Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary, Current Events 9: Sept 2012 - May 2016


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F&M marks the 70th anniversary of the Liberation of Denmark today the 5th May:

This morning at 8.00 AM Frederik participated in wreath laying ceremony at Nyhavn, Copenhagen.

First pictures:
(And in uniform, ladies)
http://img.kalooga.com/thumb?url=ht...a5cf794bdf13e4244242&method=fit&size=1440x720
https://instagram.com/p/2SnAAIstjT/

Article from BB telling Frederik respectfully greeted, bowed and gave each veteran who had gathered at Memorial Anchor on the special day a firm handshake as he briefly thanked them for their important efforts to Denmark:

http://www.billedbladet.dk/kongelig...erik-viste-veteraner-respekt-ved-mindeankeret

Here 30 minutes ago The Crown Prince Couple arrived to the offcial memorial service in connection with the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Denmark, Vor Frue Church, Copenhagen:

First glimse:
https://instagram.com/p/2SwJWDstq5/?taken-by=billedbladet


ADDED:

More pictures of Frederik at the wreath laying ceremony in Nyhavn:

http://sn.dk/modules/xphoto/cache/12/676012_950_1200_90_0_4747_3280_2.jpg
http://sn.dk/modules/xphoto/cache/19/676019_930_9300_90_0_4747_3280_2.jpg
http://sn.dk/modules/xphoto/cache/15/676015_930_9300_90_0_4747_3280_2.jpg
http://sn.dk/modules/xphoto/cache/9/676009_950_1200_90_0_4747_3280_2.jpg

A good gallery with pictures of the veterans as well:
sn.dk
 
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The anchor monument where Frederik laid the wreath, it is from a special/significant ship?

It's always nice to see the coverage of these ceremonies. My Dad and four of his brothers were in WWII (yes, they all came back alive, although Dad served stateside). Knowing that some of them served in Europe makes it more personal for me. Thank you to all who posted pictures.

I see there are some changes to Frederik's uniform. Nice! Soon there won't be room for more medals, etc. :flowers:
 
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Mindeankeret i Nyhavn

The anchor was placed there in memory of some 1.600 sailors who died during WWII.
Even though it's made in the style of an anchor from a tall ship, it was really made in 1951.
It replaced a cross standing there.

Good to see Frederik showing his respect for those who fought, suffered and died during WWII.
The government has decided on this occasion to grant each surviving member of the resistance and widows of resistance fighters who were executed 10.000 DKK. - About bloody time if you ask me. Especially as most are now dead. Now we only need an official recognition of the soldiers who fought at the border during the invasion 9th April 1940.

And this was the first time we saw Frederik in his full dress admirals uniform and as far as I can tell a number of you ladies appreciated the sight...

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ADDED: A video summary from BB: http://www.billedbladet.dk/kongelig...-og-kronprins-frederiks-foelelsesladede-5-maj
 
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Mindeankeret i Nyhavn

The anchor was placed there in memory of some 1.600 sailors who died during WWII.
Even though it's made in the style of an anchor from a tall ship, it was really made in 1951.
It replaced a cross standing there.

Good to see Frederik showing his respect for those who fought, suffered and died during WWII.
The government has decided on this occasion to grant each surviving member of the resistance and widows of resistance fighters who were executed 10.000 DKK. - About bloody time if you ask me. Especially as most are now dead. Now we only need an official recognition of the soldiers who fought at the border during the invasion 9th April 1940.

And this was the first time we saw Frederik in his full dress admirals uniform and as far as I can tell a number of you ladies appreciated the sight...

this is great to read. Recognition is important.
and Yes the Full dress uniform from the navy is my favorite :flowers:

love this photo of the two
http://a.bimg.dk/node-images/796/8/1152x-u/8796931-mindehjtidelighed-i-domkirken.jpg

gallery
http://www.b.dk/nationalt/se-de-roerende-billeder-70-aaret-for-befrielsen-blev-mindet#slide-21
 
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Let's have a closer look at what actually happened on this day 70 years ago.

In the evening of 4th May, while it was still light outside, during the evening news from BBC a message came in that Field Marshall Montgomery has announced that the German forces in Holland, North West Germany and Denmark had surrendered (they kept fighting in Norway though) and the streets exploded!
While the German soldiers quietly retreated to their barracks, they were under order only to surrender to Allied forces, people milled out onto the streets to celebrate. One big party that lasted until the next day!

