Swedish Scientists to the Rescue
The Germans believed the Jews were escaping via fishing boats, so they sent patrolmen to as many vessels as possible to search the boats for escapees. If boat owners tried to disguise their human cargo, the German’s sniffer dogs would uncover the Jews who would surely have died. Over the course of three weeks, Swedish fishing boats safely carried 7,200 Jews across the water without getting caught. How?
Swedish scientists came up with a brilliant idea to deceive the dogs. They created a mixture of dried rabbit blood and cocaine and gave each fisherman a handkerchief coated in it. When the Germans stopped the boats and spoke to the owners, the fishermen would casually hold the handkerchief. The dogs would race towards the handkerchief and ignore any other lingering smells on the boat. Their sense of smell was destroyed by the cocaine temporarily so they would find nothing of interest on the boat.
Unfortunately, around 474 Jews did not escape Denmark. While some ignored the warnings, others were simply too old and infirm to leave. Those that were captured ended up in Theresienstadt concentration camp. However, the Danes refused to give up on those in the camps and sent them food packages. The Danish Foreign Ministry pestered the Nazis with warnings and demanded that a delegation be allowed to visit the prisoners. Ultimately, no Danish Jews were sent to Auschwitz, and when the Swedish Red Cross successfully negotiated the release of Danish Jews, 423 survivors were sent to Sweden.
What Happened to Duckwitz?
Even though almost all of Denmark’s Jews escaped, Best still told his superiors that the Final Solution had been carried out. Of course, he didn’t lie when he told them that Denmark had no more Jews. After the war, Duckwitz was extremely humble and did not regard himself as a hero. In fact, he said: “I do not think my life is more important than the lives of 7,000 Jews.” He was the highest-ranking Nazi officer involved in such a large-scale rescue.
Duckwitz continued to work in the German foreign service after the war. He was the West German ambassador to Denmark from 1955 to 1958 and later served as his nation’s ambassador to India. Duckwitz was placed in the prestigious position of Secretary of State in West Germany’s Foreign Office in 1966 and remained there until he retired in 1970. Best testified at the Nuremberg Trial of the Major War Criminals and avoided a death sentence after the war. He was released from prison in 1952 and died in 1989.
Duckwitz received the Righteous Among the Nations title from the Israeli government in 1971, and he died in 1973. Duckwitz’s quick actions, lack of regard for personal safety, compassion and bravery were instrumental in saving over 7,000 people during World War II; he deserves to be remembered as one of the great heroes of the conflict.
Sources For Further Reading:
YAD Vashem – Denmark and the Holocaust
Holocaust Research Project – Werner Best
YAD Vashem – Georg Ferdinand Duckwitz
Facing History – Herbert Pundik on the Rescue of the Jews of Denmark
Los Angeles Times – How The Danes, And A German Turncoat, Pulled Off A World War II Miracle
History Channel – Why 90 Percent of Danish Jews Survived the Holocaust
The New York Times – Georg Duckwitz, German Aide Who Helped Danish Jews, Dies
History Collection – Historic Figures Who Set Out to Save Jews From the Holocaust
History Collection – The Japanese Diplomat Who Saved Five Times As Many Jews As Oskar Schindler