Headquarters of the Schalburgkorps, a Danish SS unit, after 1943. The occupied building is the lodge of the Freemasons located on Blegdamsvej, Copenhagen.

Germany's occupation of Denmark was commenced by Operation Weserübung 9 April 1940, and lasted until the German forces withdrew at the end of World War II following their surrender to Allied forces on 5 May 1945. Contrary to the situation in other countries under German occupations during the war, most Danish institutions continued to function relatively unaffected until 1943. The Danish government remained in the country in an uneasy relationship between a democratic and a totalitarian system until German authorities dissolved the government following a wave of strikes and sabotage. Download high resolution version (600x1026, 183 KB) This work is copyrighted. ... Download high resolution version (600x1026, 183 KB) This work is copyrighted. ... American Square & Compasses Freemasonry is a worldwide fraternal organization. ... Operation Weserübung was the German codename for Nazi Germanys assault on Denmark and Norway during World War II and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign. ... April 9 is the 99th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (100th in leap years). ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ... Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total dead: 12 million World War II... In general, allies are people or groups that have joined an alliance and are working together to achieve some common purpose. ... May 5 is the 125th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (126th in leap years). ... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ... Democracy is a form of government under which the power to alter the laws and structures of government lies, ultimately, with the citizenry. ... The concept of Totalitarianism is a typology or ideal-type used by some political scientists to encapsulate the characteristics of a number of twentieth century regimes that mobilized entire populations in support of the state or an ideology. ...

Invasion

The occupation of Denmark was never an important objective for the German government. The decision to occupy their small northern neighbour was made to facilitate the invasion of the strategically more important Norway; and as a means against the awaited British campaign in Norway. German military planners believed that a base in the northern part of Jutland, most importantly the airfield of Ålborg, would be essential in the invasion of Norway, and began planning an occupation of parts of Denmark, but as late as February 1940, the decision to occupy Denmark had not yet been taken. The issue was finally settled when Hitler personally crossed out the words die Nordspitze Jütlands (the Northern tip of Jutland) and replaced them with Dä, a German abbreviation for Denmark. Military occupation occurs where territory belonging to one country falls under the control and authority of the armed forces of a belligerent or enemy country following an invasion or annexation. ... The Allied campaign in Norway took place from April 1940 until early June 1940. ... Jutland Peninsula Jutland (Danish: Jylland; German: Jütland; Frisian Jutlân; Low German Jötlann) is a peninsula in northern Europe that forms the only non-insular part of Denmark and also the northernmost part of Germany, dividing the North Sea from the Baltic Sea. ... For other uses, see Airport (disambiguation). ... Aalborg (Danish: Aalborg or Ã…lborg) is a city and seaport in Denmark. ...

Although the Danish territory of South Jutland was home to a significant German minority, and the province had been regained from Germany as a result of a plebiscite as part of the hated Versailles Treaty, Germany was in no apparent urgency to reclaim it. In a vaguer and much more long term way some Nazis hoped to incorporate Denmark into a greater "Nordic Union" at some stage, but there was no serious plan of that sort. Sønderjyllands Amt (English: South Jutland County) is a county in southern Denmark, on the peninsula of Jutland. ... A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda) or plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. ... The Treaty of Versailles (1919) was the peace treaty which officially ended World War I between the Allied and Associated Powers and Germany. ...

A group of Danish soldiers on the morning of the German invasion, 9 April 1940. Two of these men were killed later that day.

On 4:15 in the morning of 9 April 1940 (Danish standard time), German forces crossed the border to neutral Denmark, in direct violation of a German-Danish treaty of non-aggression signed the previous year. In a coordinated operation, German ships began disembarking troops at the docks in Copenhagen. Although outnumbered and with poor equipment, soldiers in several parts of the country fought back, most importantly the Royal Guards in Copenhagen, units in South Jutland, and the garrison in Odense. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1812x1065, 389 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Occupation of Denmark ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1812x1065, 389 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Occupation of Denmark ... April 9 is the 99th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (100th in leap years). ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ... A neutral country takes no side in a war between other parties, and in return hopes to avoid being attacked by either of them. ... Copenhagen (IPA: , rhyming with pagan, or , with a as in spa; Danish IPA: ) is the capital of Denmark and the countrys largest city (metropolitan population 1,115,035 (2006), at present made up of 16 municipalities. ... Sønderjyllands Amt (English: South Jutland County) is a county in southern Denmark, on the peninsula of Jutland. ... Odense Palace Odense Railroad Centre Odense is the third largest city in Denmark with 145,554 inhabitants (Odense city January 1, 2004) and the capital of the island of Funen. ...

