Ryvangen Memorial Park - Ryvangen Mindelund - Copenhagen Resistant Museum - Copenhagen Tourist

Ryvangen Memorial Park - Greater Copenhagen

Ryvangen Memorial Park

Mindelunden i Ryvangen

Final resting place for the courageous Danish Resistance Members
and other Heroic Freedom Fighters from World War II.

Online and Onsite Sightseeing - Greater Copenhagen!


	Historic Site - See if time

"Mother with Her Killed Son"

The monument "Mother with Her Killed Son" at the Ryvangen Memorial Park.

Ryvangen Memorial Park (Mindelunden i Ryvangen)
The Memorial Park at Ryvangen was established in 5 May - 1950 - after the Nazi occupying power capitulated and retreated from Denmark in 1945. After the Nazi occupation of Denmark in 1940 - the Nazi troupes then attacked the Svanemølle Military Barracks in 1943 - where the present Memorial Park is situated - and took over these premises to accommodate their own military personal. Later - and after the occupants had left the country in May 1945 - it was discovered that the Nazi forces used the exercise grounds here to brutally liquidate members of the Danish Resistant Movement - and used the fields to temporary bury the deceased.

Nazi military quarters at Ryvangen

The exercise grounds of the Nazi military quarters at Ryvangen - where 202 dead bodies were found in May 1945 after their execution.

The Danish Resistance Members Burial Service

The official burial service at Ryvang in August 1945 to honour and commemorate the brave Danish Resistance that were discovered on this site.

Ryvangen Memorial Park - Inaugurated in 1950
When the public and the Danish resistance in 1945 got access to these military areas - they found a muddy and unworthy burial plot with 202 corpses - some still lying on the surface - who either was executed - killed during an illegal operation or shot down in combat with the Nazi regime. All 202 bodies were later identified and received an honourable burial service at the same site - where they were found - in the presence of the Danish King Christian X - and the rest of the official Denmark. After the memorial ceremony the area at Ryvang was declared to be a Memorial Park - and the final resting place for the members of the Danish Resistance - who lost their precious lives to liberate Denmark. The Memorial Park at Ryvangen was then established and inaugurated May 5th - 1950 - and officially opened to the public.

The Danish Resistance Movement in 1945

Members of the Danish Resistance in 1945 patrolling at the Little Belt Bridge with their distinctive armband.

Original Execution Poles

The three original execution poles - where Danish patriots were tied and shot during 1943-1945.

Historical spot and the Daniah Heroes Burial Plot
The Memorial Park in Ryvangen is worth a visit - as this historical spot was the very place where the Nazis executed and buried their victims. Visitors can experience the three execution posts - where the Danish patriots from the resistance movement were tied and shot. There - where the Nazi shooting squad stood - a memorial plaque has been set up with an inscription of words of the national hero and priest Kaj Munk (1898-1944) - who was cruelly murdered by the Nazi executioners near his home in Jutland. The monument facing the 104 burial plots (all tombstones are made of Nexø sandstone from the Danish isle Bornholm) is call “Mother with her killed son” by sculptor Axel Poulsen - and in the pergola are 151 commemoration plaques for the Danes - who disappeared during the Nazi occupation. Altogether there are 158 graves - and 242 plaques in the Memorial Park.

Other Memorial Monuments in the Ryvangen Memorial Park

On both side of the wide field of graves with beautiful heather covered plants are two memorial monuments. One dedicated to Danish war sailors, who lost their pressures life during World War II, while serving on Danish merchant ships and joined forces with trusted Allied vessels on the “Seven Seas” around the world.

The other memorial monument is devoted to all the fallen Danish soldier’s - pilots and navy personal in the Danish Army, who didn’t survive World War II, while defending their motherland on the battlefields on land - in the air - and at sea.

Memorial Monuments

Several Memorial Monuments are placed beside the heather covered field of graves.

Execution area and Poles

The execution area with the original 3 poles that are preserved in bronze - is a reminder for the future generations and where friends - family and visitors can pay a graceful tribute to the falling patriots.

Remembrance Wall

The pergola with 151 commemoration plaques for the Danes who disappeared during the 5 years of Nazi occupation is honoured every year on May 5th with a ceremony of remembrance.

Candle in the windows on Liberation day - Every Year
The Park is also a delightful sanctuary with beautiful grassy ramparts surrounding some of the resistance members’ final resting place. A memorial service is held every year at the Ryvangen Memorial Park on May 5th - for the bravest and greatest generation ever - on the day - when Denmark was liberated by the English and American Army. On every 4th of May the Danes light a candle in their window to celebrate and commemorate their freedom.

New National Memorial

New National Monument

The new National Memorial of remembrance placed at the Old Citadel (Kastellet) in Copenhagen.

A New National Monument and Flag Day

A new national monument of remembrance for the many brave Danish soldiers - who lost their young and precious lives in international peace keeping missions abroad was inaugurated on September 5th - 2011. This special Memorial Day has been appointed as a new National Danish Flag Day for Denmark’s deployed personnel - and will be remembered every year - as a special day of commemoration at the Old Citadel (Kastellet) in Copenhagen.

Resistance Museum

The Museum of Danish Resistance tells the story of Danish resistance during Nazi occupation 1940-1945.

The Museum of Danish Resistance 1940-1945

The museum tells the story of Danish resistance during Nazi occupation 1940-1945. It springs from an exhibition called Fighting Denmark - arranged by the Resistance Council in the summer of 1945. In 1957 a permanent museum was opened on the present location. The exhibition you see today was inaugurated in 2020.

The Resistance Museum

OBS!
The Museum of Danish Resistance was raged by a devastating fire on April 28. - 2013. The museum building suffered massive damage. Fortunately - no historical artefacts or priceless objects were damaged by the fire. The new Museum of Danish Resistance is scheduled to reopen 2020.

- The 5th of May arrangements will be celebrated every year on the new building site of the new Museum of Danish Resistance.

The new building that will house the Danish Resistance Museum was inaugurated on July 3rd 2020 - on the same spot and location nearby the Churchill Park.

Location
The Ryvangen Memorial Park is located at Hellerup and beside the Kennedy Center - and visitors can easily spend 1-2 hours or more in this attractivel Park area and historic site. Admission free.

Ryvangen Memorial Park

Address:
Mindelunden i Ryvangen
(Memorial Park at Ryvangen)
Tuborgvej 33
2900 Hellerup

Administration: The Danish Memorial Cemetery is a state-governed memorial cemetery that operates under the Ministry of Church Affairs. (Kirkeministeriet),

Bus to end station.

S-Train - Hellerup Station - 500 m from the entrance of Memorial Park in Ryvangen

Ryvangen Memorial Park

This Memorial Park historic site will be updated regularly.

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