Administration By The Permanent Secretaries
The director of the ministry of foreign affairs Nils Svenningsen in January 1944 suggested establishment of a Danish camp in order to avoid deportations to Germany. Best accepted this suggestion, but on condition that this camp was built close to the German border. Frøslev Prison Camp was set up in August 1944.
Due to the Danish cabinet's decision on 9 April 1940 to accept cooperation with German authorities, the Danish police consequently cooperated with the German occupation forces. This arrangement remained in effect even after the resignation of the Danish government on 29 September 1943. On 12 May 1944, Best demanded that the Danish police should take over the task of protecting 57 specific enterprises sabotaged by the Danish resistance movement, which was growing in strength. Should the Danish civil service not accept this, the Danish police force would be reduced to 3,000 men. The head of the Danish administration, Nils Svenningsen, was inclined to accept this demand, but the organizations of the Danish police were opposed to the idea. The German request was ultimately turned down, and this was reported to Best on 6 June 1944. This reduced the Gestapo's already limited trust in the Danish police even further, and on 19 September 1944, the German army began arresting members of the Danish police forces. 1,960 policemen were arrested and deported to German KZ and prisoner of war camps.
During deliberations about capitulation on 3 May 1945, Best fought to avoid a scorched earth policy in Denmark.
Read more about this topic: Werner Best
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