Danish army after surrender

[alo]

Danish army after surrender....

What happened to the Danish army after their surrender in 1940? Did
they spend most of the war as prisoners?

[John Dallman]

Post by alo
What happened to the Danish army after their surrender in 1940? Did
they spend most of the war as prisoners?

Per Wikipedia, it was mostly demobilised after the invasion and
completely dissolved in 1943. The Germans don't seem to have regarded it
as enough of a threat to make it worth imprisoning the troops.

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denmark_in_World_War_II#Protectorate_Govern
ment_1940.E2.80.9343>

John

[sctvguy1]

Post by alo
Danish army after surrender....
What happened to the Danish army after their surrender in 1940? Did they
spend most of the war as prisoners?

The "army" spent most of its time guarding the King and his family.

[a425couple]

Post by alo
Danish army after surrender....
What happened to the Danish army after their surrender in 1940? Did
they spend most of the war as prisoners?

I'm uncertain, but this kind of makes it look like they were
not kept as POWs. Perhaps a "reward" for not much fighting?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denmark_in_World_War_II
"During much of World War II, Denmark was occupied by Nazi Germany.
The occupation began with Operation Weserübung on 9 April 1940,---
At 4:15 on the morning of 9 April 1940, German forces crossed the
border into neutral Denmark, ---
As a result of the rapid turn of events, the Danish government did not
have enough time to officially declare war on Germany ---
Sixteen Danish soldiers died in the invasion, but after two hours the
Danish government surrendered, ---
Questions have been raised around the apparent fact that the German
forces did not seem to expect any resistance, invading with unarmored
ships and vehicles.[8] ---
Free Corps Denmark (Danish: Frikorps Danmark) was founded as a
corps of Danish volunteers to fight against the Soviet Union.

The Danish army was largely demobilised, although some units
remained until August 1943. The army was allowed to maintain
2,200 men, as well as 1,100 auxiliary troops---"

[The Horny Goat]

On Sun, 31 Jan 2016 17:32:38 -0500, "a425couple"

Post by a425couple
The Danish army was largely demobilised, although some units
remained until August 1943. The army was allowed to maintain
2,200 men, as well as 1,100 auxiliary troops---"

OK - was there a single event in August 1943 that inspired German
wrath and caused them to take action against the Danes?

[John Dallman]

Post by The Horny Goat
OK - was there a single event in August 1943 that inspired German
wrath and caused them to take action against the Danes?

The population had gradually been becoming less willing to comply with
German demands, and active resistance had been increasing. The Danish
government hadn't been handling the situation as the Germans wanted.
After an ultimatum from the Germans was refused, the Germans dissolved
the government and imposed martial law.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denmark_in_World_War_II

John

[Dave Smith]

Post by John Dallman

Post by The Horny Goat
OK - was there a single event in August 1943 that inspired German
wrath and caused them to take action against the Danes?

The population had gradually been becoming less willing to comply with
German demands, and active resistance had been increasing. The Danish
government hadn't been handling the situation as the Germans wanted.
After an ultimatum from the Germans was refused, the Germans dissolved
the government and imposed martial law.

FWIW, my father was in Denmark in April and early May 1943. He was the
sole survivor when his Stirling bomber was shot down near Korsor. He
walked across to Copenhage, then up to Helsingor and then back to
Skodsburg and by kayak across to Sweden. He was the first Allied airman
to escape from occupied Denmark. Some of the Resistance workers who
helped him were police officers, and the man who helped him paddle
across to Sweden was an officer cadet who had escaped from the Gestapo.

[Mario]

Post by alo
Danish army after surrender....
What happened to the Danish army after their surrender in
1940? Did they spend most of the war as prisoners?

What about Danish Navy and Airforce?
I suppose Germans seized them all.

[sctvguy1]

Post by Mario

Post by alo
Danish army after surrender....
What happened to the Danish army after their surrender in 1940? Did
they spend most of the war as prisoners?

What about Danish Navy and Airforce?
I suppose Germans seized them all.

What Danish AF/Navy?

[a425couple]

Post by alo
Danish army after surrender....
What happened to the Danish army after their surrender in
1940? Did they spend most of the war as prisoners?

What about Danish Navy ---
I suppose Germans seized them all.

Denmark Navy

HDMS Niels Juel (1918) was the biggest ship
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMS_Niels_Juel_%281918%29
Coastal Defense ship with 10 x 5.9 inch guns,
285 feet long, 3,800 tons.
"1943 World War II: Operation Safari
The attack on Niels Juel, 29 August 1943.
Following increasing Danish resistance to German rule and the
institution of martial law on 28 August 1943, the German army
moved to seize the Danish fleet in Copenhagen harbour, an action
codenamed Operation Safari.[3] Anticipating this move, Danish
officers managed to scuttle the majority of the Danish fleet to
prevent capture.[3][4] Niels Juel which had spent the summer
on exercise in Isefjorden, attempted to break free to Swedish waters,
during which she was engaged by the Germans at sea and by air.[2][3][4]
Having been seriously damaged by aerial bombardment, including
five wounded crew members (one of whom died later), the captain,
Commander Westermann realised there was little hope of reaching
neutral waters and beached the ship near Nykøbing Sjælland.[3]
The crew then tried to scuttle the ship. Initial attempts to blow
up the ship failed, but the crew successfully flooded the parts
of the ship including the magazine, as well as systematically
destroying the equipment before evacuation and surrender.[4][5]
1944<UTF16-2212>1952
In 1944, the ship was salvaged, renamed Nordland and used by Nazi
Germany's Kriegsmarine as a training ship.[1] On 3 May 1945,
she was sunk during allied air raids in the Eckernførde inlet."

