The First Flash Mob

In 1940, German tanks rolled across European countries. In April they entered the peaceful country of Denmark. The Danish military was no match for the Nazi juggernaut who had already seized much of central and southern Europe. The Nazi Swastika met little resistance.

As part of the Nazi system of intimidation and terror, the Germans required every Dane of Jewish descent to wear a yellow Star of David. This made the Jews easy targets for persecution, violence, robbery and death. Any Jew who chose not to comply would immediately be removed from society and certainly face the horrors of genocide. The Star of David was and is a symbol of faith, culture and heritage, but the Nazi’s used it to mark Jews as less than human.

The Danish people did not have the resources to fight the powerful enemy, but their courageous leader, King Christian the Tenth, made a bold decision that risked his life and the lives of Denmark’s citizens. In an effort to keep the Nazis from singling out the Jews, King Christian asked everyone to wear the Star of David. He called on every Danish household to partner with their Jewish neighbors and stand beside them during this difficult time. In other words, he asked for a flash mob to confound and confuse the efforts of genocide.

What would you have done had you lived in Denmark in 1940? Fear certainly gripped the hearts of those first Gentiles citizens who ventured out of their homes the morning after the king’s plea. Would they be the only ones who risked it all for the good of another?

What happened that day was nothing short of the hand of God moving in our world. There were Stars of David sewed to the clothing of everyone. The Jews wept when they saw the people’s love and concern. But more importantly, because the people stood together for the good of another, the Nazi’s full plan of persecution against the Jews was never carried out in Denmark.

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Cary Duckett is pastor of Carmichael's Cypress Avenue Baptist Church