A statue stands in the park where we walk with Albert everyday. The first time I saw the statue last summer, I went home and researched about it. I knew it was connected to WW2, but I wanted to know more....
Jeg tog dette billede i oktober 2008 da har efterår lige begyndt in Danmark.
I took this picture in October 2008 when autumn had just begun in Denmark.
Jeg tog dette billede i januar 2000 da har sneen lige begyndt at falde i Herning.
I took this picture in October 2008 when the snow had just begun to fall in Herning.
Jeg tog dette billede i lørdags (maj 2009) da har forårets "sne" lagde på træerne i parken.I took this picture Saturday (May 2009) when the spring´s "snow" was on the trees in the park.
Statueen repræsenter tiden under 2. verdens krig da Nazis besatte Danmark fra den 9. April 1940 til 5 May 1945. Denne statue og i dag (den 5. maj) minder om os at vores frihed kan tages hurtigt. Danskerne gik i seng den 8. april 1940 og da de stå op, var tyskerne i deres land.
The statue represents the time during WW2 when the Nazis occupied Denmark from April 9, 1940 until May 5, 1945. This statue and today (May 5) reminds us that our freedom can be taken away quickly. The Danes went to bed on the night of April 8, 1940 and when they woke up, the Germans were in their country.
Jeg har undervist om 2. verdens krig i Texas--faktisk i 1997 brugte jeg denne bog med mine ESL elever (som kunne ikke læse høj niveau engelsk endnu). Bogen er rigtig go
d og fortælle en meget interessant historie om en jødisk familie som bor i København during 2. andens krig. Bogen taler om den danske resistance, Kong Christian X og flugten af mange jødiske mennesker til Sverige. Mine elever og jeg elskede bogen.... men i 1997, da jeg læste bogen, forestillede jeg aldrig at jeg vil bo i Danmark på den 5. maj 2009, danske frihed dag.... Men ting skifter...
I have taught about WW2 in Texas--in fact, in 1997 I used this book with my ESL students (who could not yet read English at a very high level). The book is great and tells a very interesting story about a Jewish family who is living in Copenhagen during WW2. The book talks about the Danish Resistance, King Christian X and the escape of many Jews to Sweden. My kids and I both loved the book... but in 1997, when I read the book, I never imagined I would be living in Denmark on May 5, 2009, Danish Independence Day! But things change...
Så statueen i parken minder mig og alle beboer af Herning--- efter "vinteren og mørke dage" --- forår kommer altid!
So the statue in the park reminds me and all the residents of Herning--after the "winters and dark days"-- spring always comes!
12 comments:
Great story! And how lucky we are to wake up without finding the Nazis in town... a timely reminder of the value of freedom...
I LOVE that book. When I was in 5th grade our teacher read it to us and I just had to go and buy it. It sat in my closet for years and year and years and after our first stint in DK I was in El Paso cleaning out some boxes and ran across this book. I started to read it and had this crazy feeling when I realized it was taking place in Copenhagen. I never imagined in 5th grade that this book would ever mean so much more to me. GREAT READ!
I like the pictures of the statue. It's fun to see the surroundings change around the statue.
I find it amazing too. I look at the streets where I live in CPH and think about Nazis roaming the streets and then you go to Amalienborg and think that the king came out the front door every day, waved off by his wife (i guess it was her, I saw a film clip) to show solidarity. All quite surreal when you think about it.
Feliz Cinco de Mayo, Denmark! Oh wait, different sort of Independence Day. What an interesting post, I remember reading Number the Stars when I was younger, it was a great book! Thank you for the lovely statue pictures!
I had no idea! I should be smarter... I fed my kids Mexican food today for Cinco de Mayo!
How funny that Danish independence day coincides with Cinco de Mayo... which isn't Mexican independence day, but is still a pretty big deal to that culture. Neat story!!
Thanks for explaining the history. My Danish mother often told me stories about how the Jews loved the Danes. She was born in 1925.
My husband was flabbergasted that I knew something about Danish history in WWII. Thanks Lois Lowry!
Hi Kelli... great post! I really liked how you had the statue pictured in different seasons and then to top it off you taught all of us some Danish history. I'll have to check out the book - thx for recommendation! :-)
Each May 5 Peter hangs the Danish flag outside and I am sure that our neighbors wonder 2 things....what flag is that? and why is it being flown?
But on May 5 I still tease him and wish him a Happy Cinco de Mayo instead of Happy Independence Day.
May 5 was also the birthday of Søren Kierkegaard, the most famous philosopher in Denmark's history.
(May 5, 1813 – November 11, 1855)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%B8ren_Kierkegaard
I am going to see if I can get that book for Dane ... we are going to visit many historical places this summer... So when are you coming to Fredrikstad?
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