Bust of Major Anders Lassen at the Churchill Park, Copenhagen

Statue of Major Anders Lassen Major at the Churchill Park, Copenhagen

My favourite place in Copenhagen is the Churchill Park near the before mentioned Gefion Fountain at the harbour. Since my childhood, I have been fascinated by the courage of the young Danish soldier Anders Lassen in British service during the war. In the park adjacent to the former Freedom Museum is his bust. The museum burnt down some years ago by the hands of an arsonist. Luckily the firemen were able to save the archived things from the museum. Mostly, the displays had to do with the resistance fight against the Nazi occupation of Denmark. I will make a blog post about it when it’s finished. Sadly, most old freedoms fighters will not be alive to see it. It is supposed to open in May 2020.

Excerpt from Wikipedia:

Anders Frederik Emil Victor Schau Lassen, VC, MC & Two Bars (22 September 1920 – 9 April 1945) was a highly decorated Danish soldier, who was the only non-Commonwealth recipient of the British Victoria Cross in the Second World War. He was posthumously awarded the United Kingdom’s highest gallantry award for his actions during Operation Roast on 8 April 1945 at Lake Comacchio in Italy in the final weeks of the Italian Campaign.

Like my father, Anders Lassen would have turned a hundred years in September 2020 had he still been alive.

More pictures from the Churchill park on a beautiful May liberation day 60 years after 1945.

Bust of Winston Churchill at the Churchill Park, Copenhagen

Wing Commander Flying, Lieutenant-Colonel Kaj Birksted Flying Ace memorial in the Churchill park

Wing Commander Flying, Lieutenant-Colonel Kaj Birksted Flying Ace memorial in the Churchill park

Cherry blossom in May in Copenhagen celebrating our liberation

Beech in May in Copenhagen celebrating our liberation