Denmark 1943”: Using Music to Teach Holocaust Rescue David H
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Social Education 71(6), pp 316–321 ©2007 National Council for the Social Studies “Denmark 1943”: Using Music to Teach Holocaust Rescue David H. Lindquist Addressing the topic of rescue efforts poses particular challenges for teachers Rescue’s overall dynamics should be planning Holocaust curricula. While the issue leads many students to develop an considered before specific cases are pre- engaged empathy with rescuers, teachers must avoid overemphasizing what was a sented. Students should understand that limited occurrence within the overall Holocaust. becoming a rescuer brought practical, and sometimes life and death, consider- The idea of goodness makes rescue of the war, geography, particular German ations into play as individuals decided appealing to students, but creates a peda- occupation policies, the number of Jews how to react when rescue opportunities gogical dilemma for teachers. Studying the living in a given area, and pre-existing local presented themselves. Holocaust involves examining humanity’s levels of antisemitism. Similarly, rescuers starkest aspects, and students who con- spanned all social and economic classes, Historical Overview front the evil that is central to the event religions, occupations, educational levels, While most of German-occupied Europe rightfully seek relief from that confronta- behaviors, and personalities. bore the brunt of severe policies soon tion. The Holocaust, however, provides The fact that many resources on rescue after invading forces arrived, Germany little relief from encounters with death exist may give the impression that rescues implemented a comparatively mild occu- and destruction. Students thus gravitate to occurred with much greater frequency pation in Denmark from April 1940 until stories of rescue as a sign of hope, a reas- than was the case. In reality, “less than mid-1943. Because Nazi racial policy surance that right will triumph in the end. 0.5 of 1 percent of all people in Nazi- depicted Danes as Germany’s “Nordic This was not the case in the Holocaust, occupied Europe were rescuers.”1 This cousins,” the brutal policies enacted in of course, yet rescue is a vital part of statistic can be problematic for teachers places where locals were “non-Aryan” Holocaust history. as they consider how much attention to were not implemented in Denmark. Also, This article presents a plan for using give to rescue stories. The study of rescue because Denmark’s economic situation music to teach about the Danish Rescue. should be included in Holocaust cur- was favorable to Germany’s war effort, It discusses the need to contextualize res- ricula, but overemphasizing the topic, the Danes were subject to relatively few cue within the Holocaust’s larger story; or portraying rescuers idealistically, restrictions. Similarly, and notwithstand- overviews the rescue; introduces the song romanticizes what happened and dis- ing the apocryphal legend of the yellow “Denmark 1943”; and provides notes torts reality. star, anti-Jewish policies enacted in other and details about the lesson plan. The It is critical, therefore, that rescue be conquered nations were not enforced in song’s lyrics, a list of names and places contextualized within the Holocaust’s Denmark, a unique circumstance dur- mentioned in the song, and a discussion overall history. Rescue should be dis- ing the Holocaust.3 Thus, occupation guide are also included. cussed only after major Holocaust policies applied to Jewish Danes were not themes, such as persecution and anni- noticeably different from those placed on Contextualizing Holocaust hilation, have been studied. Conversely, the general Danish population. Rescue placing rescue at the end of a Holocaust In mid-1943, when sabotage against Rescue unfolded in all areas affected by unit may leave students with the distorted German interests increased dramati- the Holocaust. The scope of rescue efforts view that “all is well with the world. ..., cally, Germany tightened its control varied greatly—influenced by the course in the end, justice was done.” 2 on Denmark and prepared to move S OCIAL EDUCATION 316 Rabbi Marcus Melchior, the Danish chief rabbi, who warned his congregants about the German plan to round up Denmark’s Jews, is pictured above in Copenhagen, Denmark, before his 1943 escape to Sweden. (Courtesy of The Museum of Danish Resistance 1940–1945) OOCTCTOO BER 20072007 317 LESSON PLAN 1. Discuss Holocaust rescue in general and the Danish Objectives of the Lesson Plan Rescue in particular, if these topics have not been Through this lesson plan, students will develop: studied previously. Identify complications and dangers 1. an awareness of the course of the rescue, beginning involved in being a rescuer. with the occupiers’ planned roundup, the passing of information to the resistance and the general Danish 2. Play “Denmark 1943” for the class. During this initial population, the unfolding of the actual rescue, and the listening, discussion and writing should not