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occupation of Denmark was commenced by Operation Weserübung 9 April 1940, and lasted until the German forces were withdrawn at the end of World War II following their surrender to Allied forces.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

Increasing Hostility

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.

Related Topics:
Autumn - 1942 - Stalingrad - El-Alamein - March - 1943 - Strike - Civil disturbance - Summer - 29 August - Martial law

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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 http://www.navalhistory.dk/English/History/1939_1945/torp_udlevering_1941.htm. 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 http://www.navalhistory.dk/English/History/1939_1945/us_safari.htm.

Related Topics:
Torpedo boat - Dannebrog - Royal Danish Navy

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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 people, 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.

Related Topics:
Swift action - Sweden - Sabotage - D-Day - Train - Reinforcement - Normandy - Illegal press

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