Christian X of Denmark - Legend and Trivia

Legend and Trivia

On November 22, 1942, The Washington Post published a photograph of Christian X; calling him, ironically, a victim of Hitler. The idea was to show that Denmark was not opposing Nazism. It became then important for Danish Americans to prove the contrary, and a number of stories were invented in the turmoil of the war. The most successful of these was the legend of the king wearing the yellow star in order to support the Jews. It was said that one time, the Nazis came into Denmark and demanded that the king give up all the Jews. The king denied and said that there were no Jews in Denmark. Furious, the Germans said that every Jew has a yellow star of David on them. They told the king to have everyone present so they can check them. The next day, the king arrived with a yellow star on him. Everyone else followed in suite. Because of this, the Nazis couldn't determine who was Jewish and who was not: either they kill all of them or none at all. The story became extremely well-known through its retelling in Leon Uris's 1958 novel of the founding of Israel, Exodus, and the eponymous film. However, this is not a true story. The facts are, that the yellow badge was never introduced in Denmark, and when the Jews were finally arrested there is no record of a protest from the king. The "Yellow Star" story has many, more or less reliable, sources, one being a conversation between the king and his minister of finance, Vilhelm Buhl, during which Christian remarked that if the German administration tried to introduce the symbol of the Star of David in Denmark, "perhaps then we should all wear it."

King Christian used to ride daily through the streets of Copenhagen unaccompanied while the people stood and waved to him. One apocryphal story relates that one day, a German soldier remarked to a young boy that he found it odd that the king would ride with no bodyguard. The boy reportedly replied, "All of Denmark is his bodyguard." This story was recounted in Nathaniel Benchley's bestselling book "Bright Candles" as well as in Lois Lowry's book Number the Stars. The contemporary patriotic song "Der rider en Konge" (There Rides a King) centres on the king's rides. In this song, the narrator replies to a foreigner's inquiry about the king's lack of a guard that "he is our freest man" and that the king is not shielded by physical force but that "hearts guard the king of Denmark".

Another popular, but apocryphal, legend carried by the American press concerned the supposed flying of the German flag over the Hotel d'Angleterre (then being used as the Germany military headquarters in Copenhagen). The king riding by and seeing the flag, tells a German sentry that this is a violation of the armistice agreement and that the flag must be taken down. The sentry replies that this will not be done. The king then says if the flag is not taken down, he will send a Danish soldier to take it down. The sentry responds, "The soldier will be shot." The king then says, "the Danish soldier will be me". And, according to the story, the flag was taken down. (Another version has the Germans remove the Danish flag from above Amalienborg royal palace; however, throughout the war the Danish flag flew at Amalienborg.)

A popular way for Danes to display patriotism and silent resistance to the German occupation was wearing a small square button with the Danish flag and the crowned insignia of the king. This symbol was called the Kongemærket (King's Emblem pin).

King Christian was also known for his impressive height, standing 6' 6" (199 cm) tall.