Darkness over Denmark

by Ellen Levine

Drawing from interviews with survivors and from meticulous research, a stirring chronicle of the bravery and dedication of the Danish Resistance during World War II discusses how many of Denmark's Jews were saved from the Holocaust.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Holocaust, World War II, Denmark, Jewish, Historical

164 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2000

About the author

Ellen Levine's books have won many awards and honors, including the Jane Addams Peace Award. Although she enjoys writing both fiction and nonfiction, most of Ellen's books for young readers have been nonfiction. "Writing nonfiction lets me in behind the scenes of the story. I enjoy learning new things and meeting new people, even if they lived 200 years ago."

Ellen Levine was born in New York City. She received her B.A. degree in Politics from Brandeis University, graduating Magna cum laude. She has a Master's degree in political science from the University of Chicago and a Juris Doctor degree from New York University School of Law. She has worked in film and television, taught adults and immigrant teenagers in special education and ESL programs, and served a law clerkship with Chief Judge Joseph Lord, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania. A former staff attorney with a public interest law group, Levine now devotes her time to writing, lecturing, and teaching. She is on the faculty of Vermont College's MFA program in writing for Children and Young Adults.

Ellen Levine divides her time between New York City and Salem, New York.

Reviews

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up for two reasons. The first is that I have been to the Danish Resistance Museum (if you are ever in Denmark, go). The second is that the best movie I saw last year was Flame and Citron, which was about the Danish Resistance. I loved the movie so much that I saw it on Comcast pay perview before it was in Philadelphia, then when it came to Philly, I saw it again. I'm such a nut; I preordered it. It's a great movie. Go see it now!

See? I told you the movie was good. Don't you just like Mads?

Intended for younger readers, so some information is too simplified or too repeatitive for adult readers.

Levine overall does a good job. She combines third person narrative history with first person narrative history (based on interviews) which makes for a compelling story. The main focus is on the rescue of the Danish Jewish population, yet their is plenty about about the Resistance in general. Levine even examines what happened to some people who were taken to the camps, so she presents a complete picture. She also includes some funny stories, including one about a Nazi officer who was directly traffic in Copenhagen. He stood in a little hut like thing, underneath a sign that said "This German is not wearing trousers".

[Ginny Messina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the remarkable story of how the Denmark saved Danish Jews during World War II, written for young adults (ages 10 and up). It is such an incredible story of goodness, courage and deep moral conviction, and Ellen Levine tells it very well, outlining the history of the occupation in Denmark interspersed with personal accounts and wonderful photographs. She debunks some of the myths about the Danish rescues and explores some of the reasons why it was even possible to save most of the country’s Jewish population—mostly because of the proximity of neutral Sweden. The chronology of the story got a little confusing at times, but that’s a minor criticism. Overall, the author does a wonderful job in telling one of the best stories in history.

[Zach Costello · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that "Darkness Over Denmark" is a good book. This book is all about what happened to Denmark during WWII. The book covers the day the Germans invaded to the resistance groups that defied Germany. The book also covers all the Jews that were captured or how they escaped to Sweden.
This book is recommened for adults to young adults who want to learn a little bit more about the history of Denmark during WWII.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! This was truly a remarkable insight to life in occupied Denmark. I couldn't believe some of the stories I read. I came away from this book having a great respect for the Danish people. They truly took care of their own, Jewish or not, and defended one another in the face of terrible times. Their unity and patriotism gave them solidarity and purpose in an otherwise bleak time in history.

[JohnP · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book documents the Danish resistance to Hitler and the Nazis during the early part of World War II, when Germany invaded Denmark. A decent book, but the stories came fast and furious, and not with a lot of details/depth. There was quite a lot of resistance, and it would have been good to read more in-depth accounts.

