Jewish Scene
Denmark faces questions over Nazi ties
AFP
Published: 05.10.13, 07:56
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13 Talkbacks for this article
1. You don't argue with success: 7000 lives is a very big deal!
tom ,   tel aviv   (10.05.13)
Remember: historians have to make a living too, so they have to re-invent History from time to time; that's how you get "new", twisted explanations for almost every action, at any time.
2. Denmark in WW 2
Torvid Hoiland ,   Bryne, Norway   (10.05.13)
On April 9th, 1940 Germany attacked Denmark and Norway. While Norway put up a fight, which lasted for 2 months, Denmark surrendered immediately. Denmark did not regard itself at war with Germany until 2 days before the end of the war. Even Sweden changed its aligience before Denmark did. Saving the jews was possible only because of the cosy cosy relationship between the German occupiers and the Danes. The Germans in Norway were rather annoyed that the Norwegians did not cooperate like the Danes. In Norway the Germans installed a puppet regime headed by Vidkun Quisling, a nazi party leader who (unlike his Danish and Swedish colleagues) never managed to win even one single parlamentary seat for his nazi party in democratic elections.
3. #2 torvid
solomon ,   bklyn   (10.05.13)
It is my understanding that Sweden was neutral. And if Sweden would not have accepted all Jews that reached its shores, unlike Swizerland that turned them back, the Danish Jews would have had no place to go. Kol HaKavod to both countries and peoples.
4. Total population of Jews in Europe
Harold ,   USA   (10.05.13)
What was the European Jewish polulation in 1940 including those who immigrated to the United States, Canada, Australia, Palestine, South Africa and to other European countries
5. #4 harold
solomon ,   bklyn   (10.05.13)
The red cross estimated that European jewelry was about 11.5 million and in 1945 there was less than 4 million. And your point is....?
6. #2 Norwegians / Quislings among the most Antisemitic in Euro
Laila ,   Montreal, Canada   (10.05.13)
#2 Norwegians / Quislings are among the most Antisemitic people in Europe.
7. To No 3
Torvid Hoiland ,   Bryne, Norway   (10.05.13)
Sweden remained neutral ... ? Well, they kept selling their iron ore (very important for the war) to Germany almost to the end of the war, and they did allow German troops to be transported by railway through Sweden, and they handed over some Norwegian resistant fighters (who had blown up the railway line used to transport the Swedish iron ore) to the Germans, who then beheaded them. Sweden declared war on Germany in January 1945, Denmark in May 1945 (after being occupied by Germany for over 5 years). Norway declared war on Germany in April 1940, The Norwegian merchant fleet played an important role in the allied nations' warfare against Nazi-Germany. There are some shameful stains on Norway's WW2 history - for instance the collaborators who helped the nazis in rounding up 40% of the Norwegian jews and ship them to Auschwitz, but lets get the facts correct - Norway was the only Nordic country that fought Nazi-Germany.
8. #7 torvid
solomon ,   bklyn   (10.06.13)
I know the facts regarding Norway. Thank you for the facts about Sweden. I still have to give them credit...just not as much as I did before. Peace.
9. #5 A bit touchy aren't you?
(10.06.13)
10. Sweden asked the Nazi regime to put a capital J
Rachel   (10.06.13)
in the passports of Jews so the Swedish border police could could easily identify that it is a Jew and oppose entrance to Sweden. The rescue of the Dansih Jews was done by simple people in Denmark and Sweden, not by the Swedsh government.
11. #9 I get upset at garbage posts
solomon ,   bklyn   (10.07.13)
12. to #11 I think #9 like to use british colonial names
ghostq   (10.07.13)
he might as well immigrate back to the UK.
13. #10
NilsG ,   Helsingborg, Sweden   (10.07.13)
Correct about the "J". Not quite about the governement being not involved - they did accept the Jewish refugees, after being informed of what was about to happen. Not much to be proud of, but, a bit.
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