Sixteen Danish soldiers died defending Denmark, but after only two hours of military resistance the Danish government surrendered believing that resistance was useless and hoping to work out an advantageous agreement with Germany. The flat territory of Jutland, immediately adjacent to Germany, was a perfect area for the German army to operate in, and the sneak attack on Copenhagen had made any attempt to defend Zealand impossible. The Germans had also been quick in establishing control over the bridge across the Little Belt, thus gaining access to the island of Funen. The German forces were technologically sophisticated and large; the Danish armed forces tiny in comparison and using obsolete equipment, partially a result of a pre-war policy of trying to avoid antagonizing Germany. Even stiff resistance from the Danes would not have lasted long. Believing that further resistance would only result in the futile loss of even more Danish lives, the Danish cabinet ultimately decided to bow to the German pressure "under protest". As a result of the rapid turn of events, the Danish government did not have the time to officially declare war on Germany. To surrender is when soldiers give up fighting and become prisoners of war, either as individuals or when ordered to by their officers. ... Jutland Peninsula Jutland (Danish: Jylland; German: Jütland; Frisian Jutlân; Low German Jötlann) is a peninsula in northern Europe that forms the only non-insular part of Denmark and also the northernmost part of Germany, dividing the North Sea from the Baltic Sea. ... Zealand (Danish: Sjælland ) is the largest island of Denmark. ... A picture of the Lillebælt in Denmark The Little Belt or Small Belt (Danish:Lillebælt) is a strait between the Danish island of Funen and the Jutland Peninsula. ... Funen (Danish: Fyn) is the second largest island of Denmark, it has a population of 445,000 people. ...

The occupation happened so rapidly that most Danes got out of bed without realizing that their country had been already been occupied. To the rest of the world these events seemed perplexing, almost as if Denmark's Social Democratic government had sided with Germany. However, the Danes were generally pro-British and possessed a historical antagonism towards Germany, making the German incursion widely unpopular. People, however, were divided about what would be the best policy toward Germany. Social democracy is a political ideology emerging in the late 19th and early 20th centuries from supporters of Marxism who believed that the transition to a socialist society could be achieved through democratic evolutionary rather than revolutionary means. ...

Danish 'Protectorate' Government 1940-43

Erik Scavenius, Danish PM 1942-43 with Werner Best, the German plenipotentiary in Denmark.

As a result of the cooperative attitude of the Danish authorities, German officials claimed that they would "respect Danish sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as neutrality." The German authorities were inclined to lenient terms with Denmark for several reasons: Download high resolution version (600x925, 207 KB)This image qualifies under: Unique historical images which we cannot reproduce by other means, original photo from Frihedsmuseets fotoarkiv; Frihedsmuseet, Copenhagen Denmark; Photo is of Erik Scavenius Danish PM and Werner Best German plenipotentiary in Denmark This work is copyrighted. ... Download high resolution version (600x925, 207 KB)This image qualifies under: Unique historical images which we cannot reproduce by other means, original photo from Frihedsmuseets fotoarkiv; Frihedsmuseet, Copenhagen Denmark; Photo is of Erik Scavenius Danish PM and Werner Best German plenipotentiary in Denmark This work is copyrighted. ... Werner Best (1903-June 23, 1989), was a German Doctor in Law and Nazi official, serving during World War II. SS-Obergruppenführer (Lieutenant-General), department head in the SS-Gestapo within the Reich Security Main Office (RSHA) and deputy of Reinhard Heydrich from 1939 to 1940, Best was one...

• They had no particular strategic or ideological interests in the country, so they were happy to leave the responsibilities and burdens of administration to a Germanic 'brother' people.

