Preventing the Final Solution in Denmark
Duckwitz worked with Best in Denmark from 1942, but he was forced to act decisively to save thousands of lives little more than a year later. The Nazis declared a state of emergency in August 1943; this resulted in the Danish government resigning in protest, and King Christian X stated that he was a Nazi POW in Denmark. Best asked Hitler for permission to begin the Final Solution in Denmark soon after. When Duckwitz heard about the request on September 11, 1943, he knew he had to act fast.
He spoke to Best who claimed his message to Hitler wouldn’t have any real consequences. Oddly enough, Best even allowed Duchwitz to fly to Germany to try and suppress the document, but when he got there, he learned that Hitler had already approved the order. Time was running out for Denmark’s Jews, so Duchwitz flew to neutral Sweden (although it collaborated with Germany) and told President Per Albin Hansson all about the plans. The Nazis were going to start the deportation on October 1, so there was no time to waste.
Hansson assured Duchwitz that the Jews would be well cared for should they arrive in Sweden. Duckwitz also made contact with the Danish resistance which prepared hiding places for the escapees. They also contacted Swedish fishermen who agreed to transport the Jews to Sweden’s side of the Oresund Strait. Perhaps unusually, Best continued to keep Duchwitz informed of the Nazi’s plans even though he almost certainly knew of the escape attempt. Perhaps Best wanted to keep his position in Denmark as he believed the Nazis were going to lose the war. By keeping Hitler informed and turning a blind eye to the activities of Duckwitz, he was covering all bases.
The Great Escape
On September 28, Duchwitz leaked word of the plans to the chairman of the Danish Social Democratic Party, Hans Hedtoft. He, in turn, contacted the Danish resistance and C.B. Henriques, the leader of the Jewish community. Finally, Henriques informed Dr. Marcus Melchior, the acting chief rabbi. On the following day, September 29, which was the day before the Rosh Hashanah services, the rabbi told the congregation all about the plans and urged them to inform friends and family.
When the Nazis launched their raid on October 1, they were shocked to find only a few hundred Jews and countless empty homes. They were unable to find their quarry because a rapidly organized plan was in place. First of all, over 7,000 Jews hid in carefully selected locations and eventually, the Danish resistance helped them escape to Sweden by boat. The entire operation lasted three weeks, and all elements of Danish society helped. Churches published articles protesting against the German plans, students helped in the rescue operation, and the nation’s universities closed down for a week while King Christian X spoke openly about his objections. So where did the escapees go and how did they escape their pursuers?