Denmark Resistance by Clair Anderson

The Denmark Resistance

342826716 — 2025-04-07 14:12:01 UTC

On April 9, 1940, German forces invaded neutral Denmark to seize control of the country. This act went against the recently signed, German-Danish treaty of non- aggression. Because of the lack of troops and interest, the Danes quickly surrendered. While Denmark surrendered, the Danish government didn't give power to uphold or act in the Danish government to the Germans. As the Germans stayed in Denmark, the Danish government officials refused to speak on any question of the Jewish people.

As the years went on, the Danish people were starting to resist German control in the country. The resistance groups started small but soon grew in numbers.

342826716 — 2025-04-07 14:12:21 UTC

German soliders walking through the streets of Denmark.

Resistance

342826716 — 2025-04-07 14:18:01 UTC

After a couple of years of German occupation in Denmark, the citizens were getting annoyed, so they started resisting. The resistance groups started off small and soon grew in numbers. There were over 100 communities and groups of resistance in Denmark during World War 2. These groups resisted the German occupation and the Jewish question in Denmark.

B.O.P.A.

342826716 — 2025-04-07 14:31:16 UTC

The B.O.P.A. ('Civil Partisans', Bourgeois Partisans) was a resistance group who planned sabotage events against the Germans. The communist group used petrol and matches to set fire to the German establishment to ultimately make the Germans flee the country of Denmark. Even though the B.O.P.A's violent acts grew stronger and violent as the more attacks they did, their actions helped Denmark overcome the German occupation and soon helped rescue Jews during the Nazis attack.

January 25, 1943

342826716 — 2025-04-07 14:34:53 UTC

On January 25, 1943, a group of students, who were recently denied entry to the B.O.P.A., set fire to a German establishment. The establishment was ruined and the students were soon allowed their entry to the group. This action changed the name of the group and their view on the occupation.

"Denmark 1943"

342826716 — 2025-04-09 01:28:42 UTC

This song shows how the resistance groups in Denmark will stand with or without anything to protect Denmark. The song also tells the listeners that the Danish people stand with the Jews and will help them anytime they can.

Holger Danske Resistance Group

342826716 — 2025-04-09 01:36:36 UTC

The Holger Danske was a resistance group in Denmark who resisted the collaboration between Germans and the Danish government during World War II. Holger Danske was formed by 5 men in Copenhagen, during the dangerous time of resistance when the Danish government still had ties with the Germans. The group believed that the Danes should have acted more harshly against the German attack. Unlike the B.O.P.A. Holger Danske group was more spread across the county so they were unrecognizable. This problem led to 64 members being killed while being filtered in by the Gestapo. Similar to B.O.P.A, Holger Danske sabotaged the German establishment to make the Germans flee the country. This group also carried out assassination on collaborators with the Germans or any anti- Jewish person. Their violent attacks ultimately showed the Danish government their beliefs and helped the Jewish and Danish people rise up.

The Jewish Question

342826716 — 2025-04-09 12:57:04 UTC

The Holger Danske resistance group mainly focused on sabotage of German establishment but they also helped rescue the Jewish people. After the Danish people found out about the attack on Jews in Denmark, which will be done by the Nazis, the Holger Danske group helped hide Jews and also helped them escape to near by neutral countries.

The SOE

342826716 — 2025-04-09 13:01:59 UTC

The SOE (Special Operation Executive) helped the resistance, especially the sabotages and the Jews, by dropping supplies with the resistance groups. This improved the value of the attacks by giving the groups extra resources. This program also helped other countries who were resisting against German occupation.

Violence Grew Rapidly

342826716 — 2025-04-09 13:10:52 UTC

The German occupation in Denmark at this point was in a few years, so the Danish people were getting frustrated that the government was not trying to stop the occupation. Holocaust Education & Archive Research Team article stated, “The government had attempted to discourage sabotage and violent resistance to the occupation, but by the autumn of 1942 the numbers of violent acts of resistance were increasing steadily to the point that Germany declared Denmark "enemy territory" for the first time. After the battles of Stalingrad and El-Alamein the incidents of resistance, violent and symbolic, increased rapidly.” (The Museum of Danish Resistance). This evidence shows the tension rising during these times. The Danes knew it was only a small time until the Nazis party would want to eliminate the Jewish people in Denmark.

The Jewish Question in Denmark

342826716 — 2025-04-10 01:53:39 UTC

Once the Germans occupied Denmark they kept forcing the Jewish question onto the Danish government. The Danish government refused to speak on anything related to the Jews. This small resistance helped Jews for a couple more years until 1943. On August 29, 1943, SS -General Werner Best declared to in-force the martial law for a capital punishment. This meant he was planning to attack Jews in Denmark and deport them. When the final orders were told to Geord F. Duckwitz, a Nazis solider, he leaked information to Danish politicians to help save the Jews. The leaked information spread like wildfire, ultimately having many citizens wanting to help the Jews. Citizens, businessmen, churches, and other residents in Denmark started to help Jews that were on the side of the road by giving them keys to their apartments or given them directions to the nearest safe hiding place. In the Copenhagen hospitals, they housed more than 1,000 Jews to hide them from the Nazis attack. On the night of the attack, October 1, 1943, only 284 Jews were found by the Germans out of the almost 8,000 Jewish people in the population.

342826716 — 2025-04-10 01:56:14 UTC

This is an attic where Jewish people in Denmark would hide on the night of the Nazis attack.

342826716 — 2025-04-10 01:58:24 UTC

342826716 — 2025-04-10 01:59:07 UTC

Escape

342826716 — 2025-04-13 02:11:02 UTC

Even though the Germans deported a few Jews to death camps,there were many more Jews that wanted to flee the country of Denmark. After the attack, Jews were smuggled out of the country into Sweden. The trip was about 10 miles by sea. Jewish citizens were transported in large fishing boats, by local fishermen, and some in rowboats and kayaks. There were also many Jews that rode in firefight cars on regular ferry trips to Sweden.

During the first few days of the escape, the Gestapo got suspicious so they stayed at the harbor. They ended up catching 80 Jews the second night of the escape in a loft of a church. The rescue effort ended up taking points along the coastline for the most efficient way to help the Jews escape.

342826716 — 2025-04-13 02:37:36 UTC

The Holocaust Encyclopedia stated in an article, "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." (United States National Holocaust Museum). This quote shows the heroic act of Duckwitz to risk his life to help save thousands of other Jewish lives during the Danish resistance.

Impact

342826716 — 2025-04-13 02:43:14 UTC

The overall impact of the Danish resistance showed how Danes came together to help others in a heroic way. They put their lives on the line and it payed off for both sides. Their selflessness showed in the number of saved Jews on the night of the attack. Danes and other citizens in Denmark helped save thousands of lives and earned their name in the history books for a positive story.