Occupation of Denmark

Germany's occupation of Denmark was commenced by Operation Weserübung 9 April 1940, and lasted until the German forces were withdrawn at the end of World War II following their surrender to Allied forces. The occupation ended 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.

Danish Government 1940-43

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:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• They had no particular strategic or ideological interests in the country, so they were happy to be free of the responsibilities and burdens of administration.
• 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 King Christian X remained in the country. 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.

Related Topics:
Parliament - Police - Judicial system - King Christian X - One party state

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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:

Related Topics:
Social Democrat - Thorvald Stauning

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• 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.

Related Topics:
Erik Scavenius - Prime Minister - Coalition cabinet - Diplomat - Elitist - Sovereignty

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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.

Related Topics:
Customs - Currency union - National Socialist - Mark - Krone - Jew - Minority

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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.

Related Topics:
Gestapo - Werner Best - 1942

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1942, Adolf Hitler transmitted a long birthday telegram to King Christian. The King replied with a simple Meinen besten Dank. Chr. Rex - (English: 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.

Related Topics:
Adolf Hitler - English - Führer

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~