The photo above is in Denmark's National Museum, in the WWII collection. The information identifies it as -

Sabotage. People looking at Langebro (bridge) in Copenhagen. 27th March 1945.

The sabotage group BOPA placed 150 kg. explosives in a train that blew up while it was crossing the bridge. Their timing was immaculate; these saboteurs were incredibly resourceful and forward-thinking. It is highly likely this was EXACTLY the plan.

The people are coughing, spluttering, sneezing. Thick smoke fills their nostrils; chokes throats; tears up their eyes.

"Jette? Jette? Are you still there?" And Lars gropes for her hand, despite increasingly blurred vision from the acrid fumes.

"I'm here, dear one." Jette clings to his arm, her mouth dry with fear, her eyes watering with the increasing smoke and dust from the falling debris, though they are well distant.

The noise was savage at the moment of explosion, hitting deep within the stomachs of passers-by. Screaming their last as they fell, the train engine and wagons crashed to earth far below. The impact came through onlookers feet, near tipping them over. And the groan of bending steel continued.

"Stay brave Jette... and be proud. This is us, the people, fighting back."

Jette's arms wind around Lars, squeezing him tightly. "... but no one said we should be hurt in Freedom's name? That wasn't the plan, was it?"

His hand moves unerringly to stroke her face, as he says, "My dearest love - nothing would hurt us more than to simply 'sit-back' instead of 'fighting-back'. Trust me."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

From the earliest days of Denmark's Occupation and throughout the continuing horror, defiant acts and small wins provided deep satisfaction and delight to Danish patriots.

The majority of those involved in 'civil disobedience' had never been trained as revolutionaries or even previously held passionate political views; they were ordinary people, students, parents, manual labourers. They came from all walks of life, with ages ranging from the young to the very old, rich to poor, housewives and even a King; strangers who became the best of friends, united in their resistance.

In the play 'The Tempest', by William Shakespeare, he wrote:

"Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows."

Hardship produced a degree of creativity combined with the strongest determination to defy and deny their oppressors the satisfaction of complete enslavement. Their courage and fortitude knew no bounds when their pride in themselves and their country was at stake.

**Author's Note: There is more to be added to this, plus I think it may have a different placement within this chapter.  It grows slowly, inspired by the photo - and I'm trying to find more detail in my research.

I have now also broken up much of the information I had contained here, and have several more chapters in draft for rewrite. So many fascinating stories coming...