Oprop! - The "outcry" on the 9th of April 1940 (p.1)
The 9th of April 1940 was a shitty day for the Danish Kingdom, who woke up to the harsh reality that the "non-aggression pact" the mighty German neighbour so generously had granted the little people was all but a lie. The war had finally come to the land of fairy tales, and Denmark was at war for the first time since the disastrous "War of 1864" (when the
Danes were beaten by the Prussians, and lost 1/3 of the Kingdom).
It's probably the single most known piece of paper in the Denmark and it's from my fathers collection of war stuff. He was 16 at the end of the war. Had the war lasted a year or two longer, he would likely have been subject to enforced conscription in the German Army, since the Danish army had been dissolved in 1943.
This is the front-side of a leaflet dropped from a Nazi-German aircraft bomber on the day of invasion. The Danish government capitulated later the same day...
Picture of the aircraft bombers
Read about the Nazi-German occupation of Denmark.
See this old British Newsreel from April 18, 1940
For many years after, the Danish defense strategy was based on the phrase "Never again an April 9th!".
In view of the failed strategy of "neutrality", and realizing there was already a new "bully" in the neighborhood (the Soviet block) the solution was to join the NATO alliance, headed by the USA.
Some (perhaps most) Danes were hoping for a broad Nordic alliance, but after the Russian army spent a year "liberating" a small but beloved Danish island out in the middle of the Baltic Sea, after the end of the war, most people realized a purely Scandinavian Alliance would not be enough to match the power of the Red Army.
Anyway...
- since there are people "out there" looking for an English translation (myself included), and since Google Translate is rubbish (in this case), I have taken upon myself the overwhelming task to translate this stupid Nazi-propaganda. It isn't easy. Just try to "Google Translate" the original text to English and you'll see what I was up against! =D
This fatal document is written in a peculiar language. It's neither Danish nor Norwegian, but it's understandable if you give it a long hard look. .
Please bear in mind, I'm not a historian, not a professional translator and not even a native Anglophone. In addition , this oddly phrased document really has to be translated to Danish first.
The translation is more or less word for word, it is therefore, not phrased in proper English. Hopefully this will leave you with the same confusion, that a native speaking Dane would experience when he or she tries to read Hitler's old rant back then =)
Well... here's the first page of the
Proclamatioooooooon!
"Without reason and against the German government's and the German people's sincere desire to live in peace and friendship with the English and the French people, the rulers of England and France last year in September declared war on Germany.
Their intent was and remains, in terms of the circumstances, to take decisions on battlefields that are more remote, and therefore less dangerous to France and England, in the hope that it will not be possible for Germany to act strongly enough against them.
For this reason, England has, among other, constantly violated Denmark's and Norway's neutrality and their territorial waters.
It is constantly trying to make Scandinavia a theatre of war. Since a new occasion for this has not been given after the Russo-Finnish peace settlement. It has now officially declared, and use as a threat, not to tolerate the German merchant fleet's sailing in Danish territorial waters of the North Sea and in Norwegian waters.
They have declared, that they will take on police surveillance there themselves. They have lately made all the preparations, to by surprise, take possession of all the necessary support points at the Norwegian coast. Churchill, the century's biggest warmonger, who already in the first World War worked to the misfortune of all mankind, said it openly, that he was not willing to be held back by "legal decisions, or the Neutral's rights, as it is just written on a scrap of paper".
He has prepared the battle for the Danish and the Norwegian coast. A few days ago, he was appointed to Chief Commander of the British warfare."
Page 2
The German government has until now watched this man's actions, but it can not tolerate that a new theater of war will be acquired by the English-French warmongers' desire.
The Danish and Norwegian governments have known for months about these attempts.
Likewise, their position is no secret to the German government. They are not willing or able to provide an effective opposition to the English intrusion.
Therefore, Germany has decided to anticipate the English attack, and with its military forces take over the protection of the Danish and Norwegian kingdoms's neutrality, and preserve it as long as the war last.
It is not the German Government's intention to gain a stronghold in the struggle against England, the aim is only to prevent Scandinavia from becoming a battleground for the British war expansion.
For this reason, since this morning, strong German military forces have taken possession of the most important military objects in Denmark and Norway. In addition to these measures, agreements are currently being signed between the German State Department and the Royal Danish Government. These agreements will ensure that the Kingdom continues to exist, the army and the navy is maintained, that the Danish people's freedom is revered and that this country's future independence is fully guaranteed.
