Product Description

The dramatic and compelling rescue of the Danish Jews from the hands of the Nazis, told through firsthand accounts and personal stories. The people of Denmark managed to save almost their countrys entire Jewish population from extinction in a spontaneous act of humanity one of the most compelling stories of moral courage in the history of World War II. Drawing on many personal accounts, Emmy Werner tells the story of the rescue of the Danish Jews from the vantage-point of living eyewitnesses- the last survivors of an extraordinary conspiracy of decency that triumphed in the midst of the horrors of the Holocaust. A Conspiracy of Decency chronicles the acts of people of good will from several nationalities. Among them were the German Georg F. Duckwitz, who warned the Jews of their impending deportation, the Danes who hid them and ferried them across the Oresund, and the Swedes who gave them asylum. Regardless of their social class, education, and religious and political persuasion, the rescuers all shared one important characteristic: they defined their humanity by their ability to act with great compassion. These people never considered themselves heroes they simply felt that they were doing the right thing.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #827503 in Books
• Published on: 2002-12-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 288 pages

About the Author
Emmy E. Werner is a developmental ps ychologist and research professor at the Universit y of California at Davis. She is the author of man y books, including Through the Eyes of Innocen ts (Westview Press 2000); Reluctant Witne sses (Westview Press, 1998); Pioneer Chi ldren on the Journey West (Westview Press 199 5).

Customer Reviews

A heart-rending tale of moral courage
I knew very little about the rescue of Danish Jews in the Second World War. This leaves the reader with a profound sense of moral courage of a nation which was eventually recognised as "righteous amongst the nations" by the Holocaust Museum Yad Vashem in Israel. Virtually all except a couple hundred of Denmark's Jews survived the Holocaust because of the moral courage of the Danish people. So many Danish people risked their lives by hiding Jews and co-ordinated getting Jews onto fishing vessels for safe passage to Sweden. They succeeded - just days before the proposed Nazi round-up of Jews, due to take place on 1st October 1943. A deeply moving story, beautifully told without unnecessary embellishment.