Drengene fra Sankt Petri

by Bjarne Reuter

En fiktiv historie om drengene i den legendariske danske modstandsgruppe "Churchillklubben". Det er beretningen om et stærkt fællesskab hos en gruppe unge, der har svoret hinanden evigt troskab og tør kæmpe for en sag, der udvikler sig til blodig alvor under stadig farligere sabotageaktioner. Samtidig skildres drengenes pubertetstid med alt hvad den indebærer af usikkerhed, kærestesorg, eksamensræs og bekymrede forældre.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction, Danish, Historical, War, World War II

172 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Bjarne Reuter, born 1950 in Brønshøj, a suburb of Copenhagen, Denmark and the setting of many of his books.
His first book was published in 1975, the same year he graduated from teacher’s college.
In 1980, Bjarne Reuter left teaching to devote full time to writing.
He is the author of some 60 books for children and young adults (see complete bibliography).
He has written several novels for adults as well. In addition, he is the author of plays, musicals,
radio and television series for children. Eight of his books have been made into films for children, a number have been serialized on television and many of them have been dramatized on the stage in Denmark, Finland and Germany as well as in countries as far from home as Japan and Argentina.

Publications:
1975 Kidnapning (children's book)
1975 Rent guld i posen (children's book)
1976 En dag i Hector Hansens liv
1976 Ridder af skraldespanden (children's book)
1976 Rottefængeren fra Hameln (children's book)
1977 Den største nar i verden (children's book)
1977 Det skøre land (children's book)
1977 Eventyret om Hu (children's book)
1977 Skønheden og uhyret (children's book)
1977 Tre engle og fem løver (children's book)
1977 Zappa, en kaldblodig hore
1978 De seks tjenere (children's book)
1978 Den utilfredse prins (children's book)
1978 Drengen der ikke kunne blive bange (children's book)
1978 Slusernes kejser
1979 Busters verden (children's book)
1979 Børnenes julekalender (children's book)
1979 Den fredag Osvald blev usynlig (children's book)
1979 Rejsen til morgenrødens hav (children's book)
1979 Støvet på en sommerfugls vinge
1980 Før det lysner (short stories)
1980 Kolumbine & Harlekin (children's book)
1980 Kys stjernerne (children's book)
1980 Suzanne & Leonard
1981 Knud, Otto og Carmen Rosita
1981 Skibene i skovene
1982 Abdulahs juveler (children's book)
1982 Det forkerte barn (short stories)
1982 Hvor regnbuen ender (children's book)
1982 Østen for solen og vesten for månen (children's book)
1983 Casanova
1983 Når snerlen blomstrer
1984 Malte-Pøs i Den Store Vide Verden (children's book)
1984 Tre skuespil (drama)
1984 Tropicana
1985 Bundhu
1985 Da solen skulle sælges (children's book)
1985 Shamran - den som kommer
1986 De andre historier (short stories)
1986 En tro kopi
1986 Natten i Safarihulen (children's book)
1987 Den dobbelte mand
1987 Drømmenes bro (children's book)
1987 Os to, Oskar... for evigt (children's book)
1987 Vendetta
1988 Den cubanske kabale
1988 Månen over Bella Bio
1989 Den skæggede dame (children's book)
1989 Peter Pan (children's book)
1989 Vi der valgte mælkevejen
1990 3 til Bermudos
1990 Mig og Albinoni
1991 Drengene fra Sankt Petri
1991 Lola
1992 7.A.
1992 En rem af huden
1992 Kaptajn Bimse & Goggeletten (children's book)
1993 Den korsikanske bisp
1993 Johnny & The Hurricanes
1994 Anna Havanna (children's book)
1995 Langebro med løbende figurer
1996 Anna Havanna, Kaptajn Bimse og alle de andre (children's book)
1996 Ved profetens skæg
1997 Fakiren fra Bilbao
1998 En som Hodder (children's book)
1998 Mikado
1999 Mordet på Leon Culman
1999 Under kometens hale
1999 Willys fars bil (children's book)
2000 Prins Faisals ring; "The Ring of the Slave Prince", English translation by Tiina Nunnally (2004)
2002 Barolo Kvartetten
2002 Kaptajn Bimse i Saltimbocca (children's book)
2003 Kaptajn Bimses jul (children's book)
2004 Løgnhalsen fra Umbrien
2006 Halvvejen til Rafael(Novel)
2007 Skyggernes hus
2008 [Fem]
2008 Den iranske gartner
2010 Den egyptiske tenor