[Dhunsaker65 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darkness over Denmark: The Danish Resistance and the Rescue of the Jews, written by Ellen Levine, is a book about a collection of acts of bravery and stories by people residing in Denmark during Germany's control. These individual and true stories focus on the lives of Jewish individuals, documenting their experience and treatment during these years.
On April 9, 1940, the Danish people woke up to the sound of planes. Amongst these people, lay 8,000 Jews. Denmark was known as a neutral country and was untouched throughout World War I. The surprise invasion of Denmark came as a shock to all. Denmark surrendered to the Nazis, giving them control.
This book does excels at describing different types of people, showing the relationships between Nazi authority and Danish authority, Danish civilians and Nazi authority, Danish civilians and Danish authority, amongst others. Throughout the book, there is a plethora of short stories documenting the treatment of different groups of people in Nazi-occupied Germany. For example, whilst a Danish woman was biking past a landfill, she held her nose and a Nazi soldier stopped her. She was told to stay with them until she got used to the smell, and then the Danish police were called. This action gives a clear depiction of the Nazis treatment towards Danes. The Danish police, once they’d gotten this woman in their vehicle and away from the soldiers, told the woman that she would be taken back to her home. She was told to do her best to avoid the Nazis and was peacefully taken to where she needed to be. The Danish police were sympathetic with civilians and their struggles with Nazis, and it showed. This story is only one of the many found within this well-written, insanely interesting book.
I would surely recommend this book to anyone that has any sort of interest in history or real-life events. It has many things I like about it such as the individuality of each story, the clear depictions of relationships between Danes and Germans, and the historical knowledge within.

[Tanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellen Levine’s book Darkness Over Denmark: The Danish Resistance and the Rescue of the Jews is the story of the people of Denmark and their stand against Nazi occupiers during World War II. Through a collection of individual and combined acts of courage and resistance, Levine highlights the Danes and the fight to save Danish Jews during Hitler’s reign. This book offers a history lesson of World War II accompanied by firsthand accounts of the Danes who lived it. The readers gets to relive the stories of those who were apart of the resistance, those were rescued, and those who were captured. It tells of the overall efforts of the Danes and their sabotage against the Nazis in order to save nearly the entire population of Danish Jews. It also provides photographs to go along with the testimonies of the Danish people who worked to fight against the Germans. This book depicts the courageous Danish people and their unified resistance that allowed for the protection of Danish Jews during World War II.
This book could definitely be incorporated into a 5th-8th classroom in order to introduce the topic of World War II and the Holocaust. It is considered a chapter book and therefore requires the attention span of upper level students. I think the first hand accounts make this topic more relatable for students. It gives stories from kids their own ages, and allows for them to connect to this historical topic in a new way. The Diary of Anne Frank is often used to teach this topic because of its reliability. This would be a great accompaniment because it offers multiple perspectives from the different types of people involved. It was an enlightening book for me to read as a college student, but would also appeal to a 5th grader beginning to learn about the Holocaust.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just happened on this title right now while looking through Goodreads. I have an autographed copy that I picked up at ALA in the year of publication. It has been a good while but I recall really loving this book. It is one of the few huge success stories of the Holocaust. The Danes didn't much care about a person's religion. If they were Danes, that was enough for them. This may be because they have the oldest constitution in Europe, among an area known for tolerance of others. Their location is part of what made this remarkable story possible. Since they were next to Sweden, which officially was neutral in WWII, the Danes were able to evacuate essentially to a large degree, their entire population of Jews and save virtually all of them. After the war, the Jews were welcomed back and could move right back into their homes. No other country in Europe can claim such a deed. As I recall, this had excellent photos as well as excellent text. I want to go back and reread this now!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a history book written for children. I loved reading it. I've been interested in learning more about the Danish Resistance for years, ever since a Danish woman I knew told us her memories of the occupation, and that Denmark had saved most of its Jews from Hitler's grasp. 95% of Denmark's Jewish population escaped, thanks to the efforts of the Danish population. There were more Danish policeman sent to concentration camps than Danish Jews. And most of the Danish Jews who were sent to Theriesenstadt (sp?) were rescued by the Danes, who refused to forget about them. Many of the Danish Jews returned after the war, and came back to homes that had been kept for them, sometimes cleaned and painted with flowers waiting, and well-cared-for pets. If I have any more children, I think I'd like to find a Danish name...

