his autumn (2003) marks the 60th anniversary of the rescue of the Jews of Denmark. The Danish resistance movement, assisted by many ordinary citizens, coordinated the flight of some 7,200 Jews to safety in nearby neutral Sweden. Thanks to this remarkable mass rescue effort, at war's end Denmark had one of the highest Jewish survival rates for any European country. Use the links on this page to learn more about the rescue of Danish Jewry and the special circumstances that made it possible, exactly sixty years ago.
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DID YOU KNOW?
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Germany occupied Denmark on April 9, 1940. However, Danish Jews were not persecuted until the autumn of 1943.
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When the German police began searching for and arresting Jews on the night of October 1, 1943, the Danish police refused to cooperate.
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Unlike Jews in other countries under Nazi rule, the Jews of Denmark were never forced to wear the yellow Star of David or any other identifying badge.
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Approximately 500 Jews were deported from Denmark to the Theresienstadt ghetto in Czechoslovakia. Following protests from their government, these Danish inmates were allowed to receive letters and even
some care packages. Most of them survived the Holocaust.
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MAP
Trace events in Scandinavia during the Holocaust.
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ARTIFACT
Zoom in and look at a boat which was used to carry Danish refugees from German-occupied Denmark to neutral Sweden.
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PERSONAL HISTORY
Short biography of Preben Munch-Nielsen, a Dane who helped Jews flee from Denmark to Sweden.
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TESTIMONY
Tove Schoenbaum Bamberger describes trip to and arrival in Sweden.
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