3.3.3 Denmark during world war II
Description
This article is from the Nordic countries FAQ, by Antti Lahelma and Johan Olofsson, with numerous contributions by others.
3.3.3 Denmark during world war II
This section will probably get more material. Actually, this is one of
the regular topics of discussion in the group. But few have yet had
energy enough to write and propose a text for the faq.
From: Stan Brown <stbrown@nacs.net>
Yellow Stars (was Re: Denmark during WW2)
Date: Sun, 26 May 1996 12:03:02 -0400
> I also thought that Jews were required to wear stars, but that
> the King himself put on a star, as did many others, and therefore
> that the star identification system of the Nazis failed?
On page 14 of Queen in Denmark by Anne Wolden-Ræthinge (Gyldendal,
1989, ISBN 87-01-08622-7 and 87-01-08623-5), HM Queen Margrethe II
says:
"One of the stories one often hears about the Occupation, and which
I persist in denying each time I hear it, is the story about
Christian X wearing the yellow star of David as a demonstration
during the Occupation. It is a beautiful and symbolic story, but it
is not true. I do not mind it existing or being told, but I will
not support a myth, even a good one, when I know it isn't true, it
would be dishonest. But the moral behind the story is a far better
one for Denmark than if the King had worn the star. The fact of the
matter is that the Germans never did dare insist that Danish Jews
wear the yellow star. This is a credit to Denmark which our country
has cause to be proud of: I think this is an important fact to
remember. The myth about the King wearing the star of David, well,
I can imagine that this could have originated from a typical remark
by a Copenhagen errand boy on his bicycle: 'If they try to enforce
the yellow star here, the King will be the first to wear it!' -- I
don't know whether this was the actual remark, but I imagine it
could have been how the myth started. It is certainly a possible
explanation I offer whenever I am asked. To me, the truth is an
even greater honor for our country than the myth."
From: Henrik Ernoe <erno@wotan.ens.fr>
Re: Denmark during WW2
Date: Thu, 23 May 1996 11:14:42 +0100
> If the Germans were mere occupiers, why did
> they sanction the destruction of the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen?
First of all, the bombing of tivoli was a "Schalburgtage" committed by
Danish Nazies not but the Germans, and it happenened after august 43,
were the Danish government demissioned and the "peaceful" occupation
and collaboration ended.
> But they did they effectively steal all of the Danish gold
> reserves to finance their own war effort and bankrupt the
> Danish treasury?
The Germans did not steal the Danish gold reserves. The base for this
story is the system with "clearing-accounts" in the National bank. The
system worked as follows: When the German wanted to "buy" butter,
bacon, guns, or whatever in Denmark, they paid with vouchers which the
sellers would take to national bank to get their money. The Danish
National bank then paid from the "clearing-account", which was then
supposed to be repaid by the Germans, this however never happened (the
account still amounts to several milliards in 1996).
That the Germans plundered Denmark this way is true, that they stole
the gold reserves is not!
A lot of the stories are inaccurate or untrue and tend to polish the
Danish image, which in view of the Governments acts from April 9th
1940 to 29 August 1943 is deeply tarnished by a policy of
collaboration with Nazi Germany.
There are things to proud of in Danish WWII history but the policy of
the government and political establishment until 43 is not one of
them.
It should never be forgotten that until 29 August 1943 the Danish
government did all it could to hinder sabotage and other acts of
resistance. And the greatest danger to the resistance was the Danish
police not the Gestapo! When agents (Danes) from from the British SOE
were parachuted into Denmark, it was the Danish police that hunted
them down and murdered Rottböll and his comrades!
What saved our honor as a nation was the acts of a few people defying
not only the Germans but also the Danish King, government and all the
lawful authorities.
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