Programme

Day one, 9 October

08:45   Meet in the lobby of Hotel Scandic Spectrum in Copenhagen

09:00   Departure by bus from hotel to Gilleleje

10:15   Arrival at the conference centre ‘Kulturhavn Gilleleje'

10:15-10:30   Coffee, tea and water

10:30-10:45   Welcome and introduction from Julie Pruzan, Ambassador, Special Representative for Freedom of Religion and Belief, Head of Danish delegation to IHRA, and Cecilie Felicia Stokholm Banke, Head of Research Unit, Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS) and Deputy Head of Danish Delegation to IHRA

THE DANISH PERSPECTIVE:

10:45-11:05   Countrymen – how Jews in Denmark managed to escape Nazi persecution in the autumn of 1943, Bo Lidegaard, Dr.Phil., historian, former editor-in-chief of the daily Politiken, former ambassador and author of more than 20 books, among others, Countrymen: How Denmark’s Jews Escaped the Nazis

11:05-11:35    Pastoral Letter about the Danish Bishop, Fuglsang-Damgaard, who persuaded the Danish church authorities to step in to help the Danish Jews. Clips from a new documentary will be shown. Casper Høyberg, film director, and Bent Blüdnikow, historian and writer, will also be present

11:35-11:55   The children left behind, about the silenced traumas of the flight to Sweden and the long aftermath, Sofie Lene Bak, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Copenhagen, and author of several books on Denmark during the Holocaust, including Nothing to speak of

12:00-13:00   Lunch

13:05-13:25   Jews from Denmark in the Theresienstadt Ghetto, Silvia Goldbaum Tarabini, PhD, Researcher, Danish National Archives, author of various articles as well as the book The Jews of Denmark in the Holocaust: Life and Death in Theresienstadt Ghetto

13:25-13:45   How Sweden became a safe haven during the Fall of 1943, Karin Kvist Geverts, PhD, historian and Director of the Institute for Holocaust Research in Sweden (IHRS)

13:45-14:15   Coffee break

THE INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE:

14:20-15:20   Civil society in Denmark, Norway and Sweden during the Holocaust: What to learn from the Danish, Swedish and Norwegian experiences?   
- Therkel Stræde, Danish historian and writer, author of the book: A wall of people, and co-author of the book A school of violence
- Anders Jerichow, senior correspondent at the daily Politiken and co-author with Cecilie Felicia Stokholm Banke of the book Civil Society and the Holocaust: International Perspectives on Resistance and Rescue
- Guri Hjeltnes, PhD, Director of The Norwegian Center for Holocaust and Minority Studies, HL-Senteret in Oslo
- Elisabeth Åsbrink,  Swedish writer and journalist, author of several books including And In the Vienna Woods The Trees Remain

15:20-15:40   Afternoon break

15:45-16.05   The Danish rescue in international memory research and debate, Wulf Kantsteiner, PhD, Professor at Aarhus University

16:05-16:40   Panel discussion with the audience and summing up, facilitated by Cecilie Felicia Stokholm Banke

16:40-16:50   Break

16:50   Walk and guided tour en route to Gilleleje Church 

18:00-19:00   Commemoration ceremony at Gilleleje Church
- Welcome by priest at Gilleleje Church, Ole Buchardt Olesen
- Speech by Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Lars Løkke Rasmussen
- Speech by chairperson of the Jewish Community in Denmark, Henri Goldstein
- Testimony from survivor Tove Udsholt
- Music and lighting of a candle

19:15   Walk to restaurant

19:30-21:30   Dinner at restaurant Gilleleje Havn & Krostue

21:45   Departure and transportation to Hotel Scandic Spectrum in Copenhagen

22:45   Arrival at hotel

Day two, 10 October 

08:45   Meet in the lobby of the Hotel Scandic Spectrum in Copenhagen

09:00 Departure by bus to Gilleleje. Drive along the scenic coastal road with a guide to the sights of historical interest to October 43 en route

