Norwegians and Danes – the Brother Nations

"The event was preceded by a decree issued by Norway’s Nazi-appointed governor, Vidkun Quisling, ordering the confiscation of all Jewish property in Norway. The decree was followed by mass arrests and deportations, including by the ship Donau.

The action against the Jews in Norway reached its climax on Thursday. A German 9,000-ton vessel departed from Oslo in the afternoon, carrying nearly 1,000 Jewish men and women of all ages, who are now being taken to Germany for onward transport to Poland.

The deportation of Norwegian Jews caused widespread outrage among the Swedish population. In a Gallup poll conducted at the end of 1942, 39% of respondents stated that the fate of the Norwegian Jews was the most memorable event of the year.

In October 1943, the Nazis planned a similar deportation of Denmark’s Jews. In the days leading up to the arrests, the Danish resistance movement and private citizens helped Jews escape to Sweden. Around 7,200 Jews fled across the Øresund Strait to safety in Sweden. The news coverage was extensive.

The west coast of Skåne has, during the past night and the night before, been nearly overrun by Jews fleeing from Denmark. Around a thousand have arrived, and in the area around Helsingborg alone, approximately 600 Danish Jews have arrived since September 30.