• Their only strong interest in Denmark, i.e. surplus agricultural products, would likely be supplied anyway by the Danes – out of economic necessity. German records indicate that the German administration had not fully realized this potential before the occupation took place.

• They also hoped to score propaganda points by making Denmark, in Hitler's words, "a model protectorate." It would show to the world what a future Nazi controlled Europe could be.

• On top of these more practical goals, Nazi race ideology held that Danes were "fellow Nordic" Aryans, and could therefore to some extent be trusted to handle their own domestic affairs.

These factors combined to allow Denmark a very favourable relationship with Nazi Germany. The government remained intact and the parliament continued to function more or less as it had before. They were able to maintain much of their former control over domestic policy. The police and judicial system remained in Danish hands and unlike most occupied countries, King Christian X remained in the country as Danish Head of State. The German Reich was formally represented by a Reichsbevollmächtigter ('Imperial Plenipotentiary'), i.e. a diplomat accredited to the Sovereign, a post awarded in November 1942 to the lawyer and SS-general Werner Best. Look up Administration in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... you fools are stupid to let people edit these sheet your all dumasss get a life fukers Agriculture (a term which encompasses farming) is the art, science or practice of producing food, feed, fiber and many other desired goods by the systematic raising of plants and animals. ... Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (April 20, 1889 – April 30, 1945, standard German pronunciation in the IPA) was the Führer (leader) of the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi Party) and of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. ... A protectorate is, in international law, a political entity (a sovereign state or a less developed native polity, such as a tribal chiefstainship or feudal princely state) that formally agrees (voluntarily or under pressure) by treaty to enter into an unequal relationship with another, stronger state, called the protector, which... The master race (German: Herrenrasse, ) is a concept in Nazi ideology, which holds that the Germanic and Nordic people represent an ideal and pure race.The pure race is generally pictured as a person with blonde hair and blue eyes in this concept. ... Aryan is an English language word derived from the Indian Vedic Sanskrit and Iranian Avestan terms ari-, arya-, ārya-, and/or the extended form aryāna-. The Sanskrit and Old Persian languages both pronounced the word as arya- and aryan. ... States currently utilizing parliamentary systems are denoted in orange and red—the former being constitutional monarchies where authority is vested in a parliament, and the latter being parliamentary republics whose parliaments are effectively supreme over a separate head of state. ... This article is about law in society. ... Christian X of Denmark (Christian Carl Frederik Albert Alexander Vilhelm) (September 26, 1870 – April 20, 1947) was King of Denmark from 1912 to 1947 and of Iceland between 1918 and 1944. ... The term plenipotentiary (from the Latin, plenus + potens, full + power) refers to, as a noun, a person who has, or as an adjective that confers, full powers. ... Werner Best (1903-June 23, 1989), was a German Doctor in Law and Nazi official, serving during World War II. SS-Obergruppenführer (Lieutenant-General), department head in the SS-Gestapo within the Reich Security Main Office (RSHA) and deputy of Reinhard Heydrich from 1939 to 1940, Best was one...

Danish public opinion generally backed the new government, particularly after the fall of France in June 1940. There was a general feeling that the unpleasant reality of German occupation must be confronted in the most realistic way possible, given the international situation. Politicians realized that they would have to try hard to maintain Denmark's privileged position by presenting a united front to the German authorities, so all of the mainstream democratic parties formed a new government together. Parliament and the government agreed to work closely together. Though the effect of this was close to the creation of a one party state, it remained a representative government. A single-party state or one-party system or single-party system is a type of party system and form of government where only a single political party dominates the government and no opposition parties are allowed. ...

The Danish government was dominated by Social Democrats, such as the pre-war Prime Minister, Thorvald Stauning, who found the Nazi party repulsive. Stauning himself was deeply depressed by the prospects for Europe under Nazism. None the less, his party pursued a strategy of cooperation, hoping to maintain democracy and Danish control in Denmark for as long as possible. There were many issues that they had to work out with Germany in the months after the occupation. In an effort to keep the Germans happy they compromised Danish democracy in several important ways: Social democracy is a political ideology emerging in the late 19th and early 20th centuries from supporters of Marxism who believed that the transition to a socialist society could be achieved through democratic evolutionary rather than revolutionary means. ... Thorvald Stauning (26 October 1873 - 3 May 1942) was the first Social Democrat Prime Minister of Denmark. ...

