The Danish State Church during the German Occupation 1940-45: State Collaboration and Resistance

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Danish State Church during the German Occupation 1940-45: State Collaboration and Resistance

AU - Roslyng-Jensen, Palle

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - The Danish State Church was during the occupation an integrated part of state collaboration with the occupation power. The Ministry of Church Affairs, the bishops and a majority of vicars and active church members supported the accord between the Occupation power and the Danish state on which state collaboration was built. Gradually the Danish state had to give significant concessions to the occupation power, but the Danish Nazi party did not take over political power in Denmark and there was no serious Nazi attempts to influence the administration or the theology of the State Church. Resistance was initially resistance against the Danish government and its policies and first after August 1943, when the German authorities took over direct rule in Denmark, was resistance aimed directly at the occupation power. Resistance among individual vicars or church activists was especially humanitarian aid and support to people imprisoned or threatened by the occupation power, Danish Jews, allied airmen etc. or clandestine papers and pamphlets seeking support for resistance. Only in few cases was church resistance direct support to armed resistance. A number of vicars were members of Danish Unity Party which recruited members for resistance and this included some vicars. A larger group sought connection to humanitarian support through network of State Church factions and especially from vicars connected to Home Mission. Church resistance was based on individuals or local networks and in no cases did the established church initiate resistance, which aimed at armed resistance.

AB - The Danish State Church was during the occupation an integrated part of state collaboration with the occupation power. The Ministry of Church Affairs, the bishops and a majority of vicars and active church members supported the accord between the Occupation power and the Danish state on which state collaboration was built. Gradually the Danish state had to give significant concessions to the occupation power, but the Danish Nazi party did not take over political power in Denmark and there was no serious Nazi attempts to influence the administration or the theology of the State Church. Resistance was initially resistance against the Danish government and its policies and first after August 1943, when the German authorities took over direct rule in Denmark, was resistance aimed directly at the occupation power. Resistance among individual vicars or church activists was especially humanitarian aid and support to people imprisoned or threatened by the occupation power, Danish Jews, allied airmen etc. or clandestine papers and pamphlets seeking support for resistance. Only in few cases was church resistance direct support to armed resistance. A number of vicars were members of Danish Unity Party which recruited members for resistance and this included some vicars. A larger group sought connection to humanitarian support through network of State Church factions and especially from vicars connected to Home Mission. Church resistance was based on individuals or local networks and in no cases did the established church initiate resistance, which aimed at armed resistance.

KW - Faculty of Humanities

KW - Danish State Church

KW - german occupation

KW - Collaboration

KW - resistance

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0932-9951

VL - 28

SP - 262

EP - 277

JO - Kirchliche Zeitgeschichte

JF - Kirchliche Zeitgeschichte

IS - 2

M1 - 6

ER -