Denmark in memory

[amadeus]

@McFearless [Your profile page would not accept such a long post... so I have posted it here]

While a student in West Berlin for the school year 1969-1970, a German friend asked me to go with him to Denmark in his little sports car, I did. We drove straight to Copenhagen. Being thirsty shortly after arrival he suggested we visit a drinking place to try out the local beer.

The first person we met apparently remembered too well the occupation of Denmark by the Germans in WWII. Discovering my friend was German, even though way too young [born after the war was over] to have been involved, he was quite insulting and nasty about it.

A couple of other men came out of the establishment in support of the man [apparently his friends] but when I said something and they all became aware that I was an American, they backed down from their aggressive attitude. Americans were more acceptable to them. The attitude toward my friend did not soften so I told my friend it was time to leave and we did without ever trying the local beer. It was only a long weekend for us and we needed to get back to school. I never had the opportunity to return even to Europe much less to Denmark.

When I met Pia on this forum a few years ago, hearing the story she explained as best she could what likely had happened. She was also too young to have experienced the Germans in Denmark, but she knew what she had learned from her parents and family... I always did want to return, but now at my age and with my wife in a very weakened condition it is unlikely ever to happen.

 

[farouk]

@McFearless [Your profile page would not accept such a long post... so I have posted it here]

While a student in West Berlin for the school year 1969-1970, a German friend asked me to go with him to Denmark in his little sports car, I did. We drove straight to Copenhagen. Being thirsty shortly after arrival he suggested we visit a drinking place to try out the local beer.

The first person we met apparently remembered too well the occupation of Denmark by the Germans in WWII. Discovering my friend was German, even though way too young [born after the war was over] to have been involved, he was quite insulting and nasty about it.

A couple of other men came out of the establishment in support of the man [apparently his friends] but when I said something and they all became aware that I was an American, the back down from their aggressive attitude. Americans were more acceptable to them. The attitude toward my friend did not soften so I told my friend it was time to leave and we did without ever trying the local beer. It was only a long weekend for us and we needed to get back to school. I never had the opportunity to return even to Europe much less to Denmark.

When I met Pia on this forum a few years ago, hearing the story she explained as best she could what likely had happened. She was also too young to have experienced the Germans in Denmark, but she knew what she had learned from her parents and family... I always did want to return, but now at my age and with my wife in a very weakened condition it is unlikely ever to happen.

@amadeus Interesting story; so did Pia tend to dislike Germans also?

 

[amadeus]

@amadeus Interesting story; so did Pia tend to dislike Germans also?

No, she was from my generation. She was surprised to hear my story. The problems with Germany of course were in her country's history but before the time of her personal memories. She posted here on this forum quite a bit, but the last time was in 2018. She is a great sister in the Lord, but too much un-Christian-like behavior... name calling and such here on this forum was too much for her. I used to talk with her regularly by e-mail but it has been a few months since I have heard from her now. She was/is a good friend of mjrhealth a fellow Australian [not from Denmark] who was also a member here some time ago.

 

[McFearless]

@McFearless [Your profile page would not accept such a long post... so I have posted it here]

While a student in West Berlin for the school year 1969-1970, a German friend asked me to go with him to Denmark in his little sports car, I did. We drove straight to Copenhagen. Being thirsty shortly after arrival he suggested we visit a drinking place to try out the local beer.

The first person we met apparently remembered too well the occupation of Denmark by the Germans in WWII. Discovering my friend was German, even though way too young [born after the war was over] to have been involved, he was quite insulting and nasty about it.

A couple of other men came out of the establishment in support of the man [apparently his friends] but when I said something and they all became aware that I was an American, they backed down from their aggressive attitude. Americans were more acceptable to them. The attitude toward my friend did not soften so I told my friend it was time to leave and we did without ever trying the local beer. It was only a long weekend for us and we needed to get back to school. I never had the opportunity to return even to Europe much less to Denmark.

When I met Pia on this forum a few years ago, hearing the story she explained as best she could what likely had happened. She was also too young to have experienced the Germans in Denmark, but she knew what she had learned from her parents and family... I always did want to return, but now at my age and with my wife in a very weakened condition it is unlikely ever to happen.

I’m born in 1987 but I can totally relate to your experience. I think the negativity towards Germans stems from Danish patriotic post war propaganda and the fact that Denmark was possessed by Germany during the war. As a child I had very negative feelings towards Germans. It was so bad that I had no interest in learning German in school.
It’s crazy what adults will teach their children. Today Danes like Germans but we find it hard to communicate with them.

 

[McFearless]

No, she was from my generation. She was surprised to hear my story. The problems with Germany of course were in her country's history but before the time of her personal memories. She posted here on this forum quite a bit, but the last time was in 2018. She is a great sister in the Lord, but too much un-Christian-like behavior... name calling and such here on this forum was too much for her. I used to talk with her regularly by e-mail but it has been a few months since I have heard from her now. She was/is a good friend of mjrhealth a fellow Australian [not from Denmark] who was also a member here some time ago.

