- Headline
-
Purge of Denmark's Jews Launched by Germans
- Publication Date
- Sunday, October 3, 1943
- Historical Event
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Danes Help Jews Escape to Neutral Sweden
This database includes 758 articles about this event - Article Type
- Page Section and Number
- 1
- Author/Byline
- AP
- Article Text
- STOCKHOLM, Oct. 2.—(AP)— The Germans have launched a purge of Denmark's 6,000 Jews, they announced officially in Berlin and Copenhagen today, opening a gestapo-storm troop reign of terror which prompted Sweden to intercede quickly tonight with an offer of haven for the victims and a warning for the Nazi opressors.
The Swedish government announced formally that it had asked Germany to permit Danish Jews to come to Sweden, but a Swedish spokesman said there were strong rumors that the Germans already had begun to deport the Jews to Germany and Poland.
German officials announced that the Jews were being '"removed from public life" in Denmark. Widespread arrests made only after storm troop and gestapo reinforcements had been sent in to Denmark, were begun on the night of Sept. 30 and early yesterday morning, coinciding with the Jewish holidays.
The raids were reported to have continued through yesterday.
The Swedish minister to Berlin, the Swedish government's announcement said tonight, formally offered refuge for Danish Jews, at the same time telling Nazi officials that the purge would have what he described as "serious repercussions" in Sweden.
A foreign office spokesman in announcing the Swedish offer said he was not prepared to comment on the nature of the repercussions.
So far, he said, Berlin has failed to reply to the offer.
The Swedish government is providing care for Jewish refugees who already have tied to Sweden. Three hundred reached Sweden yesterday.
Although the state of siege in Denmark continued in Denmark continued In full force, establishing a record length of more than a month, Danish resistance to the Germans appeared to be hardening instead of slackening.
Today's German announcement of the purge said that Danish soldiers interned during the period of open revolt against the Nazis in late August would be released soon. Danish sources here said that Prince Viggo, nephew of King Christian and an active officer in the Hussars, is the only member of the royal family still interned.
"Interned Danish soldiers will be released within a few days by order of competent German quarters. An official German statement Saturday emphasized that it is now possible to fulfill the wish of the Danish population for the friends of the interned soldiers, because elements have been removed which continually poisoned the atmosphere.
"The speed of the release depends upon technical, conditions. The German measures mentioned in the statement refer to Jews who are accused of having, considerably accentuated the situation in Denmark by their anti-German agitation and their moral and material support of terror and sabotage actions. By the German measures they will be deprived of the possibility of further affecting public life."
The German announcement failed to make clear whether the Jews were being interned in Denmark, Germany or Poland, or whether they were being deported to eastern Europe to work on German fortifications and roads— the possibilities regarded here as most likely. - History Unfolded Contributor
- Carlos G.
- Location of Research
- Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com)
Learn More about this Historical Event: Danes Help Jews Escape to Neutral Sweden
Bibliography
Goldbeger, Leo, ed. The Rescue of the Danish Jews: Moral Courage Under Stress. New York: New York University Press, 1987.
Haestrup, Jorgen. Secret Alliance: A Study of the Danish Resistance Movement. New York: New York University Press, 1977.
Hong, Nathaniel. Sparks of Resistance: The Illegal Press in German-Occupied Denmark, April 1940–August 1943. Odense: Odense University Press, 1996.
Levine, Ellen. Darkness over Denmark: The Danish Resistance and the Rescue of the Jews. New York: Scholastic, 2001.
Loeffler, Martha, Knud Dyby, and John Mark Nielsen. Boats in the Night: Knud Dyby’s Involvement in the Rescue of the Danish Jews and the Danish Resistance. Blair, NE: Lur Publications, Danish Immigrant Archive, Dana College, 2000.
Yahil, Leni. The Rescue of Danish Jewry. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1969.
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