PEDER SKRAM (1908-1943)
http://www.navalhistory.dk/English/TheShips/P/PederSkram%281908%29.htm
Coast Defense Ship with 2 x 9.4 inch guns,
275 feet long 3,500 tons
" September 1, 1939
Joined the Danish Partly Mobilized Forces together with NIELS IUEL,
torpedo boats, submarines, mine ships and aircrafts at Aarhus, Jutland
April 13, 1940 - June 11, 1941
Temporally decommissioned at Horsens, Jutland; later returned to Holmen
1942
Temporally decommissioned at Holmen
1943
Temporally decommissioned at Holmen and acting as Command Ship
for the Chief in Command of the Coastal Fleet
August 29, 1943
Scuttled by her own crew at Holmen, Copenhagen
1943
Raised by the Germans and towed to Kiel. Armed with anti aircraft
guns joining the "Kriegsmarine", under the name ADLER, as a training
and anti aircraft ship, anchored at Kiel, Germany
April 1945
Sunk during an allied air raid at Kiel"

About 15 more modern Torpedo boats/frigates appear to have
been taken over by Germany in 1941.

They had 12 submarines
http://www.navypedia.org/ships/denmark/dk_ss_havmanden_2.htm
the newest:
"Name No Builder Laid down Launched Comp Fate
Havmanden H1 Orlogsværftet, Copenhagen 8/1936 19/6/1937 8/1938
scuttled 29/8/1943, salvaged and recommissioned 1946, stricken 7/1950

Havfruen H2 Orlogsværftet, Copenhagen 9/1936 6/11/1937 5/1939
scuttled 29/8/1943, salvaged and recommissioned 1946, stricken 7/1950

Havkalen H3 Orlogsværftet, Copenhagen 11/1936 3/3/1938 7/1939
scuttled 29/8/1943, salvaged and recommissioned 1946, stricken 7/1950

Havhesten H4 Orlogsværftet, Copenhagen 6/1939 11/7/1940 9/1942
scuttled 29/8/1943, salvaged and recommissioned 1946, stricken 7/1950
etc.

Daphne
http://www.navalhistory.dk/English/TheShips/D/Daphne%281926%29.htm
" September 1, 1939 - May 10, 1940
In the Danish partly mobilized forces
August 29, 1943
Scuttled by its own crew at Holmen"

Minelayers
http://www.navypedia.org/ships/denmark/dk_ms_lindormen.htm
"Ship project history: In defence plans of country the big role
was assigned to minefields in inshore waters, however on the
eve of intrusion of Germany into Denmark Danish Navy had
only four minelayers: Lossen, Henrik Gerner (served also as
submarine depot ship) and two small Kvintus (ex-Minekran NoV)
and Sixtus (ex-Minekran NoVI). One more ship, Lindormen
was being built.

Naval service: Minelayer was scuttled by crew 29/8/1943 at
Holmen to avoid capture by Germans. Later she was salvaged
and entered German service in 1943. Lindormen became VS1401
(later V1601). Ship was returned to Denmark in May, 1945
and again commissioned as minelayer."

Lots of other small misc. detail work possible, but enough.....

[a425couple]

Post by a425couple
About 15 more modern Torpedo boats/frigates appear to have
been taken over by Germany in 1941.

More about them:
http://www.navypedia.org/ships/denmark/dk_dd_glenten.htm
"--------
Naval service: After capitulation of Denmark in April, 1940 all three
((of these)) torpedo boats were laid up into reserve and disarmed.
5/4/1941 according with agreement between Germany and Denmark
these ships were transferred to Kriegsmarine in disarmed condition to
"leasing" for usage as torpedo retrievers. In 1942 Høgen, Ørnen and
Glenten have received indexes TFA1, TFA2 and TFA4 respectively.
All three 14/6/1945 were hard damaged in Flensburg-fjord at explosion
of ammunition transport Donau and were never under repair."

[Phil McGregor]

Post by Mario
What about Danish Navy and Airforce?
I suppose Germans seized them all.

I'd guess so ... the Danish Army and Navy (there was no Airforce until 1950) had, amongst other aircraft, the following models in 1940 ...

4 Bristol Bulldog (Biplane Fighter)
12 (or 22) Fokker D XX1 (Monoplane Fighter)
18 Gloster Gauntlet (Biplane Fighter)
12 Hawker Nimrod (Biplane Fighter)
15 Tiger Moth (Biplane Trainer)
22 Heinkel He.8 (Naval Recon Floatplane)
42 Fokker C (Biplane Recon/Light Bomber)

Plus other aircraft, mainly trainers, in small numbers.

The Germans seized them all and probably used most of them as trainers.

Phil McGregor

Author, Space Opera (FGU); RBB #1 (FASA); Road to Armageddon;
Farm, Forge and Steam; Orbis Mundi; Displaced (PGD)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Email: ***@tpg.com.au

[Alan Meyer]

Post by alo
Danish army after surrender....
What happened to the Danish army after their surrender in 1940? Did
they spend most of the war as prisoners?

There's a very interesting book by Mark Ryan entitled _The Hornet's
Sting_, published in 2009. It's about Tommy Sneum, a Danish Navy flight
lieutenant who wanted to fight the Germans, made it to the British
embassy in Stockholm, asked to become a pilot in the RAF, but was
persuaded instead to go back to Denmark as a spy.

Not only was he a completely free man in Denmark, but he spent a lot of
time paling around with German officers who seem to have accepted him as
a friend and comrade.

Whether or not you are interested in the status of the Denmark military
under German occupation, you'll probably find this a fascinating
account. Braving incredible risks, Sneum photographed secret German
radar installations, restored an old airplane, and flew to England in a
pretty astonishing flight.

I won't tell you what happened after that in case you're thinking of
reading the book, but I promise that the whole story is interesting.

Alan