The Bitter Years: The Invasion and Occupation of Denmark and Norway, April 1940-May 1945. Paperback – November, 1974

I had been looking for a good history about Norway and Denmark, and I came upon this book. I found this book a very Interesting read about the the invasion and occupation of Denmark and Norway, Over all, this book is a good military historical over view of what happened in those two countries. While the author does cover some of the politics that went on, you do not get as much of the German side of how they administered those two countries as I would have liked, especially Norway. I had wanted to read in greater detail how Josef Terboven, and the Nazi administration ruled Norway, but as I said, this is more of a military book.

Denmark is another story. Since Germany had a more peaceful relationship with Denmark, you get more of a feel of how the two countries coexisted until the end of the war. The author talks more about the population of Denmark, and its relationship with the German occupation forces. Denmark had a more moderate Nazi governor, however, it does eventually rebel, but it seemed to cope with the Germans better then most countries.

Norway had a much more tumultuous relationship with Germany, Russia, Finland, and the British. Everyone seemed to be pulling and tugging on her. The book is basically told from an "allied" point of view. How the British tried to launch the underground in Norway at all costs. How the British pushed the envelop trying to get the Norwegians to rebel. I also found it interesting to read of the naval tricks and games played by the Germans and the British through out the war.

Over all, I found it a very good book about all the forces within Norway and Denmark. I highly recommend this book if you want to gain some insight on this part of the war, or no very little about how Norway was taken prisoner by the Third Reich!

The bitter years describes the insanity of the invasion of DK and Norway by the hun.

It's a great resource for anyone studying the Nordic Model and Scandinavian politics and sociology.

An important text but long and a little boring.

Classical book on the subject.

It is ok.

This comprehensive work elaborates on the many aspects of Nazi German control over Denmark and Norway. Owing to its breadth, I focus on a few salient issues.

Petrow includes details of combat operations. For instance, the Polish submarine ORZEL sank the German transport RIO DE JANEIRO off the coast of southern Norway, causing a heavy loss of life. (p. 43).

Nazism is often simply conflated with conservatism and nationalism. In actuality, Danish conservatives and nationalists were not only anti-Nazi, but had urged their Danish brethren to fight the Nazi invaders in 1940. (p. 167).

We have heard that Danish King Christian X threatened to wear the Star if the Germans tried to force his Jews to do so, and so the Germans backed off. Another version of the tale has King Christian X actually wearing the Star while riding horseback through the streets of Copenhagen, prompting many non-Jewish Danes to do the same to show their solidarity with the Jews. Neither account is factual. How did it come about? Petrow traces the probable origin of the Star myths to: A May 1966 NATIONAL JEWISH MONTHLY article, Rolf Hochhuth's anti-papal play THE DEPUTY, and especially Leon Uris's bestselling novel EXODUS. Interestingly, in a move worthy of Jan T. Gross (English and Polish versions of his books), the publisher for Leon Uris excised the Star account in the Danish-language version of EXODUS because the Danish readers would surely know that it was not true. Later, the Star myths were perpetuated by word of mouth among various Jewish communities. (p. 228).

During the famed Danish ferrying of Jews to neutral Sweden, the Germans offered little resistance. For instance, "...the Germans on the trains did not want to notice the Jewish refugees. Throughout October [1943], as German arrest squads supposedly roamed the country in search of Jews, there was not a single arrest of a Jewish refugee on any train in Denmark." (p. 226).

The Danes took hefty payments from Jews to ship them to Sweden. Petrow comments, (quote) In the tense early days of October, before underground groups regularized the traffic, individual Jews made private arrangements with individual fishing captains, and the price extracted by the captains, themselves fearful of what would happen to them if they were caught, began at 1,000 kroner (about $150) per person and ran as high as 10,000 kroner ($1,500) per person. In a few cases, greedy captains capitalized on Jewish fears to extort money from the refugees...Terrified of remaining in Denmark, the Jews had no other choice but the pay the high price demanded. Even when there was no intent to cheat, fishing-boat captains often drove hard bargains with refugee groups. (unquote)(p. 223).