• News paper articles and news reports "which might jeopardize German-Danish relations" were outlawed.

• After the assault on the Soviet Union, Operation Barbarossa, Denmark joined the Anti-Comintern Pact together with the Nordic neighbour, the democratic Finland; the Communist Party was banned in Denmark. As a result, many Communists were found among the first members of the Danish resistance movement.

• Normal relations with Allied governments were severed.

• Industrial production and trade was, partly due to geo-political and economic necessity, redirected toward Germany. Denmark had traditionally been a major trading partner of both Britain and Germany. Many government officials saw expanded trade with Germany as vital to maintaining social order in Denmark. Increased unemployment and poverty was feared to lead to more of open revolt within the country, since Danes tended to blame all negative developments on the Germans. It was feared that any revolt would result in a crackdown by the German authorities.

Erik Scavenius was Prime Minister for most of the war as head of a coalition cabinet encompassing all major political parties (the obvious exceptions being the tiny Communist and Nazi parties). Scavenius was a diplomat, not an elected politician, and had an elitist approach to government. He was very afraid that emotional public opinion would destabilize his attempts to build a compromise between Danish sovereignty and the realities of German occupation. Scavenius felt strongly that he was Denmark's most ardent defender. After the war there was much recrimination of his stance, particularly from members of the active resistance who felt that he had hindered the cause of resistance and threatened Denmark's national honour. He felt that these people were vain, seeking to build their own reputations or political careers through emotionalism. Combatants Axis Powers Soviet Union Commanders Supreme commander: Adolf Hitler Supreme commander: Josef Stalin Strength ~ 3. ... The Anti-Comintern Pact was concluded between Nazi Germany and Japan on November 25, 1936. ... Overview map of the region. ... In modern usage, a communist party is a political party which promotes communism, the sociopolitical philosophy based on Marxism. ... The Danish Resistance Movement was an underground insurgency 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... In general, allies are people or groups that have joined an alliance and are working together to achieve some common purpose. ... An industry is generally any grouping of businesses that share a common method of generating profits, such as the music industry, the automobile industry, or the cattle industry. It is also used specifically to refer to an area of economic production focused on manufacturing which involves large amounts of capital... An 1837 political cartoon about unemployment in the United States. ... Erik Scavenius with a German plenipotentiary of Denmark, Werner Best. ... This is a list over the heads of government in Denmark, from the establishment of a constitutional monarchy in 1849 until present. ... A coalition government, or coalition cabinet, is a cabinet in parliamentary government in which several parties cooperate. ... This page is about negotiations; for the board game, see Diplomacy (game). ... Elitism is a belief or attitude that an elite — a selected group of persons whose personal abilities, specialized training or other attributes place them at the top of any field (see below) — are the people whose views on a matter are to be taken most seriously, or who are alone... Sovereignty is the exclusive right to exercise supreme political (e. ...

During the German occupation, King Christian X became a powerful symbol of national sovereignty. The image was taken on the King's birthday in 1940. Note that he is not accompanied by a guard.

