The things we don’t talk about

An alternative look at the occupation period and the resistance movement

When Danes talk about the occupation of their country, the conversation often gravitates to the resistance movement: those brave patriots who defied the might of the Germans and stood up for virtues such as freedom and democracy. They were the light in the dark who dared to do battle with an evil force from across the border.

But the occupation was much more than that. And the history encompasses many more shades of grey than what we see in the overly black-and-white tale of resistance heroes and daring acts of sabotage that often takes centre stage.

Of course, we must not forget that the story of the resistance really does include many acts of pure heroism that can still bring tears to our eyes and put a lump in our throats even today. These stories are important to Danish national identity today, bringing Danes together around a common image of their country and their character – but not all of the stories actually live up to the ideals that are so dearly held by many.

Get an answer to the difficult questions

On this guided tour, we will take a closer look at some of the stories from occupation that are spoken about less often and we ask the question: "Were things really so clear-cut?"

Was the resistance movement really guided by a moral compass when they ordered acts of violence against young German girls or appointed themselves judge, jury and executioner over the fate of an informer?

Did the Danish government go too far when they took the unilateral decision to intern 170 communists and to outlaw their political position? Was there really justice to the judicial purge (Retsopgøret) after occupation or was it indeed a 'legal madhouse' as it has been described?

This tour is aimed at visitors who already have some knowledge of the occupation period and would like to reexamine some of its well-known stories from another perspective.

Duration: 1 hour

Capacity: Max 20 people

Meeting spot: The museum shop

Cost: Within opening hour DKK 1,100 | Outside opening hour DKK 1,500
The group will also need to buy entrance tickets to enter the museum

Booking: Send an e-mail to frihedsmuseet@natmus.dk or call + 45 41 20 60 80 to book a private guided tour