Liberation of Denmark 1945

We have found material in the collections from the five cursed years and the early May days of 1945, when freedom returned.

In many ways, Denmark's liberation was as strange as the occupation on 9 April 1940 had been. At that time, Denmark was surprised by the German soldiers, and the fighting ended in a few hours. The liberation also came without any major blows on Danish soil. Montgomery received the surrender of the German forces on the Lüneburg Heath far to the south of the Danish border. Only 8.5 hours after the Germans had surrendered did the first Allied soldiers arrive.

We have gone exploring in the collections and have found material about the message of liberation, the celebration and the clashes in the streets, the history of the Royal Danish Library's secret collection and much more.

The library's secret collection

Image of several newspaper covers that were part of the illegal press during the occupation.

During the German occupation 1940-1945, the Royal Danish Library secretly received a large part of the illegal press's printed matter. But one evening in 1944, the secret collection was revealed.

The message of liberation

Photograph of crowd celebrating the liberation.

In the middle of the usual news broadcast on 4 May at 8:35 pm., the message that the Danes had been waiting for was heard. The Germans had withdrawn, and Denmark was free again after 5 years.

Candlelight in the windows

Photograph of a woman and child looking at the candles burning in the window 4 May

During the occupation, blackout curtains had left the streets in darkness, but when liberation came, so did the light. We examine the tradition of candlelight in the windows on 4 May.

The final liberation of Bornholm

Photograph of buildings in Rønne in ruins after bomb attacks from the Russians.

While the rest of the country celebrated the liberation on 4 May 1945, a few days later bombs fell on Bornholm. Almost a year later, the island could finally celebrate its own liberation.

From festivities to a dangerous public mood

Photograph of armed resistance fighters in the trunk of a car.

The blackout curtains had hardly burned out before traitors, snitches and collaborators had to be held accountable for their actions, and in some places the atmosphere in the street changed.

The August Uprising 1943

Photograph of a crowd overturning a prison van in the street.

Experience the dramatic and rebellious atmosphere in Denmark in August 1943, which had a decisive influence on the rest of the occupation period.