2016-08

Hitler’s Canary
by Sandi Toksvig
This book tells how,
during the Second World
War, ordinary Danish
people tried to save their
Jewish countrymen from
deportation to Germany. It was
inspired by the author’s father’s
experience during the German
occupation.
The story begins as Bamse,
aged 10, is living in a fl at in
Copenhagen with her actress
mother, artist and set designer
father, older brother and sister
Orlando and Masha, uncle Max
and Thomas the wardrobe master.
They are a happy-go-lucky family
living in a fantasy world. In the fl at
above lives Anton, Bamse’s friend,
and his family who are Jewish.
In April 1940 German planes
fl ew over the city destroying
the air force on the ground.
Thousands of troops were
transported in by sea and, within
days, the government had
surrendered and the occupation
had begun. At fi rst nothing much
changed. Not all German troops
were unfriendly; the population
made fun of them and played
pranks which were tolerated.
Bamse and Anton enjoyed some
escapades. Bamse’s father
disapproved but Orlando joined
the Resistance saying that
Denmark was Hitler’s canary
locked in a cage singing to Hitler’s
tune.
Over the following years things
got tougher, food was short,
restrictions tighter and some Jews
were deported.
Some funny incidents
happened, not least the local taxi
driver kept his car going by using
methane gas from cows on with
the resulting smell. However
the Jews became increasingly
restricted and some were rounded
up. The family
and the taxi
driver were
involved
in daring
schemes to
hide them and
transport them
in coffi ns to
the hospital
cellars.
Bamse’s
family staged
a theatrical
performance
for the
Germans in
their home
with many
Jews hidden
behind a
false wall.
In these and other rescues,
not all Germans were bad nor
Danes good. Many German
soldiers including Masha’s friend,
turned a blind eye and saved
lives while some Danes betrayed
their friends. Uncle Max had been
a collaborator but helped in the
end. Thomas sacrifi ced his life
to save some Jews from being
discovered.
In all, some 7,220 escaped the
to Sweden by sea and only two
per cent of the population was
lost.
I enjoyed this book which was
originally written for children of
how a family living in a fantasy
world based reality and played a
key role in the war.
Mary Diskin
St Chad’s Third Age Book
Group
Book Review
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Offi ce: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffi eld S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 27
email: offi ce@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org