The surrender was to take effect from 08.00 on the 5th May and this day became the happiest during the five years of occupation - and the bloodiest.
Several hundred were killed on that day and quite a number were killed during the next few days until order was finally restored.
Collaborators, die hard Nazis and not least HIPO's often chose to fight back rather than surrender. For all sorts of reasons or simply because they feared to be lynched. There were also skirmishes between members of the Resistance and German troops here and there.

This sign has become a classic. It was put up on the front of a store and it reads: Closed due to happiness
http://images3.cdn.k.dk/sites/default/files/2010/05/253692.jpg

The party went on all night:
http://www.denstoredanske.dk/@api/deki/files/82935/=bd-13-220.jpg

Despite shootings in the streets, the party continued for several days:
http://multimedia.pol.dk/archive/00438/Befrielsen_438051a.jpg

But finally the Allies came! Britons, some being the famous Desert Rats. They rolled up through Jutland and arrived in Copenhagen a couple of days later. In the meantime British airborne troops secured Copenhagen Airport:
http://images2.cdn.k.dk/sites/default/files/2010/05/253690.jpg

Collaborators, some guilty, some innocent and some very guilty were rounded up during the next couple of days and paraded through the streets in open trucks on the way to holding stations:
http://multimedia.pol.dk/archive/00438/Stikkere_438039a.jpg

On the island of Bornholm though the war continued for additional four days. Because the commander there refused to surrender to Soviet troops. He was willing to surrender to any other Allied officer, even a lowly second lieutenant if need be. But none was to be found and in the euphoria in Copenhagen and in the general confusion and lack of central control, no one dealt with the issue. So the Soviets bombed Bornholm until the Germans there surrendered:
http://www.roennebyarkiv.com/uploads/1/1/2/5/11258347/970288_orig.jpg

The first 24 hours were very bloody!
Resistance fighters equipped with what weapons they could get their hands on fought snipers and groups of HIPO'er in the streets, sometimes with civillians having to take cover where they could:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Freedom_fighters_at_Strandboulevarden_in_Copenhagen._5th_May_1945_%289443121280%29.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...p_med_tyske_soldater_i_Århus,_5_Maj,_1945.jpg

The main opponent was the HIPO corps. HilfsPolizei = auxillary police. Consisting of Danish Nazis and East front veterans they did very little policing and were really used more for terror and oppression.
Here is such a HIPO-man:
http://a.bimg.dk/node-images/662/7/960x/7662272-hipo.jpg

In the evening on the 4th May the Danish Brigade in Sweden, consisting of some 5.000 men were put onboard ferries and shipped to Denmark.
They regrouped and arrived in Copenhagen by train the next day, to an enthusiastic welcome.
Their main purpose apart from fighting pockets of potential die-hard Germans was to ensure control over first and foremost the capital, to avoid anarchy and not least to prevent a Communist uprising.
They saw some action against predominantly HIPO's.
But it was the Resistance fighters who bore the main brunt of the fighting and also prevented lynchings.
http://a.bimg.dk/node-images/387/6/2200x/6387705-arkivscan.jpg

But people did take matters into their own hands and in particular girls who had dated Germans were target for public humiliation. My own mother rememberd with glee how she as a very young girl had taken part in cutting the hair of "field-mattresses" as the girls were called.
WARNING - You may find the next pictures disturbing, but this is what happened and at least the girls weren't lynched in DK as girls were in other countries:
http://a.bimg.dk/node-images/392/3/2200x/3392933-sret-str-stadig-bent.jpg
http://www.bt.dk/sites/default/files-dk/node-images/615/3/3615966-ydmyget.jpg
http://b.bimg.dk/node-images/615/3/2200x/3615965-ydmyget-p-ben-gade.jpg
http://b.bimg.dk/node-images/44/2200x/44695-historiker--rige-tyskertser-havde-soldatersex--.jpg
http://www.bt.dk/sites/default/files-dk/node-images/903/6/6903493-piger-klippes.jpg

