Drawing on extensive archival research in Denmark and beyond, Hong offers a nuanced, non-judgmental exploration of how Danes navigated the occupation—not through heroic myths alone, but through a complex interplay of cooperation, adaptation, and defiance.
Hong's work stands out for its balanced perspective, avoiding the post-war glorification of resistance that dominates Danish national memory while also not excusing collaboration. Instead, it humanizes the Danish experience, examining how ordinary citizens, politicians, and institutions grappled with survival under authoritarian rule.
The book spans 374 pages, blending political history with social and economic analysis, and is accessible to both general readers and scholars. Its publication coincides with renewed interest in "small-state" histories of WWII, influenced by global reflections on occupation, resistance, and moral ambiguity in times of crisis.
As Europe grapples with echoes of nationalism and authoritarianism in the 21st century, Occupied provides timely insights into resilience and compromise.
The book weaves together official documents, personal diaries, newspaper clippings, and resistance pamphlets into a cohesive narrative. Unlike some Danish historians who emphasize the "heroic" resistance to bolster national pride, Hong adopts a journalistic ethos—objective, evidence-based, and explanatory.
He avoids moralizing, instead framing adaptation as a pragmatic response to overwhelming odds, while highlighting resistance as an evolving, multifaceted phenomenon, his outsider's view provides fresh insights, unburdened by national biases, though some Danish scholars question whether it fully captures local nuances.
To appreciate Occupied, one must understand Denmark's precarious position in 1939. A constitutional monarchy since 1849, Denmark prided itself on neutrality, a policy rooted in its geographic vulnerability between Germany and Britain. With a small army and no natural defenses beyond the narrow straits of the Øresund, Denmark had avoided major conflicts since the 19th century. Economically, it was an agrarian exporter of butter, bacon, and eggs to Germany, its largest trading partner, fostering economic interdependence that would later complicate resistance efforts.
The outbreak of WWII in September 1939 thrust Denmark into isolation.
Prime Minister Thorvald Stauning's Social Democratic government pursued strict neutrality, but Nazi ambitions in Scandinavia—securing iron ore from Sweden and naval bases in Norway—sealed Denmark's fate. On April 9, 1940, Operation Weserübung saw German forces invade without declaration of war. Danish defenses crumbled in hours; King Christian X urged surrender to avoid bloodshed, and by noon, Copenhagen was occupied. Unlike Norway's fierce five-week resistance, Denmark's capitulation was swift, earning it the label of "model protectorate" under Reichskommissar Werner Best.
There is a good deal of detailing the pre-war politics: the coalition government's fragility, the rise of fascist sympathizers like the Danish National Socialist Workers' Party (DNSAP), and public sentiment favoring peace at any cost. He draws on diplomatic cables and intelligence reports to show how Britain and the Soviet Union offered little support, leaving Denmark exposed. This backdrop of helplessness sets the stage for the book's central tension: how a nation of pacifists balanced survival with sovereignty.
Hong also notes cultural factors, such as Denmark's strong welfare state and egalitarian society, which influenced collective responses.
By framing the occupation within broader Nazi strategies—contrasting it with harsher regimes in Poland or France—Hong underscores Denmark's relative autonomy until 1943, when escalating Allied successes prompted tighter control.
This context is crucial, as it explains why initial adaptation was widespread. Hong cites economic data: German orders accounted for 50% of Danish exports by 1941, sustaining employment but tying the economy to the Reich. Socially, the occupation disrupted daily life minimally at first—no curfews, no mass arrests—fostering a false sense of normalcy. Yet, subtle erosions, like censorship of the press and anti-Jewish rhetoric, sowed seeds of discontent. Hong's prelude chapters effectively demystify the "why" of Danish compliance, preparing readers for the moral ambiguities ahead.