10:30   Arrival in Gilleleje

TEACHING THE HOLOCAUST FROM A NORDIC PERSPECTIVE:

11:00-11:05   How to teach about the Holocaust in Denmark, Sweden and Norway, introduction and facilitation by Anders Jerichow, Humanity in Action and journalist at daily Politiken

11:05-11:25   Introduction to and showing of the short, animated film, ‘Voices in the void’ on the events of October 1943

11:25-11:45   Engaging generation Z in the complex history of the Holocaust, Stine Thuge and Solvej Berlau, historians and authors of the book ’The path to genocide. Before, during and after the Holocaust’  (‘Vejen til folkedrab. Før, under og efter Holocaust’, 2023).

11:45-12:05   How do we make teaching the Holocaust meaningful and inclusive for all students?, Charlotte Bruun, Communicator, Esbjerg Municipality’s school service

12:10-12:55   Lunch

13:00-13:20   Holocaust education in Norway, Guri Hjeltnes, PhD, Director of the Norwegian Center for Holocaust and Minority Studies, HL-Senteret in Oslo

13:20-13:35   Panel discussion with the audience about the challenges of teaching about the Holocaust

13:35-13:40   Conclusion and goodbye, Julie Pruzan, Ambassador, Special Representative for Freedom of Religion and Belief, Head of Danish delegation to IHRA, and Cecilie Felicia Stokholm Banke, Head of Research Unit at DIIS and Deputy Head of Danish Delegation to IHRA

13:40-14:00   Coffee and pick up luggage

14:00   Departure by bus and drive to Copenhagen. Presentation in the bus of the Danish Jewish Museum and 400 years of Jewish Life in Denmark by Sara Fredfeldt Stadager and Signe Bergman Larsen, MA, curators at the Danish Jewish Museum

15:30   Arrival in Copenhagen. Optional visit to Danish Jewish Museum or drop off at Copenhagen Central Station or Hotel Scandic Spectrum

15:30   Optional tour of The Danish Jewish Museum

16:15   Closing remarks

Accommodation
For participants who need accommodation, a pre-reservation has been made at Hotel Scandic Spectrum, Kalvebod Brygge 10, Copenhagen V.

Please book a room online at https://www.scandichotels.dk/hoteller/danmark/kobenhavn/scandic-spectrum.

Select hotel Scandic Spectrum and fill-in the check-in and check-out dates. It is possible to book rooms for 8-11 October (2 or 3 nights). We advise you to arrive in Copenhagen on 8 October. 

Please note that you will have to cover your own travel and accommodation expenses and therefore you must confirm your booking with a credit card.

It is important that you book your room as soon as possible.

You are welcome to book at other hotels. However, please be aware that the bus will depart from Hotel Scandic Spectrum at 09.00 AM both days.

Transportation
A bus will bring you from Hotel Spectrum and to/from Gilleleje on both days. The bus will depart from the hotel at 9.00 AM and take you back to the hotel after the programme on both days. Please be in the lobby of the hotel at 08.45 AM on both days. 

Food
Please note that all food served during the two-day conference will be kosher-friendly. No pork or shellfish will be served. Please let us know in advance if you follow a strict kosher diet. You can indicate this when registering for the conference.

Special event at The Royal Danish Theatre on 8 October 2023
On Sunday 8 October at 20:00 an official commemoration of October ’43 will take place at the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen. The event is being organized by Humanity in Action, Denmark and Goldschmidt Musikakademi. The programme will include a quintet of members of the Royal Chapel, a number of prominent artists, a Jewish children’s choir, survivors from the flight to Sweden and from Theresienstadt, and other musicians and speakers. Representatives of the royal family, the government, the parliament, the diplomatic community in Copenhagen, the Jewish community, the Danish resistance movement, the education sector and the Danish church will be present.

If you wish to participate in the event, please indicate this when registering for the conference. A limited number of tickets are reserved.