Part 5
Paradise (1945 - 1946)
After Germany defeated Poland in 1940, they invaded Norway and Denmark. The next year, Finland entered the war on the side of Germany and the Axis Powers in their fight against the USSR hoping to regain territory lost earlier. Sweden was the only Scandinavian country that was able to remain neutral throughout the conflict. Most individuals in occupied Europe did not actively collaborate in the Nazi campaign against Jews. Nor did they do much to help Jews and other victims of the genocide. Denmark was an exception. In 1943, upon learning that the Nazis were planning to deport Danish Jews, the Danes organized a nationwide effort to smuggle their Jewish population by sea to neutral Sweden.
Refugees in Bredaryd, Sweden from personal collection of Ruth Grunberger (1946).
Our Bredaryd dormitory - a converted movie theatre. We each had our own bed!
Outside of dormitory in Bredaryd, Sweden. Manci is at the bottom left and Ruth is bottom center. Edith is above them.
Ruthie at 17 years old.
Manci in Sweden.
Ruthie in Sweden, March 1946.
Manci in stripes, Kis Magda to her right, Ruthie in center, Magda 2nd from left.
Maps
Sweden and other neutral countries (1945)