The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud Pedersen and the Churchill Club

As an introduction to Chapter 2, Hoose explains that Hitler is interested in Denmark for its fertile farmlands and strategic geographical location between Germany, England, and Sweden, which provides iron ore essential to the Germany army. Hitler regards the blond and blue-eyed Danes as “model Aryans” (17), part of an elite master race that will rule alongside Germans once he conquers the world.

Knud’s peaceful family life changes. His father Edvard preaches anti-Nazi sermons and forbids Knud and his older brother Jens from joining the Boy Scouts, fearing that it will be taken over by Hitler Youth and become a funnel for the Germany Army. At night the family listens to news of the war on the English BBC radio. Knud, Jens, and their cousins read about the German slaughter of the Norwegians and are deeply ashamed of their own country’s non-resistance. Frustrated by the inaction of the adults, Knud and Jens meet with their cousin Hans, Knud’s best friend, Knud Hedelund (known as “Little Knud”), and a boy named Harald Holm to discuss forming a resistance unit. Jens wants to wait to start until they have more members, but is overruled by the other boys, who want to begin immediately.