Rescue of the Jews of Denmark
Jewish refugees are ferried out of Denmark aboard Danish fishing boats bound for Sweden. —Frihedsmuseet
Tove Schoenbaum Bamberger describes trip to and arrival in Sweden Close
Germany occupied Denmark in April 1940. The Danish government remained in existence and was able to protect Jews in Denmark from anti-Jewish measures. In late August 1943, however, the Danish government resigned after refusing to accede to new German demands. In early October 1943, German police began arresting Jews. Tove and her family decided to flee. They made their way to the fishing village of Snekkersten, from where they were able to sail to safety in Sweden. Tove returned to Denmark in May 1945. —US Holocaust Memorial Museum
Leif Donde describes his family's escape from Denmark to SwedenClose
The Germans occupied Denmark in April 1940, but the Danish government remained in existence and was able to protect Danish Jews. In August 1943, the government resigned after refusing to accede to German demands. German police began to arrest Jews in early October. Leif and his family decided to flee, and were smuggled by fishing boat to safety in Sweden. In Sweden, Leif attended school and his parents worked in a garment factory. The family returned to Denmark after the end of the war. —US Holocaust Memorial Museum
Preben Munch-Nielsen describes precautions taken during the boat crossings which took Jews to safety in SwedenClose
Preben was born to a Protestant family in Snekkersten, a small fishing village. The Germans invaded Denmark in 1940. Preben became a courier in the resistance. When the Gestapo (German Secret State Police) began hunting down Jews in Denmark in October 1943, Preben helped hide refugees in houses near the shore and led them to boats which took them to Sweden. Preben himself had to take refuge in Sweden in November 1943. He returned to Denmark in May 1945. —US Holocaust Memorial Museum
Preben Munch-Nielsen describes a fishing boat used to carry Jews to safety in SwedenClose
Preben was born to a Protestant family in Snekkersten, a small fishing village. The Germans invaded Denmark in 1940. Preben became a courier in the resistance. When the Gestapo (German Secret State Police) began hunting down Jews in Denmark in October 1943, Preben helped hide refugees in houses near the shore and led them to boats which took them to Sweden. Preben himself had to take refuge in Sweden in November 1943. He returned to Denmark in May 1945. —US Holocaust Memorial Museum
Historical Photographs
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Detail of the Danish fishing boat displayed in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition. —US Holocaust Memorial Museum More
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Group portrait of Danish-Jewish children living in a Swedish children's home, after their escape from Denmark. —US Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Frihedsmuseet
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Jewish refugees are ferried out of Denmark aboard fishing boats bound for Sweden. October 1943. —US Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Frihedsmuseet
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Jewish refugees are ferried out of Denmark aboard Danish fishing boats bound for Sweden. October 1, 1943. —US Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Frihedsmuseet
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View of the Danish fishing boat in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition. —US Holocaust Memorial Museum More
Detail of the Danish fishing boat displayed in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition. —US Holocaust Memorial Museum More
Group portrait of Danish-Jewish children living in a Swedish children's home, after their escape from Denmark. —US Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Frihedsmuseet
Jewish refugees are ferried out of Denmark aboard fishing boats bound for Sweden. October 1943. —US Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Frihedsmuseet
Jewish refugees are ferried out of Denmark aboard Danish fishing boats bound for Sweden. October 1, 1943. —US Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Frihedsmuseet
View of the Danish fishing boat in the Museum's Permanent Exhibition. —US Holocaust Memorial Museum More
The autumn of 2013 marked the 70th 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.
Did you know?
- Germany occupied Denmark on April 9, 1940. However, Danish Jews were not persecuted until the autumn of 1943.
- When the German police began searching for and arresting Jews on the night of October 1, 1943, the Danish police refused to cooperate.
- 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.
- 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.
And we stayed very quietly and the boat went out. And when we were in the middle of the ocean between Sweden—it was about 30 minutes into Sweden—between Sweden and Denmark, a big boat came and we were afraid...
—Tove Schoenbaum Bamberger
