Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial
- remembering righteous gentiles -
Jerusalem, Israel
Max Dimont praises all the Fenno-Scandian countries (not just Denmark) for their role in helping to alleviate some of Jewish suffering during the Hitler years. In fact, Dimont declares that the Fenno-Scandian countries deserve a standing ovation from the world.
Under the nose of their Quisling government, the Norwegians helped most of the country's Jews escape to Sweden. The King of Denmark publicly wore the yellow Star of David, which the Nazis had prescribed for the Jews, and took part in the planning of an "underground" organization of students and Boy Scouts which led Denmark's Jews to a flotilla of fishing boats, waiting to take them to Sweden, which, in true Christian spirit, welcomed all Jewish refugees.
Though allied with Germany in a war against Russia, Finland's Field Marshal Karl Gustav Mannerheim informed the Germans that if but one of Finland's 1,700 Jews were seized, Finland would turn around and declare war on Germany. The Finns, said the Field Marshal, would not stand for the murder of any of their citizens.
Text passage selected by Robert Shepherd