A Light in the Northern Sea: Denmarks Incredible Rescue of Their Jewish Citizen [Hardcover]

From the bestselling author of Three Ordinary Girls, the gripping, remarkably little-known true story of how the people of Denmark banded together during WWII to rescue nearly all of their Jewish citizens from Nazi persecution by ferrying them just a few at a time to sanctuary in Sweden.

August 25, 1943. A lone bicyclist transports a cache of explosives, hidden in a beer crate, to a Copenhagen hall being readied to house German troops. In a violent blast, the would-be barracks is reduced to rubble. It’s the boldest act yet of Holger Danske and the growing Danish resistance combating the oppressiveness of Hitler’s Reich.

In 1940, on its way to conquering Western Europe, Germany coerced the Danish government into a “cooperative” agreement that lasted three long years until the increasing brazenness of the Resistance movement prompted a crackdown. Denmark’s nearly 8000 Jews, who had so far been spared Hitler’s wrath, now became the focus of his rage. A roundup was ordered to begin on October 1st, 1943, the first day of the Jewish New Year.

The only passage to safety was across the Oresund to Sweden. But no group existed to organize an escape. Until the last moment, Sweden didn’t agree to allow the refugees into the country; and the strait between the two nations was swarming with Gestapo. 

What happened next was a miracle.

95% of Denmark’s Jews survived the Holocaust, the highest percentage in Europe. Here are the riveting true accounts of ordinary Danes who, using their modest resources, wiles, remarkable courage, and camaraderie, quietly orchestrated their escape. 

Among them were Jorgen Kieler and his siblings, student activists galvanized by their sense that their government hadn’t done enoulS*