In the next few weeks the German Soldiers (up to 200.000) left Denmark with their personal weapons that they were to hand over at the border:
http://blog.dengamleby.dk/aarhusogandenverdenskrig/files/2013/06/499.jpg
Many if not most of the soldiers were burdened with food, bread, eggs and other "luxury" items they wanted to bring back to a devastated Germany.
They were stripped of everything at the border though.
This picture is interesting. A German unit is marching out of Copenhagen, no doubt under a hail of comments from the locals and with the odd resistance fighter looking on. Notice how the Blitzmädels and other German WAC's march in the center of the column, to better protect them:
http://www.lokalhistorier.dk/Amager_Bladet/20120515_Maj-1945/images/04_KglBib.jpg

While the Germans marched out, Danish and Norwegian concentration camp prisoners returned. A few being Jews, many being police officers, but most being resistance fighters.
While being treated with utmost respect and hailed as heroes in Denmark, shamefully Norwegian Jews in particular were mostly ignored upon returning to Norway:
http://historienet.dk/files/bonnier-his/pictures/kzjubel.jpg

When things had settled down it was time to remember.
At the place outside Copenhagen where resistance fighters had been executed, now called Mindelunden = the Remembrance Grove, the poles have been preserved:
http://images1.cdn.k.dk/sites/default/files/2013/09/355489.jpg

And a monument has been placed there:
http://www.din-bog.dk/Mindelunden/images/Poulsens_monument.jpg

The real resistance members would rarely survive a Hollywood casting today, but this is how they looked like:
http://billeder.bibod.dk/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=30921&g2_serialNumber=1
 
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Muhler - thanks so much for posting all those brief narratives and photos. So many stories of endurance, courage and simple humanity to be told. Worthy of solemn remembrance indeed. Again, my most respectful thanks.
 
Goodness me. Amazing how some of these pictures still have the power to shock. Thank you for all the information and pictures Muhler.

Today's event looked like a very a fitting tribute to all those who lost their lives.
 
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Thanks Muhler for your history of such a tremendous event. No one of our generation can really understand what it was like to live under wartime occupation conditions for so many years. Must have been so very hard on the population. As Miss P says the photos are very powerful. Imagine the complete Joy and Relief of people at Liberation time. It is a Time no one should be allowed to forget. Rememberance is a small thing in this busy life we lead now.
 
You are welcome, Tarlita, Polyesco, MissP, Valerie Rose & Marye :)

And thank you - because had it not been for your countries, my country would have had precious little reason to commemorate 5th May 1945. The Liberation. :flowers:
 
Just a little post script to the history - a few years ago I met a woman in the local library(Denver, CO) who was involved in an underground newspaper in Copenhagen during the occupation. One of the unsung folks who represent the true spirit of Danish society.
 
Thank you so much Muhler! Very interesting photos! When I was working in Germany, my husband took me to Dahal, I will never forget! I couldn't stop to cry! The Dutch did the same with the girls who slept with Nazis, but what happen with this girls after? and what was the reason the they slept with the Germans? they thought that they were going to spare them , get food? spies? or they got to get in love with the Nazis? I know farmor, (my Danish grandmother) use to get very upset when somebody would ask her. Are you German? and she would say they arrive to Denmark and rape all the 15 year old girls. My mother tells me she used to get so upset that you always wonder if she was rape by a Nazi! we will never know! but very tragic indeed
 
:previous: These are indeed very interesting questions, ashelen and there has been extensive research into this subject here in DK.

So what I'm going to write applies to Denmark during the Occupation and it will be up to you to decide whether you believe it applies to other occupied countries.
It has been estimated that some 30.000-50.000 women and teenagers had some sort of relationship with either German soldiers or Danish collaborators, that is they had a relationship with an enemy.
Why?

Why would you wish to form a relationship with someone who had invaded your country?
And why would you have a relationship with a German or a Danish Nazi or even being anywhere near such a person towards the end of the war?

Well, the majority simply fell in love.
Quite a lot did it out of curiosity. The Germans were interesting, something to sample or for the kick of doing something "forbidden".
Probably just as many did it because the Germans were the victors, they looked smart and at least in the beginning of the war, they were winning - and victors are sexy...
Some did it to rebel against their parents in particular or against the society as a whole - i.e. hanging out with the "bad guys" to spite.
Some were basically losers who sought protection and status by hanging out with those "in power".
A few were prostitutes to some degree. With towards the end some 250.000 Germans soldiers in Denmark there was no lack of men who would pay handsomely for female company.
And a relatively low number were Nazis themselves, so to them it was a natural thing to do.