occur. postwar return of Jews to Denmark; 2. a sense of the rescue’s spontaneous, almost random 3. Distribute the song’s lyrics, maps (World War II Europe; nature; Denmark and Sweden), and the discussion guide to 3. an understanding of how Danes viewed Jewish Danes, each student. Because this is an activity that will lead a critical element if the rescue’s “why” is to be under- students to learn and conceptualize historical facts, stood; emphasize that there are no specific answers to the 4. an appreciation of the fact that heroes are often average discussion items. individuals who choose to act courageously in times of moral crisis;5 and 4. Students complete the discussion guide, working alone 5. critical thinking skills through analyzing an artistic work or in small groups, while the song is played repeatedly. at multiple levels. Students are likely to become more engrossed with the song each time it is played. They should be encouraged Notes on Teaching the Lesson to consider the song on denotative (historical) and 1. Students should have a solid background in Holocaust connotative (interpretive) levels. As the song is played history before studying rescue. Presenting rescue efforts repeatedly, some students may hum along (and perhaps without first establishing the historical context will cause sing along) to the lyrics (especially the chorus), thus students to develop faulty perceptions about rescue generating an engaged atmosphere and cadence in and its place within the Sho’ah. the room. 2. This lesson may last several periods depending on the length of each session, student grade level and historical 5. Conduct a group discussion after the students have knowledge, and the depth of critical thinking students completed the discussion guide. Consider each item display in discussing the song. at both levels noted earlier. Most items are designed 3. Stress that the song describes real people and actual to lead students to consider both levels. events.6 4. Emphasize that Danes felt protecting their fellow citizens was “the natural thing to do.” against Jewish Danes. A roundup was year and a half. Most Danish Jews who saw the event simply as Danes helping set for Rosh Hashanah (October 1). were arrested and deported survived, fellow Danes. However, German economic attaché a result of direct, ongoing intervention Georg Ferdinand Duckwitz, a man with on their behalf by the Danish govern- “Denmark 1943” strong personal ties in Denmark, told ment. Composer Fred Small commemorated Danish politician Hans Hedtoft about After the war, Jews returning to their this remarkable event with his song plans for the roundup and deportation homes throughout Europe were often “Denmark 1943,” which focuses on real of Denmark’s Jews. Danish resistance treated horribly by their fellow citizens people and portrays historical events groups were alerted, and a spontane- and, in some cases, were murdered. In and the implications that may be drawn ous rescue operation quickly unfolded. Denmark, however, a warm welcome from them.4 “Denmark 1943” traces the Neutral Sweden agreed to accept all refu- greeted returning Jews. Their businesses Danish situation from the rescue until gees from Denmark, and “The miracle of and homes, gardens and pets had been the Jews’ return to Denmark a few weeks the Danish Rescue” began. Ninety-eight cared for by their fellow Danes. Thus, after the European war ended. The song percent of Denmark’s 7,000 Jews, non- the Danish Rescue is an unparalleled allows the listener to learn what hap- Jewish relatives, and Danish resisters event in the Holocaust, a demonstration pened while sensing why it happened. were ferried to Sweden, where they lived of humanity encircled by the greatest in relative comfort during the war’s last of inhumanities. The Danes, however, continued on page 321 S OCIAL EDUCATION 318 NAMES AND PLACES Eichmann: SS officer, directed deportations across Europe Himmler: SS chief, architect of “the Final Solution to the Jewish ques- tion” The Museum of Danish Resistance 1940–1945 Duckwitz: German official in Denmark, informed Hedtoft of the planned roundup, later West German ambassador to Denmark, honored by Yad Vashem as a “Righteous Among the Nations” Hedtoft: Danish politician contacted by Duckwitz, informed Danish resistance of the planned raid, later Very little photo documentation exists of the rescue of Danish Jews. This photo Danish prime minister depicts a meeting between the Swedish packet boat Margit of Malmoe (right side) and the Danish motor schooner Anø, near Kullen (Sweden), where refugees Melchior: acting chief rabbi of of the Danish resistance switched from one ship to the other. Denmark, alerted Jewish Danes to the deportation plan DENMARK 1943 from page 318 2. Samuel Totten, Stephen Feinberg, and William Fernekes, “The Significance of Rationale Statements Espergærde: one of the towns from in Developing a Sound Holocaust Education Program,” in Teaching and Studying the Holocaust, which boats departed to Sweden eds. Samuel Totten and Stephen Feinberg (Boston: during the rescue Allyn and Bacon, 2001), 17.