Evening star., 1942-07-25

daily, discussing the problem OF
resistance recently, complained:
Church circles are the worst, for
they dismiss Nazism from a Chris
tian and ethical standpoint. This
undermining work is being done
from many pulpits.'
Kritisk Ugerevy, Nazi weekly,
denounced a number Of prominent
Danish religious leaders and accused
them of undermining the morale OF
the people and of supporting the
Archbishop of Canterbury. The
publication went on to say that "the
same thing that has happened to
bishops, pastors and teachers IN
Germany and Norway will take
place in Denmark when the time
comes"
Anti -Nazi opposition in Denmark
differs from resistance in most other
occupied countries. 1t is almost
entirely a spiritual resistance, char
acterized by few If any acts OF vio-
lence or sabotage. This non-violent
resistance is said to be deliberate
policy of the Danish government
and OF the nations leaders.
Heading the spiritual resistance
throughout the country is a promi-
nent churchman, DR.. Hal Koch, pro-
fessor of theology at the University
of Copenhagen. Largely due to his
leadership, several hundred Danish
young peoples societies, religious,
academic, political, folk high school
and other groups have been quietly
organized into a huge federation Of
Danish young peoples societies with
about 300 900 members. The central
object of this federation is to resist
alien ideologies and preserve Danish
freedom and independence. This
federation is in the forefront Of re-
sistance and is probably the first
instance In which youth groups OF
an occupied country are leading the
fight against Nazi domination.
At least one attempt has been
made by the Nazis to assassinate
Prof. Koch. On June II a bomb
exploded in front of his villa in a
suburb of Copenhagen, but the theo-
logan was unharmed. About this
time DR.. Koch, in an address to stu
dents of the University of Copen-
hagen, said: "Our church cannot
say that it will not act before the
gospel is threatened. The church is
also a peoples institution and is
threatened when the people are
threatened"
AS In Norway, the established
church in Denmark Is the Lutheran
Church, which is supported by the
state. There are some 1900 clergy
men in the country supervised by
nine bishops and number Of deans.
At the time of the last census only
10000 Danes out of a total popula-
ton of about 100000 were not
members of the state church.
Clergy Subtle.
Danish clergymen are reported to
be extremely subtle in their oppo-
sition to the New Order theology,
but occasionally clergyman makes
q blunt statement on the essential
differences between Christianity and
Nazi-ism. Such q clergyman is Pas
tor Sparring-Petersen who is known
in theological circles outside Den
mark. He has just been the subject
of violent attacks in the Danish
Nazi paper, National Socialisten,
because of an article he wrote in his
parish magazine. In 1t he said:
1T has been said that present day
ideologies are not intended for ex-
port. But not so with the words
of Christ! As to who shall hear
them, no regard Is paid to blood and
race. One, two or five spring or
summer offensives do not count.
Every moment that does not CORE
spond with the will Of God will
either be countered or fought by
Christianity on behalf of mankind"
One Of the most implacable anti
Nazi ministers Is the Rev. Kaj Munk
who is also an outstanding Danish
playwright. His new drama, "Niels
Ebbesen," dramatizing q Danish ma
tional hero by that name who de-
livered the nation from German
oppression in the 18th century, was
never produced. But Munk read
1t, however, to large audiences