history and ramifications of the Nazi occupation of Copenhagen, Denmark during World War II. Also the efforts of Danish resisters to protect the Jewish population, and how this is still relevant today. Students can engage in this important study through the eyes of a young girl, and her best friend who is being persecuted and has to pretend to be her sister in order to get reunited with her parents. After 3 years the war ends and it is a beautiful story of teamwork and compassion.

I chose the novel Numbering the Stars by Lois Lowry because it is a carefully researched historical fiction novel that documents conflicts in that time between the Nazis and the Jews. It also shows the bravery the Danes showed by  trying to help protect the Jews from the Nazis. During World War II. It goes into specific details on how Nazis were kept in hiding and transported safely out of Denmark. It recognizes the help of the group of people in the resistance.

By reading this novel supplemented with primary source material, students will come to understand Social Studies topics such as the Holocaust, Nazis attacking Jews in other countries. They will come to have a deeper understanding of the time period when the Nazis invaded Copenhagen, Denmark during World War II and the efforts of Danish resisters who successfully rescued 98 percent of that nation’s Jewish population eve with German soldiers all over the country. Denmark had the highest survival rate thanks to this movement.

In addition,Numbering the Stars is a book full of adventure and self discovery. This historical fiction will help students develop skills in asking tough questions, characterization, self-conflicts, conflict resolution in the story, and further knowledge of an inside look of how people resisted and survived the Holocaust. Students will learn more about the Holocaust and identify the many historical facts within the book that they will further research with additional resources such as pictures, songs, articles, and visuals such as maps.

By reading this touching historical fiction students can learn to think critically about world history as events that occurred long ago experienced in the eyes of young children their age. They will also further develop their comprehension and literacy skills.

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German presence in the occupied Danish capital, Copenhagen. In 1943, as German policies towards Denmark toughened, the Danes would form one of the most active and successful resistance campaigns against the German occupation.

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German presence in the occupied Danish capital, Copenhagen. In 1943, as German policies towards Denmark toughened, the Danes would form one of the most active and successful resistance campaigns against the German occupation.

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The students will talk about Annamarie and Ellen's experiences meeting these German Soldiers after watching this video.

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Denmark signed a nonaggression pact with Germany in 1939, hoping to maintain neutrality as it had in World War I. Germany, however, broke the agreement on April 9, 1940, when it occupied Denmark. King Christian X remained on the throne, and the Danish police and government reluctantly accepted the German occupation. This footage shows the German presence in the occupied Danish capital, Copenhagen. In 1943, as German policies towards Denmark toughened, the Danes would form one of the most active and successful resistance campaigns against the German occupation.

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Denmark signed a nonaggression pact with Germany in 1939, hoping to maintain neutrality as it had in World War I. Germany, however, broke the agreement on April 9, 1940, when it occupied Denmark. King Christian X remained on the throne, and the Danish police and government reluctantly accepted the German occupation.

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Yiddish folk poet and songwriter Mordecai Gebirtig was born in 1877 in Krakow, Poland. He wrote "Shifrele's Portrait" was written in Krakow in December 1939, shortly after the outbreak of World War II. Gebirtig's eldest daughter, Shifre, lived in Lvov, and was separated from her family when the Soviets annexed Lvov.

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Moments of Confidence | Holocaust Encyclopedia

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This piece was written in Krakow on October 2, 1940. Mordecai Gebirtig wrote this song to raise the spirits of the persecuted Jewish community in Krakow. The poet’s reference to “Haman” alludes to the ancient Persian enemy of the Jewish people.

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Jewish refugees from Denmark upon arrival in neutral Sweden. 1943.

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Jewish refugees from Denmark upon arrival in neutral Sweden. 1943.

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The students will be able to look at multiple photos and do a writing activity to express what they learned from the book. They will also infer what happened after they arrived to Sweden?

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GERMAN INVASION OF DENMARK AND NORWAY, 1940

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GERMAN INVASION OF DENMARK AND NORWAY, 1940

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A boat used by Danish fishermen to transport Jews to safety in Sweden during the German occupation. Denmark

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A boat used by Danish fishermen to transport Jews to safety in Sweden during the German occupation. Denmark

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The students will look through photos of boats that were used to rescue the Jews.

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The resistance Manual used by Danes "The Resistance"  Number The Stars hints on secret groups of people that helped the Jews escape Denmark to Sweden. It does n

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German naval attache in Denmark who leaked the Nazi plan to deport Danish Jews.

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Natyeli, the background on it's own was such an eyecatcher. I love it so much!

One of the sections that caught my attention were the hinge activities. I think that the map activities would be pretty engaging for students in the 5-6th and the picture based writing activities would be appropriate for 6-8th grade. Now, the next hinge activity your provided where students need to compare the numbers of holocausts victims by country is fascinating. I love that website provides links to each country and gets into more details about how they were impacted by the war. This webiste will definitley be added to my teacher's toolbox. Fantastic job, Natyeli!

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I love your Padlet! It's very well organized and descriptive. I like how you included songs in this unit, which students definitely love to listen to, and connected them to the story.

Also, I selected the same book so it's interesting to see which activities and lesson ideas you chose!

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What an AMAZING book choice. It really let's the students connect with the book because there is more than just one character that's their age or around their age. I love how you incorporated the map into the lessons as well because so many students are not learning geography anymore and cannot picture where the story takes place without that visual aide.

Emily

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I like the details in your lesson plans, from how you are going to get the student's attention to the questions you will be doing. For lesson 1, I love the thumbs to the chest to check for understanding. For lesson 2, I like how you will have the visual of a map to show students where Europe is. For lesson 3, the assessment idea of having students write sticky notes and placing them under the correct character is great because it allows students the opportunity to move and get up from their seats. I like how you included a variety of hinge activities to target all the different types of learners. Great Padlet and of course I will be borrowing some of your strategies in my future lesson plans.