I must admit that I can find it incredibly hard not to get triggered on this page, especially because some people are not interested in a dialogue. I can be quick to just draw the sword as Peter did - emotions are not a great behavioral guide

On the other hand it is really nice to have true Christians and misguided Christians together, then it’s possible to win souls for Jesus even on this Christian platform. It takes wisdom to disarm someone hostile towards you - Lord, give us the love, patience and mercy to turn prideful hearts.

 

[amadeus]

I’m born in 1987 but I can totally relate to your experience. I think the negativity towards Germans stems from Danish patriotic post war propaganda and the fact that Denmark was possessed by Germany during the war. As a child I had very negative feelings towards Germans. It was so bad that I had no interest in learning German in school.
It’s crazy what adults will teach their children. Today Danes like Germans but we find it hard to communicate with them.

Exactly so. Similar things have happened and are happening in the United States and other countries today. You may see it expressed on this forum!

People easily confuse patriotism toward their home country with the Love of God. This, I believe, is manifesting their carnality and/or their delusion. According to what Paul wrote, delusion is sent to people by God when and if they do not love the truth or because they have lost their love of the truth. [See II Thess. 2:10-11]

People will come back with arguments about what the truth is. The key is not to know specifically the details of what is truth, but to love it in accord with what God knows that it is. Who else but God knows Truth absolutely?

Again Paul writes about his own less than absolute knowledge here:


"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." I Cor 13:12

Paul certainly included himself in that pronoun, we!

Jesus told us that He is the Truth, but how well do know Jesus? How clearly do we see His face. In both the OT and the NT (Old and New Testaments] the search for his face, but how clear is our vision?

 

[amadeus]

I must admit that I can find it incredibly hard not to get triggered on this page, especially because some people are not interested in a dialogue. I can be quick to just draw the sword as Peter did - emotions are not a great behavioral guide

On the other hand it is really nice to have true Christians and misguided Christians together, then it’s possible to win souls for Jesus even on this Christian platform. It takes wisdom to disarm someone hostile towards you - Lord, give us the love, patience and mercy to turn prideful hearts.

Yes, sometimes on some of the threads here you will see constant switching back forth between people on opposite sides of a question, but their primary interest in is winning the other guy to their side or to put the other guy down. In other words they want to win the debate. They believe they are right and that they must win because they are surely on the Lord's side...

Who is on the Lord's side? Don't try to answer that!

One who loves the truth loves it even if he does not really know what it is! For such a contest as we often see on here to be fruitful to any participant someone must admit the possibility that he is in error. Who does that? Solomon speaks here of the carnal position of a man:

"Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts." Prov. 21:2

Then someone here will say that he is being led by the Holy Spirit. Solomon's words do not apply to him. It is not in his own eyes alone.

Isn't it? If a person is deluded, that means he does not know that he is wrong, right?

My own solution to this is, I believe, in my daily attempt to go to the lowest room as if I knew nothing and believed nothing but that God exists and that I must trust Him... I strive to lean on these words:

"But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.
For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." Luke 14:10-11

 

[Reggie Belafonte]

German prejudice was rampant in Australia in the 60'70s my mum is Danish and remembers the war days seeing dead people everywhere, I heard all the story's from the old Danes, some were idiots blinded by rage, my mums dad pointed out one was a pin head (translated) nice bloke I liked him and his wife but yes my G dad was correct as to this blokes attitude on such being daft. at my dads 60th he was their and I said look their is X and Pin said he is a Norway ! and did not want to speak to him .
Them 2 from Norway I loved as they looked after me as a child a lot when my mum worked and what a house they had .

But as a school child one of my mates G dad was a Nazi but I knew him well and he was not a Nazi at all he was not that stupid. he talked about such with my dad and I listened to his point of view, but his grand son born in Australia did cop the prejudice off people in our town and he hated that being tossed at him, but he was a lefty as his dad was a full on lefty union man. So we both would lock horns on issues full on back in the days but we are much better now, on such issues as he has come to the right much more and I have come more to the left then I was and it's good to have someone who you can have the biggest hellfire arguments and still be friends, I live 4hr away and I would drive home and be thinking that he will maybe never talk to me again. but to my surprise, No ! he is my best friend still. over 50 years we have learnt off each other things that most other people are ignorant about, because we have had it out on the cards so to speak and learned from such.

But anyway the Danish living in Australia held on to their prejudices of the Germans longer than the Danes in Denmark, why because they live next door to a boarder with them.

A lot of the Danes were Media educated mainly as of WW2 as are most Australians in fact, because they are only indoctrinated and ignorant due to following the MSM propaganda. they do not truly care to bother to look in depth to any situation because their god the MSM is above all.
Just look at Covid and the MSM is god to them. just as the German Nazi Media was back in the day ! Don't question the MSM or else just look at how the MSM have turned on the anti Jabbers and all, That's outright Nazi tactics at hand nowadays and people have not learned jack from the Nazis madness because they were never educated on the subject at all in fact, but sadly only indoctrinated, so you are like chooks in a cage.