Danish Jews


Figure 1.--Norbert Wollheim was involved in a project to organize groups of German Jewish youth so they could attend a summer camp in Denmark (1935). By that time the NAZIs had banned Jewish youth groups and seized their property, including camp sights. Thus it was no longer possible for them to go to sunmmr camps in Germany. The project operated for 3 years. This photograph of some of the Jewish boys was taken at the camp in Horserod. After Kristallnacht (November 1938), such projects were no longer possible.

The Jutland Peninsula was beyond the boundaries of the Roman Empire and thus there was no known Jewish settlement during the classical era. Nor during the ealy medieval Viking era do we know of any Jews in Denmark. Medieval Danish art does depict Jews. They can easily be identified wearing pointed hats. This appears to be part of a generalized Christian vision of Jews. There is no documented evidence any Jews actually residing in in medieval Denmark. The Danish Kingdom was an early convert to Protestantism (1536). Jews at that time were specifically prohibited from entering Denmark. King Christian IV invited Jews to settle in Denmark (1622). This resulted in the first documented settlement of Jews in Denmark. Christian IV founded Glückstadt on the river Elbe in what is now Schleswig-Holstein. At the time he permitted a Jewish merchant, Albert Dionis, to live in the city. The specific dispensation for Dionis was gradually expanded and Jews in Glückstadt werec eventially granted protection. This involved more than living in the city, but the right to hold religious services (albeit privately) and to establish a cemetery. Albert Dionis managed to gain considerable status in Christian's court by loaning money to the king. Subsequently another Jew of Sephardic origins, Gabriel Gomez, also attined status in court and convinced Frederik III to grantb a general dispensation for Sephardic Jews to reside in Denmark to engage in trade. Although this was limited to Sephardim, a number of Ashkenazim were eventully granted letters of safe passage and eventually settled in Denmark. . Danish Jews during the 19th century achieved civil, economic, and political equality. Denmark had a small Jewish population of about 7,500 at the onset of World War II. The NAZIs estimated even less. The entry for Denmark at the Wannsee Convention was only 5,600. Denmark's small Jewish population, unlike Jews in many other European countries, was throughly assismilated. Many Danish Jews were Christianized. Even so after the NAZI invasion and occupation, NAZI authorities targeted Dutch Jews as part of the Holocaust. The small Danish Jewish community was not widely known outside of Denmark itself. It was the Danes' heroic rescue of their Jews that brought the community to world attention.






HBC





Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to the Main Jewish Diaspora pages]
[Return to the Main Jewish pages]
[Return to the Main Danish page]
[Introduction] [Activities] [Biographies] [Chronology] [Clothing styles] [Countries]
[Bibliographies] [Contributions] [FAQs] [Glossaries] [Images] [Links] [Registration] [Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]




Created: 3:37 PM 11/18/2008
Last updated: 3:37 PM 11/18/2008