The Danish authorities were able to use their more cooperative stance to win important concessions for the country. They continually refused to enter a customs and currency union with Germany. Danes were concerned both about the negative economic effects of the German proposals, as well as the political ones. German officials did not want to risk their special relationship with Denmark by forcing an agreement on them as they had in other countries. The Danish government was also able to stall negotiations over the return of North Slesvig to Germany, ban "closed rank uniformed marches" that would have made nationalist German or Danish Nazi agitation more possible, keep National Socialists out of the government, and hold a relatively free election with decidedly anti-Nazi results in the middle of the war. Danish military officials also had access to sensitive German information which they delivered to the Allies under government cover. The economic consequences of the occupation were also mitigated by German-Danish cooperation. The influx of German investment in industry, agriculture, and most notably defensive installations and troop deployments caused serious inflation in the first year of the war. The Danish government was able to renegotiate the arbitrary exchange rate between the Mark and Krone to deal with this problem. The success most often alluded to in regard to the Danish policy toward Germany is the protection of the Jewish minority in Denmark. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1833x2352, 913 KB) Summary King Christian X riding through Copenhagen on his 70th birthday (1940). ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1833x2352, 913 KB) Summary King Christian X riding through Copenhagen on his 70th birthday (1940). ... A customs union is a free trade area with a Common External Tariff. ... In economics, a monetary union is a situation where several countries have agreed to share a single currency among them, for example, the East Caribbean Dollar. ... The Nazi party used a right-facing swastika as their symbol and the red and black colors were said to represent Blut und Boden (blood and soil). ... The Deutsche Mark (DM, DEM) was the official currency of West and, from 1990, unified Germany. ... The Danish krone is the currency used in Denmark and the Danish dependency of Greenland. ... Jews (Hebrew: יהודים, Yehudim) are followers of Judaism or, more generally, members of the Jewish people (also known as the Jewish nation, or the Children of Israel), an ethno-religious group descended from the ancient Israelites and converts who joined their religion. ... The definition of a minority group can vary, depending on specific context, but generally refers to either a sociological sub-group that does not form either a majority or a plurality of the total population, or a group that, while not necessarily a numerical minority, is disadvantaged or otherwise has...

Throughout the years of its hold on power the government consistently refused to accept German demands regarding the Jews. The authorities would not enact special laws concerning Jews and their civil rights remained equal with the rest of the population. German authorities became increasingly exasperated with this position but concluded that any attempt to remove or mistreat Jews would be "politically unacceptable." Even the Gestapo officer, Dr. Werner Best, plenipotentiary in Denmark from November 1942 believed that any attempt to remove the Jews would be enormously disruptive to the relationship between the two governments and recommended against any action concerning the Jews of Denmark. The Deaths Head emblem similar to Skull and crossbones, often used as the insignia of the Gestapo The (contraction of Geheime Staatspolizei; secret state police) was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. ... Werner Best (1903-June 23, 1989), was a German Doctor in Law and Nazi official, serving during World War II. SS-Obergruppenführer (Lieutenant-General), department head in the SS-Gestapo within the Reich Security Main Office (RSHA) and deputy of Reinhard Heydrich from 1939 to 1940, Best was one... This article is about the year. ...

King Christian X remained in Denmark throughout the war, a symbol of courage much appreciated by his subjects, though the story claiming that he would wear the star of David if Jews were forced to is apocryphal. Christian X of Denmark (Christian Carl Frederik Albert Alexander Vilhelm) (September 26, 1870 – April 20, 1947) was King of Denmark from 1912 to 1947 and of Iceland between 1918 and 1944. ...

In 1942, Adolf Hitler transmitted a long birthday telegram to King Christian. The King replied with a simple Meinen besten Dank. Chr. Rex (English: My best thanks. King Christian) sending the Führer into a state of rage and seriously damaging Danish relations with Germany. Hitler immediately recalled his ambassador and expelled the Danish ambassador to Germany. (April 20, 1889 – April 30, 1945) was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 and Führer (Leader) of Germany from 1934 until his death. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... (Fuehrer in English when umlauts are not used) is a proper noun meaning leader or guide in the German language. ...