Until these negotiations are completed, it is expected that the Army and Navy will comply, and also the people and all municipal bodies are sensible and show good will in order to avoid any passive or active resistance. It will be useless and will be broken with all the instruments of power. All military and municipal bodies are therefore immediately invited to liaise with the German commanders.
The people are encouraged to continue their daily work, and to ensure calmness and order!
For the country's security against British assault, from now on comply the German army and navy.
The German commander
Kaupisch
--------------------------------------------------------
The original x-language text copy-pasted from: www.1sted.dk/2verdenskrig/dokumentar/oprop.aspx
(p.1)
OPROP!
Til Danmarks Soldater og Danmarks Folk !
Uten Grund og imot den tyske Regjerings og det tyske Folks oprigtige Ønske, om at leve i Fred og Venskab med det engelske og det franske Folk, har Englands og Frankrigets magthavere ifjor i September erklæret Tyskland Krigen.
Deres hensigt var og blir, efter Mulighet, at treffe Afgjørelser paa Krigsskuepladser som Ligger mere afsides og derfor er mindre farlige for Frankriget og England, i det Haab, at det ikke vilde være mulig for Tyskland, at kunde optræde stærkt nok imot dem.
Af denne Grund har England blandt andet stadig krænket Danmarks og Norges Nøitralitæt og deres territoriale Farvand.
Det forsøkte stadig at gjøre Skandinavien til Krigsskueplads. Da en yderlig Anledning ikke synes at være givet efter den russisk-finnske Fredsslutning, har man nu officielt erklæret og truet, ikke mere at taale den tyske Handelsflaates Seilads indenfor danske Territorialfarvand ved Nordsjøen og i de norske Farvand. Man erklærte selv at vilde overta Politiopsigten der. Man har tilslut truffet alle Forberedelser For overraskende at ta Besiddelse af alle nødvendige Støtepunkter ved Norges Kyst. Aarhundredes største Krigsdriver, den allerede i den første Verdenskrig til Ulykke for hele Menneskeheden arbeidende Churchill, uttalte det aapent, at han ikke var villig til at la sig holde tilbake af "legale Afgjørelser eller nøitrale Rettigheder som staar paa Papirlapper".
Han har forberedt Slaget mot den danske og den norske Kyst. For nogen Dager siden er han Blit utnævnt til foransvarlig Chef for hele den britiske Krigsføring.
(p.2)
Den tyske Regjering har til nu overvaaket denne Mands Forholdsregler, men den kan ikke taale, at en ny Krigsskueplads nur bliver skaffet efter de engelsk-franske Krigsdriveres Ønsker.
Den danske og den norske Regjering har siden Maaneder hat Beskjed om disse Forsøk.
Likeledes er deres Holdning ingen Hemmelighed for den tyske Regjering. De er hverken villige eller istand til at kunne yde en virksom Motstand bot det engelske Inbrudd.
Derfor har Tyskland besluttet at foregripe det engelske Angrep og med sine Magtmidler selv at overta Beskyttelsen av Danmarks og Norges Kongeriges Nøitralitæt og værne den saalænge Krigen varer.
Det er ikke den tyske Regjerings Hensigt at skaffe sit et Støttepunkt i Kampen mot England, den har udelukkende det Maal at forhindre at Skandinavien bliver Slagmark for de engelske Krigsudvidelser.
Af denne Grund har stærke tyske Militærkræfter siden i dag morges tat Besiddelse af de vigtigste militære Objekter i Danmark og Norge. Over disse Forholdsregler treffes der for Tiden Overenskomster mellem den tyske Riksregjering og den Kongelige Danske Regjering. Disse Overenskomster skal sikre at Kongeriget bestaar videre, at Hæren og Flaaten opretholdes, at det Danske Folks Frihet agtes og at dette Lands fremtidige Uafhængighed fuldt ut sikres.
Indtil disse Forhandlinger er afsluttet, maa der ventes at Hæren og Flaaten har Forstaaelse for dette, likeledes at Folket og alle kommunale Steder er fornuftige og har god Vilje, slik at de undlater enhver passiv eller aktiv Motstand. Den vilde være uten Nytte og bli brudt med alle Magtmidler. Alle militære og kommunale Steder anmodes derfor straks at opta Forbindelsen med de tyske Kommandører.
Folket opfordres til at fortsætte det daglige Arbeide og til at sørge for Rolighed og Orden!
For Landets Sikkerhed mot engelske Overgrep sørger fra nu af den tyske Hær og Flaate.
