Hvidsten group (Danish: Hvidstengruppen) was a Danish resistance group during World War II. Its name stems from an inn called Hvidsten Kro between Randers and Mariager in Jutland where it was formed. It started in 1943 and existed until 1944 when its members were arrested by the Gestapo. The identity of its members had been revealed by a captured British agent who under torture had revealed what he knew about the group. The group was arrested on March 11, 1944 and on June 26, 1944, eight of its members were sentenced to death and executed on June 29, 1944.
Rough translation of the full inscription on the Memorial stone reads:
"Deed for Denmark brought this day.
Bravely acted, true until death.
Let light shine in the red of morning,
They gave their lives for Denmark's cause.
S. P. KRISTENSEN * 20. 8. 1887
ALBERT IVERSEN * 28. 9. 1896
NIELS N. KJÆR * 2. 4. 1903
JOH KJÆR HANSEN * 2. 4. 1907
HENNING ANDERSEN * 16. 7. 1917
MARIUS FIIL * 21. 6. 1893
PETER SØRENSEN * 8. 6. 1919
NIELS FIIL * 12. 6. 1920
1944 on the 29th of June
They fell before German bullets
Precious is their memory to Denmark
Erected in the year 1945"
The group was responsible for receiving weapons and explosives dropped by the British over Denmark to be distributed to resistance groups like BOPA and Holger Danske. These air drops were announced using secret code disguised as "greetings" by the British at the end of the special BBC news broadcasts to Denmark during the war.
|
||||||||||||||