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

Andersen was born in Linde on 16 July 1917 to coach builder Martin Andersen and 28-year-old wife Emilie Kirstine née Larsen and baptized in Linde church on the 19th Sunday after

Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...

the same year. 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 5 July 1945 Andersen's remains and those of five others from the group were found in Ryvangen and transferred to the Department of Forensic Medicine of the

University of Copenhagen The University of Copenhagen ( da, Københavns Universitet, KU) is a prestigious public university, public research university in Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded in 1479, the University of Copenhagen is the second-oldest university in ...

. The remains of the two remaining executed members of the group,

Marius Fiil Marius Fiil (21 May 1893 – 29 June 1944) was the inn keeper at Hvidsten Inn and a member of the Danish resistance executed by the German occupying power. Biography Fiil was born in Hvidsten Inn on 21 May 1893 as son of its owner Niels Peder ...

and his son Niels, had been found in the same area three days before. Alternatively, his remains were recovered on or before 3 July because on that day an

inquest An inquest is a judicial inquiry in common law jurisdictions, particularly one held to determine the cause of a person's death. Conducted by a judge, jury, or government official, an inquest may or may not require an autopsy carried out by a coro ...

by the Department of Forensic Medicine at the University of Copenhagen showed that he was executed with gunshot wounds to the chest. 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 people of World War II Danish resistance members Resistance members killed by Nazi Germany