A Light in the Northern Sea
A LIGHT IN A NORTHERN SEA is the story of the remarkable rescue of Denmark’s Jewish population during October 1943. Assisted by the citizenry of Denmark, including hundreds of resistance leaders, local fishermen, and the good citizens of the nation, Jewish families crossed the strait between Denmark and Sweden in a flotilla of fishing boats that has been likened to a “Little Dunkirk.” The escape became the most successful rescue of a Jewish population from Nazi tyranny in the whole of World War II. More than 90% of the Jew’s of Denmark escaped German incarceration in the effort. A LIGHT IN THE NORTHERN SEA tells the full story of the occupation of Denmark in the early days of the war, describes the growing resistance to the German presence in this sovereign nation, details the Jewish community in Copenhagen, and the terrifying beginnings of the round-up of the Jews, as well as the heroic efforts of the Jewish people and their allies in the Danish community to escape the oppression. It also describes the continuing efforts by the Danish resistance to battle the German occupation in the months after the escape.
Praise for A Light in the Northern Sea
In this illuminating account, historian Brady (Three Ordinary Girls) recaps the lead-up to the October 1943 rescue of the Jewish population of Denmark, when boatmen across the country covertly transported them to neutral Sweden by sea. The Nazi occupation of Denmark, which began in April 1940, was initially milder than that of Eastern European countries, Brady notes. Due to Nazi views on racial hierarchies, German soldiers were instructed that “the Dane is freedom-loving and self-aware. He rejects every Coercion and every Subordination.... Unnecessary sharpness... must be avoided.” However, few Danes were fooled by this kid-glove approach, Brady writes, as they were well aware of German atrocities in the rest of Europe. The Danish resistance carried out increasingly daring sabotage efforts, culminating in the August 1943 bombing of a German barrack, which finally triggered a Nazi crackdown that began with the rounding up of Jews. The resistance immediately changed tack: utilizing daily synagogue services, they got the word out about the planned October evacuation, a complex affair that included clever subterfuges like hospitals admitting Jews under false names in order to move them along a smuggling route that ended with them being ferried out on small fishing boats. Throughout, Brady describes the action in nail-biting detail. The result is an inspiring and suspenseful history that showcases grassroots efforts to stand up to tyranny. (July)
—Publishers Weekly