Increasing Hostility

Barricades erected during a general strike, Nørrebro, Copenhagen, July 1944

As the years dragged on the population became increasingly hostile to the Germans. Soldiers stationed in Denmark had found most of the population cold and removed from the beginning of the occupation, but their willingness to cooperate had made the relationship cordial. The government had attempted to discourage sabotage and violent resistance to the occupation, but by the autumn of 1942 the numbers of violent acts of resistance were increasing steadily to the point that Germany declared Denmark "enemy territory" for the first time. After the battles of Stalingrad and El-Alamein the incidents of resistance, violent and symbolic, increased exponentially. In March 1943 the Germans allowed an election that embarrassed them by giving good results to anti-Nazi parties. The election, discontent, and a growing feeling of optimism that Germany would be defeated led to wide spread strikes and civil disturbances in the summer of 1943. The Danish government refused to deal with the situation in a way that would satisfy the Germans, so on 29 August 1943 the Germans officially dissolved the Danish government and instituted martial law. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x603, 224 KB) This work is copyrighted. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x603, 224 KB) This work is copyrighted. ... Fall redirects here. ... This article is about the year. ... Combatants Axis Powers Soviet Union Commanders Erich von Manstein Friedrich Paulus Hermann Hoth Georgy Zhukov Vasily Chuikov Aleksandr Vasilevsky Strength German Sixth Army German Fourth Panzer Army Romanian Third Army Romanian Fourth Army Hungarian Second Army Italian Eighth Army 500,000 Germans Unknown number Reinforcements Unknown number Axis-allies Stalingrad... Combatants British Commonwealth Poland Free French Forces Greece Germany Italy Commanders Bernard Montgomery Erwin Rommel Strength 250,000 men 1,030 tanks 900 guns 530 aircraft 90,000 men 500 tanks 500 guns 350 aircraft Casualties 23,500 dead or wounded 500 tanks 13,000 dead 46,000 wounded or... March is the third month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... Civil disorder is a broad term that is typically used by law enforcement to describe one or more forms of disturbance caused by a group of people. ... For other senses of this word, see summer (disambiguation). ... August 29 is the 241st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (242nd in leap years), with 124 days remaining. ... Martial law is the system of rules that takes effect (usually after a formal declaration) when a military authority takes control of the normal administration of justice. ...

When German troops invaded the Naval Dockyard in the morning of 29 August 1943, orders were issued by the Danish naval command to scuttle the fleet. In 1941, the Danish government had caved in to heavy German pressure, and surrendered six torpedo boats - a move which prompted King Christian X to order the Dannebrog flown on half mast at the Sixtus Battery of the Naval port of Copenhagen. This usually only happens following the death of a Danish king [1]. This time, the Navy resisted. Of the fifty-two vessels in the Royal Danish Navy, two were at Greenland, thirty-two were scuttled, four escaped to Sweden, and fourteen were captured undamaged by the Germans [2]. A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval ship designed to launch torpedoes at larger surface ships. ... The Dannebrg. ... Flag of the Royal Danish Navy Ships of the Royal Danish Navy carry the prefix KMD (Kongelige Danske Marine). ...

After the fall of the government, Denmark was exposed to the full extent of Nazi power. In October the Germans decided to remove all Jews from Denmark, but thanks to information leaks and swift action by the Danish and Swedish peoples, almost all of the Jews were transported to the safety of neutral Sweden. Sabotage, unencumbered by government opposition grew greatly in number and severity, though it was rarely of very serious concern to the Germans. There were some successes such as on D-Day when the train network in Denmark was disrupted for days, delaying the arrival of reinforcements in Normandy. An underground government was established and the illegal press flourished. Allied governments who had been sceptical about the commitment to fight Germany in Denmark began recognizing it as a full ally. The rescue of the Danish Jews occurred during Denmarks occupation by Nazi Germany during World War II. When German authorities in Denmark ordered the Jews deportation to Germany in October 1943, many Danes and Swedes took part in a collective effort to evacuate the roughly 8,000 Jews of... Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening an enemy through subversion, obstruction, disruption, and/or destruction. ... Land on Normandy In military parlance, D-Day is a term often used to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. ... For other uses, see Train (disambiguation). ... Mont Saint Michel, one of the famous symbols of Normandy. ...

Economy

There were extremely serious economic problems in Denmark during the war. The Danish economy was fundamentally hurt by the rising cost of raw material imports such as coal and oil. The blockade against Germany affected Denmark too with unfortunate results. Since the country has virtually no natural resources of its own it was very vulnerable to these price shocks and shortages. The government had foreseen the possibility of coal and oil shortages and had stockpiled some before the war, which, combined with rationing, prevented some of the worst potential problems from coming to the country. The disruptions to the European trading network were also damaging to the economy, but all things considered, Denmark did quite well compared to other countries during the war. Denmarks industrialized market economy depends on imported raw materials and foreign trade. ... Coal (previously referred to as pitcoal or seacoal) is a fossil fuel extracted from the ground by underground mining or open-pit mining (surface mining). ... Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario Petroleum (from Greek petra – rock and elaion – oil or Latin oleum – oil ) or crude oil, sometimes colloquially called black gold, is a thick, dark brown or greenish liquid. ... A blockade is any effort to prevent supplies, troops, information or aid from reaching an opposing force. ... Rationing is the controlled distribution of resources and scarce goods or services: it restricts how much people are allowed to buy or consume. ...