Hong also delves into the role of the Danish authorities, particularly the police and judiciary, in upholding the policy of cooperation. For most of the occupation, the Danish police acted as an auxiliary force for the Germans, arresting saboteurs and anti-German activists, thereby freeing up German troops for other duties. This created a deeply conflicted institution, one that would later be tasked with rounding up the Jewish population and, after the war, with punishing collaborators. Hong’s treatment of these institutions is fair but unsparing, showing how their commitment to maintaining order and the rule of (Danish) law inadvertently served the interests of the occupier.
Occupied unfolds chronologically, tracing the occupation's evolution from uneasy coexistence to open conflict and liberation.
While no explicit table of contents is detailed in promotional materials, the structure can be inferred from summaries and reviews as a linear progression divided into phases: initial occupation (1940-1941), deepening cooperation (1941-1943), the turn to resistance (1943-1944), and the endgame (1944-1945), followed by post-war reflections.
The book vividly recounts the morning of April 9, using eyewitness accounts from soldiers and civilians to convey the surreal speed of defeat. He examines the Stauning-Best agreement, which allowed Denmark a semblance of self-governance in exchange for non-aggression. This "cooperation policy" (samarbejdspolitikken) is portrayed not as cowardice but as calculated diplomacy, preserving democratic institutions and averting famine.
Later the book shifts to the "quiet occupation" era. Hong explores economic exploitation: Germany extracted agricultural goods while Denmark rationed food, leading to black markets and class tensions. Politically, he analyzes the role of the Folketing (parliament) and the king's symbolic resistance, such as his 1941 New Year's speech subtly criticizing Nazism.
Socially, chapters delve into cultural life—cabaret satire, jazz as subtle protest—and the plight of minorities, including early anti-Semitic measures.
The pivot comes in 1943, with Hong dedicating significant space to the "August Crisis." As Allied bombings intensified and sabotage acts multiplied, German authorities dissolved the government, imposing direct rule. The book details the general strike in Copenhagen, deportations to concentration camps, and the flight of 7,200 Jews to Sweden in a remarkable humanitarian effort organized by ordinary Danes. Resistance escalates: illegal presses (building on Hong's prior expertise), sabotage of railways, and intelligence for the Allies via the SOE (Special Operations Executive).
Final sections cover the liberation and describes the chaotic 1945 spring, with German retreats, British advances, and internal purges. Post-war, he examines the "settling of accounts" (opgøret), trials of collaborators, and the myth-making that elevated resistance heroes while marginalizing adapters.
Throughout, the Occupied interweaves farmers smuggling food, teachers defying curriculum changes—to humanize the macro-history. Maps, photographs, and appendices (including timelines and key figures) enhance readability. The narrative builds tension, from resignation to empowerment, culminating in a sober assessment of costs: 3,300 Danish deaths, economic ruin, but preserved national spirit.
One of Occupied's strongest contributions is its unflinching examination of adaptation—the "non-heroic" responses that sustained daily life under occupation. Hong argues well that cooperation was not monolithic betrayal but a spectrum of survival strategies, from passive compliance to active alignment with Nazis. He dissects the policy's architects: Stauning's government viewed it as a shield against harsher measures, allowing elections in 1943 (though under duress) and maintaining social services.
Economically, adaptation meant exporting to Germany while importing coal and machinery, preventing collapse.
Hong uses trade statistics to show how this interdependence created vested interests; farmers prospered, industrialists hedged bets. Socially, he explores "inner emigration"—Danes retreating into private spheres, listening to BBC broadcasts covertly.
Yet, Hong reveals cracks: corruption in rationing bred resentment, and cultural censorship stifled dissent, fostering underground networks. Morally, the book navigates gray areas without absolution. He profiles figures like Erik Scavenius, foreign minister who negotiated with Best, as pragmatists rather than villains. Collaborationists, including DNSAP members who joined auxiliary police, are contextualized amid ideological fringes. Hong draws parallels to Vichy France, noting Denmark's unique "soft occupation" delayed radicalization but prolonged ethical dilemmas.