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Summary (CIP): In 1942, a group of young men begin a seies of increasingly dangerous protests against the German invaders of their Danish homeland.

Review:
When thinking about war sometimes the details are hard to imagine. This book gives the reader insight into living in occupied Denmark during WWII, and how it affected the daily lives of its inhabitants especially a group of frustrated young men. This group is determined to do something, but exactly what becomes a subject of debate. Their diverse personailities, complicated relationships, and trust issues of trust add to the plot. A very strong male point of view and some femae readers may have a harder time identifying with the characters.

Positive reviews from SLJ and Kirkus

[Josefine Amalie Petersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

My english is not good enough to describe my love for this book. This is definitely my new favorite book. The ending is so beautiful!

[Arndís María · Rating 1 out of 5]

ogeðslega leiðinleg bok

[Max A · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Boys from St. Petri, by Bjarne Reuter,
Puffin, Copyright date: 1991, 215 pgs, $14.99,
ISBN: 0-525-45121-8,
Young Adult recommended for ages 12-14,
Four out of five stars (five being the highest).
By Max Albert


The Boys from St. Petri is a stunning story of a hard-as-nails group of young men and their efforts to protest against the Germans who invaded their homeland. The author did a magnificent job of telling the journey of these brave young fighters, leaving you with suspense at the turn of every page.

Ever since Germany had taken over Denmark things were not the same. Lars, the main character of the story, began to feel the impact Germany was making on Danish society, and did not like it. Even though Lars and his older brother Gunner were told many times that they were going to have to adjust to their new lifestyles, they both felt that they needed to do something to give the Danish people a signal that not all hope was lost. Gunner, along with a couple of his friends, created a group to defy the Germans and to hopefully turn around WWII for Denmark. The group constructed numerous missions to create havoc on the Germans. Some of the missions included stealing license plates, tearing up German flags, and vandalizing German vehicles. They believed that the little things were going to make a difference.

Lars was upset because he was not a member of his older brother’s group. He pestered his brother for several years and finally proved himself worthy to Gunner and his friends. Lars was ultimately let into the group to find that he had to make a life changing decision when he and Gunner obtained a German gun. Lars began to question his decision and his own bravery when Gunner devised a mission that could put their lives at risk.

Author Bjarne Reuter did a wonderful job writing this descriptive historical fiction novel that explains the distress Denmark was put through during WWII. Fast paced and captivating, I couldn’t wait to pick this book up to read it. Reuter’s character development and colorful vocabulary made me feel as if I knew the characters personally, and that I was really in the story. When Lars felt scared as he pointed his gun at a young German boy, so did I.

The Boys from St. Petri won the Batchelder Award in 1995, a very high honor given to the book that can best break barriers to understanding around the world. It was also made into a movie in 1991, shortly after it was published. In 1992 the movie won the Bodil Award for best supporting actor, and the Robert Award, for best make-up and costume design. In Bjarne Reuter’s other well known book, Ring of the Slave Prince, Reuter continues to captivate his readers by tying different cultures together in a fascinating story. Reuter’s books were influenced by his childhood. Many of the books take place in the fifties or sixties in and around Copenhagen, Denmark.

