9th of April - 73rd Anniversary of German Invasion of Denmark and Norway

**Shadwellarmy** · 04-09-2013, 07:57 PM

Today is the 73rd Anniversary of the German Invasion of Denmark and Norway.

I just want to send thoughts out to the men who lost their lives this day (allthough the numbers were ridiculously low compared to what happened elsewhere)

The Danish resistance to the invasion was merely symbolic, however there were some skirmishes at the border, in Copenhagen the king's royal guard for instance did repulse the first German attack on the royal palace, but already at 6.00am the king and the government decided to lay down arms in exchange for self-government to some degree.

There are however several proves that the Danish government was informed about the invasion plan by the Germans in advance.
Some Danish researchers even suggest that the Danish Government and the German authorities struck an agreement (the Danish foreign minister is supposed to have had a secret meeting with Himmler in Rostock one month prior to invasion).

Consequently German troops didnt expect any resistance when they crossed the border, as a result 4 panzers, 12 armoured cars and several motorcycles and cars were destroyed. German casualties amounted to 204 while only 16 Danes lost their lives that morning seventythree years ago.

Less well known is the paradox that many of the soldiers who where fighting the Germans actively that day later joined Waffen SS(of course children dont learn this in Danish schools). Eg. Later Frikorps Danmark commander K.B. Martinsen was in charge of the danish anti tank unit which caused the most German losses.

Cheers, Mads