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June 17, 2005
Four centuries of Jewish history
Denmark is home to a small community with deep roots and a share
in some of the world's finest tourist sites.
DAVE GORDON
Choose a word, name or place that you most strongly associate with
Denmark. Pastry? Furniture? Hamlet? Victor Borge? Hans Christian
Andersen? For some, it would be rescue - the heroic act of the Danish
people in saving their Jewish citizens from transport to Auschwitz
in 1943.
The story begins on the morning of Rosh Hashanah, 1943, when Rabbi
Marcus Melchior strode to the bimah of Copenhagen's Great Synagogue
and announced to his stunned congregants: "Leave here immediately!
The Nazis are rounding up every Jew in Denmark. Tell your friends.
And go into hiding." A sympathetic German diplomat had passed
the word to the leaders of the Danish Social Democratic Party, who
in turn had warned Melchior and mobilized the Danish resistance.
The Jews fled before heavily armed Gestapo men smashed into their
homes. They were taken in by Christian neighbors or hidden by underground
workers until they could be smuggled out to fishing villages along
Denmark's east coast. An improvised fleet would carry the refugees
across the mine-laden, U-boat-patrolled waters of the Oresund Strait
to sanctuary in neutral Sweden.
Virtually every one of the 7,800 who had been forced to leave returned
in 1945 to resume their places in Danish society. About 30 miles
from Copenhagen, the Gilleleje Museum tells the story of how these
Jewish refugees escaped to Sweden. The museum in Gilleleje features
several documents concerning the dramatic events. The museum also
features exhibits on the history, culture and art of Danish Jews
since the 17th century.
Today's travellers by car or bus usually begin their journey at
Mindelunden, the memorial park in Copenhagen's northern outskirts.
It is the gravesite of 106 Righteous Gentiles, members of the resistance
executed by the Nazis for helping Jews escape and taking part in
the sabotage of German troop trains and munitions factories. Behind
the sculpture dedicated to them are the 31 additional graves of
patriots who died in concentration camps, as well as 131 commemorative
plaques for those who disappeared without a trace. A "don't
miss" is Israel Plads, the twin of Denmark Square in Jerusalem.
The Danish square features at one end a huge "thank you"
boulder from Eilat that Israel gave to the people of Denmark in
gratitude for saving the Jews.
To get another visual of history, see the Danish Jewish Museum in
Copenhagen - the first museum for a minority in Denmark. It presents
Danish-Jewish culture, art and history extending back to the first
Jewish immigration around 400 years ago. The museum is located in
rooms within the oldest part of the Royal Library. There you find
a massive door bearing a sign with the word "mitzvah"
(commandment or good deed).
The Museum of Danish Resistance recounts what happened during the
Nazi occupation of 1940-1945. It began as an exhibition called Fighting
Denmark, arranged by the Resistance Council in the summer of 1945.
In 1957, a permanent museum was opened here. The current exhibition
was inaugurated in 1995. Behind the museum in Churchill Park you
will find the sculpture "Wounded Woman," which was presented
by Israel to the Danish people in appreciation of their support
during the Holocaust. The sculpture, by the Israeli artist Bernard
Reder, was unveiled in 1969.
Perhaps the best way to experience Jewish Copenhagen is by taking
a tour with Gitta Bechshoft. A ninth generation descendant of some
of the first Jewish merchants to immigrate to Denmark from Hamburg,
Gitta, who speaks Danish, English and Hebrew, is a licensed guide
specializing in Jewish subjects. Visitors are treated to in-depth
insight - not only into the historical city of Copenhagen and its
Jewish history - but also the modern, everyday life of its small
Jewish population. The walking tour also includes general sights
and recommendations for other activities. Check out www.copenhagen-walkingtours.dk
for more information.
Fun and sightseeing
Right near the Hovedbanegården (Central Station) is
Tivoli, a fun place for children and sightseeing. Founded in 1843,
Tivoli's major attractions include a roller coaster, big wheel and
midnight fireworks display. The market has become extremely popular
and an ice skating rink opens in December. There's a lot to do:
a leisurely stroll along the lake, live music, kids' theatre, acrobats
and a light show every day.
The Tivoli Boys Guard parades through the gardens twice a day on
weekends and public holidays, with a full orchestra, stagecoach
and horses. If you enjoy quaint cobblestone road strolls, then Strøget,
the world's longest pedestrian street, is for you. Buses, trams,
cars and bicycles were banned in 1964 to allow for the throngs of
shoppers.
In the streets to the north of Strøget is the Rundetårn
(Round Tower) - the oldest observatory in Europe. The building forms
part of a 17th-century complex. A 700-foot spiral ramp leads to
the top of the tower, from where there is a good view over the old
parts of the city.
Kongens Nytorv (King's New Square) is a huge, open-air ice
rink, built around Krinsen, the stone monument that stands in the
middle of the square. It's the largest in Scandinavia. Nyhavn
(New Harbor) is a dock towards Kongens Nytorv. The multicolored
17th-century buildings accommodate bustling cafés beside
a pedestrian thoroughfare and the masts of yachts.
Old Country royalty
As with most of Europe, Denmark is home to gorgeous castles. Rosenborg
Slot (Rosenborg Castle) was built between 1606 and 1634 and
remained a royal palace for 400 years. This red brick, Dutch Renaissance-style
palace displays the Crown jewels and other royal treasures dating
from the 16th to the 19th centuries. The gardens (Kongens Have)
surrounding the palace were laid out in 1606 and are one of the
most attractive spaces in the city. Amalienborg Slot (Amalia's
Castle) has been the winter residence of the Danish royal family
since 1794. The four identical Rococo palaces face each other, where
the changing of the guard takes place each day at noon, when the
family is in residence. A museum, featuring some of the private
chambers and royal treasures dating from 1863-1947, is open to the
public.
Museums
For the museum-goer, there are also exhibits aplenty. Nationalmuseet
(National Museum) is housed in a former royal palace. The museum
is the country's premier historical and cultural institution. Permanent
collections include the history of Denmark from the Ice Age to the
17th century. There is also an interactive children's museum. Statens
Museum for Kunst (Royal Museum of Fine Art) houses Denmark's
largest art collection, including paintings by Rembrandt, Titian
and Picasso, as well as an excellent Matisse collection. The Glyptoteket
Museum was founded in 1888, housing classical artwork, including
French Impressionists like Manet, and an antiques collection from
the Orient, Egypt, ancient Greece and the Roman Empire.
Dave Gordon is a Toronto freelance writer.
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