Svend's thoughts

Hi,
8/20/2018
Starting the preparation for my fathers 90 year birthday. Reflecting on his time.
He is part of the generation that went from walking to flying. From getting the news over a cup of coffey to instant news on the computer.
3 generations and his brothe on the picture.

Some Notes on the Famous Brothers Hansen 

Everyone who lived through WW2 has a story to tell. Of course those who did the fighting on both sides have the most dramatic stories, but anyone who lived during that time has their own special experience that will always be with them. We’re fortunate to be hanging out with two people who lived through the war and are full of interesting stories. 

Villy and Egon, Svend’s father and uncle are brothers who lived within easy walking distance of the German border. Villy was 12 to 17 during those years and Egon 4 to 9. Both have vivid memories and life on the edge of such drama. 

How did they know their country was invaded? Their mother woke them early one morning to tell them their were German soldiers in the garden. 

The border between southern Denmark and northern Germany has always been flexible to say the least. Both sides of Svend’s family have a Danish/German mixture. 

In the Hansen family, from that day of the German occupation, no one in Denmark saw their German relations for over 5 years except for once when their mother got a special pass to attend her brothers funeral.

There were 2 sets of searchlights in the ares which the boys remember peaking through it the blackout curtains to watch for planes. There was a couple of times that   enemy planes were shot down. We recently visited a memorial in the woods near where Egon now lives, of a British plane that was shot down. Our friend Thomas also told of a memorial for a Canadian fighter pilot that he and his father organized a few years ago. The Canadian Air Force sent a jet to fly over the ceremony. In this small agricultural community there are still strong memories of that terrible time.

The Danes are proud of their resistance movement. Of course it was a David and Goliath situation. Little Denmark could not overtly fight against the Third Reich.  But

there were a few pockets of brave resisters. 

Near the border crossing there is a stone dedicated to Folke Bendotte. He was a Danish Diplomat who organized the evacuation of POWs and other refugees including many Jews from Germany. It was a famous convoy of white buses that drove the length of Denmark to security in Sweden.