Workers balanced strikes with job security. The analysis humanizes these choices, emphasizing context: fear of reprisals, family needs, and hope for quick war's end.
By deconstructing the binary of hero/villain, he enriches understanding of occupation psychology, echoing Hannah Arendt's "banality of evil" in everyday concessions.
Danish resistance was evolving from symbolic gestures to organized sabotage. By 1943, over 800 clandestine newspapers circulated, from simple leaflets to sophisticated dailies like Frit Danmark (Free Denmark), printing 100,000 copies. These "guerilla media papers" eroded German legitimacy, coordinating strikes and exposing atrocities.
The milestones are also well presented: the 1941 shelling of the Danish navy at Iverød as a loyalty test, the 1942 formation of the Freedom Council (Frihedsrådet), and BOPA (Danish Resistance Movement) versus Holger Danske saboteurs. He details operations like the 1943 train derailments disrupting troop movements to the Eastern Front. Intelligence networks, including women couriers, fed data to London, aiding D-Day.
The Jewish rescue operation shines as a pinnacle of collective resistance. Hong recounts how, after the October 1943 order for deportation, clergy, fishermen, and citizens formed a human chain across the Øresund, saving 99% of Denmark's 8,000 Jews. This "Danish miracle" stemmed from pre-war integration and moral outrage, contrasting with adaptation's self-preservation. Occupied also balances triumphs with tragedies: failed uprisings led to executions, like the 1944 Borgbjerg shooting. He critiques romanticized views, noting resistance's limited scale (only 50,000 active members) and internal divisions—communists vs. conservatives. Allied support, via airdrops, amplified efforts. But what stands out is that Communists and Conservatives fought the occupation while the liberal Centrist parties played along with the Fascist occupation.
This theme underscores resistance as adaptive too opportunistic, networked, and ultimately transformative, reshaping Danish identity from victim to victor.
Occupied excels in portraying the occupation's ripple effects on society and economy. Hong devotes space to rationing's hardships: by 1943, bread was 80% ersatz, fueling malnutrition and infant mortality. Black markets thrived, exacerbating inequalities—urban elites fared better than rural poor. Labor conscription to Germany, affecting 6,000 Danes, sparked ethical debates on refusal versus family support.
Culturally, Hong explores suppression and subversion. Danish literature, like Martin Hansen's novels, veiled critiques; theater and film navigated censorship. Education faced Nazi-leaning curricula, prompting teacher strikes in 1943. Family life strained under surveillance, with denunciations rising. Hong highlights resilience: community gardens, folk dancing, and radio as morale boosters.
Economically, the occupation was a double-edged sword. Initial booms from orders masked inflation (prices quadrupled by 1945).
Post-1943 sabotage crippled industry, leading to unemployment. Hong analyzes post-war reconstruction, noting how resistance myths aided recovery but ignored economic collaborators' roles in rebuilding. Gender shifts emerged: women entered workforce en masse, accelerating emancipation. These chapters ground the abstract in tangible suffering and ingenuity, illustrating how occupation forged social cohesion amid division.
In the final chapters the book investigates Denmark's purge of collaborators. Over 13,000 faced trials; 500 death sentences (mostly commuted) targeted Nazis and quislings. He critiques the process's unevenness: economic adapters escaped scrutiny, while ideological foes bore the brunt. Resistance heroes like the Freedom Council shaped narratives, embedding "the people's war" in collective memory.
Long-term, the occupation bolstered welfare state solidarity and EU skepticism, viewing integration as occupation's antithesis. Jewish rescue enhanced Denmark's humanitarian image. Hong warns against mythologizing, noting suppressed stories of adaptation. This legacy analysis tie’s themes together, showing history's contested nature.
Occupied is essential for WWII studies, a masterful chronicle, urging nuanced views of history's grays, and it endures as a testament to human adaptability.