The Boys from St. Petri is a greatly appreciated book around the world that I highly recommend to anyone who likes suspense and a good thrill. I also recommend this book to children who are having a hard time overcoming a fear. In the book Lars is determined to be courageous when in fact inside he is terrified. He works through his fear and does the right thing. I think that we can all learn from this model.

By Max Albert

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lars wants to be a member of the group ... not only because his much idolized brother, Gunnar, is the leader, but because the group is taking a stand against the Nazis ... showing that not everyone in Denmark is going to sit idly by during the occupation. So when Lars finds the German Luger, he feels he can really make a contribution. But with the Luger comes Otto and Otto means business. His first official act for the group is burning down a building. As the group gets more serious, however, dissension begins to take hold. Are they going too far? Is the group out of control, as Soren thinks? Gunnar realizes it is no longer a game and Lars sees the change in his older brother ... harder, more serious, no longer the angelic boy. Still, Lars will follow Gunnar anywhere ... even when the Gestapo sees them as prime suspects.

A gripping story.

[JT Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Boys From St. Petri by Bjarne Reuter-rated ★★★★☆

This World War 2 novel brings a new look to the German Occupation of Poland. I enjoyed this new look at how resistance begins.
The author of this story really did a great job in his characterization and his development of his characters as the story went on. Our main character Lars is shy and scared of getting involved with anything. He looks up to his older brother Gunnar and his role model and also as a leader. I really can’t put it any better than how Deuter introduced him ,”He heard Gunnar’s footsteps in the corridor, firm and measured. His big brother Gunnar- a natural leader, a born authority, nothing short of an angel. After summer vacation, Gunnar will be a senior in high school.” (Reuter pg. 4).
Along with Lars and Gunnar, there are also Gunnar’s friends, Luffe and Soren. This group of boys felt it was their duty to stand up for the people of St. Petri and to be a thorn in the side of the Nazis occupying their home. They would commit petty crimes as in theft and public embarrassment and pranks done to the Nazis.
This was until they found the Luger. This German sidearm would change the entire mindset of the small group of teens. It gave them a newfound spark to make change, the only problem was that they had to gain a new member, Otto. Otto is a wildcard and the boys never really know whether or not to trust him. I liked Otto because he always kept the story interesting as we never quite know what he is going to do. “The Germans have a store of arms in the pump house down by the harbor. I thought we might be able to break in. Then we could get a hold of submachine guns and ammunition”(Reuter pg. 83). Here is an example of Otto stretching this idea of being an annoyance to the Germans to being a nuisance. The group would start to gain more attention until they were no longer a secret and truly became an enemy to the German Occupation of their hometown of St. Petri.
I liked this book because of its setting and its lead characters. The author really did a great job in development and helping us to learn more about the characters and their backgrounds which influence the type of decisions they make or how they feel about certain things. Everything the characters do is realistic and happens as to what you think will happen but yet there are enough twists to keep it interesting. This book is definitely among the top of World War 2 related books that I have read.

[Brogan Pasley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you like good war stories? If so, then you’ll love The boys of St. Petri shows this group of
boys rebelling against the Germans in Denmark. They start out with small crimes, tealing license
Plates and stealing soldiers’ hats. Everything changes when Lars meets Otto. Once Otto joins the
group everything changes. In the story Bjarne Rueter uses multiple writing techniques to keep
the reader interested.

Bjarne Rueter uses tension almost perfectly in The Boys of St. Petri. The reader can feel it building
throughout the story, you never know how much everyone really knows. Rueter keeps feeding you
subtle hints but never outright tells you. “Suckerfish had been here, G” (Rueter 163), with this
quote we learn Suckerfish was searching Lars’ house. The reader is never told if he found anything
or if he knows what they’re up to. Since Rueter never tells the reader these things you feel the
Pressure and tension building through the story and in the characters. Rueter uses tension to his
advantage perfectly.