Other Jews had to take out loans with their property as collateral, or sell their possessions to finance their rescues. (p. 224). Although Underground groups managed to lower the prices to 500 kroner per person for transport to Sweden, the implications for requiring payment remained. Petrow concludes that, (quote) But despite the heroism of the fishermen and the gratitude of the refugees they saved, the emotions aroused by the financial transactions that took place left a bitter residue in the memories of many who were involved. Some Jews, having successfully escaped to Sweden, criticized the Danish fishermen for accepting any money at all, and among the resistance workers there was criticism of those wealthy Jews who balked at contributing a lifetime of savings so that others less fortunate could sail to safety without payment. (unquote)(p. 225).

Unlike their sometimes-paid Polish counterparts, who faced an automatic death penalty for the slightest help to Jews, Danes under German occupation never actually faced the death penalty, or even experienced near-starvation conditions that may have excused their requiring compensation from assisted Jews. Petrow comments: "Allied authorities found to their joy that the tiny country not only could feed itself but had surplus food on hand to export to starving nations of Europe...Throughout the war the Danes had suffered no food shortages, even during Germany's most critical periods." (p. 358).

It is still unclear if the Germans killed ANY Danes caught in the process of aiding Jews. In any case, Scandinavians in Nazi concentration camps, for whatever offense, were treated incomparably better than the Slavic untermenschen. Petrow adds that (quote) With the exception of the Norwegian Jews, Scandinavians received preferential treatment no matter where they were imprisoned. In Stutthof, Danish Communist prisoners fared better than non-Communist Poles. In Schildberg (Ostrzeszow, Poland), Norwegian officers interned in a private school in the suburbs lived a life only minimally less comfortable than they would have lived at home. (unquote)(pp. 300-301).

Much has been made of the (occasional) hostility of Poles towards returning Jews. This also occurred in Denmark. Some Jews were denied their apartments and businesses, and many Jews had to find new jobs. A wave of anti-Semitism swept the country, drawing the complaint of the likes of Rabbi Marcus Melchior. Jewish adults and children commonly experienced insults, and, for a time, Danish Jews faced unconcealed discrimination in housing and employment. (pp. 360-361).

After the war, 20,000 Danes were arrested for collaboration, with over 13,000 imprisoned for this offense. However, membership in the Danish Nazi Party (DNSAP) was not, by itself, deemed punishable. (p. 346). In addition, 46,000 Norwegians were convicted of war crimes. (p. 349). The trial of Vidkun Quisling, whose name has become synonymous with collaboration, is featured. He defended himself as a Norwegian patriot out to alleviate the harm that had befallen his nation. (p. 335). On the other side of the coin is Danish and Norwegian resistance to the Nazis, but Petrow reckons it "weak and ineffective." (pp. 366-367).

This book tells the story of Norway and Denmark during the Second World War. Beginning with the history of the Scandinavian countries traditional neutrality, through their attempt to appease Nazi Germany, the invasion, the occupation and repression, to liberation, and the countries' early post-war years. With the stated objective of clearing up old misconceptions, Professor Petrow examines all that occurred, laying bare all of the travails that Denmark and Norway suffered. Sprinkled throughout the book are a number of wonderful black-and-white photos and maps, which help the reader immensely.

This is a great book that tells a story that is not often told in most history books. It is an easy to read book that draws the reader along, wrapping you up in the story. As such, let me say that this is a great book for anyone interested in what happened in Norway and Denmark during the Second World War.

This book tells the story of Norway and Denmark during the Second World War. Beginning with the history of the Scandinavian countries traditional neutrality, through their attempt to appease Nazi Germany, the invasion, the occupation and repression, to liberation, and the countries’ early post-war years. With the stated objective of clearing up old misconceptions, Professor Petrow examines all that occurred, laying bare all of the travails that Denmark and Norway suffered. Sprinkled throughout the book are a number of wonderful black-and-white photos and maps, which help the reader immensely.

This is a great book that tells a story that is not often told in most history books. It is an easy to read book that draws the reader along, wrapping you up in the story. As such, let me say that this is a great book for anyone interested in what happened in Norway and Denmark during the Second World War.