1941: Denmark

German Domination.

The Danes, with few exceptions, met intense economic and political pressure passively throughout the year 1941. Contrary to the Occupation Agreement of April 9, 1940, the Germans on Feb. 5, 1941, forcibly confiscated ten of Denmark's newest torpedo boats. When Germany had first requested transfer of the boats in January and later demanded their transfer, Danish authorities had flatly refused. Although no Danish newspapers were allowed to report the incident, King Christian issued a statement which was enclosed with army and navy pay rolls the following morning and subsequently transmitted to Swedish newspapers. One of the few violent anti-German demonstrations — the stoning of German soldiers at a soccer game on Constitution Day, June 5 — led to a decree of June 10, which increased fines and prison terms for such offenses.

The number of arrests in Denmark increased after the break between Germany and Russia. On June 22, 269 persons were arrested on suspicion of Communist activity, and 116 of them were kept in jail. Similarly on July 7, seven Danes were sentenced to prison terms for engaging in 'Bolshevik terrorism' under direction of a former Communist member of the German Reichstag; they were reported to have attempted sabotage on ships bound for Germany. The Danish Parliament cancelled the legislative immunity of its three Communist members on Sept. 3 in order to legalize their imprisonment.

On Nov. 25 Denmark, together with several other nations under German control, signed the Anti-Comintern Pact in Berlin. Popular disapproval of this step was expressed immediately with spontaneous demonstrations in Copenhagen. It was reported that pro-Nazi Foreign Minister Eric Scavenius had carried on negotiations and signed the Pact without consulting King Christian, and that the King later approved the action only after the Germans threatened to nullify their 1940 guarantee of Denmark's internal self-government.

Foreign Relations.

On April 10, the first anniversary of the Nazi invasion of Denmark, Henrik de Kauffmann, Danish Minister to Washington, signed an agreement with the United States for the protection of Greenland. (See GREENLAND.) The Danish Foreign Office announced the recall of Minister de Kauffmann on April 12 and declared that the agreement was void. Ignoring the Danish Foreign Office's announcement, the United States continued to recognize Mr. de Kauffmann as the Danish Minister. The entire Danish Legation — including Einar Blechinberg, whom the Danish Foreign Office named as chargé d'affairs after recalling the Minister — supported Mr. de Kauffman in his defiance of the German-dominated government in Copenhagen. The Foreign Office ordered all its representatives in the United States to break off relations with Minister de Kauffman and file declarations of loyalty to the Danish Government. When the three consuls general — in New York, San Francisco and Chicago — refused to comply, the Foreign Office ordered their dismissal.

Relations between the United States and Denmark grew steadily worse, and after a request of the Danish Government on July 3, the United States closed all its consulates in Denmark by July 15. On July 12, the United States Maritime Commission took over 16 Danish cargo vessels in Atlantic seaports. Two of the ships were transferred to the Army and the others assigned to carry defense materials from Latin American ports. On Sept. 20 the formation of a 'Free Denmark' with headquarters in New York City was announced by the organization's honorary president, Halvor Jacobsen, former general passenger manager of the Scandinavian American Steamship Line.

The Danish Minister to Iran, A. C. Fensmark, followed the example of Minister de Kauffmann and severed his connections with the Nazi-dominated government of Denmark on Nov. 20. Similar action was taken by the Minister to London, Count Reventlow, who broke off relations with his Government on Dec. 2 because of Denmark's signing the Anti-Comintern Pact.

Domestic Situation.

Food rations in Denmark were generally better than in most other European countries. According to reports in May, rations permitted the normal pre-war consumption of bread, flour and cereal, three-fourths of pre-war sugar consumption, and two-thirds of pre-war fat consumption. Cheese, milk and eggs were not rationed, and no serious food shortages had occurred. Unfavorable weather conditions, however, and Germany's war with Russia — chief source of Denmark's grain — reduced these rations considerably. The underfeeding and heavy slaughtering of Denmark's carefully-bred livestock continued, and the production of butter, cheese and eggs — leading export products — was about 30 per cent less than in 1940.

Because of the rise in prices without corresponding wage increases, many families were not able to buy full rations. Automatic wage rises had been stopped by the Government shortly after the occupation in order to decrease dangers of inflation, but on March 5 a Government committee decreed wage increases averaging 8 per cent for 400,000 civil servants and other workers.

Various measures were taken to alleviate widespread unemployment. German sources stated on Feb. 5 that 30 new labor camps had been set up. Swamp drainage was begun in the spring. Plans included the reclamation of 120,000 acres of idle swamps in Jutland, for which 25,000,000 kroner were allotted. It was estimated, however, that the entire project would require at least 500,000,000 kroner. On Sept. 20, in order to reduce unemployment, Denmark floated a loan of 250,000,000 kroner — the largest in Danish history — for funds to use in bridge and road building, and various other public works.

The position of the Danish Nazis became rather precarious early in the year. On Feb. 16 the Danish Home Secretary requested that municipal elections scheduled for March be postponed a year because of the War. Two days later, some of the most prominent members of the National Socialist Party sent their leader, Fritz Clausen, an open letter accusing him of betraying National Socialist ideals and offering their resignations. Another group of prominent party members resigned in mid-September. Dr. Clausen has never been accorded responsibilities comparable to those of the Germans bestowed upon Major Quisling of Norway, and he lost prestige consistently throughout the year.