Another writing technique Reuter uses well is irony. Rueter uses irony throughout almost the entire story. Gunnar and his girlfriend have been together for years. He finally proposes but she becomes distant not long after. For instance, during the story Gunnar says, “She kept putting me off. Keeping me at arms length” (Rueter 167). It’s ironic because Gunnar is venting to Lars about Irene being distant, but the reader knows she’s distant because Irene and Lars have fallen in love. Throughout the whole book Rueter uses this irony to keep the reader interested.

Rueter uses multiple writing techniques very well throughout the story. The way he uses tension and irony throughout the book and puts the reader in unique situations. Overall, The Boys of St. Petri is a good but not great book, but I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in World War II stories.

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewer: Nat. G
Book Title: The Boys From St. Petri
Author: Bjarne Reuter

The Boys from St. Petri is a story about a group of boys and their efforts against Nazi German occupation in their beloved country of Denmark. The Author did a great job in telling of the hardships and the sacrifices each member of the group made and how each boy contributed their own place in the group, which made the group stronger. When I first started reading the book, I was getting bored and thought about not finishing, but once the action kicked up, I was locked into this book.

The moment before the group went into a German base with the goal of damaging and stealing things, a quote said by Gunnar that I really liked was ''We depend on one another.” These words stood out because it was a test as to how well the group could work together, as it was the groups first major operation against the Germans. It was especially a test for Gunnar as to how well he could lead a group of boys trying to defeat Nazi Germany.

As a young adult who lives in the 21 century, living more than 70 years since WWII ended, it's hard to imagine what it was like to live as a normal person doing day to day things under Nazi German rule. After reading this book, I have a greater perspective on what living under German rule was like back then. I can see how Nazi Germany's invasions affected people who lived in these countries, working their jobs and living with their families. I can imagine how high tensions were between everyone not knowing what might happen to them. This story highlights these aspects. I would recommend this book to anyone who is into fiction/historical fiction.

[Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the beginning the book was very slow and developed more character background then we really needed. The initial tempo was not a good start for this book but things turned around later when they met Otto and got together with the other boys. However when they started introducing everyone else it got confusing and hard to keep up with every character and the writer didn’t seem to make an effort with some characters. A good example would be Alex.
What was good is the imagery was very well written in the 2nd half with them having meetings in secrecy and the intensity in rooms such as “Gunnar and Otto discussed as Lars peered around the corner.” Gunnar was a great part of the story because he is what drove Lars to do what he did. The representation of the occupied Danish town was a great way to show what people were going through during this time. “The church in the center of the town was beautiful, Pillars just like a colosseum.” I also like that boys were portrayed as juvenile delinquents but it was ok because they were doing it for the good of the people. I liked when Lars would have his day-dreams, especially in the middle of a mission, because it shows what he is thinking about, surroundings and people, especially Gunnar. Overall this book was pretty good wants it got out of the plot stages, I would recommend this book to WW2 enthusiasts and/or young high schoolers just because of its framework around WW2.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nogle gange møder en bog og læseren hinanden på det helt rigtige tidspunkt og magi opstår. Jeg er blæst bagover af denne bog, som jeg indtil nu kun har haft et indirekte forhold til, idet filmatiseringen altid har haft en særlig plads i min mindebank.

En sjælden smuk melankoni præger denne bog, men på ingen påtaget denne-bog-skal-være-melankolsk facon. Jeg har sukket og levet med historien - skønt!

Historien opleves på mest fascinerende vis igennem vores hovedperson Lars. Hans eftertænksomhed, drømmende flugter fra nu-og-her, hans hemmeligheder, forelskelser og modning giver et helt særligt indblik i 2. verdenskrig, modstandsbevægelsen og ungdommens oplevelser af denne.

Sproget i bogen er en udfordring; der springes meget ofte mellem nu- og datid, uden belæg, og hovedpersonens pludselige tankestrømme præsenteres på lige fod med bogens handlings- og miljøbeskrivelser, så det var ofte lidt en bremse på mit læseflow, når jeg fandt ud af at en given scene/afsnit bare var tanker og ikke "den ægte vare".

