Christian X of Denmark, riding through Copenhagen
Today marks the year of the 75th anniversary of one of the greatest triumphs in Danish history: the rescue of over 7,000 Danish Jews from Nazi persecution.
While the Nazis were taking over Europe, exterminating an estimated 6 million out of the total 8-9 million European Jews, Danish Jews, too, started being rounded up in 1943.
Despite Denmark having been under Nazi occupation since 1940, the Germans had an interest in keeping a primarily peaceful relationship with the Danes – after all they were their ‘Aryan’ neighbours.
The Danish king, Christian X, made it clear that no racial legislation or discriminatory measures would be accepted in Denmark. Its Jewish population was accordingly neither registered nor forced to wear the yellow Star of David as Jews were in other countries, and they were largely left untouched by Nazi officers.
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