The Post 1945 Purges
After the occupation of Denmark, three special laws were enacted as amendments to the penal code, all having the option of capital punishment, related only to war crimes committed during World War II. These were ex post facto laws and were part of the purges (Danish: Retsopgøret) attempting to meet the public opinion that the most severe war criminals be punished by death. These included HIPO and Gestapo officers, many notorious for brutal murders or torture, and certain informers. In contrast to certain other countries which had been occupied by Nazi Germany, simple collaborators or sympathizers with the Germans were generally not sentenced to death.
About 13,500 people were sentenced as collaborators, denouncers or traitors under these laws. Of these, 76 received the death penalty and 46 of them were carried out, the last in June 1950. The 30 remaining were pardoned. The sentences were carried out by firing squads of 10 voluntary police officers, either in Undallslund Plantage (17), close to Viborg or on the military training grounds at Margreteholm, Christianshavn, Copenhagen (29). The latter execution area is today inside Christiania, on the Second Redan of the outer rampart, Enveloppen (in Christiania called Aircondition, Dyssen area) where a concrete floor and drain can still be seen at coordinates 55°40′48″N 12°36′49″E / 55.679871°N 12.61363°E / 55.679871; 12.61363. (See: Freetown Christiania#Barracks and ramparts)
Capital punishment in these laws (not the laws themselves) was eliminated in 1951. However, as capital punishment was still mentioned in the preamble of the law text, a new amendment confirming the removal of the death penalty was approved in Parliament on 22 December 1993, effective from 1 January 1994.
Read more about this topic: Capital Punishment In Denmark
Famous quotes containing the words post and/or purges:
“To the old saying that man built the house but woman made of it a “home” might be added the modern supplement that woman accepted cooking as a chore but man has made of it a recreation.”
—Emily Post (1873–1960)
“He gives the impression of a strong mind which is composed and wise. His brown eye is exceedingly kindly and gentle. A child would like to sit in his lap and a dog would sidle up to him. It is difficult to associate his personality and this impression of kindness and gentle simplicity with what has occurred here in connection with these purges and shootings of the Red Army generals, and so forth.”
—Joseph Davies (1876–1958)