Originally posted by KilgoreTrout
Do you think that this could have been to cover up their pro-Nazi activities? Many of the industrialists and financiers that held Nazi Party
membership conspired with Himmler to be arrested in the round up of the 20th July 1944 attempt on Hitler's life.
Denmark enjoyed from day one of the occupation Hitler's private favoritism, and practicies unheard of in any occupation of the nazis --like at least
for the first year and a half letting a communist party exist-- they were tolerated in DK, a friend and a major food supplier to the Wehrmact. Also
that Jews unhidered could go about with their practises for the first three years of the war is unprecedented.
Correction! ...I stated 29th of Aug 1944 as the day Parliament was dissolved by the Germans, but that ol' mem'ry bucked me again.
It should correctly be 29th of Aug 19
43. The events of summer 44 had to do with a national strike leading to increased terror and counter
terror that ended with the breaking up of Danish police.
Rereading on the occupation of DK, I found this very good
Wiki article
It is worth noting --after we didn't quite lived up to the role of "Model Protectorate"-- SS-Obergruppenführer (General) Dr. Werner (von) Best,
was authorized as acting chancellor of Denmark. He was a well known member --and co-founder-- of Gestapo, so possibly some Himmler connection there
too. As a currious note, some evidence suggests that he covertly cooperated in the safe passage of the Danish Jews.
As ref I also link the page From
Danish Wiki on the subject. It is more comprehensive than
the English version, and has the part about denouncing the communists.
The best way actually to get insight to the particular epoch and get a feel of what Danish inter-war society was like, is to read the novels of
reknown Danish writer
Hans Scherfig.
There is triology by him, written over 20+years covering the time leading to the occupation,
*Idealists*, pub1945, describing the
special scene, polarized in political extremism in one end, and exotic exoteric teaching in the other, which in many ways is telling for the 20s/30s
political and mental culture. In this novel it's about occultism ... prophets and power, very witty.. on the 'underground' of Copenhagen in the
30s.
It runs paralel and continues into
*Frydenholm*, pub1962, covering the war-time, and is about the politics of 'the cabinet of
cooperation' and all the associations in its consideration to comfort the Germans, while pursueing their politics of non-violence.
It's the center piece in his authorship, a classic modelled over Scavenius, the German-pro head of cabinet for the later half of the war, about his
mansion, given name to the novel set in the scene of a small rural community and what goes on 'up on the castle'. The main theme is the framing of
the communists and the kind of games, like recognizing the German declaration of war on the Soviet Union, leading up to it. This book caused attempt
to rewrite/fiercely defend status quo of our recent history, when it was first published in 1962. That's when the vails started to fall. Still almost
every new season brings a new title on the subject of Danish involvement.
[edit to add] There has been a lot of camels to swallow over the years. First to get attacked was the myth of the importance of Danish resistence for
the war in the North Atlantic. Railroad sabotage of the mainline through Jutland was its special. It's been claimed, some say proven, the actions
meant nothing to the outcome on that front. It's been fiercely rejected for a quater century. As time passes the voices of objection dies out. The
latest assertion, only a few seasons old, that Danish resistence in the final year of the war was mainly criminal gangs operating, taking advantage of
the situation, have hardly raised an eyebrow (like in UK, a considerable percentage of new students cannot put WW2 and their national role in any
concept of time or ideology).
On with Scherfig.
The third and closing book in the triology is set on the crime scene in the wake of the war
*The Scorpion*, pub1953, is about the kind of network that had operated and developed through the war and kept on operating more
powerful than ever (late 40s, CIA is getting on the scene here), until they were cracked -- if the powers-that-be allowed it of course.
You can see they are not publish chronologic as the list goes
Idealists 1945
Frydenholm 1962
The Scorpion 1953
... ..by
Hans Scherfig
In short he published the begining and the end first, and waited 20 years to publish the very sensible core of his message, Danish war time
lies/crimes, is at least among those still alive, a subject still able to shatter.
Give them a go, it's highly satirical and sharp witted, still very humorous writing. If you can find them at the library.
They should be aviable in English --not sure about the first one--
I know they all are in Russian.

[edit on 8/5/2008 by khunmoon]
awhole lotta typos'n mssps
[edit on 8/5/2008 by khunmoon]
[edit on 8/5/2008 by khunmoon]