Konklusion: Fem stjerner - en for hver af Sankt Petri-drengene. Absolut værd at læse!

[PleaseJustLetMeRead · Rating 3 out of 5]

For én gangs skyld foretrækker jeg mærkeligt nok filmudgaven af en historie.
Bogudgaven af fortællingen her virker for mig en anelse rodet og vanskelig at finde rundt i, og jeg kæmpede for meget med at finde ud af, hvem der var hvem og hvor de befandt sig hende, samt hvad det egentlig var, de havde gang i.
Det virkede bedre i filmen, hvor der blev sat ansigter på, hvilket gjorde det lettere at forholde sig til de enkelte karakterers individuelle træk, og gav fortællingen noget mere dybde.
Det, der trækker bogen op, er, at man, hvis man har overskuddet og overblikket, får mulighed for at komme ind under huden på karakterernes motiver og tanker bag det de går på en anden måde end i filmen, der har sin egen måde at vise det på. Dog er dynamikken i gruppen i filmversionen stadig mere flydende og naturlig, og det er lettere at sætte sig ind i, at denne gruppe drenge er virkelige og ville kunne fungere som en gruppe i den virkelige verden.

[Xavi Flores · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Boys from St. Petri
4 out of 5
Fighting for your country and your life. Bjarne Reuter's The Boys from St. Petri is a historical fiction of a group young teenage boys resisting nazis from taking occupation in denmark. Lars being the main character as a young boy joining the resistance group to stop nazis from coming in.

Very interesting book and while it had a very slow start, it was still an enjoyable read. The relationships between these young boys and how they struggle really are great to see as the book continues over time. Gave me another perspective on how nazi germany began their reign what the people of the neighboring countries had to do to simply live in their home.

While some would give it a lower rating, I would give it a 4 because of my curiosity of how someone i that time lived and it satisfied it fully.

[Byurakn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was pretty much the worst piece of Danish literature I have ever read. Set during WWII, it tells a story of some teenage boys acting against the German occupation. First of all, some of the characters were quite redundant and I was having hard times understanding what their function was. Then, it was written in quite a messy way that it was difficult to follow (especially the first half). Finally, it was extremely masculine and as a female reader I could not relate to any of the characters. I didn't care for any of them. I don't recommend wasting time on this book.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book the first time when I was in Middle school, it was probably the first book from school that I just loved! I reread it a few years ago and I still really like it.
It have great characters and it gives a good view of the time and culture in Denmark doing ww2.
To this day it is still my favorite book about resistance groups.

[Melanie Muntz · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was pretty confusing

[Liana Ohana · Rating 3 out of 5]

the start was a bit boring but the end was really good

[Majasadon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess that it was fine. The book was really boring in the start, but it made progress. So that must be 3 stars from me.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like the writing style, and found this book very confusing. It got a bit better in the end which is why I gave it three stars.

[Astrid Nielsen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Its a School book and that’s all I have to say.🥲

[Unknown · Rating 1 out of 5]

My teacher made us read this book and I didn't like it at all. Tbh it was boring and I wanted to dnf it but i obviously couldn't since we have to read it in class

[JoyfulBookCorner · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a beautiful story but the language need some sort of renewal. The new generation vil never know the story because of the older writing but the story is so important in so many ways

[Bibu Holloway · Rating 4 out of 5]

It sums up Denmark in ww2

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspired by the true actions of the Churchill Club, a group of Danish boys who were active early in resisting the occupation of Denmark by Nazi Germany, this book tells the story of a similar group of teens who want to stand up to the German occupiers. Initially, their activities are largely limited to acts of vandalism, stealing license plates, defacing propaganda posters, and such. However, after acquiring a weapon, they must decide how far they are willing to go to fight the Germans and what means they are willing to use. They must confront the possible ramifications of such escalation, both to themselves and their families, but also to the community at large. Each of the boys must decide how much they are willing to risk for freedom.

