Danish Nazis resist despite surrender
Patriots battling 1,000 policemen
By the United Press
Danish Nazi police, defying the German surrender of Denmark, fought Danish patriots and German Army troops in Copenhagen today.
An estimated 1,000 of the police barricaded themselves in buildings and streets for a last desperate burst of violence even as Denmark was celebrating liberation from the German yoke.
A Stockholm dispatch said German warships shelled the Oesterbro quarter of Copenhagen for 25 minutes beginning at 10 a.m. – well past the surrender hour – and 10 persons were killed and several wounded.
Appeals for protection
The dispatch said shooting was still going on in several sections of the premises of Dr. Werner Best, Nazi envoy to Denmark, after he appealed for protection.
Radio Kalundborg reported that Danish police forces had captured the German Gestapo headquarters in Copenhagen.
Another Kalundborg report said King Christian had broadcast asking “everyone to remain united in order to build up a new free and secure Denmark.”
Parliament to meet
Exchange Telegraph reported from Copenhagen that the Danish Parliament would be convoked as soon as possible. The dispatch said a new penal law would reinstate the death penalty for the first time in 50 years to deal with collaborationists.
The British radio reported Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower had recognized Lt. Gen. Edward Gortz as commander-in-chief of the resistance movement in Denmark.
The Danish Freedom Council warned the population to leave the work of arresting collaborationists to members of the resistance movement. It told those “who fear the anger of the population” to give themselves up for their own safety.
Premier broadcasts
The new premier, Vilhelm Buhl, in another broadcast called for “calm and worthy behavior toward German troops and refugees.”
The Danish patriots were fighting side by side with their sworn enemies of 24 hours ago, German Army troops, to subdue the Danish Nazi police.
Twenty-five persons were killed or wounded in the first few hours. Fires broke out in a number of places, especially in the harbor area, as result of the fighting.
Traitors listed
The Nazi police, known as Hipomen, disregarded Germany’s unconditional surrender of Denmark. Perhaps because they faced later execution as war criminals, they decided to sell their lives as dearly as possible.
A Stockholm dispatch said 3,500 fully-armed and trained Danish military police were expected to leave from Sweden for Denmark momentarily, taking with them a list of 7,000 Danish collaborationists wanted for trial.
The fighting, scattered throughout Copenhagen, marred joyful celebrations of Denmark’s liberation. Nazi bullets killed several civilians among the tens of thousands marching through the capital’s streets, singing and cheering.
Halt Jap envoy
Crowds halted an auto in which the Jap minister to Copenhagen was attempting to escape from the city. When patriots discovered he was hiding a machine-pistol in the car, they forced him to leave the vehicle and walk home.
Copenhagen’s five-year blackout ended spontaneously. Big warehouses, office buildings, newspapers and private buildings switched on floodlights and unfurled flags in their glare despite a century-old tradition that the banner should not be flown at night.
Go to castle
Thousands of persons converged on the Royal Castle. They carried flags and flowers and sang the national anthem and Allied war songs.
Despite the clamor of the crowd, Christian failed to appear on the balcony. An aide appeared in his place and explained that the King was “too deeply moved to appear personally.”
“He thanks you for your splendid enthusiasm and asks everyone to go home peacefully,” the aide said.