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

During World War II, Germany quietly overtook Denmark with little resistance making promises that they could still self-govern but would be "protected" by Germany from Britian. With an usually lenient occupation the Jews of Denmark were not targeted for deportation until late in the war. Warned just in the nick of time, the Danish citizens rallied around their Jewish citizens and help them escape to nearby Sweden. This remarkable evacuation of the Jewish people saved nearly 8000 Jewish citizens and their spouses. Fewer than 600 Jews were caught and deported to concentration camps.

This book chronicles the miraculous feat of the Danish people. I didn't know anything about Denmark and their resistance of the German occupation of their country. This was an interesting and educational read.

[Maria Hagen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this book as an adult. I might have enjoyed it as a child because World War II has always interested me. I very much liked the personal stories that wove in and out of the story though sometimes the characters were hard to follow. The continuation of each of the stories told throughout the book gave closure to the characters that I felt was lacking before I read that section.
This is an ageless book. I think anyone could pick it up, at almost any age, and take something from this book and the images in it. It might not be a book for reading aloud, but any independent reader can pull it off the shelf and take something from the incredible strength of the Danes during the war.

[Brianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book "Darkness Over Denmark " by Ellen Levine was a very interesting book. The main lesson was about World War II which accord in around the 1914 to 1918. This book teaches about what discrimination can do to a country and what the falls might be. What i enjoyed of this book was that it had many stories of different people who experienced this tragic event , from young to old and even some still living at the time of the book being written. What i didn't enjoy was that it went on and off from an individual person's story , so it was confusing at times. Over all if you don't get confused then you won't have a hard time reading this book. If you do get confused sometimes then you can try but it might not be the right pick for you.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're looking for a realistic picture of Danish Resistance, this is a really good book. Ellen Levine combines the testimonies of Danish people with enough history of WWII to give the context. I was fascinated by the unity of the Danish people as they responded to the horror of what really happened and stood in defense of oppressed and hunted people. The reader gets to see life during WWII in Denmark through the eyes of those who really lived it, people from elementary school age through adults. The book is written for children, and is sensitive to that audience in the way the horror is revealed.

[Cami · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a wonderful part of World War II to read about!
The Danish people defended their citizens against the German onslaught, no matter their RACE, creed, position, or class. Through the efforts of the Danes nearly all of the 8,000 Jews in their populace were saved.
This account tells of heroic efforts, large, but mostly small, of those people who would not see their freedoms taken or their neighbors exterminated. I am so glad to have read about this piece of history. It left me with not a little faith in human beings and a lot of pride in my Danish ancestry.
Well-presented for the age group it was meant for, it was a little bit textbook, a little bit biography.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did you know that the Danish people saved nearly the entire Jewish population of Denmark? I didn't either. Why is this story not told in our history classes when we discuss WWII and the Holocaust? This book details the actions taken in Denmark during the German occupation - how the Danish resistance was born, how the Danes decided as a people not to allow the deportation and extermination of their Jews, and how they stood up to the evil of the times. As the preface for this book states "the one condition necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing". The Danish people did not stand by and do nothing and they are an example for us all.

[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Denmark's role in WWII is quite unique. After being occupied by German forces, they managed to maintain a semblance of autonomy throughout much of the war. The Danish Jews weren't targeted until much later in the war, and when the Nazis finally came after the Danish Jews, they had their work cut out of them. Almost all of the 8,000 Jews in Denmark would be warned, protected, and rescued by other Danes. The spirit of freedom and independence in this little country is quite remarkable. This book features the firsthand accounts of children and adult Danish resistance fighters along with several anecdotes about the grandfatherly King Christian.

[Lacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to read this book because many of my ancestors come from Denmark.. and I'm always interested in World War II. This book was very inspiring to see how one country fought so hard against Hilter. I enjoyed it for a non-fiction.... I don't usually read non-fiction and it took me awhile to get into it.... it was written very report like...not a lot of character development or emotion... and it was hard to keep track of the characters because there were so many and the author skipped around between them a lot.... but it was informative and good.

[Willow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written, informative, intriguing, inspiring, heart-wrenching. I learned so much and was utterly fascinated. This was a gripping account, and I didn't want to put it down. I feel like this is one of those books that needs an orchestral score to go along with it. I loved that there were so many firsthand accounts and memoirs included--they were the heart of the book. This should be a staple in one's WWII library.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hooray for a country that stood up for its citizens regardless the birth nationality. Hard to follow at times since there was some repetition and not always chronological. Cover-ups of the evil were ridiculous; the doers had to have been cognizant of their raucous, asinine, horrendous deeds. It was right to have real names and places and faces and short info at the end to follow lives after the war. Denmark and the people have my admiration.

[Luella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. It was about Denmark during WWII and how they helped shield, protect, and support the Jews who were living in their country when the Nazi's invaded. It was a story of heroism, national pride, and just not allowing the German's to have their way in their country. Each Dane, was extremely protective of the Jews and they went to extraordinary lengths to make sure they were not hurt.

[Madeleine · Rating 2 out of 5]

TCL Call #: J 940.53 Levine

I picked this up after hearing a local Jackson Hole resident and Danish citizen talk about her experiences in Denmark during the war.
While this would be a great book for a younger audience I think teen and up would better appreciate the well known Anne Frank Diary. It was a little stilted and kind of a slow read.

[AdultNonFiction Teton County Library · Rating 2 out of 5]

TCL Call #: J 940.53 Levine

Madeleine - 2 stars
I picked this up after hearing a local Jackson Hole resident and Danish citizen talk about her experiences in Denmark during the war.
While this would be a great book for a younger audience I think teen and up would better appreciate the well known Anne Frank Diary. It was a little stilted and kind of a slow read.

[Cari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never made it to the Resistance Museum in Denmark so I picked up this book and read the stories of how few Danish Jews were executed by Hitler because of all the Danish people who came to their rescue ignoring the danger it posed to their families. Many were young mothers with little children. It made me wonder why this was the only Country who fought back and protected their own.

[MaryJane · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good introduction to a part of World War II history that is often left out, especially in school, where we teach about Anne Frank, but not much about other parts of the Holocaust, that are just as accessible, and important. An important lesson about the Danish Resistance is that people can choose to work against oppression and "right" can win out over "might".

[Anthony Bracciante · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good introduction to a very heroic effort of the Danish people to resist the occupation of Denmark by the Germans and their highly successful efforts to save their Jewish population from Nazi extermination during World War II. This excellent book is intended for young teens but adults will find it a useful start in learning of this brave stand and defiance to oppression.

[Jefffreeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having lived in Denmark for two years, I wanted to get a detailed history about what happened to the Danes during WWII. This book was phenominal is describing the events that brought Denmark into the war and how they dealt with the Nazis. I very good book about an inspiring people.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great and not so great recollections of what life was like in Denmark under German occupation during World War II.

I purchased this book at The Holocaust Museum during a visit to Washington D.C. in 2002.

[Megan Bevers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading about the Danish Resistance during WW2 certainly makes me proud to be Danish! From the the King of Denmark at the time to the majority of the Danish who helped and fought for their Jewish community, was very inspiring. I hope I can always be a light to those around me who need it.

[Ely · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love reading about Denmark, and WWII so it was pretty much a given that I would pick this up. This was just a very simple overview of the Danish Resistance—I'm going to have to go searching for more!

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great non-fiction teaching tool to go along with Number the Stars.