Like many of its neighbors, Denmark was occupied by Nazi Germany during World War II. What made Denmark unusual, though, is that Germany---hoping to show the world that they weren't bullies trying to conquer all of Europe---allowed the Danes to keep their own elected government and their own police force for a long while.
As a result, life in Denmark after the German invasion in 1940 was largely unchanged from the years before the war. While the Germans stationed troops in Denmark and censored newspapers, there was little to make the Danes want to fight back against the Germans.
Over the years, however, many Danes began to resent the German occupation and a resistance movement slowly formed. While this group undertook lots of different tasks ranging from feeding information about the Germans to the Allies and sabotaging German war efforts, the Danish Resistance is best known for their efforts to protect the Jews of Denmark.
Working with fisherman to smuggle Jews out of Denmark and into Sweden, the Danish Resistance rescued all but 500 of Denmark's 7,000-8,000 Jews. The risks of rescuing Jews were great and over 850 Resistance fighters were killed during the war, but their work saved lives.
Learn more about the Danish Resistance fighters by watching these two videos:
The real question becomes what would you have done if you were a Dane living during World War II? Would you have stood up on behalf of the Jews and tried to protect them from being sent to German concentration camps even if it meant risking your life? Or would you have sat on the sidelines, looking out for yourself?
Would your answer have changed if you were a mother or a father?
Really think this one through. While the quick answer might be that you would have stood up for the Jews in the face of the bad treatment they were receiving, would standing up be as easy as it sounds?
Signed,
Bam Bam Bigelow
I think that if I lived in Denmark during World War II that I would have stood up to the Nazi Germans for the Jews, even if it meant risking my life. I know that the Jews were treated horribly for no reason what-so ever. The Jews would have been like family and that’s what I think the people of Denmark thought when they were protecting them.
I don’t think it would have been easy to stand up to power seeing as how people died because of it. Risking my life would have been hard but I think I would have done it for the sake of saving other peoples lives. I think that no matter what you did, someone would have died, whether it had been the Jews or you, which is sad but true. I think if you died for risking your life, it wouldn’t have mattered to you because you would know you went down fighting.
Posted by: Kristen | June 25, 2009 at 11:45 AM
Mr. Ferriter asked “Do you think that you would have been brave enough to protect jews during World War 2 even though you were endangering your family?”
Great question, I honestly don’t know the answer but I have a prediction. I actually don’t think I would have the nerve to stand up to power and hide people in my boat and go all the way to Sweden it would be a great deed but I don’t think I could risk my life for another family and just leave my family. If I put my-self in there shoes I would for sure want help but it’s not that easy. Jews had a really tough life but if you got caught helping them you would have no life.
I think I would really want to help the Jews but I couldn’t give up my family for that and not only would I give up my own life and family but I would also be giving up the Jews life if I got caught. Overall I think my answer would be no due to the amount of punishment.
Posted by: grt is kool | June 25, 2009 at 11:31 AM
Mr. Ferriter asked “Do you think that you would have been brave enough to protect jews during World War 2 even though you were endangering your family?”
That’s a good question and I don’t think I know the answer. I think that if I was not a Jew in World War 2 I would not be brave enough to hide Jews in my boat and drive them to Sweden. If I did drive them there I would be endangering myself and I could die, also it might all be for nothing because they might not get to Sweden.
I may want to go help the Jews because I would have to watch hem die everyday for no reason. I also may want to help them because if I was in there shoes I would get treated like crap each day. For example they would make me live in concentration camps where they make you do work all day and if you stop they will hurt you.
Posted by: chs is kool | June 25, 2009 at 11:29 AM
I would want to say that I would help the Jews escape, but I am not sure if I really would have had the courage.
I would think that what the Nazis were doing was wrong. I am not the type of person who risks my life for others that I barely know.
I would probably be okay with hosting one of the Jewish families, but not actually smuggling them out of Denmark. As a child if
I was a Jew I would want/need help. Like in the movie The Boy in the Striped Pajamas the families that are not Nazis themselves, really have no idea what is going on. Even if it is, right in their backyard.
Posted by: Nina | June 25, 2009 at 11:17 AM
This is the first time I have stumbled upon Get Lost. Love how you are sharing and teaching!
Posted by: Sharon Williams | June 23, 2009 at 10:15 PM