#5--A Conspiracy of Decency: The Rescue of the Danish Jews During World War II by Emmy E. Werner

When I was a senior in high school I had the opportunity to hear Thomas Keneally speak at Mount Union College when I was there for a visitation day.  For those of you unfamiliar with his name, Keneally is the author of Schindler's List.  Up until that point, I knew about the Holocaust, but I don't think I had given it too much thought outside of history class.  Mr. Keneally made events and people come alive during his presentation and made me want to learn more about the people and the time.  After that, I made a more concerted effort to learn about this period of our world's history.

As a freshman in college I had the privilege to travel to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., as part of an educational trip I took with several of my classmates.  We had a few hours to spend in the museum.  While it was emotionally draining, I found that I could have easily spent the entire week there, absorbing everything.  The following year I took a Holocaust literature class as one of my English electives.  I found this class fascinating while also taxing.  The more I read about this time period, the more interested I became.  Which brings me to today's book.  My mom picked it up for me at the local library's semi-annual book sale this fall because she knew it would interest me, and she was right. 

During 1943, Hitler had decided it was time to take care of the "Jewish problem" in Denmark.  A German named Georg F. Duckwitz learned of the plan and warned the Jews of the impending action.  Almost the entire Jewish population of Denmark was saved by their fellow Danes and the Swedes who gave them asylum.  When many of them returned to Denmark after the war, they found that their homes, belongings, and even pets, had been taken care of.  This book tells the story of many of the rescuers and those they helped, based on first-hand accounts. 

I had learned somewhere along the way that Denmark was an anomaly during World War II in this respect, but I had never gotten the full story, until now. 

If you are interested in this time period, or reading about heroic acts, this was a fascinating read.  There is also quite a bit of literature available, written by those who lived it, if you want to check out something new.  I'd suggest heading to your local library for more information.

Happy reading!