But why would a young women dare go out with a German towards the end of the war, knowing they would be despised, perhaps even having their family and friends turn their back on them, not to mention running the risk of being seized on the street one day and getting a haircut. That happened frequently! The answer for the vast majority is that they were mindbogglingly naive! "Love conquers everything" - "My Fritz is something special" - "Surely nothing will happen to me" - "I wanna live, tomorrow we might be dead" - "I dunno about all that war-stuff. The news are boring and the war is far away. Is my hair alright?" - Psychologically speaking they chose to live in a bubble.
Some where of course aware of the risk, but chose to go on, albeit keeping a low profile.
And then there were those who got pregnant with a German soldier, who acknowledged his child, that also happened quite frequently, especially during the first three years of the war. So they were already engaged to a German or at least the mother of a German-bastard, so they didn't have much of an option.

There were no doubt the odd rape. It is however not something historians have said much about, for the simple reason that the German soldiers were disciplined and the vast majority had absolutely no desire to "rock the boat", when the alternative is a march battalion to the East Front. My grandfather caused a German officer to be shipped directly to the East Front. He was the head of a train and while checking tickets at first class, he encountered a Danish woman with a second class ticket accompanying a German officer (possibly a colonel). My grandfather, not being particularly pleased with the occupation..., demanded the women moved her behind back to second class. The officer got a fit and drew his pistol, but other officers stepped in and assured my grandfather that the officer would be shipped straight back the East Front and true enough the officer was taken away at the next station. That shook my grandfather, who dispite his dislike for the Germans and despite having a son-in-law gone underground (he was a police officer), was a kind man. Everyone knew about the Eastern Front!

What happened to the "field-mattresses" after the war?
The hard cases, Nazis and informers were tried and imprisoned, the rest got acquitted or never even went to court. But instead the "people's court" dealt with them! An unknown number faced public humiliation, especially after the Liberation. We are IMO talking about at the very least several hundred.
Several thousand were ostracized by family and friends and had to move to another part of the country.
An additional number, again several hundred in my estimation, followed their soldier to Germany.
The vast majority agreed with themselves and their family about never ever mentioning their relationship with a word!
Then there were those who already had a child with a German soldier or who became pregnant. Towards the end of the war and after the Liberation that meant that they went to another part of the country and gave birth there. In many cases the child was adopted away and the families kept quiet about this! In the cases where the mother chose to keep his child, there was a very high risk indeed that people would figure out who the father of the child was (DK was even smaller back then) and that meant inevitable public stigmatization, not only for the mother but for the child as well!
A few chose to stand up and admit they had such a relationship and even ending up marrying in the German, with the support of the family. Then they would face the public reaction as it came.

There is such a case in my family. The granddaughter of such a Danish-German relationship has married into my family and her grandmother wouldn't talk about it. Not even her mother (who was the child in question) was keen to talk about anything. She's dead now and the granddaughter has managed to locate her German "relatives". But that's another story.

Finally, who were these girls?
A very high proportion was actually from the middle class. They were better educated in general and as such could speak German at a more than rudimentary level. There was less social control with middle class girls, in the sense that they had better opportunities to be mobile and meet Germans. In contrast working class girl, were less mobile, found it more difficult to hide a relationship and was under more strict social control. A working class girl dated a German, chances was that the whole neighborhood knew within days.

I hope that answered your questions. :)
 
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:previous:

Thank you Muhler for attempting to answer a question that still provokes shock, dismay and even horror. The question of 'occupation children' has still not been sufficiently studied, although I did find this book Fehrenbach, H.: Race after Hitler: Black Occupation Children in Postwar Germany and America. (Paperback and Hardcover)
but certainly the 'liberation children' have received a great deal of press
Who are the Canadian War Children of World War Two, Liberation Children, Eric Clapton
and much study. We all have stories and all children need to know them.:flowers:
 
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Thank you so much Muhler! as I read your post my skin got goose bumps!
What was at the thoughts of the Danish people when one of their princes married a German? and actually I wonder the same from Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands.
I guess all of you remember the Falkland war? ....
Well I wasn't very popular with a few of my cousins from my mother side when I married an English man but from my father side, the Danish blood, they welcome him to the family very well! I was too young to remember the war but I think a few of them felt that some way I betrayed the country, but I just fall in love with the person he is , I think now that cousins got over , but at the beginning, they didn't like it! now my daughter always said: " I will bring the peace and the union between both countries" " just love and piece"
 
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Tonight Sunday, M&F will be present at the yearly Reumert event. På TV i aften: Mary og Frederik er med til Reumert-fest | Billed Bladet

It's not the first year they are guests of honors of this DK's version of the Emmy/Oscar show.
This year however things will be different. I don't get exactly how but I guess those who watch it will learn.

