-
Period: to
The jews escape from Denmark
-
Jews fleeing to Denmark
In the years up to world war 2 jews fled to Denmark. Some were allowed in, but most were rejected -
From collaboration policy to persecution and deportation
On 29 August 1943, the Danish government stepped down. This marked the official end of the policy of collaboration with the German occupation forces that had been in force since 9 April 1940. As a consequence of the collaboration policy, no anti-Jewish law had been enacted in Denmark separating Jews from the rest of the population. Jews in Denmark were thus protected as a result of this policy.
After the government stepped down, the Germans initiated a plan to arrest and deport the Jews. -
1-2 October
During the night between 1 and 2 October 1943, German soldiers and their Danish henchmen arrested Jews in their homes. During the weeks that followed, more Jews were caught while trying to flee to Sweden. Sweden was neutral during the war and therefore a haven for refugees. About 17,000 Danes fled to Sweden, 7,000 of whom were Jews. -
Theresienstadt
A total of 480 jews were sent to the concentration camp Theresienstadt in Bohemia north of Prague. Theresienstadt was not an extermination camp, and in agreement with the Danish authorities jews from Denmark was not sent to Auschwitz, to extinction. -
Busses sent to Theresienstadt
In mid-April 1945 the Danish authorities got permission to retrieve the Jews who had been sent to Theresienstadt. Busses were sent to Theresienstadt, and from there the Jews were transported to Sweden. Up to 95% of the Jews from Denmark - including the Jewish refugees - were saved from the Nazis.