Danish resistance movement
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The Danish Resistance Movement was an underground movement to resist the German occupation of Denmark during World War II. Due to the unusually lenient terms given to Denmark by the Nazi occupation authority, the movement was slower to develop effective tactics on a wide scale than in some other countries. However, by 1943 many Danes were involved in underground activities ranging from producing illegal publications to spying to violent sabotage.
After the invasion of Denmark on April 9, 1940 (See: Operation Weserübung) the German authorities allowed the Danish government to remain in power. They had a number of reasons for doing so, (See: Occupation of Denmark), but the end result was that they were anxious to showcase Denmark as a "model protectorate." Since the democratically elected Danish government remained in power there was less reason for Danish citizens to resist the occupation than in other countries such as Norway, France, and Poland. Jews remained under the protection of the Danish government, democratically elected politicians remained in power, and the police remained in Danish hands. Although there were changes such as official censorship, prohibitions on dealings with the allies, and the stationing of German troops in the country, daily life remained much the same as it had at first. The Danish government actively discouraged violent resistance because it feared a backlash from German authorities.
Nonetheless, as time went on many Danes organized groups to resist the occupation. At first most activities were peaceful, such as the publication of underground newspapers. After the invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941 communists became actively involved in violence against the occupiers. Various groups made contacts with British authorities and began receiving supply drops.
As the years went by the number of acts of sabotage and violence grew. In 1943 the number grew exponentially to the point that the German authorities were unsatisfied with Danish authorities' handling of the situation. At the end of August they took over full administration in Denmark, which allowed them to deal with the population as they wished. At the same time that policing became easier for them, more and more people became involved with the movement because they were no longer worried about protecting the Danish government.
That year the movement scored a great success in rescuing a large percentage of Denmark's Jewish population from the concentration camps by helping them into neutral Sweden. (See: Rescue of the Danish Jews)
Another success was their disruption of the railway network in the country on the days after D-Day, delaying the arrival of troops from Denmark in France.
By the end of the war the organized resistance movement in Denmark had scored many successes, although slightly more than 850 of their number had been killed for their work either during action, in jails, or in concentration camps.
The Danish National Museum maintains the Museum of Danish Resistance in Copenhagen.
Some prominent people in the Danish Resistance
- Aage Schoch -
- Brendt Rehnberg -
- Christer Lyst Hansen -
- Mogens Fog -
- Monica Wichfeld -
- Ove Kampman -
- Poul Brandt Rehnberg -
- Poul Bruun -
- Marius Fiil -
- Niels Fiil -
- Jørgen Kieler -
Reference
- In 2002, the book Sixth Floor: The Danish Resistance Movement and the RAF Raid on Gestapo Headquarters March 1, by Robin Reilly, was published.