German invasion of Denmark (1940)
On the 4th of April, Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, chief of the Abwehr and a man involved in the German resistance to Nazism, warned the Danes of an imminent invasion. This intelligence did not change the course of events because the Danish government refused to deploy defensive positions or prepare for battle. They feared giving Germany any provocation that might trigger an attack before they were ready. The primary purpose of Operation Weserübung Süd was to secure iron ore shipments from Narvik. Germany needed control over the port outside Aalborg in northern Jutland to capture Norway effectively. The Kriegsmarine high command approved occupying Denmark to extend their sea-defence network northward. This move made it harder for British ships to outflank them when attacking vessels in the Atlantic. Norway's fjords provided excellent bases for German submarines operating in the North Atlantic. Adolf Hitler subsequently demanded that both Norway and Denmark be invaded instead of just securing usage rights. The Germans presented this aggression as an act of protection against a supposed imminent attack by the United Kingdom and France.
At approximately 05:00 on the 9th of April, history's first paratrooper attack took place. Ninety-six Fallschirmjäger jumped from nine Junkers Ju 52 transport aircraft to secure Storstrøm Bridge. This bridge connected the island of Falster with Zealand and the coastal fortress on Masnedø island. The elite German troops expected heavy fighting around the fortress but found only two privates and an officer inside. The landing opened the way for a battalion of the 198. Infanterie-Division to advance on Copenhagen by land. Two hours later, a platoon of paratroopers from the 4th battalion of Fallschirmjäger Regiment I landed in Aalborg. They secured Weserübung Süd's primary target without encountering resistance. In less than an hour, German aircraft were landing there in huge numbers. More than 200 landings and takeoffs were recorded on the first day. Most flights transported troops and fuel to Fornebu Airport in Norway. At Esbjerg, a 75mm anti-aircraft gun damaged a German aircraft during the operation.
The Danish border was breached at Sæd, Rens, Padborg, and Krusaa at 04:15 on the 9th. With the Kriegsmarine simultaneously landing troops at Lillebælt, Danish troops at the border were cut off at the beginning of the fighting. The alarm was sounded at 04:17, and the first Danish troops were dispatched at 04:35. The first clash between the Danish Army and invading forces occurred at Lundtoftbjerg. A Danish anti-tank platoon armed with two 20 mm guns and a light machine gun had taken up positions covering the road. A German column appeared at 04:50, and the 20 mm cannons opened fire on the armoured cars while the machine gun took aim at motorcyclists. A fire started in a nearby barn, filling the air with smoke and hindering the German advance. Eventually the anti-tank platoon was forced to withdraw to Aabenraa. About one kilometer to the north, a bicycle platoon prepared a defence of a railway bridge but retreated after being strafed by fighter aircraft. One Dane died and another was wounded during these early skirmishes.
At 04:20, the minelayer entered Copenhagen harbour with an escort of the icebreaker and two patrol boats. The harbour was covered by the coastal artillery guns of Fort Middelgrund. The newly appointed Danish commander ordered a warning shot to be fired, but recently arrived recruits could not operate the gun. After landing a battalion of the 198th Infantry at 05:18, German forces captured the 70-strong garrison of Kastellet without firing a single shot. Their next target was Amalienborg Palace, residence of the Danish royal family. Upon their arrival, the 198th infantry battalion encountered fierce resistance from the on-duty company of the King's Royal Guard. The initial attack was repulsed, resulting in three wounded Guardsmen and four wounded Germans. Danish reinforcements arrived from Rosenborg Barracks, bringing multiple Madsen machine guns. Subsequent street fighting around Amalienborg was intense, particularly in Bredgade. Several formations of Heinkel He 111 and Dornier Do 17 bombers roared over the city dropping leaflets. Faced with the explicit threat of Luftwaffe bombing Copenhagen's civilian population, all but General Prior favoured surrender. The Danish government ordered a ceasefire at 06:00 and formally capitulated at 08:34.
The entire four squadron Danish Army Air Service was stationed at Værløse near Copenhagen. In anticipation of the German invasion, they had prepared to disperse to airfields around the country, but this had not been accomplished by 05:25 when Luftwaffe aircraft appeared over the airbase. As the German aircraft reached Værløse, one Fokker C.V-E reconnaissance aircraft was getting airborne. It was shot down by a Messerschmitt Bf 110 flown by Hauptmann Wolfgang Falck at an altitude of 1,000 meters. Both crew members were killed. The German Bf 110s then strafed the base under heavy anti-aircraft fire. They destroyed 11 aircraft and badly damaged another 14 as they taxied to take-off. This action wiped out most of the Danish Army Air Service in a single morning. The Danish Navy Air Service remained at its bases and escaped damage during the attack.
For propaganda purposes, the German High Command tried to present the invasion of Denmark as a peaceful one. In his first monograph, author Kay Søren Nielsen states that in the archives of the Danish weapons manufacturer DISA, 203 German soldiers were claimed to be killed in Jutland. This number is backed up by testimonies from veterans including Frode Jensen. He stated that after the battle, Germans told him they had lost 18 men while his unit suffered only two casualties. However, many historians consider this number an exaggeration. In 2015, the Journal of Military History published an article summarizing key points in the German invasion. Lt. Col Jürgensen H.J. argued that actual German losses were 2, 3 killed and 25, 30 wounded. He also noted that the Danish military suffered a confirmed 16 dead and 20 wounded. Casualties among civil resistance are given as 10 dead and 3 wounded. Military historian David T. Zabecki notes in Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History that Denmark suffered 49 casualties total. Other than front-line casualties, a tugboat sank after colliding with a German vessel in the Great Belt.
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Common questions
When did the German invasion of Denmark begin in 1940?
The German invasion of Denmark began at approximately 05:00 on the 9th of April. The Danish border was breached at Sæd, Rens, Padborg, and Krusaa at 04:15 on that same day.
Who warned the Danes about the imminent German invasion before it started?
Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, chief of the Abwehr and a man involved in the German resistance to Nazism, warned the Danes of an imminent invasion on the 4th of April. This intelligence did not change the course of events because the Danish government refused to deploy defensive positions or prepare for battle.
What were the primary strategic goals of Operation Weserübung Süd during the German invasion of Denmark?
The primary purpose of Operation Weserübung Süd was to secure iron ore shipments from Narvik by controlling the port outside Aalborg in northern Jutland. Germany needed control over this area to capture Norway effectively and extend their sea-defence network northward to make it harder for British ships to outflank them when attacking vessels in the Atlantic.
How many casualties occurred among the Danish military and civilians during the German invasion of Denmark?
Military historian David T. Zabecki notes in Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History that Denmark suffered 49 casualties total. Other sources indicate confirmed figures of 16 dead and 20 wounded for the Danish military, with civil resistance suffering 10 dead and 3 wounded.
Which specific locations saw the first clashes between the Danish Army and invading forces during the German invasion of Denmark?
The first clash between the Danish Army and invading forces occurred at Lundtoftbjerg where a Danish anti-tank platoon opened fire on an approaching German column. The border was breached at Sæd, Rens, Padborg, and Krusaa at 04:15 on the 9th of April while troops were simultaneously landed at Lillebælt.