German tears Led to Denmark’s Occupation

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 207, 1 September 1943, Page 5

German tears Led to Denmark’s Occupation

Nervous About Allied Invasion

Received Tuesday, 7.15 p.m. LONDON, Aug. 31.

German fear of an Allied invasion ot Denmark is believed to be the majoi factor determining the application of severe measures against the Danes, says Reuter’s Ltosknoim correspondent. Tnß-German statement that new measures are necessary to protect the European coastline is the first German admission of their fear of an invasion of Denmark.

Observers expect that the Danes will be forbidden to listen to foreign broad casts. It is possible that radio sets 7/ill be confiscated.

Small boats are still escaping from Denmark to Sweden despite tigntening German control over the 20 miles of strait separating Sweden and Denmark, numbers of German warships and planes are patrolling the channel, ramming, shelling and bombing boats attempting to escape. However, over 500 Danes, mainly members of the Army and Navy with some policemen and civilians, have so far reached Danes are escaping to Sweden in warships and small sailing ships, making the dash through the German blockade under cover of darkness. A small motorooat with 60 officers and soldiers reached Hoganas last night.. A modern minesweeper reached Trollehorg to-day. A ferryboat from Denmark arrived at Helsingborg but carried no passengers.

The Stockholm newspaper Alleiianda says uniformed soldiers and sailors from Denmark will probably be intern ed and civilians will be left free. The Crown Prince Frederick and Princess ingrid are reported to have been interned in their residence at Amalienborg. Communications between Sweden ana Denmark are still cut and the airlines rrom Copenhagen to Berlin and Vienna nave been suspended. Danish circles Jn London have learned of a number of political arrests in Denmark, including „he Conservative Party chairman (Mr. Fibiger), the Parliamentary leader of the Conservative Party. The German News Agency stated that complete calm prevails. The Denmark police are carrying on their duties and all work has been resumed. The Danish revolts have shown the Nazis that nowhere can they keep control except by force. Consequently u hey are committed eevrywhere in their usurped dominions to an unrelieved strain on their military resources which is now their increasingly fatal weakness.

Mr. de Kauffman (Danish Minister in Washington) said to-day that the names of the Danes who had escaped to Sweden may prove significant. He said that he believed that Germany was trying to minimise the situation. He anticipated that those aboard several of the ships which escaped will soon produce some direct information. Observers deduce from Mr. de Kauffmann’s statements that the nucleus of a possible Government in exile may nave reached safety.

The great wave of sabotage continues to sweep Denmark, where the population has rebelled against the Germans’ assumption of control. The Germans are rushing more troops to Denmark to quell the disturbances.

The Berlin radio quotes competent German circles for the statement that the armed forces which have taken over the protection of Denmark will continue with the task for the duration of the war. The Danish radio announced that the newspapers in Denmark did not appear to-day ‘‘for technical reasons.” It added: ‘‘They may reappear to-mor-row.”

The Danish radio, which is now German-controlled, to-day accused the Free Danish Movement of being responsible for the sabotage in Denmark, xiariier the Germans stated that a number of Allied saboteurs had dropped into Denmark by parachute. According to the Official Wireless, the German-controiled Danish radio nas announced that the Damsn Premier (Mr. tJcavenius) and the cabinet have resigned. FINLAND’S SYMPATHY

The Finnish radio to-day expressed deep sympathy with the fate of Denmar*;. it said that the long period of occupation nad tried tne nerves of the Damsn population, while changes in the world war situation had raised great hopes of speedy iteration. An official statement by the Danish Legation in Stockholm, broadcast over the Swedish radio, says that the large part of the Danish Navy has been Scuttled at Copenhagen, while another part has managed to escape. Another report estimates that 200 Danish refugees have reached Sweden since the declaration of martial law. several hundred German troops are reported to have been killed in clashes with Danish troops. Postal and telegraphic communication between Denmark and Sweden was still suspended to-day. DANISH TROOPS RESIST GERMANS Refugees from Denmark say that sporadic fighting between Danisn troops and Germans was still going on last night. It is reported that 450 Danish civilians and soldiers were killed in severe street fighting in the Svendbord area.

At the Jaegersborg barracks outside Copenhagen tne Dauisn Royal Guards machine” mined German tanns, destroying three. The casualties on uoth sides were heavy. At Naestved, 35 miles south of Copenhagen, GOO Danish Guards ceased fighting only when their ammunition was exhausted. They had previously rejected a surrender ultima turn.

The Oslo radio says King Christian of Denmark has abdicated. A L -ffiolra message says the entire Dai. Royal Family is interned in Al.....enborg under a German military guard. Mem oers of the Government are either imprisoned or under house arrest. The 72-yerur-old head of the Jewish community in Copenhagep (Mr. C. B. Heuriques) and 50 other prominent Jews have been arrested. Scores of prominent politicians, professors and jour nalists have also been arrested together with all the Danish regular and reserve officers. All Danish soldiers on leave have been ordered by the German High Commapd to report immediately to the local German commanders on penalty ol being courtmartialled.

Reuter’s Stockholm correspondent said fighting between Danish and German troops near Copenhagen continued yesterday afternoon. A general strike occurred on Sunday in a cumber of areas, including Skagen, Aalborg, Viborg, Aarhus and Svendborg. The Danish radio said all travel in Denmark was banned except within the immediately radius of a town.