King Frederik commemorates liberation of Bornholm

King Frederik of Denmark commemorated the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Bornholm.

The King attended the commemoration of the liberation of Bornholm in Rønne and Nexø on the island of Bornholm on 7 May.

At Lille Torv in Rønne, His Majesty rededicated a memorial stone (that has been moved to a more central location) to the nine civilians who lost their lives during the bombings on 7 and 8 May 1945. The King laid a wreath at the stone with a red ribbon with his name attached.

He spent time with those who experienced the bombing and invasion as children to hear about their experiences.

King Frederik’s visit continued in the Bornholm Defence Museum, where he received a tour of the exhibit about the Soviet occupation. It includes Danish, German and Soviet artefacts from that time.

Photo: The Royal House ©

Afterwards, the King travelled to Nexø, where he walked through the town to see the Swedish houses built as emergency aid from their Scandinavian neighbour following the bombing destruction. The Royal Court called the homes “a unified historical environment and a visible testimony to the Swedish aid to Bornholm.”

King Frederik spoke to Swedish ambassador, Hans Wallmark, during the tour and heard from the ambassador on Sweden’s motive for the aid.

On 9 May 1945, the Soviets invaded Bornholm to liberate it from the Nazi occupation at the end of World War II, but destroyed several towns in the process. The Soviets remained on Bornholm until the island was returned to Denmark on 5 April 1946 after Europe was divided between East and West.

King Frederik will return to Bornholm on 16 May for a buck hunt, following centuries of tradition of the King attending the first buck hunt of the year.