The occupied kingdom: Denmark during WWII

Jess Hearne explores how the occupation years transformed Denmark politically, socially, and morally long after liberation arrived.

Photograph: Embassy of Denmark in the UK FB Page

Text: Jess Hearne

On the morning of 9th April 1940, the people of Denmark woke to the sounds and sights of the German military crossing the border. The invasion happened so fast that many Danes barely had time to comprehend it before Denmark announced surrender. In just a few short hours, Denmark had gone from an independent country to an occupied territory of Nazi Germany, an occupation that would last five long years.

Denmark itself was not the main prize. As part of Operation Weserübung, its location was strategically important for German access to Norway and the Baltic Sea. Danish forces found themselves badly outnumbered and, fearing that continued fighting would lead to heavy civilian casualties, the government quickly decided to surrender.

Yet, the country was never truly defeated. Beneath the compliant appearance of everyday life, the resilient and courageous spirit of the Danes only went from strength to strength.

Cooperation and compliance: The early years

For ordinary citizens, daily life appeared strangely normal at first. Shops were still open as usual, children went to school, and trains kept running. Unlike many occupied countries, Denmark was allowed to keep its king and government, with King Christian X remaining in Copenhagen and riding the streets on horseback almost daily. What the Germans described as a “peaceful occupation” was actually a policy of cooperation, with the Danish government complying in the hope of protecting their population and maintaining a sense of independence.

Yet, reminders of the occupation started to appear at every turn. The streets were filled with German troops, blackouts became common practice, and petrol rationing forced many onto bicycles. Curfews and censorship became part of daily life, with newspapers and radio broadcasts being tightly controlled.

Growing resistance

As the war continued, cooperation became increasingly difficult to defend. Many Danes felt humiliated by the surrender and frustrated by the government’s willingness to work with Germany. By 1943, anger had boiled over into strikes, protests and sabotage. Resistance groups began destroying railways, factories and communication lines used by the Germans. Underground newspapers spread banned information and encouraged opposition to the occupation.

The resistance movement was made up of students, workers, doctors, shopkeepers and even some police officers. Some carried out acts of sabotage, while others gathered intelligence for the Allies or helped people escape the country. The work was dangerous. Resistance fighters risked imprisonment, torture and execution if caught. Still, the movement continued to grow.

One of the most remarkable moments of the occupation came in October 1943, when Germany ordered the arrest and deportation of Danish Jews - news of the planned roundup spread quickly. Across Denmark, ordinary citizens helped their Jewish neighbours escape. Families were hidden in homes, churches and hospitals before being secretly transported across the Øresund to neutral Sweden in fishing boats. Around 7,000 Danish Jews, roughly 95% of Denmark’s Jewish population, were saved in what became one of the most extraordinary rescue efforts of the Second World War.

The Germans responded harshly, imposing martial law in August 1943, after fresh waves of strikes and unrest. The Danish government resigned rather than accept German demands for harsher punishments. German forces took direct control of the country, and the Danish navy scuttled many of its own ships to stop them falling into German hands.

Darkness into light: The final years

The final years of occupation were darker and more violent. Sabotage increased, but so did reprisals. Resistance fighters were hunted down, and civilians were killed in retaliatory attacks known as Schalburgtage. Fear was everywhere, yet so was determination. Underground networks expanded, and many Danes secretly listened to BBC broadcasts for news from abroad.

Then, on the evening of 4th May 1945, everything changed. A BBC broadcast announced that German forces in Denmark had surrendered. Across the country, people tore down blackout curtains and lit candles in their windows. Crowds flooded the streets in celebration. After five years of occupation, Denmark was free once more.

The occupation left deep scars on Denmark, but it also shaped modern Danish identity. The years between 1940 and 1945 revealed both compromise and courage, fear and resistance. Denmark may have been occupied, but many of its people never stopped resisting in ways both large and small. That spirit ensured the country survived not only physically, but morally too.