The country, at least certain sections of it, did so well that it has been open to the accusation of profiteering from the war. After the war there was some effort to find and punish profiteers, but the consequences and scope of these trials were far less severe than in many other countries, largely a reflection of the general acceptance of the realistic need for cooperation with Germany. On the whole, though the country fared relatively well, this is only a relative measure. Phil Giltner has worked out that Germany had a "debt" of roughly 6.9 billion Kroner to Denmark as a whole. This means that they had taken far more out of the Danish economy than they had put in, aside from the negative side effects of the war on trade. A war profiteer is any person or organization that makes profits (rightly or wrongly) from warfare or by selling weapons and other goods to one or even both of the parties at war in their own or in foreign countries. ... The Danish krone is the currency used in Denmark and the Danish dependency of Greenland. ...

This German debt means that the occupation of Denmark was overall an economic benefit to their war effort. This represents an unhappy reality for Danes who would like to think that they contributed to the downfall of Nazi Germany.

Hardship and the end of the War

Denmark was liberated from German rule in May of 1945 by the famous General Bernard Montgomery, although the easternmost island Bornholm was occupied by Soviet forces who remained there for more than a year. Bernard Law Montgomery Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein (November 17, 1887 - March 24, 1976) was a British military officer during World War II often referred to as Monty. ... This article or section is missing needed references or citation of sources. ...

Although Denmark was spared many of the difficulties other areas of Europe suffered from, there were still some hardships for the population, particularly after the Germans took charge in 1943. Yet, on the whole, Denmark can be said to have suffered the least of all the European combatants from the war. Many were killed and imprisoned because of their work resisting the German authorities. There were small bombing raids on select targets in the country, but nothing comparable to that suffered by, for instance, neighbouring Norway or the Netherlands. One area that was badly damaged was the island of Bornholm, largely due to Soviet bombardment of the German garrison there. This article or section is missing needed references or citation of sources. ... State motto (Russian): Пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь! (Transliterated: Proletarii vsekh stran, soedinyaytes!) (Translated: Workers of the world, unite!) Capital Moscow Official language None; Russian (de facto) Government Federation of Soviet republics Area  - Total  - % water 1st before collapse 22,402,200 km² Approx. ...

Just over 850 members of the resistance were killed during the war. Roughly 900 Danish civilians were killed through various causes, either caught in air raids, killed during civil disturbances, or in reprisal killings, the so-called clearing-murders. 39 Danish soldiers were killed or injured during the invasion, and 4 were killed on 29 August 1943 when the Germans dissolved the Danish government. About 360 Danes died in concentration camps. The largest groups of fatalities was amongst Danish sailors who continued to operate throughout the war, most falling victim to submarines. 1,850 sailors died. Just over 100 soldiers died as part of Allied forces. The Danish Resistance Movement was an underground insurgency 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... August 29 is the 241st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (242nd in leap years), with 124 days remaining. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ...

After the war 40,000 people were arrested on suspicion of collaboration. Of these 13,500 were punished in some way. 78 were death sentences, although only 46 were carried out. Most received prison sentences of under 4 years. Many people criticized the process for victimizing "small" people disproportionately, while many politicians and businesses were left untouched. Another difficult issues was what to do with collaborators who were essentially "following orders" that their own government had given them, such as business executives who had been encouraged to work with the Germans. Collaboration (co+labor+ation) refers abstractly to all processes wherein people work together —applying both to the work of individuals as well as larger collectives and societies. ... Capital punishment, also referred to as the death penalty, is the judicially ordered execution of a prisoner as a punishment for a serious crime, often called a capital offense or a capital crime. ...

