Schneider/Greenwald

1. S
Nonviolent Resistance
to Nazi Occupation of
Denmark
Clark Schneider
Jamie Greenwald

2. Thesis
S Once the Nazis shift from benevolent occupiers to
oppressors, the goals (autonomy, independence) of the
nonviolent conflict are indeed a viable option in changing
the unjust Nazi society into a just one.
Through a predominantly non-violent campaign of strikes
and protests, Denmark frustrated the Nazi regime while
maintaining Danish society and culture and minimizing
bloodshed.

3. Nazi Invasion
S On April 9, 1940, the Nazis invaded Denmark with
overwhelming force
S Denmark did little to resist
S Germany promised not to compromise Denmark’s
“political independence”
S (Petrow, Bitter Years, pp. 48-49)

4. Samarbejdspolitik
S Danish government adopted a policy of cooperation
S King Christian “wished to spare his country further misfortune”
S (Petrow, Bitter Years, p. 50)
S “To survive became the goal’”
S (Lennart Bergfeldt, Experiences of Civilian Resistance: The Case of Denmark, 1940-1945
(Uppsala: University of Uppsala, 1993), p. 63)
S “Cooperation would be the lesser evil”
S (Ackerman, and Duvall, 2010, p. 210)

6. Early Resistance: Symbolic
Protest
S Cultural pride
S Lays the groundwork for resistance by emphasizing continued
Danish society and culture despite the German occupation
S 10 Commandments for Danes
S Danskerens 10 bud
S Danish Youth Association
S Media
S Ekstrabladet

8. Onset of German Oppression
S Communist Crackdown
S “Clashes with the usual Danish sense of justice”
S (Petrow, Bitter Years, p. 163)
S Anti-Comintern Pact of 1941
S “Unavoidable consequences”
S (Thomas, Giant Killers, pp. 108-110)
S German enlistment of Danish civilians

9. “‘Down with the traitors’” (The
Times of London)
S Protests at Rigsdag
S Churchill Club
S Underground press
S Frit Danmark; Studenternes Efterretniigstjeneste
S White Book
S “Action is required of us all”
S (Thomas, Giant Killers, pp. 124-125)

11. Resistance Gains Momentum
S General von Hanneken and Dr. Werner Best
S Parliamentary election
S Making a difference in World War II
S Sabotage
S Folk strikes
S Traitors black-listed

12. Dr. Werner Best General Von Hanneken

13. Government Cooperation
Ends
S Hitler instructs General von Hanneken to “rule with an iron
hand”
S (Thomas, Giant Killers, p. 122)
S In response to the strikes, Germany gives Denmark’s
government an ultimatum: submit to total Germen tyranny or
lose power
S Danish government refuses; cooperation ends
S German military assumes control of Denmark

14. The Height of Resistance
S Danish Jews saved from Nazi round-up
S Freedom Council established
S Sabotaged Nazi military factories
S Frode Jakobsen: “the battle for people’s soul” is through non-
violence
S (Jorgen Haestrup, Secret Alliance (Odense: University of Odense, 1976), p. 45)
S The Freedom Council’s resistance movement had over 45,000
by war’s end

16. People’s Strikes
S Massive strikes halt military production
S Danish endure German repercussions
S Freedom Council appreciates the power of strikes
S Encouraged nonviolent resistance over sabotage and riots
S Strikes significantly impaired Nazi war machine

18. Post-War
S Danish resistance forms an interim coalition government
S Danish culture, society, and economy remain intact

20. Goals and Values
S Initial goals
S compliance, survival, minimal bloodshed
S Eventual goals of the resistance
S Independence, democracy, minimal bloodshed, resist the
Nazis

21. Conclusion
S In the case of Danish resistance to the Nazis, the
eventual goals of independence through strikes and
noncooperation were a viable and effective option in
changing the unjust Nazi state by debilitating its capacity
to fight a war.

22. The Power of Nonviolence
S In Denmark’s case resisting the powerful Nazi military
through violence would have resulted in slaughter
S Nonviolent resistance gave the Danish people the ability
to effectively resist the Nazis while avoiding sacrificial
violent conflict

23. Bibliography
S Ackerman, Peter, and Jack Duvall. A Force More
Powerful. 1st ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2000.
210. Print.