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Denmark's general strike of 1944 – barricades, bonfires and strikes against the Nazis

The Morning Star's Danish sister paper ARBEJDEREN on when the people of Copenhagen triumphed over the occupying forces

Barricade in Elmegade in Nørrebro in Copenhagen during the popular strike in 1944

THE general strike and subsequent street fighting between the German occupying forces in June 1944 was the largest single confrontation between the Danish population and the occupying forces. The uprising was also a clear signal that the population listened more to the resistance movement than to the politicians who collaborated with the occupiers.

In June 1944, the people of Copenhagen — led by the working class — rebelled against the Nazi occupation of Denmark.

Denmark was occupied from April 9 1940 to May 5 1945. Successive Danish governments collaborated with the German occupying forces until October 29 1943, when the government resigned. However, the state apparatus continued to collaborate with the occupying forces.

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