Who were the Danish men and women who joined the resistance during World War II – and what difficult choices and dilemmas did they face?
Travel back to Denmark during the occupation. In the shadowy streets you get up close to the Danish resistance movement. Here you meet four resistance fighters and a Danish Nazi, each of whom has chosen a side in Hitler’s occupied Denmark in their own way. What would you have done yourself?
Meet Musse
1.
Goodbye, children
The Nazis are on the trail of resistance fighter Musse Hartig and her husband Knud. So she makes a heartbreaking choice: she has to leave her two little daughters, 2-year-old Susanne and Lulu, who is just 14 days old, and go into hiding. This is just one of the many difficult choices Musse has to make during the occupation. Meet her in the exhibition.
Read more about Musse
Meet Jørgen
2.
Ready to kill
Resistance fighter Jørgen Kieler faces a dilemma: Should he continue printing illegal newspapers or take the path of sabotage? And perhaps kill others? He chooses the latter, and it changes his life forever. Hear Jørgen’s story in the exhibition.
Read more about Jørgen
Pillars of Death
With their hands tied behind their backs, the condemned resistance members stand against the three pine stakes. The German soldiers take aim with their rifles and pull the trigger. At the Museum of Danish Resistance, you can see the original execution pillars used by the occupying forces to carry out death sentences against their enemies. You can listen to some of the farewell letters that those condemned to death wrote to their loved ones before their execution.
Meet Thorkild
3.
Fight, don’t cooperate!
When the Nazis in 1943 begin their operation against the Danish Jews, it arouses indignation in the young student Thorkild Lund-Jensen. Until then, he has supported the government’s policy of cooperation with the Germans, but now he is ready to join the resistance and fight. That choice ends up having major consequences for him. Meet Thorkild in the exhibition.
Read more about Thorkild
Sailed to safety
Under cover of darkness, the fishing boat Ternen sails out from the small peninsula Stevns. Hidden inside are two Jewish families fleeing the horrors of the Nazis. They are on their way to Sweden – to safety. But suddenly, a threatening flash of light sweeps across the water. See Ternen in the exhibition and learn the story of Abraham and his family.
Meet Karl
4.
Civil war and firebombs
When Denmark is occupied, the baker Karl Christensen already has experience in joining the resistance. He had fought against Franco in the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s. Now he uses that experience as a saboteur, setting firebombs at the premises of the Germans’ Danish collaborators. Meet Karl in the exhibition.
Read more about KarlMeet Henning
5.
Hitler's henchman
When Denmark is occupied on 9 April, the choice is not difficult for the Danish Nazi Henning Brøndum: he chooses Hitler. During the occupation he spreads fear and terror among his compatriots as part of the dreaded terror group the Peter Group, which kills innocent people and blows up buildings. Meet Henning in the exhibition.
Read more about Henning
Image gallery
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Try it yourself
Take a step into the resistance struggle and try your hand at some of the tools of the resistance. Try printing an illegal newspaper...
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Crack the code
... or see if you can crack the resistance fighters’ codes or eavesdrop on the Germans’ conversations for important information.
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Out with the parachute
You can also try to see if you can morse the correct signals to the English planes so they drop their parachutes with weapons and explosives.
Bring history home with you
In our shop, you can buy a variety of items about the occupation and the resistance movement. There is everything from books and toys to games and everyday objects. It is also possible to buy something sweet to enjoy.