Today is a special day for my parents generation

[jackson1]

Today is a special day for us danes. It's been 61 years since the britons and the americans helped us show the germans the EXIT sign.

I'm not old enough to have experinced it, but i'm part of the generation where our parents were kids in the midst of it all. They treasure this day and i fully respect that. As i write this, late in the evening, candle lights all over this little nation are being lit and placed in the windows in gratitude of no more blackouts.

Peace!

[finnman]

Henrik.
Seems like such a long time ago.
When my mother visited Silkeborg in 96 I ask her if she could bring back
something from the war.
My Mother was a little girl growing up in Silkeborg, and my Father was a teenager working the family farm near Arhus during the war.
My Farfar, got the British flag 12 may 1945 from a British soldier.
I don't know where he got the British hand grenade from.
My uncle say's the grenade was the type dropped from planes for the Danish underground back then.
It had RED and Green painted stripes on it.
My Farfar, printed (or help print I was told) illegal newspapers about the war for the underground.
He and a buddy jumped a German officer one night and took his Luger.
They got so scared afterwards that they cut the gun up into little pieces and buried it in their backyard.
How did my Mom get the Grenade back to me?
She stuffed it in the tip of some wooden shoes she was bringing back to my DAD. ...... IN HER CARRY ON BAG

[finnman]

Henrik,
I call my mom up and reminded her to put a candle in the window tonight.
She had forgotten but thanked me and said she would.
Thanks

[Razor]

Now that is just classy of you Danes. Both of my grandfathers fought in World War II. It is awesome that your people have not forgotten that. I wish more people in America were grateful for what everyone in that generation went through to help preserve the freedoms we still enjoy today. IMHO, that generation is the best generation ever.

So, thanks from an American who appreciates the show of respect by your people. I'm forever amazed at how many Europeans still respect and remember what was done so many years ago by the Allies.

[Gio]

that's cool as hell

[jackson1]

finn, great display of courage from your Farfar - and your MOM! I can't believe she brought that hand grenade in the plane! I sure hope it has been disarmed.
That's a very cool photo you put up. Lots of history in it.

My father was a kid during those days and some of his stories indicate, that he and his kid-friends didn't feel the "problem" with the occupying power. Not in the early years anyway. That was in the Skagen region of Denmark - right up at the North part of the country.
Kids play and they also played games with the german forces. And of course, many of the germans they came in contact with, treated them very well. They did a lot of small tricks/trades with the germans, like trading cigarettes for chocolate. They also stole gasoline and weapons from the camps. Today, my father still has a few WW2 weapons hanging on the walls.

War is nasty and especially the afterplay is full of hatred. When the country is freed and people can speak and act openly, it's the day of reckoning. Every danish politician, government employee, police chiefs or mayor's, any adult who could be linked with german-friendly actions during the war, were brutally hunted down and dealt with. In these situations, things are black and white. If you encouraged or were complaisant to the occupying powers to save your sorry political butt, you go down. War bring up the worst in people. And it bring people together. Complex.

[sully]

Now that is just classy of you Danes. Both of my grandfathers fought in World War II. It is awesome that your people have not forgotten that. I wish more people in America were grateful for what everyone in that generation went through to help preserve the freedoms we still enjoy today. IMHO, that generation is the best generation ever.

So, thanks from an American who appreciates the show of respect by your people. I'm forever amazed at how many Europeans still respect and remember what was done so many years ago by the Allies.

i've got the same story; both my grandfathers and my great uncle (his plane was shot down) fought in WWII. thanks for posting that.

sully