Henning Andersen (16 July 1917 – 29 June 1944) was a member of the

Danish resistance The Danish resistance movements ( da, Den danske modstandsbevægelse) were an underground insurgency to resist the German occupation of Denmark during World War II. Due to the initially lenient arrangements, in which the Nazi occupation autho ...

executed by the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

occupying power.

Biography

In addition to being a member of the

Hvidsten group The Hvidsten Group (Danish: ''Hvidstengruppen'') was a Danish resistance group during World War II named after the Hvidsten Inn between Randers and Mariager in Jutland where it was formed. History The Hvidsten Group became connected to the res ...

, Andersen was also a miller. The group helped the British

Special Operations Executive The Special Operations Executive (SOE) was a secret British World War II organisation. It was officially formed on 22 July 1940 under Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton, from the amalgamation of three existing secret organisations. Its pu ...

parachute weapons and supplies into Denmark for distribution to the resistance. In March 1944, the

Gestapo The (), abbreviated Gestapo (; ), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe. The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of Prussia into one organi ...

made an "incredible number of arrests" including in the region of Randers where a number of members of the Hvidsten group were arrested. The following month, '' De frie Danske'' (''The Free Danes'') reported that several arrestees from Hvidsten had been transferred from Randers to

Vestre Fængsel Vestre Prison ( da, Vestre Fængsel) is the main jail of the Danish capital, Copenhagen. Erected in 1895, it is Denmark's largest prison with a total capacity of 530 inmates. It primarily houses pretrial detainees, not convicted felons. History ...

. On 29 June 1944, Andersen and seven other members of the Hvidsten group were executed in

Ryvangen Ryvangen or Ryvangskvarteret (English language, English: The Ryvang neighbourhood) is a neighbourhood of single-family detached homes in the northern part of Østerbro, on the border with Hellerup, in Copenhagen, Denmark. History The name Ryvangen ...

After his death

On 15 July 1944, '' De frie Danske'' reported on the execution of several members of the Hvidsten group. Six months later the January 1945 issue of the resistance newspaper ''Frit Danmark'' (''Free Denmark'') reported that on 29 June the previous year Andersen and seven other named members of the Hvidsten group had been executed. On 10 July he was, together with the seven other executed group members, cremated at

Bispebjerg Cemetery Bispebjerg Cemetery (Danish: Bispebjerg Kirkegård), established in 1903 on the moderately graded north slope of Bispebjerg Hill, is the newest of five municipal cemeteries in Copenhagen, Denmark. The main entrance to the cemetery is located next ...

. In 1945 a memorial stone over the eight executed members of the Hvidsten group was raised near Hvidsten kro. Similarly, a larger memorial stone for resistance members, including the eight executed members of the Hvidsten group, has been laid down in

Ryvangen Memorial Park Ryvangen Memorial Park ( da, Mindelunden i Ryvangen) is a memorial park in Ryvangen officially inaugurated on 5 May 1950 to commemorate fallen members of the Danish resistance to the German occupation of Denmark during World War II. The locatio ...

Portrayal in the media

* In the 2012 Danish drama film ''Hvidsten Gruppen'' ( ''This Life''), Henning Andersen is portrayed by Janus Kim Elsig (as Janus Elsig).

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Andersen, Henning 1917 births 1944 deaths Danish people executed by Nazi Germany Danish resistance members Resistance members killed by Nazi Germany