REBELLION IN DENMARK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 205, 31 August 1943, Page 5

REBELLION IN DENMARK

NAZIS PROCLAIM MARTIAL LAW MANY DANISH WARSHIPS ESCAPE TO SWEDISH PORTS (By Telegraph -Press Association—Copyright) Reed. 7 p.m. London, Aug. 29. Open rebellion is reported to have broken out in Denmark as a result of the issue of a German proclamation placing the whole country under martial law. Communications between Denmark and the rest of the w odd are cut off, but Swedish newspapers publish reports that a general strike has been declared and that 3000 German troops have been landed in Copenhagen to patrol the streets in tanks, in an effort to maintain order. Reuter's Stockholm correspondent says that six Danish warships, including- gunboats and torpedo-boats, have arrived at Malmo and Landskrona, in Sweden. He adds that seven other warships are reported to have reached Landskrona carrying a large number of civilians, including members of the Danish Government.

According to the crew of one warship at Malmo, other units of the Danish navy scuttled themselves in Copenhagen Harbour early this morning following the declaration of martial law. One torpedo-boat which arrived at 1 Malmo fled from Copenhagen under the fire of German guns.

It is stated that heavy fighting occurred in Copenhagen last night when Danish seamen fought a delaying action while the fleet was being scuttled. Seamen also blew up munition dumps and port installations. The Stockholm correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain says the Danish navy is estimated to have comprised two cruisers, 13 torpedoboats, 12 submarines. 21 minesweepers, six minelayers, and a Royal yacht. It is unofficially estimated that there are about 20 Danish vessels in Copenhagen harbour.

Since midnight on Saturday the Danes have been openly at war against Germany, correspondents in Stockholm state. Sixteen hours of German martial law failed to bring the angry Danes to heel, and sabotage has reached new proportions as the desperate populace seeks to do as much daamge as possible before the' Germans complete thc-.r grip on the! country. According to Swedish newspapers,] martial law was proclaimed after thei Danes had rejected an ultimatum pre-1 sented by the German Minister to Denmark. Werner Best, following a! two-day conference with Himmlei. | The German Commander-in-chief’s| proclamation stated: "Recent events have proved that the Danish Government is no longer capable of maintaining order. Disturbances by enemy agents are directed against the German army, and consequently I declare martial law throughout Denmark. I order, first, that officials and other authorities must loyally continue to perform their duties and conform with the German regulations; second, that gatherings and meetings of more than five persons in streets or public places or elsewhere are prohibited;! third, that theatres and other places' of entertainment will close at dark.! when all street traffic is prohibited;' fourth, that the use of post and tele-1 graph and telephone services is pro-i hibited; fifth, that strikes are pro-1 hibited. Provocation to strike is! usually punishable by death. German' military courts will deal with violations of these decrees, which are based on international law. Armed force will be ruthlessly used in cases of assault and gatherings.” Reports reaching Stockholm stale that the Danish Government has resigned and that King Christian has been taken into custody. The Stockholm correspondent of the Daily Telegraph reports that King Christian is a prisoner of the German army in the Palace Sorcenfri, and that news of his abdication is expected hourly. The Danish Government has ceased to function, and the entire country is under German military dictatorship. Professor Gudmund Hatt, a Dane, broadcasting on the Danish radio, reviewed Germany's difficulties in th? occupied countries, and emphasised that the British propaganda was resulting in an upsurge of national feeling- and sabotage. The Germans, h? added, were thus forced to tak ( ' counter-measures. Berlin radio stated that the strikes and sabotas? in Denmark were promotrfl hr Christmas Mueller and his associates. Mr. Mueller was former Danish I Minister of Commerce, but he escaped i to England early last year. A mes-! sage from him was to-aay broadcast J to the Danish people by the 8.8. C. I European service. He said in his m -s-j sage: "Three years of German occupation, three yeans of exploitation, I and three years of injustice have' finally resulted in revolts against the Germans. We are proud of our: countrymen. The Germans again have; been defeated, but they are carrying, on in their usual brutal way. They' cannot bond neck of the Danish: people, just as they could not bend the neck of the Swedish people.”