It's shown live on DR K (a part of the DR1 network, so you should be able to see it outside DK).
They show the guests arriving from 19.00 and for those who want the first glimpse of Mary and Frederik too (eh, Polyesco? ;)) watch out from 19.45 and on.
I'm confident someone will post a live link later.

The Reumert show is a yearly opportunity for those within the entertainment business to show off, pad each other on the shoulders and agree on how marvelous they all are.
And there will also probably be a couple of hints to the result of the election as well... The cultural babarians are now in power, oh the horror. :scream::p

Anyway, I never watch the yearly ham-parade.:napoleon::napoleon::napoleon:
 
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Oh my all this shows emmys, oscars etc. is so boring . The most interested is what dresses they wore the Ladies.
 
Tonight Sunday, M&F will be present at the yearly Reumert event. På TV i aften: Mary og Frederik er med til Reumert-fest | Billed Bladet

(...)

It's shown live on DR K (a part of the DR1 network, so you should be able to see it outside DK).
They show the guests arriving from 19.00 and for those who want the first glimpse of Mary and Frederik too (eh, Polyesco? ;)) watch out from 19.45 and on.
I'm confident someone will post a live link later.

Thanks Muhler.
I would also think F&M would arrive around 19.45, but the calendar says at 19.00 - so maybe one should watch out from already there :)

Here is the link to Reumert live tonight:
https://www.dr.dk/tv/live/dr-k

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You have right, Muhler,

F&M will arrive around 19.50.
 
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Yes, I´m ready to see REUMERT now :) And will carefully look for our CPC :wub:

The CPC has arrived. CPss Mary in white dress with a shawl
 
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I watch it as well :)

Everything is turned upside down at this year's Reumert. It will be raw and "un-fine" (can you say that?). Therefore the show are held behind the actually main scenes, there will be zero speeches of thanks and the red carpet is removed and the entrance is not at the main entrance, but at the rear entrance there where the trucks are parking.

Or rather, this is the red carpet:
http://images.scribblelive.com/2015/6/21/bedae918-813d-4bef-9d25-b029b509756b.jpg

FasterB said:
The CPC has arrived. CPss Mary in white dress with a shawl

:previous:

Yes, and fun to see how this year Reumert is very casual style. Frederik and Mary arrived not as the last ones, but actually 10 minutes before they were scheduled to arrive and in the midst of all the people almost discreet in the background. The rest of the guests still arrive... ;)

The award will start now...
 
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Yes, it is very fun to watch this year :)

The CPC is doing the warm up :D CPss Mary a bit more enthutiastic than CP Frederik
 
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Haha. It's certainly an unconventional show. The hosts started to ask all guests to stand up and 'warm up' with jumping, high knee lift, picking apples with the arms and clapping hands over their heads.

And our Crown Prince Couple was along all the way and Mary stood there in her long dress and made high knee lift :D

Frederik & Mary at their seats:

http://asset.dr.dk/drfront/images//2015/06/21/w=620;110399.jpg

Mary & Frederik with the awards winners:
https://scontent-fra3-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...=9f0806c7da390bd97fab0e88cb2bbc9c&oe=55ED0940

It started so fun, modern and innovative, but has ended up in a bizarre and embarrassing award show. A pity because Reumert usually is a decent and worthy show. The hosts literally lies on the floor while they f*ck each other in the head and scream 'I'm hoorny', it's so embarrassing. F&M is doing a great job and I have reached a point where I actually feel a little sorry for F&M and the audience for having to sit there and look enthusiastic after almost 3 hours of really silly hosts and a messy show.

I think F&M will get themselves some good laughs on the way home in the Crown Car when the show finally ends. Taking each others hand while saying: Oh boy! :lol:
 
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