Cover of A Night of Watching

A Night of Watching

This novel tells the story of a magnificent exploit: the feat of the Danish Underground in 1943 when, in the space of two weeks, virtually all of the eight thousand Danish Jews were smuggled to Sweden.

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For the previous three and a half years, the Germans had occupied Denmark with no persecution of the Jewish community. Then Hitler suddenly decided to export the Jews for extermination. Everything was efficiently arranged. But it did not work. Some of the Germans had been affected by the decency of the conquered people, and the unwarlike Danes had risked everything for their fellow Danes, the Jews.

The novel alternates from small warm moments to situations of unbearable tension, and is made poignant by the diverse and moving love stories. With all its hard impact, its cruelties, ironies and betrayals, the story it tells is an enlivening, inspiring one. And it suggests the hope that the evil in man can lesson when he is confronted by resolute human decency.

Audience
adult
Length
long · 441 pages

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