Den Tyske Kommandør
Kaupisch
Oprop! - The "outcry" on the 9th of April 1940 (p.1)
The 9th of April 1940 was a shitty day for the Danish Kingdom, who woke up to the harsh reality that the "non-aggression pact" the mighty German neighbour so generously had granted the little people was all but a lie. The war had finally come to the land of fairy tales, and Denmark was at war for the first time since the disastrous "War of 1864" (when the
Danes were beaten by the Prussians, and lost 1/3 of the Kingdom).
It's probably the single most known piece of paper in the Denmark and it's from my fathers collection of war stuff. He was 16 at the end of the war. Had the war lasted a year or two longer, he would likely have been subject to enforced conscription in the German Army, since the Danish army had been dissolved in 1943.
This is the front-side of a leaflet dropped from a Nazi-German aircraft bomber on the day of invasion. The Danish government capitulated later the same day...
Picture of the aircraft bombers
Read about the Nazi-German occupation of Denmark.
See this old British Newsreel from April 18, 1940
For many years after, the Danish defense strategy was based on the phrase "Never again an April 9th!".
In view of the failed strategy of "neutrality", and realizing there was already a new "bully" in the neighborhood (the Soviet block) the solution was to join the NATO alliance, headed by the USA.
Some (perhaps most) Danes were hoping for a broad Nordic alliance, but after the Russian army spent a year "liberating" a small but beloved Danish island out in the middle of the Baltic Sea, after the end of the war, most people realized a purely Scandinavian Alliance would not be enough to match the power of the Red Army.
Anyway...
- since there are people "out there" looking for an English translation (myself included), and since Google Translate is rubbish (in this case), I have taken upon myself the overwhelming task to translate this stupid Nazi-propaganda. It isn't easy. Just try to "Google Translate" the original text to English and you'll see what I was up against! =D
This fatal document is written in a peculiar language. It's neither Danish nor Norwegian, but it's understandable if you give it a long hard look. .
Please bear in mind, I'm not a historian, not a professional translator and not even a native Anglophone. In addition , this oddly phrased document really has to be translated to Danish first.
The translation is more or less word for word, it is therefore, not phrased in proper English. Hopefully this will leave you with the same confusion, that a native speaking Dane would experience when he or she tries to read Hitler's old rant back then =)
Well... here's the first page of the
Proclamatioooooooon!
"Without reason and against the German government's and the German people's sincere desire to live in peace and friendship with the English and the French people, the rulers of England and France last year in September declared war on Germany.
Their intent was and remains, in terms of the circumstances, to take decisions on battlefields that are more remote, and therefore less dangerous to France and England, in the hope that it will not be possible for Germany to act strongly enough against them.
For this reason, England has, among other, constantly violated Denmark's and Norway's neutrality and their territorial waters.
It is constantly trying to make Scandinavia a theatre of war. Since a new occasion for this has not been given after the Russo-Finnish peace settlement. It has now officially declared, and use as a threat, not to tolerate the German merchant fleet's sailing in Danish territorial waters of the North Sea and in Norwegian waters.
They have declared, that they will take on police surveillance there themselves. They have lately made all the preparations, to by surprise, take possession of all the necessary support points at the Norwegian coast. Churchill, the century's biggest warmonger, who already in the first World War worked to the misfortune of all mankind, said it openly, that he was not willing to be held back by "legal decisions, or the Neutral's rights, as it is just written on a scrap of paper".
He has prepared the battle for the Danish and the Norwegian coast. A few days ago, he was appointed to Chief Commander of the British warfare."
Page 2
The German government has until now watched this man's actions, but it can not tolerate that a new theater of war will be acquired by the English-French warmongers' desire.
The Danish and Norwegian governments have known for months about these attempts.
Likewise, their position is no secret to the German government. They are not willing or able to provide an effective opposition to the English intrusion.
Therefore, Germany has decided to anticipate the English attack, and with its military forces take over the protection of the Danish and Norwegian kingdoms's neutrality, and preserve it as long as the war last.
It is not the German Government's intention to gain a stronghold in the struggle against England, the aim is only to prevent Scandinavia from becoming a battleground for the British war expansion.
For this reason, since this morning, strong German military forces have taken possession of the most important military objects in Denmark and Norway. In addition to these measures, agreements are currently being signed between the German State Department and the Royal Danish Government. These agreements will ensure that the Kingdom continues to exist, the army and the navy is maintained, that the Danish people's freedom is revered and that this country's future independence is fully guaranteed.