The story is told from the point of view of Lars, the younger brother of the group’s leader. As one of the younger members of the group, he struggles to prove that he is both capable and loyal enough to participate. The narrator’s voice rings true with both his belief in their cause and his fear of the consequences they face. His story is one of a boy forced by circumstances to accept responsibility beyond his age, growing up too fast.

Aimed at a young adult audience, this book places the reader firmly in the world of World War II, in a Europe occupied and dominated by Nazi Germany, and asks the reader to contemplate the sacrifices required to oppose such a regime. Overall, a great introduction to the struggles faced by many young men and women in the nations occupied by Germany during the war.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

'The boys from Sankt Petri' is a YA book back from when such a thing was simply called youth literature. It is a classic of the genre in Denmark.

The story takes place in Denmark of 1942, during the german occupation. Some young men have formed a resistance group whose brand of sabotage is small pranks (stealing license plates and the likes). When the group admit a new member, Otto, things take a more serious turn. Because Otto's brand of sabotage has more to do with machine guns and bombs...

This is not a bad book by any means. But it is a book with a clear political agenda. It places itself on line with those who believe that Denmark surrendered too quickly to the German forces. To get this point across the story has a heavy-handed morality. All Germans are portrayed as evil. All Danes showing kindness to Germans are described as traitors. I would have preferred a more nuanced approach to the storytelling.

If you are interested in WW2 and do not mind an us-versus-them narrative, then this might be a book for you.

[Faisal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book wasn’t intense at all at the beginning. That i reached a point in the book were i thought of abandoning the book. But then the main character joined a group in a town in Denmark named St. Petri. The group’s goal was to make the Germans that were occupying their country to leave and never come back. First the group did simple things like stealing number plates and German soldier’s helmet. But then they took it to a higher level by increasing the action. For example, they started to steal bombs, and sneak into the German headquarters. I recommend this book to people who like World War II and who are patient, because at the beginning you have to wait and read. Also it would take time for the protagonist to take action from time to time. I learned a really good lesson. I learned that I have to stand for myself and for my country. A really small change could have a really big effect.

[Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not reading this book because i want to. But in my school right now, we're reading books and poems from the World War II, so my teacher told me to read this book.

I think the plot is okay, but not more than that. It's about some guys that goes from having some fun adventures in the forrest or in their parents basement, to be way more dangerous than they expected - like sabotage and making their own resistance group against the deutsch men.

Oh the ending was very sad. I almost cried. When the boys got caught by Svend Hansen, the evil nazi-loving man, i was so sad, but when i found out it was Irene, i was so angry at her. Grr, i would never hurt my boyfriend. She makes me so angry. But i guess it was alright that Otto didn't got caugth. I'll just imagine that he'll free Gunnar, Lars, AAge and Luffe.

[John · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book jumped around between reality and Lar's daydreams without really giving you a clear transition, so you aren't always sure what's going on without rereading super carefully.

Lar's even drifts off into daydreams during their little "operations". Moron. Most of his daydreams involve his brother Gunnar and his "beautiful angel wings". Almost made me puke.

Halfway through the book, they also decide to just randomly throw in another character. I think his name was Alex, or something. But he suddenly becomes an important character, and everyone talks about how he's trustworthy, but we don't know anything about him, because he was just thrown into the book!

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Batchelder winner was an interesting take on the Resistance movement in Denmark in WWII. Two brothers are part of a gang of teen boys that initially play pranks on the occupying Germans. When a unpredictable loner, Otto joins the group, they step up their efforts. Romance, school and church are the backdrops that fall away as their mission becomes more important and all encompassing.

[Daniel Barfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

This exciting book starts in the streets of Denmark during the World War 2, when Denmark is unde the control of the Germans. The book is very good and i loves it.

[louisa]

Batchelder winner from Denmark. An interesting contrast to American works like Frankie Landau-Banks.