Although some members of the resistance tried to organize new political parties after the war to reshape the political order in Denmark, they were unable to do so. The only strong impact the resistance had on the elections in October 1945 was that the communists, widely credited with much of the resistance work had a large surge in support, receiving 1/8 of the popular vote.

See also

• Danish resistance movement
• Military rule
• Rescue of the Danish Jews

The Danish Resistance Movement was an underground insurgency 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... US General Douglas MacArthur (left), military ruler of Japan 1945-1952, next to Japans defeated Emperor, Hirohito Military rule may mean: Militarism as an ideology of government Military occupation (or Belligerent occupation), when a country or area is conquered after invasion List of military occupations Martial law, where military... The rescue of the Danish Jews occurred during Denmarks occupation by Nazi Germany during World War II. When German authorities in Denmark ordered the Jews deportation to Germany in October 1943, many Danes and Swedes took part in a collective effort to evacuate the roughly 8,000 Jews of...

Other nations

• Occupation of Belarus by Nazi Germany
• Belarusian Central Rada
• Occupation of the Channel Islands
• Occupation of Czechoslovakia
• Occupation of Estonia by Nazi Germany
• Military history of France during World War II
• Vichy France
• Jews outside Europe under Nazi occupation
• Reichskommissariat Kaukasus
• Occupation of Latvia by Nazi Germany
• Lokot Republic
• Military history of Luxembourg during World War II
• Reichskommissariat Moskau
• Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
• History of Poland (1939–1945)
• Reichskommissariat Ukraine

Belarusian partisan fighters behind German front lines in Belarus in 1943 Occupation of Belarus by Nazi Germany. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... As part of the Atlantic Wall, between 1940 and 1945 the occupying German forces and the Organisation Todt constructed fortifications round the coasts of the Channel Islands such as this observation tower at Les Landes, Jersey The Occupation of the Channel Islands refers to the Military occupation of the Channel... == On the same day, Hitler met with Chamberlain at Berchtesgaden and demanded the swift return of the Sudetenland to the Third Reich under threat of war. ... Occupation of Estonia by Nazi Germany. ... France, along with the United Kingdom, was one of the first participants in World War II after declaring war on Nazi Germany following its invasion of Poland in 1939. ... Presidential flag of Vichy France For other uses of Vichy, see Vichy (disambiguation). ... // North Africa The Final solution plan aspire to destroy also the Jews of North Africa. ... This article contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... Occupation of Latvia by Nazi Germany. ... The Lokot Republic (Russian: Локотская Республика) was a semi-autonomous region in Nazi occupied Russia under an all-Russian administration from 1941 to 1943. ... The military history of Luxembourg during World War II was a period in the history of Luxembourg when the country was occupied by Nazi Germany during World War II. On 10 May 1940 the German Wehrmacht attacked Luxembourg and quickly defeated its small defence force. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Starting with the invasion of April 9, 1940, Norway was under military occupation of German forces and civil rule of a German commissioner in collaboration with a Pro-german puppet government. ... Main article: Polish government in exile On September 1, 1939, without formal declaration of war, Germany invaded Poland. ... Reichskommissariat Ukraine was a Nazi German administrative district, under the civilian occupation of conquered territories of central and eastern Ukraine during World War II. Adolf Hitler,always sense hate to Jew-Bolshevism,with heavy hate also to Untermenschen Slavs. ...

References

• Lundbak, Henrik. Besættelsestid og frihedskamp 1940-45. København: Frihedsmuseet, 1996. ISBN 87-89384-40-7
• Flender, Harold. Rescue in Denmark. New York: Holocaust Library, 1963.
• Dethlefsen, Henrik. "Denmark and the German Occupation: Cooperation, Negotiation, or Collaboration," Scandinavian Journal of History. 15:3 (1990), pp. 193-206.
• Giltner, Phil. "The Success of Collaboration: Denmark's Self-Assessment of its Economic Position after Five Years of Nazi Occupation," Journal of Contemporary History 36:3 (2001) pp. 483-506.

External link

• Agreement between U.S. Secretary of State and Danish Minister on the status of Greenland April 10, 1941