Until these negotiations are completed, it is expected that the Army and Navy will comply, and also the people and all municipal bodies are sensible and show good will in order to avoid any passive or active resistance. It will be useless and will be broken with all the instruments of power. All military and municipal bodies are therefore immediately invited to liaise with the German commanders.
The people are encouraged to continue their daily work, and to ensure calmness and order!
For the country's security against British assault, from now on comply the German army and navy.
The German commander
Kaupisch
--------------------------------------------------------
The original x-language text copy-pasted from: www.1sted.dk/2verdenskrig/dokumentar/oprop.aspx
(p.1)
OPROP!
Til Danmarks Soldater og Danmarks Folk !
Uten Grund og imot den tyske Regjerings og det tyske Folks oprigtige Ønske, om at leve i Fred og Venskab med det engelske og det franske Folk, har Englands og Frankrigets magthavere ifjor i September erklæret Tyskland Krigen.
Deres hensigt var og blir, efter Mulighet, at treffe Afgjørelser paa Krigsskuepladser som Ligger mere afsides og derfor er mindre farlige for Frankriget og England, i det Haab, at det ikke vilde være mulig for Tyskland, at kunde optræde stærkt nok imot dem.
Af denne Grund har England blandt andet stadig krænket Danmarks og Norges Nøitralitæt og deres territoriale Farvand.
Det forsøkte stadig at gjøre Skandinavien til Krigsskueplads. Da en yderlig Anledning ikke synes at være givet efter den russisk-finnske Fredsslutning, har man nu officielt erklæret og truet, ikke mere at taale den tyske Handelsflaates Seilads indenfor danske Territorialfarvand ved Nordsjøen og i de norske Farvand. Man erklærte selv at vilde overta Politiopsigten der. Man har tilslut truffet alle Forberedelser For overraskende at ta Besiddelse af alle nødvendige Støtepunkter ved Norges Kyst. Aarhundredes største Krigsdriver, den allerede i den første Verdenskrig til Ulykke for hele Menneskeheden arbeidende Churchill, uttalte det aapent, at han ikke var villig til at la sig holde tilbake af "legale Afgjørelser eller nøitrale Rettigheder som staar paa Papirlapper".
Han har forberedt Slaget mot den danske og den norske Kyst. For nogen Dager siden er han Blit utnævnt til foransvarlig Chef for hele den britiske Krigsføring.
(p.2)
Den tyske Regjering har til nu overvaaket denne Mands Forholdsregler, men den kan ikke taale, at en ny Krigsskueplads nur bliver skaffet efter de engelsk-franske Krigsdriveres Ønsker.
Den danske og den norske Regjering har siden Maaneder hat Beskjed om disse Forsøk.
Likeledes er deres Holdning ingen Hemmelighed for den tyske Regjering. De er hverken villige eller istand til at kunne yde en virksom Motstand bot det engelske Inbrudd.
Derfor har Tyskland besluttet at foregripe det engelske Angrep og med sine Magtmidler selv at overta Beskyttelsen av Danmarks og Norges Kongeriges Nøitralitæt og værne den saalænge Krigen varer.
Det er ikke den tyske Regjerings Hensigt at skaffe sit et Støttepunkt i Kampen mot England, den har udelukkende det Maal at forhindre at Skandinavien bliver Slagmark for de engelske Krigsudvidelser.
Af denne Grund har stærke tyske Militærkræfter siden i dag morges tat Besiddelse af de vigtigste militære Objekter i Danmark og Norge. Over disse Forholdsregler treffes der for Tiden Overenskomster mellem den tyske Riksregjering og den Kongelige Danske Regjering. Disse Overenskomster skal sikre at Kongeriget bestaar videre, at Hæren og Flaaten opretholdes, at det Danske Folks Frihet agtes og at dette Lands fremtidige Uafhængighed fuldt ut sikres.
Indtil disse Forhandlinger er afsluttet, maa der ventes at Hæren og Flaaten har Forstaaelse for dette, likeledes at Folket og alle kommunale Steder er fornuftige og har god Vilje, slik at de undlater enhver passiv eller aktiv Motstand. Den vilde være uten Nytte og bli brudt med alle Magtmidler. Alle militære og kommunale Steder anmodes derfor straks at opta Forbindelsen med de tyske Kommandører.
Folket opfordres til at fortsætte det daglige Arbeide og til at sørge for Rolighed og Orden!
For Landets Sikkerhed mot engelske Overgrep sørger fra nu af den tyske Hær og Flaate.
Den Tyske Kommandør
Kaupisch